[Andrea Barnett Budin]

I'm reading today's posts in this thread with great interest and heartfelt sense of sisterhood. Clearly we are each different. Our cancers (though they fall into similar categories -- mine 4th stage post menopausal age 50 in '95 w/recurrence in '98 and discovery of newly tested HER2+ gene). Everyone's body reacts different to same meds. Yes, Colleen, WE MUST BE OUR OWN ADVOCATE. Each doc, though brilliant, is a particular brand of "hammer" and sees you as a "nail". We must think outside the box.

cvaughn's symptoms might be related to chemo. I learned that many of the after effects of Taxotere, for example, lasted for years. I would say to my beloved onc (fav of 5) "I know this sounds crazy, but..." He would tell you no you are not crazy. I have patients reporting the same thing years later.

The Taxotere left me with a pleural effusion and a peri cardial effusion which was as one would expect horrific. Could barely walk or talk, literally. Whispers. Tripping. Deep pain in my limbs, burning soles of feet. Nails blackened and lifted with oozy crusty stuff exposed. Tearing constant. Eye pain (like shards of glass in them), drippy nose STILL. Nose bleeds first thing in the A.M. Ayr , btw, helped this.

Nausea, blah, blah. Absurdly weak. Sleep issues since forever. Ativan. Ambien. Natural supplements help immensely. Did prophylactic dose (1/2) of Fosamax when osteopenia spotted in bone density. Prayed to stop the deterioration. Instead -- my bones are now beautiful I am told, and I am now 70!

Then I did 10 yrs of Herceptin which was okay for me. Weight issues. Nose, eyes STILL. Nails now weak, thin, split vertically but I use a weekly hardener. Eyebrows never grew back. Lashes that were thick now sparse. Hair grew back BUT... Way thinner, frail, split ends, receding hairline.

I know pp who have horrid reactions to omeprazole (for reflux) whereas most tolerate it well.

If you know me, I still take my dozens of supplements (per Dr. Gaynor in NYC) and drink about 8-10 glasses of water a day. Chronic IBS since first chemo (Adria and CMF) which prevents me from eating a longgg scroll of lists of foods I cannot seem to tolerate -- many of which I love and exist EVERYWHERE.

But, I am healthy and well, cancer free. STABLE since '99 and genuinely grateful with every fiber of my being.

I wish you all wellness! Stay connected. We learn more from one another than anywhere else. The chemo nurses and other patients in the 10+ years in the chemo rooms in NY and Fla were a source of immense knowledge, enlightenment and benefit.

With Love and Light,
Andi