Check up anxiety...need hugs!

[Soccermom]

Hello Her2 family!
My six month check up is on Monday. This is the first time I have had the six month wait since dx ( won't have scans again until Dec.)
I feel silly but I want to know if I should ask for a head/neck MRI as I have been having neck and shoulder pain for two months now? A year and a half ago I had one for the same sort of pain and it showed herniations, but the pain went away, totally...hmm.
In any event I'd feel better knowing you are all thinking good thoughts for me on Monday!
Thanks,
Marcia

[Yorkiegirl]

Marcia Hug's and prayers's going out for your check up on Monday.
I know what you mean about appt's and being stressed. I myself stress when it's time for mine. I still see my Onc every 3 months.
I feel if it would make you feel better go ahead and ask for the MRI.

[Vi Schorpp]

Not only good thoughts for Monday, but from now until Monday. Good luck.

[nitewind]

Hi Marcia, I, for one will keep you in my thoughts and prayers for Monday. I know how anxious we all get at these checkup times. I promise to think of you if you'll do the same for me, my three month checkup is Monday at one o'clock. Let's just pretend that we are going together, that will make it easier.
If I were you, I would mention any problems to the doctor, I know I'm planning to. I hope your doc isn't like mine, he thinks I'm paranoid (shouldn't I be?) I've been thinking a lot lately about being better to be safe than sorry, now if I can get my onc to listen to me.
I know in my heart that we are both fine, but who can blame us for worrying?
Be sure to post and let us know how it goes.
I'll be thinking of you.
Hugs

[PinkGirl]

Hi Soc (my birthday twin Irma)

I don't have any profound advice. I will be thinking
of you on Monday if you will think of me on Tuesday.

I always talk to my onc about all of my aches and
pains and then we decide together what the plan of
attack will be. The build-up to these appointments
is difficult. I write out a list of questions and then
I try to forget about it until the day arrives.

My big problem right now is that I have to lose 40 lbs
before Tuesday.....think I can do it????? My skinny
onc. is going to weigh me and then I will get the lecture
(again) :)

Good luck on Monday. I'm sure everything will go
smoothly.

[Vi Schorpp]

Of course I will have good thoughts for you also from now until Monday. I think it's normal for doctors to think that patients are paranoid -- they would be too in the same circumstances. You want to pretend that you and Marcia are going to your appointments together? Actually you are. Although at a distance none of us will ever leave your side. Take care and have a great week-end.

[abitjaded]

My hugs and pixie dust.

If you want a test, ask for it. Maybe they will figure out something to do for the herniations! There are lots of medical papers that state if a test relieves anxiety, and the patient wants it, than do it! Hopefully your doc will figure out an easy explanation. How about medically ordered daily massage with your favorite scented oil! Deep breath, take someone to hold your hand. The worst stinking part is the waiting.

Carla

[nitewind]

Hey Pink, if you figure out how to lose that weight by Tuesday, please share with us. I need to drop about 30lbs myself.

[lilyecuadorian]

May GOD will be with you at time of scans and my prayers are with you too ..

[Soccermom]

Whoa , what a response (you guys are the BEST!) THX ladies!
Appt buddy Susan and day after appt buddy PINK, I will be holding you in my thoughts (good distraction,LOL)
Off to work I go...

Hugs,Marcia

[Believe51]

Marcia AND PinkGirl....special thoughts and prayers everyday from myself. Extra ones though for Monday and Tuesday for you two very lovely friends>>Believe51

[MJo]

Pink-Lilly-Marcia

I just had my checkup Monday. I know how you feel Marcia. Pink & Lilly - I lost 50 pounds of the weight I gained in cancer treatment. Monday at my checkup, the nurse practicioner felt something on my side below my breast area. She didn't tell me. Oncologist comes in and says "Let me look at this area that Connie is concerned about." The terror nearly zoomed me through the ceiling of the examining room. Oncologist continues: You've lost a lot of weight, so you don't have the same feel when we examine you. THere I think she felt a rib." Yep. It was a rib plus a little scar tissue. Go ahead and lose the weight, but be warned.

[tricia keegan]

Good luck to you both ladies, I'll be keeping everything crossed for you both!
marcia I also am having my six monthly check up this month for the first time so I understand how worrying it is. Bty, I take arimidex and also get a lot of pain in my neck and shoulder area so maybe thats whats causing your's??

Pink Girl...if you lose that 40lbs by Tuesday please tell me how you did it:) I also need to have quit smoking by the time I see my onc or she'll kill me!

[PinkGirl]

Tricia,
Let's see ... I have part of today, all of Friday, Saturday,
Sunday, Monday, and then part of Tuesday ... it could
happen! And then I'll have to worry about those things
that MJo was talking about - something called ribs.

[caya]

Good luck next week Marcia, Pink and Tricia with your checkups.
And Marcia - it probably is nothing, but def. mention to your onc. - he/she will know what test will be the best. I agree with Tricia - most likely the Arimidex.

all the best
caya

[ElaineM]

Hi,
It is a good idea to mention aches and pains to the doc.
Maybe you would like to make notes about things that concern you in a notebook and then bring the notebook to your appointment, so that you can discuss them with the doc. That way you might be able to put those concerns on the back burner and enjoy other things until you see the doc. Hang in there and lots of luck on Monday.

[Gerri]

Marcia,

Good luck with your check-up. Prior to my last routine follow-up I was having significant pain in my right shoulder and all the way down my arm. It was actually waking me up at night. I told my onc about it at my appointment and she scheduled me for a bone scan - it came up clean. About that same time I stopped carrying my 50lb purse (well, close to that heavy) on that shoulder and now I am pain free. I'm now waiting for the left shoulder to hurt but won't panic this time.

PinkGirl: Please be sure and start a new thread on how to lose 40 pounds in five days - I'd love to see how to do that!

Ribs? Aren't those usually covered with BBQ sauce? Hmm...

Best of luck to everyone with upcoming appointments!

[Mary Anne in TX]

Marcia, Pink, and Susan....gonna be a power day at the onc!!!! Voice your concerns and then come back and tell us you are all just perfect....absolutely perfect!
Ok, Pink, lets get this "I lost a pound.... yea, but I lost 4" thing going! I'd be in heaven to lose 10 lbs. right now. Is the weight lose race on????????

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/clip_art/gstres/celebrte/hug http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/clip_art/gstres/celebrte/heart http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/clip_art/peeps-emt/senti/clips/luck2-clip2

http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/snd/soundClick to play sound: Laughing Woman (http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/snd/emo/lgh/laughingwoman.mp3)

Andi

[dhealey]

Best of luck girls with your checkups. I just started going every three months. Had my visit Tuesday and was telling her about pelvic pain I have been having and now I am going for a CT scan Friday and a cystoscopy in June (have had blood in my urine for 6 weeks not a UTI or a kidney stone.) Keep your fingers crossed for me as I will for you!!!

[Bill]

Hi Marcia, we'll all be "with" you on Monday. Like the girls said, if you have concerns about the neck pains, tell your doc. and get a test done. Your appointment is Monday, so to help you relax, and get a good night's sleep, you need to follow Dr. Bill's Cure-All. Before bed on Sunday, take a long hot bath. Light some scented candles, listen to a little George Winston piano music (or Beethoven, or Carlos Nakai, Flute music) and just languish in the bubbles and relax, then go to bed and just drift off to sleep. Tomorrow always takes care of itself. Love ya! Bill

[Bill]

Oh, I forgot, ribs are for tickling!

[nitewind]

Debbie, I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers too! Lotsa stuff going on for a lot of us. Everyone be sure to check in.
Hugs

[Joy]

HUGS, HUGS and more Hugs!!!

[Becky]

We must all be on the same timetable. I have my blood draw on Monday (12th) and my appt the 19th with a Zometa infusion.

I will be thinking of you (I am still on every 4 months - I think I freaked everyone out with that cyst 7 months ago as my rad onc changed back to every 6 months and I went to every yr with him). Oh well - be well. We can swap tumor markers next week.

[Mary Jo]

Sending hugs to you.........and understanding for those anxious feelings. I, too, see my onc. June 5 and I'm starting to have "symptoms" and as of today think I have cancer everywhere. Along with my blood work this time my onc. will be doing the liver enzyme and other liver tests (not sure what they are) I'm getting afraid and am sure I will have liver mets or something soon.

Oh the anxiety of living with this is hard sometimes.....isn't it? So a hug to you and I'd appreciate one back. http://her2support.org/vbulletin/images/icons/icon7.gif

Thank you....

Mary Jo

[Bill]

Awwww, you all have my hugs. Y'all just try not to worry too much.

[lexigirl]

Big squishy hugs for you Marcia! We all know to well the stress of these appts.
Prayers that all is a-okay!!

Hugs and Prayers,
Lexi

[Paty]

Marcia,

Lots and lots of cyber hugs for you, and my prayings for you and all the sisters in this board.

Paty

[Jackie07]

I will think about you Monday. I too, have an appointment with my Oncologist to see my PET scan (today) result.

[Vanessa]

Hugs and prayers to all of you sisters who are undergoing check-ups and tests this coming week. I will be thinking of your daily and keeping you in my prayers.

[AlaskaAngel]

Good thread.

Marcia, mixed thoughts here, but I think you should not hesitate to ask for the imaging. At the same time, I want to encourage you by saying that I had neck and shoulder pain on the affected side that was bad enough that also caused constant vertigo. So... naturally I was worried about the brain. My PCP agreed to MRI of the brain, which turned out to be fine. A physical therapist who specialized in vertigo taught me a few exercises and although periodically I get the neck and shoulder aches I just do the exercises, and I never get the vertigo and the neck and shoulder aches do go away again.

Thinking of you all, hoping exams and tests go well,

AlaskaAngel

[Jean]

Dear Becky, Marcia and Pink Girl,
May all your numbers be small!

You are covered with prayers !

Love,
Jean

[Debra]

Marcia -

First, yes a hug for your check-up anxiety! Second, I was wondering if you had a port? I had neck and shoulder pain as well for sometime after treatment so of course my first, "6 monther" I had lots of anxiety. What I did discover was that the port was causing my problems. No one would have guessed! Port removed and no pain what-so-ever.
Third, we all know about your anxiety which is why we will all give you a "cyber-hug"!

[sassy]

Just waiting for all those low numbers to show up on the boards!

Scanxiety---BE GONE!

[Joan M]

Marcia, Pink Girl and Tricia, Good luck on your follow-ups! I'm praying for you! Joan

[Joan M]

Jackie and Becky, Good luck to you too with your tests! Joan

[harrie]

Marcia,
Wishing you a great 6 month ck up on Monday.
I had my 6 month ck up with my onco when I was in CA and it all went perfect. Thank goodness.
For the past month I have been having an occasional very slight discharge and I have been in menopause for several yrs. It is very faint, very light in color and hardly happens. So today I had an ultrasound done and am waiting for those results.
I tell you, I think we are all so tuned in to anything even slightly peculiar!!
Maryanne

[Soccermom]

Hi folks,
went back to work this past week and due to a shortage of staff (always!) and Mothers Day am working crazy shifts and am pooped!
debra had my port out in August...
I simply cant thank you enough for just being out there and responding. Since by best buddies recurrence news last month...and our loved ones here...its tough believing/acting/feeling like a SURVIVOR. I always have had difficulties referring to myself as a survivor as I dont feel the tallies are all in if you know what i mean?
Big hugs,Marcia

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Hey Soc -- You have survived the surgery, the chemo, the scans and the tests including the inscanity and anxiety waiting for results. You have beaten the ca into submission. You have survived the reconstructive surgery. You have a Survivor's mentality, Marcia! Claim that. It is yours. You have earned that title. It is who you are! And I wish you more of the same for at least another 50 yrs.

With LOVE and HUGS and wishes for a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY too!
Andi http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/smi/2b00001c91/06

[MJo]

Thinking of you today, Marsha. Waiting for your report.

[Soccermom]

Docs says physical exam is "good" no nodes or lumps.Bloodwork was good (tumor markers come back today tho) but she is scheduling a cervical/lumbar MRI for ongoing pain issues and an ECHO because I cannot get enough oxygen while I am laying down (sleep on a wedge with two pillows). I feel so RELIEVED!
Woo-hoo....next appt 6 mo!!!!

P.S . She is checking my TSH and B12 in regards to my hair loss.

THX for all your good thoughts and prayers...they work!
Marcia

[Mary Jo]

WOO-HOO RIGHT BACK AT YA!!!

Mary Jo

[caya]

the Good News Marcia. We LOVE hearing it. Congrats to you. I hope your oxygen issues alleviate soon.

Mazel Tov.

all the best
caya

[harrie]

Right On Marcia!!!
So happy for you.