Short update on medication

 

So far, after a week of the Anastrozole, the only side effect I have is fatigue. I’m taking more naps and that helps a little bit. We’ll see how it goes after I’ve been on it for longer. I have my head CT scheduled for Wednesday and my bone scan on Thursday. I will update on those later.

I've got hair!

 

Time to reveal the hair. I stopped wearing beanies a week ago (except for cold days like the last couple of days). My last chemo was 12/29, so about 3.5 months to get to here.

The battle continues…

 

I saw the oncologist Monday morning and we addressed several things:

~ I will be starting Anastrozole (hormone therapy pill) as soon as Walmart gets it back in stock

~ Sleep issues – ask PCP to order a sleep study

~ Low back pain – bone scan scheduled for May 2

~ Headaches, increasing lately – head MRI ordered

However, apparently my tissue expanders have metal in them so I can’t have the MRI. We can do a CT instead. I still need to schedule this.

Had my hormone therapy injection Wednesday (It works by targeting and blocking the HER2 protein on the breast cancer cell) – all went well. My labs from Monday came back good. My hemoglobin is still low, but just barely. So, the anemia is resolving.

I’m going out and about without a beanie or hat now. It’s warmed up enough that I can do that. However, were heading into cold weather again today, so I may put one on, at least for when I’m outside. I will try to remember to take a picture without a beanie or hat and post it.

Please pray that I will not have many side effects from the Anastrozole. It has a lot of potential effects. Thank you.

Another checkup and some unexpected pain

 

I went to see a lymphedema specialist at Occupational Therapy yesterday. She said my scars have absolutely no adhesions. Yay! However, when I reached above my head to adjust the pillow, I got what felt like a cramp right under my left breast. She checked the area and said we’d keep an eye on it. I forgot it the rest of the day.

Then, in my shower last night, the pain came back with a vengeance. I couldn’t even dry myself off, I had to ask Kenn to dry me off. On a pain scale of 1-10, it was a 9 easily. I would say an 11 but that’s reserved for when I had a chest tube put in in the ER.

I mixed up some electrolyte drink and practically guzzled it. I also put some magnesium lotion on. I think my electrolytes must be off because I’ve been without pain since I drank the electrolyte mix. I’m going to call OT in the morning to see what I should do…

UPDATE: Update on my left side rib pain. I spoke with the nurse at the plastic surgeon’s office. She said it sounded like I had pulled out a stitch. The expander is stitched to the muscle in 6 places one of which is right where I had the pain. She said to just take it easy and if something starts to hurt, to stop it.

Saline done!

 

The view from my plastic surgeon’s office today. I have enough saline in the expanders and don’t need to be seen by him until my pre-op appointment Aug 21. I just have to see oncology every 3 weeks for my injection and labs.