Anyone else out there feeling great? I have side effects which I don't like, however compared to how I was feeling a year ago on diagnosis, I have never felt better. I got rid of my horrible husband and am in my new home, I eat better and am fitter than I have ever been - cycling and jogging.. never did those things before. It feels counter-intuitive that I am stage 4 with shortened life expectancy.
I am on faslodex and versenio with ibandronic tablets 50mg a day.
I'm glad you have found your happy place. What is ibandronic tablets used for?
Take care be safe
Shelby
It to strengthen bones (like zoledronic acid injections, but lower dose)
Thank you. When I see my oncologist in January I will ask her if I could take this tablet. I'm not taking any bone strengtheners as my mouth and jaw started to become sore
I dont have those side effects.. my understanding is that it is not the 'gold standard' treatment, however I prefer it as I have few side effects. Also, my bone mets are stable and I have sclerotic growth of new bone - so it works. You need to take them first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and then not eat for 30 mins.. I take before a shower. My tablets are 50mg
My oncologist put me on weekly Fosomax; once a week, first thing in the A.M., on an empty stomach too.
Best,
Colleen
Enjoy life and have a Merry Christmas🎄
I’m glad you had the courage to improve your life. Many women would feel frightened to tackle cancer and living alone. High five for bravery! Merry Christmas!
Hello Queenie, I too feel better than I did 12 months ago prior to diagnosis. I occasionally get a few ulcers in my mouth but told my oncologist last week I feel normal. I've also had some positive life changes, it gives me hope although I can't get rid of the lurking fear it will all change. And all these Covid restrictions are getting to me as I'm worried that this good bit is being frittered away and I can't do the things I'd like to. Stay positive, safe and well. Carolyn x
I love this! What a wonderful thing to be in a place of joy and valuing each day. 
Nice to hear how well you are doing after such difficult changes. My daughter gave me a morse code bracelet that says "with brave wings she flies". You could have one also. Although, I don't feel very brave at the moment.
Cheers, June S.
What’s ibrandronic tablets? something to with Ibrance?
I'm with you sister!! One year ago I was blissfully unaware that my cancer had never really left and I was experiencing so much belly pain from my abdominal mets. I was down to eating and drinking almost nothing while trying to figure out what was causing my "Crohns flares". And now other than occasional bumps in the road I feel great!! I'm eating and drinking the things I like again, I'm exercising and feeling more physically fit than I have in years and my husband has never been more loving and supportive and we've been married for 20+ years. We are seizing the days we have left ❤️
Congrats on taking control of your life and living it well!!!
Have a Happy holiday! Glad you feel well!
Thanks for posting this - you're not alone, I'm with you! I think I was ill for years before diagnosis 2 1/2 years ago and I definitely feel better now than I have done for ages. I find bone pain much easier to deal with now I know what's going on, I'm lucky not to have hideous side effects and the lifestyle changes I've made help me to feel great quite a lot of the time. Long may it continue for both of us and everyone else for whom diagnosis hasn't been as much of a disaster as one might expect! Happy Holidays! Gill
I'm not quite there at the moment, but I love this! What an uplifting and inspiring post. Many happy wishes and thoughts to you.
I love it! You have a great attitude and it seems that you have found your way. Keep going! I too feel better now than before. I think it is the changed mental attitude first of all.
I’m doing alright. I definitely feel good. My family is healthy. My husband is behaving. The kids are mostly decent human beings and the three dogs are usually house trained although occasionally eat the cat litter.
I'm with you! I was dx in January of this year and it was so bad nobody knew if I would make it to the end of year. However, with meds, herbs, supplements, spiritual work and a refusal to let this win I am feeling great and my last scan said little metastatic disease left. I was a vegan before and still of course am and I do yoga every evening as well as dance a lot! Ironically my husband and I had our worse year right before this happened and I think was partially the cause (emotional trauma) of cancer reoccurrence but it has strengthened our bond in ways I couldn't have imagine. I wake up thankful I am still alive and try to remain as positive as possible. I see things so differently now...the little things. Covid lockdown has been hell but it provided em with alot of quality time with my husband and sons and I am super thankful for that. Praying we all get better and there is eventually a cure not just for Covid but for breast cancer at any stage. There is an article I just read yesterday about a vaccine that was just created for breast cancer!! I don't know if its too late for us stage 4 folks but that is pretty damn hopeful and if it really works I am begging ALL of my girlfriends to take it so they don't have to go through what we have had to go through.
Wishing every the best in the new year and better health!!!
Dancer 1000, please post the reference to the vaccine for cancer if you can.
In reading about the Covid-19 vaccines, I noted that some researchers believe the messenger RNA approach taken by the two vaccines currently approved could also be used to find a cure for cancer. I'm wondering whether you read the same article.
Given all the billions of dollars that has been raised for breast cancer in North America (think of the sports teams and the "pink" campaigns), it does surprise me that the only treatments currently available merely prolong our lives temporarily (if we can tolerate the concurrent side effects). It seems to me that basic research regarding cancer processes has been sadly neglected in favour of the development of expensive cancer drugs which enrich the shareholders of the huge drug companies. Our oncologists only seem to prescribe the drugs most recently developed, and are uninterested for the most part in discussing research studies.
Here is the link to the article I mentioned:fox8.com/news/fda-clears-wa...
Thanks very much. I posted a reference from Science Daily, but I'll also be interested to read what Fox News had to say. Merry Christmas!
Likewise!!
Can you tell me what kinds of supplements and herbs you are using? Also are you on other treatments like Ibrance and Letrozole? I have started taking 15mg of Zinc, a Raw Calcium supplement with D3 as well as some other minerals and have been diffusing essential oils and doing a meditation CD every morning as well as talking with a therapist. Was going to ask my oncologist about other supplements I might take so was curious what is working for you. I was DX 2 months ago. Thanks!
I did Taxol first for 12 weeks (1x/week) then I stopped. Not because it was no longer working but because I just couldn't take all the side effects. I figure I can go back to it if necessary. Then I started hormone therapy with Ibrance (125mg) and Letrozole. From the beginning I read Radical Remission by Kelly A. Turner which I highly recommend. It discusses the other 10 important factors that we really need to focus on:
1. Radical diet change
2. Taking control of your Health (empowerment - be your own advocate)
3. Follow your intuition
4. Using Herbs and supplements
5. Releasing Suppressed Anger
6. Increasing positive emotions
7. Embracing Social Support
8. Deepening your spiritual connection
9. Having strong reasons to live
10. Exercise, move, dance
Many of people in radical remission did not do conventional treatments (chemo etc) medicine but I opted to to both so addition to the treatments from oncologist I do juicing (carrot, celery, apple, ginger, beet, lemon, garlic) and a green juice (kale, spinach, banana, spirulina, citris pectin, vegan protein powder). I have a naturopath that helped me choose the herbs and supplements that wouldn't interfere with my subtype (ER+/PR+/HR2-) or the chemo/hormone therapy. I take traditional chinese medicine (mushrooms - maitake and shiitake), the citrus pectin that I put in the juice 3x/day, melatonin at night, Vit D3 (which also supposedly helps protect from Covid ), Ginko Biloboa to help decrease chemo fog, multivitamins, vitamin B12, Vitamin C. Stay away from cane sugar as much as possible!
I am also a Kemetic Reiki practitioner and do self healing sessions on myself and get ver powerful healing sessions from my mentor. I am also in two online support groups. I do aromatherapy daily with my meditation and spiritual baths.
So all that to say...I do alot of work in addition the treatments we are put on and I think that deep inner work is what got me to this good place. I know that I can't just stop though. I have to always be in this deep work - at least for me - to stay in the positive and hopefully one day hear that I am NED (no evidence of disease.)
I also recommend reading How to Starve Cancer by Jane McLelland and Chris Beat Cancer.
Thank you so very much for all of these suggestions. I will get that book for sure. I will have to check out finding a naturopath here in Florida to also make sure that whatever supplements I want to use will not compromise the Ibrance and Letrozole. I was going to ask my oncologist about using Beta Glucans which I know has mushrooms in it. I have recently read positive things about this supplement. I have cut down on my sugar intake and I do smoothies almost every day with Kefir, banana, a splash of organic orange juice and a mix of frozen mixed berries. I am going to start adding spinach or kale to the mix. I also work with a healer who is wonderful and has helped me a lot. I take detox baths a couple times a week with Epsom salts that contain ginger and lemon and Vitamin C and no unnatural ingredients. I drink organic ginger/turmeric tea every day, too. Have just started using essential oils and just received my first doterra oils. I, too, feel that anything healthy we can do for ourselves will make a difference as long as they work in conjunction with the meds.
Hi, I’m new to this forum and see this post was a few months old but wanted to say I feel exactly the same. I have never been in better shape and it’s counterintuitive that I have this diagnosis: I ran an 11 mile race two weeks ago,, 7 miles last weekend, usually 3-5 a day and yoga every single day. I was active before this started and I think that’s helped with some of the symptoms others have described. I will keep it up til I can’t anymore. Grateful my body can still do this. Last scan was in Jan so time to get a new one here soon - and hopeful that it will all continue to be good news bc my body feels good. We are brave bad asses or at least that’s what I keep telling myself. Thanks for posting this. Hugs, Elizabeth
I fell and am fine but have questions
I am so grateful!! CT results.
Living Alone with Mets
