Monday, May 14, 2001
Breast Cancer Chemo Changes Body Composition - tell me about it! Hoo boy!Experimental Drug Helps With Mouth Sores From Chemotherapy
Consumer group sues AstraZeneca, Barr over tamoxifen deal
Chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer: what influences oncologists' decision-making?
OncoLink@ASCO 2001 Session Coverage: Nutrition and Cancer: An Update
posted by Karen Weber Monday, May 14, 2001
Tuesday, May 15, 2001
Randomized Trial of Black Cohosh for the Treatment of Hot Flashes Among Women With a History of Breast CancerProspective Evaluation of Early Cardiac Damage Induced by Epirubicin-Containing Adjuvant Chemotherapy and Locoregional Radiotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients - epirubicin is supposed to be less cardiotoxic than the adriamycin I had, but this study shows you still need to be concerned.
posted by Karen Weber Tuesday, May 15, 2001
Wednesday, May 16, 2001
Patients and physicians often disagree on the goal of chemotherapyHRT after breast cancer seems not to increase risk of recurrence, mortality
Soyfood Intake during Adolescence and Subsequent Risk of Breast Cancer among Chinese Women
Predicting the Status of the Nonsentinel Axillary Nodes: A Multicenter Study
posted by Karen Weber Wednesday, May 16, 2001
Thursday, May 17, 2001
Paroxetine treats depression, but not fatigue, during chemotherapy
posted by Karen Weber Thursday, May 17, 2001
Friday, May 18, 2001
US cancer care worse due to more paperworkIt's been a while since I journaled here. Between having my arm wrapped most of the time and being on vacation for a week, it's been hard to find time to type here. Today I am out of the bandages for a bad reason - I have a bladder infection and am running a fever. No wrapping, no PT for as long as the fever stays. I am truly miserable. I was in to see the cardiologist yesterday and my BP was almost twice normal and my pulse, at rest, was 120. We couldn't figure out what was going on. I couldn't ask him any of the questions I had written down because I felt like I was going to burst into tears. I wasn't upset about anything, I just felt like I was on the edge of sobbing for no reason. When I came home, I laid down and took a mental inventory of my body. I live with a great deal of discomfort - the arthritic knee, the shoulder impingement on the left, the arm wrapping on the right, the swelling in the breast, headaches - well, it can get pretty depressing if you pay attention to it. So I don't. I pretty much just put myself on cruise control and go regardless of how I feel. So anyway, after those readings at the cardiologist's office, I laid down to listen to my body. It was pretty grumpy, let me tell. Particularly the bladder. By midnight, I was well and truly sick. Cramping in the abdomen and back, fever, unable to sleep. Called the GP this morning and got myself a script for Cipro. My PT tells me the stuff is nearly miraculous in how fast it helps you feel better. I'm sure that's if you have an intact immune system. Mine is still reeling from the chemotherapy, particularly the lymphocytes, which are the white blood cells that are usually dispatched to handle a bladder infection. So I don't know how long this is going to take. In the meantime, I'm out of the bandages. Sigh. I'm almost 2/3 done with the program, and I am anxious to get done and get a real day garment. Now we're on hold. My Contour Plus sleeve should be here in 2-3 weeks. That will take the place of the foam, gauze and bandaging I'm currently using at night. I can't wait. I'm pretty tired of wrapping and the torque it puts on my shoulder. Menopause Guidebook
posted by Karen Weber Friday, May 18, 2001