tips for better mammogram?

[redrhodie]

I started radiation! It's going really well. You don't feel a thing. The hardest part for me is not laughing. I got the giggles the first day, because on my way in, there was an xray on a monitor and I said "Is that me? Oh, I look so thin." Snort. Anything can set me off.

I've also decided to take tamoxifen, which will start right after radiation is finished. Hoping to be able to handle the side effects. I know a lot of women have problems. I really hope I can last long enough to get the benefits.

I think I've had more drs appts these last 2 months than my whole life.

Oh, and I did commute there by bike yesterday. That was fun. I'll be doing that a few times per week. Makes the whole thing better.

[Crankin]

I wonder if you are the only person to commute to radiation? This must earn you some serious brownie points, somewhere.
Great attitude, Red.
Now go out and ride tomorrow, when it's 50 out!

[redrhodie]

Oh, man, I did ride today, and it was one of the scariest rides ever. We were fooled by that gorgeous forecast and not prepared for the black ice. I actually walked down some hills, a first for me. We had 2 crashes in the group. ( I didn't fall). Commuting to rads was way less stressful.

I know I'm handling this okay, but icy hills are too much. I know my limits.

[indysteel]

Yikes, Red! That sounds really scary. It must have been"fun" trying to walk down hills with your cleats and a bike in tow.

I'm glad radiation is going well. It sounds like the worst of this process is over.

[margo49]

Tamoxifen is cool...worst thing is the weight gain. I took it for 5 years (1997 -2002 and was well for 13 years.
I am on aromasin now and it has needed a bit of tweaking. I hate taking pills against other pills but it's not got to ridiculous levels yet and I'm feeling fine.
Way to go, Red; rads do tend to get a bit "cumulative" so keep an eye on yourself.

[ny biker]

I don't think my mother had a problem with weight gain from tamoxifen. She did have hot flashes.

She's doing great 14 years later.

[szsz]

I had weight gain from Tamoxifen and am now getting it off. It's slow going. But, I am in this trial http://energytrial.ucsd.edu/ which is definitely helping. So, I feel like I am having little to no side effects now with the 1 hour (at least) of exercise a day.

The main issue these days is feeling like I am having PMS for weeks at a time. I was getting my period at first and then I stopped, and then it started and then stopped again. Before my DX in 2010 I was not at all menopausal.