Hello everyone, I would greatly appreciate any thoughts from you..
I was diagnosed last September with breast cancer and subsequently had a bilateral mastectomy in October 07. I had a second surgery one week later to remove 36 lymph nodes, as they found one floater cell in one lymph node during the first surgery. I did not have radiation but I will be finishing up chemotherapy this week. Friday will be my last round (I had 6). For that I want to celebrate, but I am finding that from Diagnosis to Completion of Chemotherapy....things have moved at a frantic pace, and now they will slow down and I keep thinking "Now what do I do..." I run daily, I have tried to eat right, although I know I can make some adjustments here. I have been reading a number of breast cancer publications, but I still have this strange feeling. I would appreciate anyone's feedback. Is this just me?

Terry

Hi Terry-

They say after breast cancer treatment, the mind finally has a chance to catch up and process everything. I don't think you are unusual at all, in what you are feeling. - "A whirlwind", is a good way to describe it.

The other issue that is in the back of all survivior's minds, is"What if I recur?" Once your no longer in active treatment, it's a waiting game and you feel more like you are on your own, since you don't have to go to the breast/treatment center as much. Family and friends may also assume, "you are fine," even though most of us are still scared, at least some of the time.

I am almost 2years out (dx May 06) and I try to think that I did everything I could to prevent recurrance and get on with my life, as best as I can. - Things will get better, the farther you get from your dx date.

Good luck to you.
Leea

Thank you Leea,

I appreciate your thoughtful support. Did you make any significant life style changes following your treatment? I keep thinking about my diet, and I wonder if I should get a juicer, and adding flax permanently to my diet and what about yoga in addition to running, maybe meditation. There are so many books with so much advise it is difficult to process all of it. I know my sense of "normal" will forever be changed. I am hopeful my "new normal" can be just as good as the old, if not better.

Thanks,
Terry

Terry,

The ironic thing was I was following a breast cancer prevention diet for about 8yrs before I was diagnosed! ( The Breast Cancer Prevention diet by Dr. Bob Arnot) - Alot of good it did me. I do have a family hx of breast ca., though, and feel no matter what I did, I would have probably eventually developed it.

I honestly had pretty good health habits to begin with and continue to follow the prevention diet anyway, as I believe it still has merit and alot of science behind it. I also exercise 5 days/wk including 2 days of weights.

The main points of the diet, I follow are:

- A mostly plant based diet (lot's of beans, nuts, whole grains, such as brown rice, ww spaghetti, couscus, oatmeal, Shredded Wheat, veg/fruit) and some fish/seafood).

-I have mostly eliminated dairy products, as they are also "animal based." There are great substitutions for milk, including almond milk or soy milk.

-It is good to decrease sweets/sugar ,as they can feed stray cancer cells and cause high insulin levels, that promote BC. BUT I have not quite been able to do this and like something sweet every day. -Still working on that one!!

Also take:

-A couple of Tbsps ground flaxseed on cereal/day.
-fish oil (omega 3 is good to decrease risk of BC)
-A supplement with indole carbinol 3 ( found in broccoli)
-1500mg calcium and 800mg vit D/day.

I think meditation and yoga are good. I have tried both but have a hard time sitting still for meditation or trying to fit either one into my day. - A work in progress.

Hope this is of some help.
Leea

Hi,
There is a magazine published called Heal. It is for the what happens now. For survivors and caregivers. It is put out by the folks who publish Cure, which is free for patients.
Good Luck.

Thank you both! I appreciate your advise. I know I have to make some permanent changes, and your ideas help alot......One day at a time :)

Thank you,

Terry