jordan54

watson\\  I've been fighting BC for 5 years.  About a year and half ago I had part of my left lung removed. Mets but clear margins. Now I have another lesion on my right lung.  At present time the lesion cannot be removed.  I have some positive sternal lymph nodes.  The OC is suggesting Gemzar injections along with Tykerb or Carbo with Taxtotere.  Now I just have to make up my mind. Like you I had no symptoms.  It sucks having to get treatment but I am very lucky that new therapies are available.

Another long story. 

I was originally diagnosed with DCIS in December 2002.  My routine mammogram showed small areas that looked like pieces of sand. Had a Biopsy-DCIS comedo type.  My surgeon suggested a mastectomy because he felt a lumpectomy would not be enough.  Off to a PS-he sugessted either a TRAM or implants-think on it.  Off to the Radiation OC-he suggested a lumpectomy with radiation-think on it.  Off to the OC-he said go with your heart, no matter what you decide I will be seeing you. 2 months later-Skin sparing mastecomy with TRAM. Surgeon felt he got all the cancer.  Hospitalized for a week. Back to the oncologist-started tomaxifen. OC didn't like the wording of the path report so off to the Radiation oncologist again-You had a mastectomy so you do not need further treatment.(my gut feeling CA not gone)

Routine follow-up with surgeon and plastic surgeon. I noted my scar started to pucker. I was informed by both surgeons-scar tissue.  I started noticing a rash around the scar. None of my docs seemed concerned especially because I had a rash on my stomach. Rash increasing-back to my surgeon for routine check up. He suggested I see a dermotologist-now it is Feb 2005.  Off to the dermatologist-thinks it is an allergy, asked if I had any itiching or pain-none because of decreased sensation from my surgery.  Try topical cream and return in one week. One week later-rash unchanged-punch biopsy done.  One week later I noted a palpable lymph node under my arm.  Back to dermatologist to get my biopsy results-metastatic CA.  Talk about being thrown for a loop. So I am back to my surgeon-he is not sure how to proceed but he will talk to my OC when he gets back into town. I was informed there was a tumor conference coming up the next week and my case would be brought up.  One week later I get a phone call from my OC.  I needed to have a muga scan, PET scan, port-a-cath and chemo. Now it is April 2005.  Chemo started-Adriamycin, Taxol, Cytoxin for 6 months then surgery. Back to GS- Said he wanted to save the graft and not touch the palpable lymph node because it would not change my prognosis.  Off to get a second opinion.  Saw a breast surgeon who works with CA patients. She recommended a total mastectomy with lymph node dissection and removal of the graft. So I went with the total mastectomy, I just wanted to get rid of everything. 3 out of 11 lymph nodes positive, low estrogen+, progesterone-, HER2+. 34 radiation treatments and weekly IV herceptin for 1 year with periodic muga scans. Started on Arimidex. Finally finished herceptin in Dec 2006. Follow up CT scan showed a node in my lung-keep an eye on it. CT scan in May showed some changes in the node.  Off to a cardio-thoracic surgeon.  More surgery for removal of the nodular-negative markers. Felt a sigh of relief. OC thought I had NED. The words we all want to hear.  Repeat CT scan in August- node on the other lung-keep an eye in it. October I had a PET scan-5 nodes lite up plus nodule in the lung. Thrown for another loop.  I will be starting Xeloda with TYKERB as soon as the OC can get the TYKERB sent to me.  Tears flowing again.

If anyone notices a rash on their breast don't just keep an eye on it have a biopsy so treatment can be started.  IBC is a very aggressive form of CA.

Thanks for listening to my story.  God bless everyone and you are all in my prayers.

Linda

I have been reading everyones's comments.  I had a Skin Sparing Mastectomy with a TRAM flap going on 5 years.  I wish DIEP would have been available at that time (if it was I didn't know it).  It was the flap or an implant.  I wasn't too thrilled about the implant because of the bad publicity it had received in the past.

The sacrifice of the muscle has not been worth it.  I have a buldge in my abdomen on the side of the surgery and I have a buldge going up my rib cage were the muscle was attached.

To make matters worse 2 years later I had to have a total revision of my mastectomy because I developed Inflammatory CA. So the breast was completely removed and the muscle was just sewed down.

Also I could never get a straight answer about doing crunches or sit-ups. So I just don't do them!!  Has anyone who has had the TRAM been told yea or nay on the sit-ups.

Thanks and good luck to everyone having surgery.

Linda