Bibbie

Hello Everyone:

I was diagnosed December 6 on the day before my grandson was born. Since then I have had 3 lumpectomies and four treatments of Adriamycin, Cytoxan and Taxotere. I did pretty well with the first two but the fourth one kicked my butt. I have no nausea but severe headaches, heartburn, and a general feeling weakness. I have been having them every three weeks. My next will be June 10 and my last July 1. I guess I will have a few weeks before my bi lateral mastectomy. I will then have 5 days a week radiation under my arm for 6 weeks. I will be so glad when this night mare is over!! God bless all of you that are going through this terrible disease! Please respond if you have had these drugs.

Sincerely,

Bi Bibbie

Hello Everyone:

Sorry I have not been on line for a few weeks. I want to thank all of you so much for responding to my questions. We all have this dreadful disease and we will survive it with God's help!

Love and Prayers to All,

Bibbie

Hello:

I would  like to know if any one is experimenting headaches? I am a chronic migraine headache sufferer but my headaches have been different lately. They are not as bad as a migraine but they still affect my day. If anyone has similar problems please let me know.

I am also an unusual BC patient. I had silicone implants put in 1988 above the muscle. I had no problems at all but had them removed 3/2005. They both had calcified and were leaking. At that time the physicians did a biopsy on both breasts and both tested negative for cancer. I did have complications because I had an infection as well as nipple necrosis of the left breast.  My mammograms were negative as well until November 2007. A tumor was palatable and diagnosed in December 2007.

I had a plastic surgery diaster and the breast lift and explantation left a lot of scar tissue.

I wanted a bilateral mastectomy from the time I was diagnosed but was talked into a lumpectomy. The physicians thought from all my tests which include CT's of Head, lungs, abdomen, MRI of both breats and abdomen, bone scan, muga scan and Xrays that I had an early stage Invasive carcinoma.

After 3 lumpectomies, I found that I had 6 positivde lymph nodes as well as a 4.6 cm tumor in my right breast. It took 3 lumpectomies to "clear the margins". I now am facing 6 chemos's as well as a bilateral mastectomy and 6 weeks of radiation. This is a real problem because I am not a candidate for any tissue addition other than my own breast tissue. I am afraid that if I have the radiation before the DM that the tissue will not be able to be expanded. I am uncertain whether to have the tissue expanders and DM after the chemo or wait until after the radiation. Please help if anyone has been through this or knows what would be the best plan of treatment, please let me know. I appreciate all the help I can get and I pray for each and everyone going through this pain.

GOD BLESS,

Bibbie

Sorry, I should have titled this another title. I have confused as to how common it is to have chemotherapy and radiation before your mastectomy. Sorry for the confusion.

I have had two different opinions and I am uncertain which way to go???

I was diagnosed by a Dr. on December 6, 2007. I was told I was not a candidate for a lumpectomy due to my previous surgeries and scar tissue. Even though at that time I was a stage 1, tumor 1.3 cm, he said I needed a bi lateral. I was talked into getting another opinion and went to a very large Medical School Teaching University. After the breast team of a number of physicians reviewd all my tests, preformed another mammogram and Ultrasound of the right breast, they all recommended the lumpectomy which I was not in favor of having. I re-visited the first surgeon and he was surprised that I went through 3 lumpectomies. He said I should have a bi lateral after chemo and then radiation. He also said I may never be able to have a successful reconstruction. I am very uncertain what to do or whom to talk to about this. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Many Thanks,

Bibbie

Hello Everyone:

Please anyone help if you have had this happen. I was misdiagnosed. All the pathology reports showed that I had a 1.3 cm Invasive Breast Cancer with moderately differentiated, grade 2. After 3 lumpectomies, sentinel node biopsy, complete lymph node dissection. I now am a stage III a. I will be having chemo for 16 weeks starting this Friday. Then will come the radiation for 6 weeks daily. After all that I will have a bi lateral mastectomy and reconstruction.

I have had 2 mammograms, Brain CT, MRI of both breast, core biopsy, 2 ultrasounds, bone scan, 2 CT of the abdomen, Chest CT, and a chest and hip Xrays. I was to start chemo today but I have the flu and will be starting the chemo on Friday. After the Abdomen CT , the Dr said he wanted a MRI because a small shadow showed up on my liver CT. I am so scared that I do not know what to do. I have cried and cried and am scared to death that I may have am metastasis to the liver! I am 51 years old with four children and 2 grandchildren. I am not ready to die. PLease help.

Many Thanks,

Bibbie

Hi Everyone: Thanks so much for the advise and positive reinforcement! It's all so scary and things happen so slowly when it comes to waiting for test results. I am not a patient person so if I have a lesson to learn, it's patience!!

I thank all of you for responding and I pray that you all will live happy, healthy lives. Please let me know how you all are doing. It's a very painful journey but with God's help we will survive!

Sincerely,

Bibbie

Hello:

I am new to the board. I have no history of Breast cancer. I am 51 years old and was diagnosed with Invasive mammary ductal breast cancer on December 6 after a core biopsy. I am 98% positive for estrogen and 85% for progesterone. Her was negative. The physician said I was not a good candidate for a lumpectomy. I decided to have a bi lateral mastectomy. I had breast augmentation over the muscle 21 years ago after breast feeding 4 children. I had them removed in March 2005 along with a breast lift. At that time both the silicone implants had ruptured and calcified. Tissue from both breasts were sent to pathology and came back benign. I decided to have a second opinion at UNC school of medicine. I have had a bone scan, MRI of both breasts, CT scan of the brain, and renal area. I have also had an ultrasound of the liiver. After the breast team of 30 Dr.s reviewed all my tests as well as another mammogram and ultrasound: they all decided that a lumpectomy plus rad. would be the best for me. They all believed that the tumor was 1.3 cm. After much apprehension, I decided to have the lumpectomy with a sentinol biopsy. This was January 14. The results were shocking. I had 3 positive lymph nodes and the tumor was around 3.9 cm. I had so much scarring from previous surgeries and this impaired the surgeon to get all of the tumor. I went in on January 21 for a complete lymph node dissection and another lumpectomy. They found 3 more positive nodes. The margins are still not clear. I am absolutely devastated and worried to death. After being told by so many physicians that I had early stage cancer. I had another surgery on February 13 to clear the margins which they finally did! I know have half of a breast and a deep hole under my arm. I will be having chem, radiation and then a mastectomy and reconstruction. Iam now a stage III a. The Dr.s want a CT of the liver and chest. I am having a hard time understaning why?? Please if anyone can give me advise or have had a simular problem I would appreciate any help that you can offer.`