bmwol

Otter:

I'm alittle confused.  I am 6 weeks postop bilateral mastectomy for 2 separate lesions within 7mm of one another. One was 1.5 cm, the other 1.2 cm.  No node involvement ER/PR+ HER2 _.  I am 57, diagnosed a couple months ago at 56.  They talked me into a tissue expander surgery becuse, they said, I would definitely not need chemo.  I would have waited and had only a double mast and healed first, if I thought I needed chemo.  After the surgery (during which I had a postop bleed and lost 750 ml of blood--hemoglobin went to 6, and I am still feeling crappy from that because no transfusion, theyjust gave me back my cells with a cell saver) , they spring this Onco test on me, but said, "Don't worry, you will come back negative, we know it.  You won't need chemo."  Then they forget to send the slide for testing.  Long story short, I got my results last week and my score is 32, I'm now switched from the 25 risk of recurrence to the 20% risk of recurrence with no treatment.  My docs recommend T/C for 4 tounds.  I was all ready to try to get back to work! Plus, I have a high white count, I'm worried about a lump under my armpit where the node was taken, adn this chemo doc says"Don't worry about it." He's ready to schedule me for chemo and I still feel lousy--chills, tired all the time, and a low grade fever.  I'm gong for a biopsy of the underarm "node" tomorrow.

 I'm allergic to so many things and have adverse reactions to a lot of medications.  I hardly take anything, save my chronic hive meds, which are Axid and Allegra and synthroid.  I dont' do well with cortisone or benadryl (heart races) I have global hypokinesia of the heart and an atrial septal aneurysm.  My bones are a nightmare, scoliosis, spinal stenosis, disk degenration and bone spurs.  I've had C4-5 diskectomy and I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis and uterine, bladder and rectal prolapse.  I'm terrified of taking chemo but they keep saying  I should.  The Arimidex will supposedly give me an increase in recurrence protection and I should get only a 4% increase with added chemo.  Is it worth it?  Also, they're not sure where I am in menopause.  I just stopped my periods in March but an FSH says I'm in menopause.  O course, it's not yet a year, so... and I already have osteoporosis.  So arimidex is looking like my best option because I've already had an embolic episode with ischemic colon 2 yrs ago.

 What would you do?  Can you email me at my private eddress?  It's hard for me to follow these threads and get answers.  bernadettewolff@aol.com

I had the Alloderm 5 weeks ago and I read up on it before agreeing to its usage.  It seems pretty safe to me and I read that it helps to defray scar tissue from developing and capsular contracture.  You can google up alloderm and read anything you want.  I would google aloderm breast reconstruction so you dont' get confused with dental implants.

Did you need cortisone for nausea while doing chemo?  I have trouble on cortisone.  I also haave chronic hives, back trouble, am in the middle of menopause with hot flashes, etc.  I just feel like I'm falling apart.  I keep hearing that chemo isn't as bad as it used to be.  I sure hope so.  I've been dealing with this since Memorial Day, when I first discovered the lump via my nipple retraction.

How long is chemo for breast cancer?  Do yu go once a week for 3 months or 6 months?  Then are you finished after all that or do you still need chemo after a hiatus?

Hi Tanz:

Thanks for your reply and it looks like I'm able this time to get a response in.  I just got word that I will need chemo.  My oncotype DX test came back in the high probability of recurrence.  I now have a 20% chance of breast ca recurrence within 10 yrs, even with the double mastectomy.  If I had known this, I would have done the double mast and left the reconstruction for later.  Now I feel uncomfortable with the expanders and I'll have to go through all the chemo side effects, too.  I have problems with antibiotics, too, and all other types of drugs.  And I have chronic hives.

I had a bleeder in the left breast after surgery (5 weeks ago) and had to be returned to the ER for evacuation of hematoma the next day.  My hemoglobin went down to 6 (lost 750 mls of blood) and they didn't transfuse me.  Instead, they gave me a cell saver of my own blood and iron infusion, which gave me fever, shaking chills, and diarrhea.  It was horrible.  How can I get chemo if I can't tolerate the treatment for side effects?  I have an appt to see my onco this Friday.  I dont' even want to do chem but I guess I have no choice.

Anyone else here going through chemo and has expanders at the same time?  How long is the chemo for breast cancerr?  Which drugs are taken?  Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Bernadette