Class of 2009 - Sisters in the same time frame
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Hi there....I'm a newbie and I was drawn to your post. I was recently diagnosed with IDC...but my husband's co-worker is young like you and was diagnosed with cancer and like you, she and her husband wanted to get pregnant. Can you imagine everyone's amazement when her sister-in-law offered to "carry" her baby for her? It's true! The egg came from the natural mom and the sperm from the natural father and it was fertilized and placed in the sister-in-law's uterus and today they have a beautiful healthy daughter! Isn't that just the most amazing thing ever? The relative who carried the baby had to take an anti-rejection drug of some type, but this did not cause any problems. She had 3 kids of her own and wanted to help out. All of the family argued over who would carry the baby. Everyone with a uterus seemed to be up for it. Isn't this enough to make you cry? Anyway...I wanted to share this true story with you. This Christmas was the first Christmas for our little miracle baby...and I held her in my arms personally! Mom is doing great and is cancer free. She is about 39 years old and had uterine cancer or something like that and certainly was not able to get pregnant...
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Linda - Arimidex is an antihormone drug also called by many an oral chemo drug. It is more formally known as an Aromatase Inhibitor actually. What is does is inhibit the production of estrogen in POST MENOPAUSAL women. The doctors don't give it to pre-menopausal women. There are a couple of others as well... Femara and Aromasin. Tamoxifen is the drug of choice is you are still having your menstrual cycle, or still have your ovaries. :=) Unfortunately for some women the oral medications have some pretty nasty side effects, others have no side effects at all (just being realistic since I am a nurse, I am always truthful). Hope that is helpful to you.
Thanks for the wonderful story about the lady who had breast cancer and her family helped her out to have a baby. That is what life, living and giving is all about!!
Pam you always explain things so well... Thank you as always :=)
Juanelle and Alicia... Haven't heard much from you ladies today. Hope you are both feeling well in this new year 2010?
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Good AM Linda,
We are all glad to help and tell our story.
Actually, my treatment plan has been pretty smooth compared to many. If I've learned anything from my own experience and those of all the wonderful women of BC.org it is to expect the unexpected. When we start out we expect it to be A-B-C-D. What happens is that it is A-B-A2-C-C2 -C3-A3-D-X-Y-Z! And, while all those extra steps are a surprise to us, our doctors are not surprised at al!
What can throw monkey wrenches in the process? Did not get good margins and have to have a re-excision. Post operative infection can delay chemo and/or radiation. Little surprises that show up on routine scans (like my lung spot) that starts up a whole new course of discovery. Gosh, women who have mastectomies with reconstruction are a whole new list of complications! Chemotherapy... Treatments create treatments that create treatments!
For most of us the path is smooth but when a glitch, even a little one, happens to ME it seems like a big boulder is blocking the road.
Some tumors are fed by estrogen so part of treatment is to reduce the estrogen in the body. Like Renee said, Tamoxifen is used for pre-menopausal women, Aromatase Inhibitors (Arimidex for me) are used for post menopausal women, but Tamoxifen can be used if an AI is not tolerated. When you have your surgery your pathology report will tell you your ER status which will determine a lot of your post surgery course of treatment. Your doctor will also be able to "stage" your cancer accurately after surgery.
Stay positive. Don't be embarrassed to ask for help. Come here to complain when your family and friends' eyes glaze over
If you are anxious tell your doctor. He might suggest some medication to help you. I know what you mean about drugs.. I never used to take more than an occasional aspirin. Now I have two presciptions and a handful of supplements. I HATE it 
I am certainly not as strong as before DX but life is getting back to normal. I make a concerted effort to exercise and watch my diet closely. Healthy eating, plenty of sleep. As little stress as I can convince family to stir up
As scary as this is, you can get through this. And we are all here to help.Pam
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P.S.
I love your baby story! What a loving family.
pam
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Hi everyone ! I am back from the beating down my first Taxol gave me. Feeling much better today. The pain was awful.
Hope everyone had a Happy New Year.
We are getting MORE snow right now ~
Alicia0 -
Alicia, glad you are feeling better.
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Hey Alicia, I'm also glad you are feeling better. How I wish it would snow here in the deep South! :=) I miss it very much. There is a possibility however on Thursday. Today we are at 13 degrees with a high of only 36 so we are in the deep freezer, so to speak.
Michele, I love the new profile picture of you and your daughter (I assume?). It is so sweet!!
My granddaughter Straitlyn just left to go get her 1st birthday pictures made... next Friday she will be 1. I'm happy yet sad! They grow up much to fast these days! She is so precious and the only great thing that came out of the last terrible year. If you don't mind when we get them back I may share.
Otherwise I am having an uneventful rads free weekend. I have noticed and was wondering if any of your ladies have the same problem. Since I had my biospsy and partial mast when the weather does a severe change I get pains in my breast that are like arthritic pains(?). Kind of an aching and throbbing pain. I have the shooting, burning pain that is typical from rads, but this is a little different and I have noticed it only occurs when the weather turns really cold or we have a lot of rain. Very strange... I wondered if it was the little metal clip they left in there after the biopsy for the marker causing it. Who knows, I'm sure that none of the docs would admit it if it were. LOL!
Oh well off to do more laundry!
Renee
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HI,
Diag Feb 09, two surgeries, radiation finisned in July and started Tamox. Havent been on the boards for a bit. Just latley started getting back to them. 6 month follow up mamo after radiation is in less than two week... and starting to get a little nervus.
Major sweats on the Tamox.. just started Effexor two days ago.. told it will be about two weeks before I notice any change (if any)..so I am keeping my fingers crossed....
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I'm at 3 mos today from diagnosis. I was out of town on business trip and when putting on my bra found the lump -- didn't find it before as it was under scar tissue from benign lump removed same site 6 yrs ago. I knew immediately it was not good -- and had a mammo next day. They kept me for a biopsy of breast and nodes.....positive for Stage III HER2+ breast cancer. I was smack in the middle of the final planning of my daughter's wedding....what awful timing (as if there is a "good" time. Fortunately very close to certified center and access to care and a friend in the research side of this....selected an oncologist & surgeon, and got 2nd opinion at Lombardi/Georgetown U which concurred with my doc.
I chose neoadjuvant -- had negative scans everywhere else but with this type of cancer decided to go for chemo first. Can't imagine with it in my lymph nodes that some little cancer cells weren't floating around somewhere that weren't picked up on scans -- and I hope to kill them before they gather into a tumor elsewhere. I have had some "tumor kill" or shrinking which is encouraging to know the meds are working...and hope much more now with addition of Herceptin. I had 4 cycles of AC "dose dense" and the steroids and nausea meds covered my side effects well. Fatigue is the worst. I am 56 y/o diabetic so cardiac damage is a big concern. Had echocardiogram pre-treatment and post and it was unchanged thankfully.
Took off 3 weeks including week of wedding (which we held in the blizzard of 2009 on 12/19 but that's another story!) and then started my Taxol/Herceptin on 12/29. On third day after developed moderate back pain but it is better today. Almost 2 mos ago when my already thin hair started falling out I buzzed my heads with my grandsons (they call me GI Grandma). I've heard I will likely lose my eyebrows and lashes with this regimen....anyone else have that experience? I'm glad it wasn't before the wedding! It was stressful enough with my "cranial prosthesis - aka wig" that I don't like!
Now I'm scheduled for weekly T/H for 12 weeks total if not interupted by counts or PN (peripheral neuropathy or nerve damage in extremities -- greater risk with diabetics). Then the plan is a "couple" weeks off and bilateral mastectomies with reconstruction. At my age I feel its a no-brainer....no breasts....no breast cancer. I know it doesn't mean no where else but I had a hysterectomy (unrelated) last year so hope to eliminate some sites and get some perky new boobs!
Did anyone else have ovaries removed with breasts? I wonder if there is any advantage there.
After surgery recovery (apparently only a few weeks) I will have 5xweek radiation to chest wall, breasts and lymphs for 6 weeks per radiation onc --- then Herceptin every 3 weeks for a year total.
A long haul........and expensive. I have good insurance but I hope my providers will take some payment promises as I can't afford the co-pays for this very expensive treatment!
It's great to have a 2009 group in similar progress....thanks for starting this line. I've begun 2010 with optimism and ready for the fight ahead....should I expect the 1-2 days of bone pain after every T/H chemo treatment? I remember with the Neulasta I had some pain that really responded to the Claritin mentioned on this site!!! My docs were surprised and can't explain it but it definitely helped!! Did anyone use that for T/H pain?
THANKS for any info -- I know there's a lot of questions --- hopefully I'm not the only one with them!
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Welcome Jeanne, you are never alone with the questions...every day is a new question...
I too am wondering about the claritin thing...didn't take it with my last neupogen shot...if I get more info I might try with this one on Thursday.
Welcoem back Pringles...ok now I am craving pringles..I hope this doesn't happen every time you post, I could gain a few pounds..LOL
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Hello, I'm a 2009 sister also but have finished treatment, chemo ended in september, radiation in November, and have been on Femara for 6 weeks now. I did try the Claritin with the neulasta shots beginning after my fifth neulasta shot and coinciding with my first taxol treatment because of what I had read on these boards. I have allergies anyway so thought it wouldn't hurt to try and I had great success with the Claritin - noticed a huge improvement in the pain.
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Hi Mimi,
Thank you for the explanation about aromatase inhibitors. I am 59 years old and while I still have my ovaries, I had a hysterectomy when I was about 35 or so. I did take HRT for about 8 years (estrogen and testosterone) however stopped taking them about 7 years or so (perhaps 8?) ago. Sometimes I still get hot flushes (it depends on what I eat or drink) but for the most part, I think I am post menopausal. It's hard to say when I've not had a period since my early 30's. I certainly would not have taken HRT if breast cancer was in my family (or any kind of cancer)....however, since then, I've been diagnosed with BC, two sisters and one brother have been diagnosed with three unusual cancers. My surgeon said to be happy I have a "run of the mill" kind of cancer...however, my siblings are now cancer free (except my brother who had a stem cell transplant in June 2009) and so I'm thinking...uh oh...perhaps it is going to be the 'run of the mill kind of thing that we have to worry about after all. Time will tell I suppose. I am feeling more positive as I go along...and my surgery is this Friday. I will find out what stage the cancer is at after the surgery I imagine. I'm sure hoping it is stage 1! I will update my profile once I know more about what's going on inside my body. Again, thank you for your respone and for your genuine care that you demonstrate to everyone on this site. God bless you.
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At what point do you take the claritin...how much do you take...should I tell my dr.? details ladies...
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Micheleboots - I took the 24 hour Claritin (10 mg.) and I actually took it every night, I had two weeks between Taxol and shots. My doctor had never heard of it for the pain but I asked anyway - it's always good to double check with the doctor to make sure a medication doesn't interact with another med you're on. Because I have allergies we both figured it wouldn't hurt to try.
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Hi Jeanne and welcome! I'm also HER+ and after two lumpectomies (with one margin still close) I did neoadjuvant chemo for the same reason as you -- get those cells! I had RMX on December 9, a month after finishing the same exact course of chemo as you. I am still on Herceptin and will be until next summer. The pathology on my removed breast showed no cancer left at all, which was a relief (I guess in my case the one close margin was close enough). I chose to keep my left breast; I hope I did the right thing. All of my doctors felt it was unnecessary to remove it.
Re: Claritin that is interesting! I take Loratadine 10mg/day for allergies and have for years.... so I was taking it anyway (loratadine is the generic version of Claritin). I also found the AC to be relatively easy. Taxol was hard though... mostly pretty painful the first few days after treatment (which 600 mgs of advil every 4 - 6 hours helped me with immensely). At this point my SEs are gone except, yes, it's true: my eyebrows and lashes all fell out about 3 weeks after finishing Taxol on November 9. It took a few weeks to go... by Thanksgiving I realized I had almost no eyebrows; by Christmas they were starting to grow back; now they are visibly returning. I've heard that this can happen again until the staggered growth pattern resumes.
Lilah
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is the claritin for the taxotere or the neupogen pain...
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I had heard it helped with Neulasta pain and that's what I used it for however I was on Taxol at the time so maybe it helped with the pain from both.
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Suz, did you take it every day, or just before treatment? I must figure this out before treatment on Thur.
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Michele - I took it every day - my chemo was every two weeks, therefore my shot was every two weeks so I just took it every day until I was done with chemo.
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I was diagnosed Dec 18, 2008, but surgery and treatment took up most of 2009 Chemo was from Feb-May and rads were from July-Aug (6 week regimen). Can I join you guys?
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Sure Bethie you are more than Welcome to join... as always, hate that you had to join up for the dreaded BC but glad you found our group. There are a lot of ladies here that have completed treatments or are on their way to completing treatments and some are just getting started. We are in all stages of treatments and always looking for knowledge and friends.
Renee
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Welcome Bethie, glad to have you..
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Edited to redact a post with personal information.
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Hi All -I hope all of you are feeling great on this Blessed Sunday morning. It is very cold here, right now it is 11 degrees with a high of only 35 expected today. Brrr!! Stay warm today. We have another family Christmas get together at lunch today. It came up unexpectedly.
Renee
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Hello Friends, and welcome to the new ladies - 2010 is going to be a kinder, gentler year for all of us. About Claritin - I took it the night before the neulasta shot, and then for about a week after. It really did help. But for some of us there can be a down side - it can dry the eyes out a little too much. (Chemo can make the eyes dry.) I ended up toughing out the bone pain because the dry eyes were worse.
Cruising right along in week three of radiation. Still peppy, no real skin problems.
Tomorrow is going to be a big day. I have a curvy spine - scoliosis. Was supposed to have surgery last summer to straighten the back, but cancer popped up and we delayed until treatment ended. We're going to do an x-ray tomorrow - the first one in a year. If the curve is worse, surgery will be necessary. It is numbing to even think of it. One day at a time, though. Some days, one HOUR at a time. Love to all of you. XO, Mary
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Hi Bethie,
I certainly WELCOME you! I, like yourself, am new to the group. I can say with all assurance that I've found informed comments as well as compassion at this place. It will be nice to read comments from you. Hop aboard...
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Hi Ladies - Hope everyone had a great weekend! I know I did. I completed #16 rads out of 38 today! I'm getting close to being 1/2 way through. So far the skin is holding up well using the Emu Oil. I'm still having some tenderness and a feeling of burning but I guess that's from the rads and to be expected. I also find myself getting very sleepy early in the evenings but if I go to bed I don't sleep very well, usually no more that 4 hrs of sound sleep then I will wake up and the rest of my sleep is restless and wakeful. This is very new for me and has only started in the last couple of weeks. Kinda figure it is related to rads also?
Renee
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Hi Renee,
I have always been a great sleeper. I joke that sleep is my default position
BUT I slept terribly after DX and surgery and radiation. I ma now pretty much back to normal. I always thought it was the stress of it all, rather than anyone particular treatment. I never took sleep aids, just muddled through. In hind sight I might have asked for xanax. I think and hope it will get better for you.
pam
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Thanks Pam,
I actually got my Flexeril refilled the other night and took two of them with the 4 oz of wine and slept like a baby (no hang over), I also took a flexeril last night to help me sleep. This is the only way I have gotten any sleep in over 3 weeks. All I can say is ... Thank you Lord for Flexeril, because the wine (I've been drinking it to help decrease the risk of my skin burning) was not helping by itself.
One more month of torture (LOL) and hopefully this will be behind me.
Renee
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Hi Ladies, welcome Bethie 1.
First, I have terrible dry eyes I use Genteal over the counter drops recommended by my eye doctor, they come in different levels I use moderate, they cost about $10 a bottle and are well worth the cost. The only thing that ever helped my dry eyes.
For those of you who have sleep problems. I use Dr. Andrew Weil's Sound Body Sound Mind CD (I have given over 30 or more of these to friends over the years, my best friend who has had numerous relapses with cancer from the brain, breast etc. said it was the best thing anyone ever gave her.) it cost $10 at Borders and can be ordered on-line, it's music that works in the brain to calm the nerves and overall body. In the beginning, Dr. Weil speaks saying some will fall asleep during the tape, I do all the time. When my pain has been so bad, or when I feel overwhelmed with the stress, I listen to this. It works! I keep it on my ipod. Today I even recommended it to my Cancer Center.
Talking about Cancer Centers, I went today to the new Center and met with the Oncologist. Plus they gave me a navigator, whom my family as well as myself just love, named Cindi. The Martin-O'Neil Cancer Center was like a dream or heaven compared to what I had experienced. From the moment I stepped into the door, til the time I left, the care and understanding plus the way they worked with me with all my issues was amazing. Unfortunately, I need surgery. I found out that people with Lupus or Autoimmune diseases in general are not allowed radiation. Plus they are trying to determine what type of chemo, and treatment I can have. So it's still complicated but now the doctors are in consultation to try and figure out what and how they will treat me after surgery. They seem to feel that total mastectomy would be best too, but said lets wait and see what the surgeon says, then what and how to treat will be worked out in the near future. I need to go back to UCSF for surgery, best place they feel given my other illnesses and given the complication factors. But for the first time I feel things are going to be okay.
I must say St. Helena and the Napa Valley views driving to and from the Cancer Center there is so peaceful. I wish everyone could have a center like this near them. What I loved is that they give you a time capsule to put your hopes and/or dreams into and you drop them into this beautiful tree in the center of the Center. For me, it was being able to hope, write it down and drop it into the trunk of this tree, listening to it travel down and hit the bottom, letting go of the fear was an amazing release, why I don't know, it just was.
So here is to all of you hoping that your day... this year... will release us all from any stress or pain that BC has brought into our lives.
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