CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS
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CONGRATULATIONS JONI
Huuuuuugs and more huuuugs
Sheila
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Sheila CONGRATS on the 5 yr cancerversary!!!!
CONGRATS JONI!!!!
RENEE
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Your 1st cancerversary, Joni! Congrats!!
May you have many, many more!
{{hugs}}
(I'll remember you on Wed, Sheila!)
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Hi ladies,
I am new to this site. I was diagnosed with stage 1c grade 3 no nodes ER+Pr+ HER2-. I am currently trying to figure out if I should do re-excession lumpectomy with chemo and radiation or a mastecomy with chemo. I had a lumpectomy Feb 25 and had treatment team meeting on March 17. all doctors at this point are saying re-excession with chemo and rads. I go for second opinions on Monday with a surgeon and an ono. on Friday, I had 2 different path reports they think the orginial path. measured the mass wrong. I was originally diagnosed with a 4.5cm tumor, but now was told it is a 1.5-2.0 cm tumor. Big differnece isn't it! This whole BC stuff sucks!!! I just want it to be over. I am having such a tough time trying to decide what to do. Everyone has their own opinion, which I greatly appreciate, but I have always worried about what everyone thinks. I am so scared to disappoint anyone, How crazy is that that I am worry about what other people think instead of just thinking about what is best for my family and me! Thank you all for your posts. They are really helping me to figure out what to do.
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Hi Redbarb...you did find the thread. I left another post on the other one.
Now on I will check this one and everybody come together to help you with your questions.
We are here to support eachother.
good Night.
Sheila
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Redbarb,
Definately do whatever is right for you! If you don't you will regret your decision and resent the person(s) you were trying to please. I made a decision tree for myself based on what my priorities were (like low risk of recurrence) and did a lot of research, then asked questions of the "team" until I had all the info I needed. Re-ex was an option but I chose BMx instead because I didn't want to worry about recurrence. After surgery when I began to regret my decision I pulled out my "report" and reminded myself why I chose this option. Good thing it didn't say "because it is what DH wanted you to do." It is a difficult decision and one that only you can make based on your situation and your priorities. My thoughts are with you...
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"worried about what everyone thinks" Please Redbarb804, remember most everyone else has no clue as to what you should do-your medical team, you, and your family, to a certain degree, are the opinions to consider. The measurement difference is scary, isn't it? I take it you didn't get clean margins originally, so after your consults on Monday & Friday you should have enough data to proceed forward with a decision. Feel free to post questions, someone will likely be able to answer, but as we are all fond of saying - you will end up doing what's best for your particular situation. I have faith you will do what's necessary.0
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Redbarb804 My heart goes out to you these are tough decisions and you're right there is a lot of advice. In my sruggles I took all the info, talked to all my doctors and then took a little time to discuss with my husband. in the end I took the road that sounded best for me, my husband and most of docs were in agreement. I am doing well and look forward to my first BC cancerversary in May.
Joni YEA YEA YEA
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Redbarb I didn't listen to my initial gut instinct and listened to my surgeon (don't get me wrong he is good man and a wonderful surgeon). He had his opinion and I had mine, I wanted a mastectomy no matter what the path report showed but I didn't do what I wanted to do I listened to him say, "I can save your breast". Now, after radiation (no chemo for me), I am back in a plastic surgeon's office and in 4 months I will be having reconstruction anyway because the radiation caused my breast to shrink (it doesn't do that to everyone). It's very difficult to decide what is right for you and your family, like the other ladies have said. I don't blame anyone for my choice, but I do kick myself now that I'm having to look at going through breast recon surgery again.
Praying that everything works out for you. Renee
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Hi, all! Happy day before Easter and Passover!
Seyla/Sheila--HAPPY 5 YEARS! AWESOME!!!!
Joni--HAPPY 1 YEAR!!!!! AWESOME!
Mimi--I just started up Tamox again after the DIEP surgery...took 6 wks off. I wasnt nervous at all and no SEs when I started in Oct 09, but now I'm nervous about it, LOL! No side effects still, but I keep reading about the cancers it could cause. I wonder how frequent people get cancer from Tamox (uterine/ovarian). It freaks me out. I dreamed I had brain cancer last night, LOL!
Carollynn--I'm so sorry you're dealing with a new cancer issue! You've probably said what your new cancer issue is on this thread before, but can you remind me if you dont mind?
Redbarb--My story is similar to mimi/Renee's. Surgeon wanted to do lump/rads, so I listened. I wanted to do bi-lat masect, but didnt. Had to do re-excision for unclear margins. Slightly deformed breast. Still didnt feel I'd done enough, so I went back and just finished a bi-lateral masect w/DIEP flap reconstruction. There was no additional cancer, so the lump/rads was sufficient, however, I have no regrets. I did exactly what I wanted and I am now at peace that if cancer returns, I have done everything I could do. What DID benefit me by doing lump/rads was it gave me time to think about whether masect was truly what I wanted (it was). However, I have good insurance and was fortuanate that it paid for both. That is not always possible for everyone. I am a people pleasure and a lot of times do what others want so as not to offend, but in this case...I had to live with my decisions, not the docs. In the end...they will do what YOU want. The outcome is the same...mx has decreased reoccurance rate (1%), however, outcome is same with lump/rads because they monitor you closer with mammos, scans, etc. HTH!
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Hi ladies,
I had so much to get caught up on these threads! You ladies are wonderful!
REDBARB- Sorry to hear you are in the early stages of all of this, truly it is the hardest time as many of these ladies have shared with you. I think one of the hardest things is "life stood still" although everyone around me was engaged in the day to day life... BUT the best news, I am almost 2 years out and LIFE does get back to normal, hair comes back and YES you stop obsessing about BC... it truly took a good year before I would not wake up and think about the BEAST and now, I am reminded but it is not consuming.
This is why I love these boards as we all are at different stages and dates out from diagnosis but we are bonded by this thing and we learn so much from each other. Ask all the questions you have!
To all my other ladies- Happy Easter!
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Happy happy Easter y'all! And blessed Passover!
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Cake I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer March 24. I found a lump in July, they took ulrtasounds, did biopsy's which were negative and my doctors decided to watch it. It kept growing in January they decided the best course was to completely remove because the growth made it suspicious for cancer plus the growth was too much in a 6 month period. The pathology said it was pappilary thyroid cancer which is the easiest to cure. I will take synthroid for life, the first 2 years a higher dose, and yearly ultrasounds to check for regrowth.
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Wishing you All Happy Easter and Passover.
So glad we found each other ladies.
Sheila
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Carollynn- Sorry to hear about the thyroid cancer but happy to hear it is an easy one! I hope the meds they keep you on are "easy" too. Keep us posted, I just said a little prayer for you!
Good night Sheila, I look forward to meeting you soon, looks like you are doing well with your diet, you go GIRL, I am trying to get in the swing!
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Me too Nicole.
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Have a wonderful Easter Sunday everyone.
Love & hugs to all of you, I am so thankful for you.
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Thanks Ladies, I really appreciate everyones advise. I am NOT going to worry about what anyone else thinks I "should" do, I WILL do what is right for me! I will keep pounding that into my head.
Eph3_12: You are right they did not get clear margins the first time. There was one margin that was not clear.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Sunday. I thank God everyday for all you wonderful ladies!
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Hi Sisters...I hope everybody had a nice peaceful day today.
I was invited 2 places for Easter. But I stayed home. DD was working late.
She stopped by few minutes after work.
Hi Redbarb. Once you reach 50 posts you can post as many times as you want.
Thank God we have bunch of nice ladies here. Its a different kind of family.
I feel very comfortable here with you.
Hugs To All and Good Night
Sheila
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Welcome Redbarb! You will find much knowledge & comfort here. These special ladies are a gift.
I have my 3-month check-up tomorrow, nervous already about the lab report. I have no complaints to report. Hoping my potassium level has went up, have added foods that contain potass so hopefully that has helped. Don't need another supplement to take! I had read that selinium lowers your white blood count, so stopped that right after last appointment; hopefully that has went up.
The first thing I ask is what is my tumor marker result.... this worrying never ends, does it?? And, you all know what that feels like. Not just a routine doc appt.
Good night!
{{hugs}}
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Valerie
I go every 4 months, it never got easier with this tumor test result always find those 3 months check ups with the oncologist the most stressful ones.
How long do you wait for the results?
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Valerie: Good luck with your appointment today. Prayers are with you. Keep us posted on how you make out.
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Back from Dr. visit. My white blood count is still abnormal (from 3.6 to 4.1), but has gone up. (wonder if my stopping the selenium contributed to that-I heard that that can affect your level.) The potassium is back in the normal range, which I'm sure was due to diet change. (thanks to Sheila? Meece? - one of you gave me a list of foods that contained potassium)
What I don't like is my Ionized Calcium level went from 4.5 to 4.8. Ever since this bc thing the level has vacilated between 4.5-4.6. NP told me that since I'd had a full body bone scan last Nov. & there was no evidence of bone mets, she is not too concerned or she would order that scan for me. She said that level can vary slightly & we will keep a watch on it.
My CA 27.29 was 12.8, the last two times I've had it checked it was a straight 12.
My next exam is in 4 months. Darn it, seems like there is always something to have hanging around in the back of your mind, isn't there? Something that pops up & then you go to "that" place again - you start to think - again - I know I will be thinking, "Is this the beginning of a change, is this SFBC starting somewhere else?" CRAP!!!! Maybe I would be worrying needlessly, but all the same, I'm sure I will. I hate that valley of doom.... I want to be on a mountain with my grandbabies!!!! I guess it will be up to me to keep myself in the right place, right gals? I will be here with you all, you are my extended family & I need your accumulated strength.
Thanks for letting me vent, I don't usually get all wound up. It's a beautiful day here in MI today & now I have a small cloud in that otherwise beautiful blue sky... not as many clouds as others, I know. I don't want to sound like I am blowing this out of proportion, it's just a change for me, however small.
{{hugs}}
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Oh, forgot to add my Vitamin D level was at 32. I was shocked since I have been taking 6000 IU's since my last blood draw (Vit D, l, 25-Dihydroxy), 3 months ago. Before I left the office, I had my blood drawn for a slightly different Vit D3 test, I'll call for results next week. My last check was at 40, but she told me it was not for D3, it was a just for regular Vit D, so she's checking again. (that test was ordered by my Rads Dr. when I asked what my level was a year ago Jan.). NP told me today normal is 18-78 & I told her I was certainly hoping it'd be in the 60-70 range. I don't know the type of test she ordered this time, the test was handed off to the nurse & I didn't see it.
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Val, does any of your Vit D supplements have Vitamin K in them? My serum calcium was low after the thyroid surgery and my Endo has me taking Viactiv Calcium with D and Vitamin K, I started at 3 daily and am at 2 now, my Calcium has been low for a bit as it was low prior to surgery but is back at where it was a year ago. I have read that absorption of D and Calcium are tied to vitamin K. My Endo has ordered a lot of tests in May so will gets lost of info then, Vit D, Calcium, T-4 and others. Will ask my Onc lots of questions Thursday when I see him.
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Valerie: I am so sorry you didn't get the news that you were hoping for. As hard as it is you have to stay positive. I truely believe your mental state affects your inner body!! I will continue to pray for you and that your next appointment will be more positive you you.((((HUGS))))
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Valerie...i just took my medical file out.
C27-29 was 27 and as long as is under 38 is normal. I also heard from others that couple points up and down doesnt really make a difference.
My D level was 38 without any extra Vitamin D supplements. I take Caltrate+D twice a day.
Sorry if Im repeating myself I might posted all these before.
WBC 4.1 is between the normal range on the low side Normal Range 3.8-10.8
Iodized calcium levels I don't have. All I have is calcium 10.4 Normal Range is 8.5-10.3.
I have my annual check up on April 15.
hugs to All My Sisters.
Sheila
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Valerie... as a nurse I just wanted you to know also that when you have lab work done at different doctors offices or hospital's they often use different labs, which in turn often have a little different normal lab values for there highs and lows. This will make your lab values come back with a little variation in them sometimes. Like where you said you had been a 12 on your C27-29 and it was a 12. ? now. I don't know if you had them done at different places, but that I thought you mentioned something about the rads doctor? Did he do the first 2 and maybe now your primary did this one? If so the diff labs may be the slight difference in the values. Doctors won't tell you that cause they are in different places and really don't know, but the lab techs will.
I had a Fasting blood sugar done at my primary docs office and it was 95 and my cholesterol was 152, it wa done by lab corp. 2 weeks later my work sent me a finger stick kit to get blood and send in to their lab and the results of my fasting blood sugar from their lab was a 102 and my cholesterol was 134. My cholesterol did not drop that much in 2 weeks and I have been taking the same cholesterol med for 2 1/2 yrs. I was also NPO longer for the fasting blood sugar I mailed in for my company than for my docs office and it was higher. I am not a diabetic. Their lab was off on their values.
Renee
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Renee...my DR doesnt want me to fast. Just a light breakfast.
Do you fast for your cholesterol test too? Just curious.
Some labs want you to fast 12 hours.
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My PCP did a D3 test and I was 52.3 but she said for going through radiation she would like me to be between 60 and 70 and told me to take 2000ui of D3 daily, so I am.
I am a diabetic and am tested every 3 months, they require a 12 hr fast. My rads onco tested WBC at the beginning of rads and said I was normal but didn't tell me what that was or what is normal.
Flo
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