Calling all TNs
Comments
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Congratulations Claire - they are both so beautiful!
Kelben and Michelle - I'm thinking of you both...I'm so sorry you have to wait this out, this new reality is just crappy.
Lovelyface - that is great news on your mammo! My onc will give me a PET scan around 12 months after the end of my chemo to rule out a fast progression, then we'll just go by symptoms. Every doctor is definitely different. I did have one before I started chemo due to positive nodes, which was clear.
Still in GI upset hell, and have to wait until the 15th until I see the GI doctor. I am so uncomfortable at this point, and am just trying to keep the symptoms manageable. Hoping I don't have the beginnings of an ulcer. Only two more treatments...0 -
Hi ladies,
Excuse my ignorance .... but what does AA stands for?
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Clair:
Congrats to you, proud grandma, and you have every right to be! They are both beautiful. Enjoy, enjoy!
Linda
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I believe on this thread AA meant "African American". I may be wrong but I think I had read someone saying that she doesn't feel there are many AA's on this thread. Correct me someone, if I am wrong.
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Claire..OMG...beautiful children...just beautiful...I hadn't logged in yet and the other ladies were talking about your grandkids...and I was clicking around to sign in so I could see them...just so precious...I bet you are having a wonderful time GRANDMA!! Just holding a new baby feels so wonderful.and he and your grandaughter..are well..beautiful..have I said that?? HA HA..
Oh..some good news..my friend I told you about earlier has a blocked duct..nothing serious...good thing.
And remember the 25 year old I told you guys about...she's not handling chemo well...had to be hospitalized after #7...needs to do 1 more b-4 surgery...something is going on with her legs to..has to be in a wheelchair.
OK...asking a personal question..are any of you in a wheelchair..or were you ever? because of taxol or any other type of chemo.
I have heard that chemo really hits the young girls hard...this girl is barely surviving it..what sucks is that she was having issues last June and it took several months b-4 it was figured out that she had breast cancer...so far it has not spread to her organs..but I dunno..25 years old...this sucks.
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Claire82 , this is a beautiful picture!!!!
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Claire: What a beautiful baby! Contrats!
Kelben and Michelle: You're both in my thoughts. I wish I had a magic wand because if I did, the world would be a better place in oh so many ways! So many of us are sending you both well wishes and prayers. Hugs to both of you.. Hang in there ladies... I'm sending "wonderful results" vibes.
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Titan - that's strange about chemo hitting the young girls hard. I was told "you're young and you can take it" by my doctors (now, I was 40 at the time, not 25... but still). I hope she's doing better soon. What kind of chemo is she on?
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Lovelyface thanks for the info.
Titan remember that i had a bad allergic reaction to Taxol and I could barely walk? Maybe this girl is also having this type of reaction and thats why she is in a wheelchair?
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Gorgeous picture of the grandbabies! You must be so proud.
Lovely-wonderful news!!!
Thinking healing warm thoughts for those 'waiting'.
Traci-love your avatar pic!
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oh, that is the sweetest baby! Congrats! Makes me wish mine didn't grow up so fast!
Thinking of you, Kelben and Michelle. Waiting is truly the hardest part.
I had my chemo when I was 42, not that young, but not that old either. It was really rough, I wanted to quit many times but was persuaded to go on. I remember thinking, how on earth could an elderly person ever go through this? I feel like it was killing me and I'm sure it would kill them outright. The taxol was OK at first, but I had it every week and it had a cumulative bad effect on me, by the end I could barely move.
I know cancer is a serious disease and it needs some seriously kick-@ss drugs to beat it, but I am looking forward to the day when they find some that don't do such devastating things to an otherwise healthy body.
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Monika..yes I do remember..she did have a bad reaction to the chemo..I'm thinking it was probably the taxol.. I remember my legs just aching with the taxol..and after sitting for awhile it took me a while to get my legs working to just walk..that se last several months after chemo..
Kitty..they told me the same thing too..only I was 49!
Agree with you minxie...I know that chemo is necessary for we TN's...and that for the most part it is doable but it is nasty stuff...I consider those 16 weeks as living through hell.
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Kelben & Michelle: So sorry you are both being made to wait but I am hoping for both of you that everything is fine. Hugs to both of you!!!
Titan: So sorry to hear about your young friend! BC just sucks, there is no way around it.
Blueberries Looking Promising in the Fight Triple Negative Breast Cancer
You may have heard blueberries are potent anti-oxidants - great for helping to stave off cancer and recurrence. Now, a City of Hope study suggests that the blue purple fruit actually controls tumor growth, shrinks metastasis and triggers cell death in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. The study is available on the Cancer Research website. This is good news for people who have been diagnosed with this aggressive cancer, where so far the only arsenal is chemotherapy and radiation.
"We observed that blueberries help fight triple-negative breast cancers by suppressing pathways critical to tumor development and migration," said Shiuan Chen, Ph.D., director of City of Hope's Division of Tumor Cell Biology.
Through their work, the researchers found that blueberry extracts not only inhibit production and mobility of TNBC cells, but casue them to die at two times the rate of cell cultures that did not have the extracts applied to them.
Other interesting observations were that blueberry group's tumor weight was 70 percent lighter than the control group.
The amount given to lab animals was equivalent to a four ounce serving for a 130-pound adult according to Chen.
The next step is identifying the specific compounds in the fruit believed to be responsible for these promising outcomes., as well as further investigating blueberries' potential to slow down the progression and spread of this difficult form of breast cancer."
City of Hope researchers are about to begin a human clinical trial to test blueberries' effect on breast cancer, as well as looking into anticancer properties of other fruits and vegetables.
See and hear researchers discuss how blueberries work against Triple Negative Breast Cancer in Mice:
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MBJ---Thanks for the study on blueberries. When I was first diagnosed, I saw a similar study so I started to eat my 2 cups of blueberries each day. I had to stop before chemo not to interfer with it (so the nurse said). But I started to eat my blueberries again since my chemo is over. I eat about 2 cups a day. It can't hurt to try and put every chances on our side. And they are so delicious too.................
Have a great one.
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babs: I eat them almost daily, too! Quite yummy. Here is a recipe for frozen blueberries when you can't get fresh. Great to top just about anything!
1 16 oz Bag Frozen Blueberries
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tblsp lemon juice
1 tsp fresh ginger or 1/8 tsp powdered
1 tblsp maple syrup
Stir everything together and cook over medium heat until it thickens (about 10-15 min). Enjoy!
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MBJ- Thanks. I sure am gonna try that recipe. YUMMMM!!!0
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MBJ - where do you get your blueberries from? Are they fresh or frozen? I got some blackberries from Costco yesterday and they are damn sour. My mom said to try putting some salt on them which I am not sure is a good idea.
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lovelyface: I wouldn't put salt on them, yuck! I would cook them the same as the recipe above but on lower heat. I get the frozen or fresh organic ones from Trader Joes then store them in the fridge till they are gone.
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Did any TN experience skin itch on the back 5 weeks after chemo? This is something new as I notice I am constantly looking for something to scratch my back with. I have started exercising and I sweat a lot. I am wondering maybe the chemo drugs are making its way out or something. Because the chemo drugs destroy our good cells in our skin especially, I am trying to figure out the connection, maybe new cells forming? Many years ago I had seen a movie and it was only a movie, but the little girl was constantly asking people to scratch her back, later she was diagnosed with leukemia. You know the chemo drugs I took, has a statistics - 1out of every 1000 women can get leukemia from the drugs AC/T. I am freaking out, scared. Anyone with itching after chemo? Maybe this is just very temporary, but every little thing is scary to me. So scary!!!!!!!
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Lovelyface- Funny you should ask because for the last week or so, my upper back is scratchy and my upper arms/shoulders too. I finished my chemo (AC/T) 2 weeks ago. Also, my breast, the one with BC and armpit are sore, like bruised. Did anyone experienced that after chemo but before surgery?0
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I have recently been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer and am awaiting surgery at Sloan Kettering. On a pathology report can someone tell me what this means:
Negative for HER2 Gene Amplification
Negative for HER2 Protein Expression
I am opting for a bilateral masectomy with implant reconstruction just to be as proactive as possible. Thanks
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thanks for the good wishes MBJ and for the tip re: blueberries. I always knew they were good for me, but not how they helped tn bc.
thank you
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RueMarbu: Welcome to the thread and although we are sorry you have to be here you will find much support and guidance from all of the wonderful women on this thread! It means that you tested for the Her2 gene. This is why you are triple negative, meaning your cancer is not responsive to any targeted hormone drugs. However, women with TN usually have a great response to chemo!
Ask lots of questions, if you do not feel comfortable with a particular dr, speak up. Sloan ettering is a great facility but it is important to be your own advocate so that you get the best possible care with the best doctors. Hugs to you and let us know if we can help you in any way.
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Welcome to the thread RuMarbeau. You'll get a lot of support here from the wonderful ladies who post.
I love blueberries and need to get back to making my morning smoothies. I've been a bit lazy for the past couple of weeks.
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I am not a blueberry fan, but would love to incorporate some into my diet. Does anyone have any recipes for smoothies that use other fruits as well as blueberries?
Tiffany
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I put blueberries in my salad every night. Not a recipe but a sneaky way to hide them if you dont like them.
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Good idea Claire! Thanks!
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Tiffany - I am not a fan of blueberries either. They are too sweet and the texture bothers me. Try blending them with strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries - add a little lemon juice and stevia. I blend it with a little ice for more of a sorbet type treat, or with a little greek yogurt for a smoothie. It is delicious.
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Irr- that sounds good. I like strawberries! I'll give it a try- Thanks!!0
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I hope you like it! You can mix them with any fruit combo that suits your tastes. The lemon juice helps balance the sweetness of the blueberries . . . I much prefer tart to sweet in my fruits.
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