Calling all TNs

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Comments

  • Fighter_34
    Fighter_34 Member Posts: 496
    edited May 2012

    Minxie if you don't mind me asking how did you discovery this new tumor? Most posters used a different regimen as far treatment is  concerned so I am guess your ONC may want to try another cocktail.

    Did you have rads the first time? Some say there is a lifetime max, but if your cancer facility does MammoSite rads then maybe this could be an option. Do your research and we will definitely support you all the way. (((((HUGS)))) So sorry you have to go through this again. It's just not FAIR!!

    Enough is enough for us all!!!!

  • minxie
    minxie Member Posts: 239
    edited May 2012

    Well, as far as I know it is a local recurrence. My onc wants to set up a CAT scan ASAP to be sure it hasn't spread, which terrifies me as I've been having back pain for months.

    Fighter, I found the lump, right over my implant. I did not have rads. Long story short, they discovered DCIS in same breast after I finished lumpectomy/chemo, we decided to go for BMX then and there and skip rads. In retrospect perhaps a bad idea. if this FC hasn't spread I am absolutely doing rads this time. 

  • Lovelyface
    Lovelyface Member Posts: 563
    edited May 2012

    Clowngirl - Oh Girl, I have no words.  We will all be with you in spirit tomorrow.  I can totally understand the fear, stress, sadness which must be engulfing you today.  It will be okay, others have done it and survived.  You will be okay.

    Minxie - I am so sorry, but I would say the same thing Luah said, the news comes with a silver lining, that it is a local recurrence. I fear mets the most.  Last time when I was waiting for the results after a biopsy, I had talked myself into accepting local recurrence as "good news".  Yes, 3 years is a long time, and to get it again after 3 years is not hopeful for any of us.  We are all in this together.  When this thing happens to one, it happens to all of us.

    Annie - I am so sorry you had to endure what you did with your first taxol.  I know how this will give you the fear, which you didn't need, for next Wed.  I think they did make me take lorazapam and I got sleepy during the infusion.  I found taxol so much easier than AC.  The red devil was the worst.

  • onvacation
    onvacation Member Posts: 521
    edited May 2012

    Clowngirl - sending my thoughts and prayers tomorrow during your surgery.  

    Minxie - cancer sucks - sorry you are dealing with this.  I will pray that it is local and not spread.

    And it is worth saying again, cancer sucks.

  • mags20487
    mags20487 Member Posts: 1,092
    edited May 2012

    MINXIE---big hugs to you...praying for strength for you

    Clowngirl--you can do it....everything will be fine

    and yes cancer SUX!!!

  • lrm216
    lrm216 Member Posts: 534
    edited May 2012

    Clowngirl:  Wishing you all the best for tomorrow and a totally uneventful and easy recovery.

    Minxie:  I am sick to my stomach hearing your news, but as Luah said, it's a local recurrence and that's a positive in this dark spot you are in right now.  I wish I could take it all away for you.  As Lovely said - when something happens to one of us, it happens to all of us, as there but for the grace of God goes any one of us.  It's like we are all always sitting on a freaking time bomb - always hearing that tick - tick - tick.  Please know we are all here to help you get through this new battle, and to offer you love, strength and all the help we can.

    Beccad:  Hope you got released and all is going well.  Thinking of you too!

    Linda

  • 1CandleBurningBright
    1CandleBurningBright Member Posts: 5
    edited May 2012

    Dear Minxie,

    I'm so very sorry to read about your most recent recurrence.  Prayers, thoughts and (((Hugs))) go out to you during this very trying time.

    I, myself, only completed two rounds of A/C then had my Port removed (2008) but then went on to finish my 33 rounds of Radiation.  

    All you can do to set your mind somewhat at ease is to ask your "MO" lots and lots of questions until you feel you are satisfied with the answers as best you can be.

    In the meantime, please know that your "TNBC" circle of Friends are right beside you all of the way.  Never feel alone.

  • ksmatthews
    ksmatthews Member Posts: 743
    edited May 2012

    HI girls first of all I want to say thank you to all of you for asking about me and your support.  I finally got the results of my ca125 and my uterine biopsy.  Tumor markers are great and my biopsy was all clear!!!!  Thank you God!!!

    Beccad- I sure hope you are feeling better and get out of the hospital soon.

    CS- I hope your next treatment is much kinder to you.

    Clowngirl- I will be thinking and praying for you tomorrow.  I know you have to be a nervous wreck.  Good luck!

    Minxie- so sorry to hear about your reoccurance!  I sure hope it is only local and has not spread.  I am not sure about the chemo either.

    Teka-yeah for your good results.

    I am sorry if I forgot anyone... 

  • kathyrnn
    kathyrnn Member Posts: 366
    edited May 2012

    Minxie- I am so sorry. I think Lovely and LRM said it perfectly, what happens to one happens to all, and there but for the grace of God. Hold on to the hope that it is only a local reoccurrence. I can't answer the chemo question but others will soon. Maybe it's good you didn't have rads because you can only have them once (and they usually don't do them with mastectomies). Also thank you for an odd way of giving me some reassurance about taking my BS recommendation for a lumpectomy. Shows us all it's just a rotten f**king disease, no matter what choices you make. Hang in there Minxie!

  • kathyrnn
    kathyrnn Member Posts: 366
    edited May 2012

    KS - thrilled to hear some wonderful news! Congrats!

  • caroline71
    caroline71 Member Posts: 14
    edited May 2012

    Hi just been diagnosed with Tn I am terrified I am 39 now I have to wait to go and get a cat ct scan done on monday 14th may  to see has it spread  I am having my right breast off  the tumour is 5 half cm roughley . I am 40 years of age  can anyone tell me is this life threating  as I really would like to know  thank you in advance I am from Ireland 

  • khs113
    khs113 Member Posts: 15
    edited May 2012

    KS--Good,good news. Been thinking about you.

    Clowngirl---Hope you can feel all of us with you tomorrow.

  • Lovelyface
    Lovelyface Member Posts: 563
    edited May 2012

    Caroline71 - Oh dear, you are very young, but no need to panic. You will be OKAY.  I am wondering how did they find the tumor - by mammo and ultrasound?  And I believe that you already must have had a biopsy which showed the cancer cells right? In my case, I went to surgery straight after they found the cancer cells. At surgery, they did a lumpectomy as well as they took one sentinel node out.  After pathology of the tumor and sentinel node, they determined that it did not go into my lymph nodes.  Treatment was based on that. I did not have a CT Scan at this point.  After all was done, before chemo, I then had a petscan done to see whether there was cancer anywhere else in my body.  Thank God all was clear.

    Unless they have your pathology and CT scan done, nothing can be determined. Please don't assume the worst at this time.  TN's have great hope with chemotherapy.  Most probably you will have to have chemo, since your tumor is big and maybe with the size, it seems like it may not be DCIS, which I believe is pre-cancer, stage O.

    Caroline - please make sure you have a very good oncologist.  Even with a 5.5cm tumor, one can save their breasts by treatment first to reduce the size of the tumor before surgery.  You will have to make that decision after you get all your test results back.  Please look at all your options.  I think it is wrong to think at this time that you will HAVE to have a mastectomy.  This weekend, please research and read various subjects on this website. Information is power.

    Good luck and our prayers and love are with you.  You will be okay and live a long healthy normal life, this is just an obstacle and a trial in your life.  Please believe me, you will truly be okay as there are treatments and hope, even with TN.

  • OBXK
    OBXK Member Posts: 689
    edited May 2012

    Merrinell - sorry for your loss.

    Becca - I hope tomorrow night, finds you sleeping in your own bed!

    Naan- so glad you're near the finish line! I'd go mad, without my hydrotherapy.

    Annie - I'm sorry you had such a rough go today! I hope you don't experience bad side effects tomorrow. Rest well and get plenty of fluids! I use to take a Vicodin and phenegren every 4 hours until I felt the ice pick in my brain lessen ;) big hugs!!!!!



    Sweet dreams everyone.

  • kathyrnn
    kathyrnn Member Posts: 366
    edited May 2012

    Caroline, we all understand how scared you must be. Please make sure you have an oncologist that is experienced with TN. I am going to be honest with you. All cancers can be life threatening, but with proper treatment, there are lots of us survivors our there. First you have to wait to see the results of

    your CAT Scans. When you have your surgery, they will also check your lymph nodes to see if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. After that you will have more information about your disease. Don't be confused by the many different modes of treatment you hear about on here. Some of us had our chemo before surgery, to shrink the tumor. It is also done that way sometimes, because leaving the tumor in let's the oncologist see if the chemo works effectively against the cancer. Some of us had lumpectomies and some of us had mastectomies. What you chose, will be a combination of what your doctor recommends, but whichever one you chose, it is your choice. Compared to other cancers, TN is a rapidly growing tumor, that's what also makes chemo an effective treatment, because chemotherapy kills rapidly dividing cells

    Most important....this is survivable. Chemo isn't always pleasant, but it is definitely doable. Please don't hesitate to ask the group questions. We often use abbreviations and don't feel dumb to ask, we remember being newbies and having to ask lots of questions.

    Another reliable web site is www.tnbcfoundation.org

  • BernieEllen
    BernieEllen Member Posts: 2,285
    edited May 2012

    Hi ladies, I was taking a break but I have been reading.

    Minxie, so sorry to hear your news.

    The reason I am posting again -just read Carolines posts - Hi Caroline I live in Ireland just outside kilkenny, if you need someone to talk to please let me know.

    I had a lumpectomy last march followed by A/C chemo the rads.  I'm here anytime.

    Thinking of you all.

    Lots of love

    Bernie 

  • Cocker_Spaniel
    Cocker_Spaniel Member Posts: 1,188
    edited May 2012

    Hi Ladies. So many many posts.

    LRM16/Christina19/OBXK/Hope60/Babs73/Lovelyface/Onvacation/Kathryn.

    Thank you so mych for your replies.  I genuinely did not believe it was an anxiety problem with the Taxol.  I have always been highly anxious and gone through worse than this in my lifetime and have never experienced it even with my first AC but the Oncology Nurse thought it was.  I thought I was going blind because I couldn't see at first and then the red face, pain in my chest and other things started.  My nurse was in the room but I couldn't see him.  Luckily he turned the machine off straight away when I called to him.  The trouble is is it going to happen next week again.   Getting cold feet now and would like to stop it but I suppose its good for me somewhere along the line. Cancer Sux.

    KSmatthews - thank god for good results.

    Teka - yeah for good results.  We need all these post to keep us going.

    Caroline71 - sorry you have been diagnosed with TN. I too was terrified when I was diagnosed . I had left mastectomy with four nodes and cancer was coming out of the nodes. But although nothing is certain in this life I believe it is not life threatening, far from it as we are all here to testify to that.  For me personally mastectomy was the best as I just wanted them to take the breast all away and the cancer with it. But its a personal choice and you will make the right one for you.  We have our bad days and some not so good results but we rise up again and fight and boy do we fight.  You can and will get through this as these ladies told me when I came on here.  Some things you don't want to do and don't want to have happen or to hear  but they do and still you fight, you just go on. You will come out of the other side of this a well, healthy  and strong woman. Just keep fighting. 

    Clowngirl - thinking of you love and and hoping everything goes okay.  If you try hard you will feel all of our hands holding yours.   

    If I have left anyone out my apologies but hard to keep up nowadays. Warm fuzzies to everyone and heaps of love.  Annie  

           

            

  • Cocker_Spaniel
    Cocker_Spaniel Member Posts: 1,188
    edited May 2012
  • navymom
    navymom Member Posts: 842
    edited May 2012

    GoodMorning, Gals.

    Minxie, so sad to hear your news.  Hoping you have a plan in action soon.  We will be here to help you fight the beast once again.

    Becca, hope you are feeling better and get home soon.

    Clowngirl,  thinking of you this morning. Sending healing vibes your way.

    Caroline, you have come to the right place for support and info.  And see, you already have a new friend right there in your "neighborhood".  Good to see you, Bernie!

    Best wishes to all in treatment and to all in the dreaded waiting room.

    So glad to see some good test results, too.

    Best thing I did yesterday....Bought my annual flowers and planted them with Suze, Mary and Laura on my mind and in my heart. 

    Wishing each of you a peaceful day.

  • caroline71
    caroline71 Member Posts: 14
    edited May 2012

    Thank you all so much  I got a phone call from the hospital this morning  they want me in for a MMR on my breast next wed 16/5/12  ct scan on 14/5/12  then I got another phone call from the radiologist to see me on the 22/5/12 I just dont know what to say but thank you to you all  I have to wait for all resullts  Love Caroline 

  • kathyrnn
    kathyrnn Member Posts: 366
    edited May 2012

    Clowngirl - sending prayers for you this morning.

  • christina1961
    christina1961 Member Posts: 450
    edited May 2012

    Minxie, I'm so sorry to hear this news but glad it is localized.  I'm not sure about the chemo, either.  Check out the triple negative foundation website, too.  They have a section for recurrences and you may be able to read what others have had done in this situation.  I know one lady who posts often had a local recurrence over a year ago but it was in an IM node and I think she had rads and chemo.  She is doing very well.

    Fighter, "floaters" are the dark spots or specks you see in your vision.  I never really noticed them until I got to be about 45 years old.  They usually increase as you get older, but I had an increase during chemo that has now gone away.

    Teka, KS, glad for your positive results!

  • LuvRVing
    LuvRVing Member Posts: 2,409
    edited May 2012

    Minxie - I had a local recurrence last year and yes, I had involved intermammary nodes as well as four axillary nodes.  I had a BMX with full axillary dissection, DD AC/T then 30 radiation treatments.  I was NED per a PET/CT scan in October 2011 (prior to radiation).  Sending hugs, I know pretty much exactly what you are going through.  Now I am looking forward to DIEP reconstruction towards the end of July.

    Hugs,

    Michelle

  • beccad
    beccad Member Posts: 189
    edited May 2012

    I am feeling better, but nothing tastes good, waiting for the Dr's to show up with the word that I can go home.

  • Luah
    Luah Member Posts: 626
    edited May 2012

    KS - Great news, what a relief! 

    Caroline: Welcome, this is a good place to be. You will find the first few weeks quite a roller coaster of scans and doctors' appointments. It can be quite overwhelming, but just know that a treatment plan will come into focus soon and you'll be on your way to slaying the breast cancer beast. Please also know that TN is far from a death sentence - we are all living testimony of that.  Most of us get successfully through treatment and go on with life... and perhaps don't come to these boards all that often... doesn't mean there aren't lot of healthy TNs out there. Also, be careful what you read on the Internet about TN - a lot of it is overblown or out of date. You can fry your brain with all the information about there, but here are two other reputable sites to check out: http://www.tnbcfoundation.org/ and http://hormonenegative.blogspot.ca/    Sorry the links aren't working - paste and copy into your browser

    (Anyone know why the insert hyperlink button isn't working? Really wish we could go back to how it was a year ago, when I could simply copy and paste anything into the reply box, instead of relying on a silly pop-up window.... never come across that on any other site.)  

    Edited to add: Oh I see on submission the links are working - who knew? 

  • beljmc45
    beljmc45 Member Posts: 3
    edited May 2012

    im just got the results of my biospy and of course it is also tn and in different parts of my body. going to get a second opinion tomorrow but my current oncologist wants to staRT me on ixempra. anyone been on this before

  • BernieEllen
    BernieEllen Member Posts: 2,285
    edited May 2012

    My darlings, I couldn't stay away.  to all the new people, I could not have got through without the support, help, understanding and laughter i found here.  Yes, I ment laughter because that is also a part of our being together and moving on.  It's not always the FBC it's the new family we have here.

    I am so useless at keeping up with the posts but I know we are all together 

  • Babs37
    Babs37 Member Posts: 320
    edited May 2012

    Glad you came back BernieEllen! We need to stick together, in good and bad times. xx

    beljmc- Big hugs to you. xx 

  • inmate4232010
    inmate4232010 Member Posts: 288
    edited May 2012

    Good afternoon ladies,

     BernieEllen....welcome home.  we missed you.

    Teka....yeah for good news.  so sorry you had the extra aggravation.

    Caroline....welcome.  You have found a truly wonderful place for support and friendship.  Don't hesitate to ask any question.  One of us will come along and get you an answer.

    KS....yeah for you too!

    Beccad.....hoping you feel much better and you get the word and they spring you soon.

    Clowngirl.....been thinking of you all day.  ((((((hug))))))

    Cocker Spaniel.......my friend had a reaction to taxol and they immediately moved her to a different drug, I think Abraxane?  I will verify that.  I did not have issues, but would also suggest that an ativan or xanax might help with.  It certainly couldn't hurt.  Just make sure you have someone to drive you home.  You are so strong to keep carrying on.  :)  Yes, Abraxane was the replacement for those with reactions to Taxol.  Maybe ask them about switching.

    Merrinell......so very sorry for your loss. 

    Has anyone heard from Bak lately? 

    Hello and Love to everyone who is waiting, in treatment and playing the supporting role from their new normal.

    I have been having a bit of a hard time this time.  Had a mini melt down yesterday at the BS office.  It might have something to do with having to go in every few days to have my chest drained.  Really really over it!  I cannot say how much I hate fucking cancer!  In fact just talking about it now makes me tear up.  I want my old life back.  2 years plus of continous treatment is just too much for me right now.  I know I will rally, just don't want to do anything right now.  Ugh!  Thanks for listening.  Now, where did I put those big shoes?  It's time to put them back on and just keep on truckin!

    Love to you all! 

  • Fighter_34
    Fighter_34 Member Posts: 496
    edited May 2012

    Inmate- I know the feeling. Enough is enough!!! Normal??? What is that?? More like scared always. ((((((HUGS)))))

    I am still waiting on normal to return.