Ladies in their 30s
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I'll be doing both as well don't want to chance it. I was told chemo first so the onc can see if the cancer was responding, but now I'm worried what if still spread while waiting for surgery?!
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i dont have any reason to worry, im just being silly and worrying unnecessarily.
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I am holding off on that decision until after Monday when I have the results of the genetic testing in. That will make up my mind plus I am getting a 2nd opinion on Wed. at Dana Farber in Boston. That will help.
I am having some nauseousness and lots of tiredness from treatment yesterday. 3 down! Good news is my tumor is shrinking and the lymph node the dr could feel she can't feel anymore!!! Chemo is working!!!
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I don't have results of the genetic testing yet, however the counsellor indicated that although the results might be negative, my family history suggests it (sister dx'd at 32, mom passed away from Pancreatic cancer last year), and I should strongly consider BMX. My surgeon was fully supportive as well, so BMX it was.
Symetry was a factor for me as well, I didn't go for immediate reconstruction and I thought it might be easier to live with symetrical sillhouete in case reconstruction doesn't happen this year.
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Yay Karebear I'm done ac and starting toxetere next Friday God Willing I'll be done April 1st !! And my tumour is also responding lymph node very small and breast tumor can't be felt! I'm happy to be half way! Surgery will most likely be in may but first God Willing Vegas trip with all siblings!
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redninrah~ Most of us still worry about it. Slowly it goes from the first thought in your mind to further back. It has moved further back in my mind but I am looking forward to the day that I do not worry about it for at least a minute. I was left with a lot of aches and pains including some that I had before but now I just think...crap, it's back...first and then realize that I hurt myself later. I feel like a delicate flower most of the time which is not my personality.
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YAY karebear and coni! Tumor shrinking is awesome! I recently read a study that indicated having a response pre surgery correlated with long term response- less chance of recurrence. Which makes sense- if its working on the tumor, then its working on any stray cells floating around. I kind of wish I had had neoadjuvant chemo- I don't think my tumor was large enough to justify it though. But it would have been nice to know it was working. And I admit I wonder if I had had neoadjuvant chemo and had total response if my nipple could have been saved somehow. (my tumor was subareola and the MRI said there were califications towards the nipple area and that area should be removed.) I guess knowing all the stuff I know now, I think there might have been a chance to save it- I probably would have had to fight for it with my docs tho.
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I'm IN!
11/5/10 got the scary news of BC, I was 29 yrs old and newlywed.
12/5/10 got a call early morning from my surgeon before heading to the hospital for an MRI scan to confirm I was pregnant and to stop right there! Crazy days those were. Was a roller coaster of emotions, hubby and I were so happy to know we could be parents (not that we really planned it for that moment, we were more thinking about trying this year) but we were definately IN to fight for our baby as soon as we learnt I was gonna be under Tamoxifen. We really REALLY wanted kids and our beautiful miracle was in my belly to stay!.
29/5/10 Went under surgery while pregnant, first lumpectomy to get to know what we were fighting with: Stage I, 2.5 cm tumor (on the mammo and ultrasound appeared as a 6mm lump, my pregnancy certainly fed the tumour and grew so fast!) no lymph nodes affected, DCIS ER/PR+ HER2-
24/6/10 LMX with no reconstruction... yet.
30/11/10 Our baby was born at 34 weeks! A lovely 2.578 kg girl, 49cm lots of hair and a very good cry! She spends 13 days at the NICU before we could finally go home on Dec14th
22/12/10 Had first round of chemo ( FEC x6) Perfectly (NOT!) right on time for Christmas.
Not easy to go thru chemo while having a newborn but lovely husband has been AMAZING! And we have hope that someday we can make grow our family with another miracle of love.
Joy
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Hi Joy! Welcome! Sorry you have to be here, but it's great to hear about your beautiful baby! Cancer treatment is challenging, but having to go through it pregnant...GEEZ!
I see you live in Norway. I have a good friend that lives in Kristiansand. Is that anywhere near you?
Sherrill
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Welcome Joy! I am so happy for you that you were able to have your baby. I'm surprised you are having chemo with DCIS- I wonder if the protocols are different in Norway than US. Generally with DCIS, people don't have chemo here. I'm glad your DH is giving you the support you need.
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Congratulations on a sweet miricle! Thank you for sharing here, Ijust what I needed to read....makes me smile huge, even when I feel Yucky from chemo...Im sending you and your sweet little girl hugs!
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As long as we are sharing happy baby news for 30-something bc sisters- one of the women from my March 09 chemo group just had a baby! So for those of you want to have a child after bc treatment- it can be done!
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I wish this site had a "Like" button. Baby news for any of our sisters is so great to hear!
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- I'm 39 just turned. (but no one ever believed I was that old, I look[ed] much younger:() I was diagnosed with IBC (presenting 3 tumors and lymph node involvement) 4 days before my 39th birthday. The following week I started what will be a 6 month series of chemo... .to be followed by left masectonomy, then 6 weeks radiation...with more tests still to come. Between set 1 and 2, I lost all my long hair. Which I had for 20 years. I have an 18 year old daughter. I'm a self-enployed lawyer, and its already been devastating to getting work done. The tiredness just has a way of screwing with me constantly. Like many on this board, I can't stand the looks of pity I get at the cancer program.....or at court.....from others who just dont know what to say, or try to avoid saying anything out of fear of saying it wrong.....and im grateful for my oncologists/ surgeons/etc, but damn its a very hard and lonely feeling in this profession:(. I'm really grateful for this board, and for a very close circle of friends. They say in times like this you really know who your friends are.
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Hi ladies,
I thought to jump in here... I am on and off these boards! I was 36 at diagnosis, 38 now... and what a crazy train it has been! Brief background, wife, mother of 2 girls (baby was 8 months when diagnosed), full time job, etc...
So, to say the least, juggling everything was my middle name! The reason I wanted to jump in here is because I know many of you ladies are in the middle of treatment, exhaustion, etc... and I want you to know that there is LIGHT at the end of the tunnel!
My energy level is back, I have a demanding job and I finally feel like I am back in it! I travel for work a few times a quarter, too!
My hair is at a great length, other than the weight gain (blah)- this is due to the Lupron shots (to keep me in menopause), Tamoxifen and every 6 months I go for Zometa infusions which also has steroids in the mix!
I am so grateful for these boards, as I like to check in on my sisters... and when I have questions, I can ask away!
To all the new moms out there, WONDERFUL... what a beautiful time for you... this time shall pass and you will have so many memories with those babes!
xoxo
Nicole
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Hi peacebear!
Sorry you feel so lonely in your profession. I am in IT sector and the only woman where I work, so it has been very lonely at work in the last couple of months. I think by now everyone knows about my diagnosis, because suddenly all the random chit chats and jokes I had with my co-workers stopped. I guess IT professionals aren't in it for their people skills:)
Not sure what they could say to make me feel better anyway,thats what this board is for
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Welcome Peacebear! sorry you are having such a hard time. It sucks. I have found these boards to be a tremendous outlet. I don't know what I'd do without them. Sometimes I wonder why I still come here daily 2 years out. I should just put it all behind me right? But it helps me alot still and I don't really feel like I can talk to anyone else about it. My DH is super supportive, but its not the same.
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Aylad - u r so right I don't think ppl can fully understand unless they go through it. How is hour new job going? I think u told menu started a contract right? Now that I'm going through chemo they called me from two places for goverment contracts ofcouse I could not say yes, cause of the chemo I can't take a whole week off specially just starting, just one more thing chemo takes away from me grrr... I guess there is always next year
I wanted to ask you how fast did your hair grow back after toxetere I'll be doing it alone cause he didnt mention of anything else, and are u taking any more meds after chemo? Did that affect your hair?
Peacebear - welcome! This place is great lots information, and you meet a lot of ppl who are going through the same or have finished.0 -
Coni, I don't start the job for another couple weeks and then its only 3 weeks worth of work- albeit well paying work that has potential to turn into a full time job. I did TAC all 3 at once. my hair starting growing back about 2 months after my last chemo, but I've heard some people start to get regrowth on Taxotere alone. I did rads after chemo and then started tamoxifen. That sucks you had to turn down jobs cause of chemo- but there will be more coming. I wish I had just taken off work during chemo and taken short term disability.
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Alyad - I hope it turn into full time for you! I'll pray for that
Wow u did TAC all at once, that must have been hard ? I don't understand why some ppl get different regime.? Yeah I'm hopeful to start hair regrowth while on taxotere.
As for disability I want to apply but still waiting for onc to fill paper work im half way chemo and still waiting!0 -
Just found this link-I found my mass(1.7cm) on 1/2/11-my 36th bday. I was officially diagnosed on 1/6 with IDC. I am ER/Pr+ and Her2+. I am waiting on results from the BRCA analysis to determine whether or not a lumpectomy or mast is in my future. I thought I would be able to handle the waiting-and for the most part I am-but it's the really simple things that make me cry. I have a wonderful hubby and a 17 yr old daughter who is my rock. We were already close but this dx has made us even closer. Anyway, just wanted to reach out to everyone-as my surgeon said, the next yr is going to suck......
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kriskat- we're glad you found us here. So sorry you are having to go through this as well. It sucks for anyone, but I feel like the younger you are- the worse it sucks. But fwiw, they say we have an easier time with the chemo than older women. My mass was 1.7cm as well. The waiting really is the absolute worse part- once you have a plan in place it is easier to deal with. But take your time and don't rush into anything. At this point , a lot of people are in the mindset where they just want it out asap- or just want to have a mast and be done with it- hopefully never have to deal with it again- hope they can just put it behind them and get back to their normal life.
I know I had that mindset- but what I didn't realize- it's a brutal truth, but once you hear those words you have cancer- you can't put the genie back in the bottle, your life is changed and you are never the same. There are good things you can get out of the experience, I learned how much people around me cared about me and how much support I really did have (and in some cases, learned which people in my life were too wrapped up in their own issues to be able to express support- but that's a whole different thread (search " dumbest things people have said to you" if you want some laughs).
I guess I just wish I had been able to understand that the bc diagnosis is something that just forever changes your perspective on things. I am happy with how everything turned out, but now that I have spent so much time here doing research, I wish I had known a couple questions to ask in my particular case.
Kriskat, you are triple positive! You have all the guns to aim at this thing and kick its ass! I'm not sure how common that is- its seems like most women who are HER+ are usually ER- , so if you do chemo, you have the herceptin and then you have the antihormonals you can take, multiple avenues of attack!
Coni- I was given the choice of AC x4 & T x4, OR TAC x6 . I asked if there was any difference in SE's- the onc said no- !!!! yeah right. maybe the overall Se's are the same-but TAC compresses them all at once! So at the time I figured it was better to get it over with sooner. It kicked my butt to do all 3 and that does go into my list of things that I might change if I had to start over. The other things I would do differently are very specific to my case and don't apply to most people.
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Alyad:
Thanks for the encouraging words! You are right,waiting is the hardest part. I'm not sure about the triple positive thing yet-have read many things but can't decide whether or not it is good or bad. Looking forward to getting BRCA analysis results back Tuesday so we can get this thing out of my body!! As I told my husband, this is my little sanctuary-I don't have to be anyone other than myself on here and it's refreshing!!!!!
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Dear PeaceBear: I'm 39 years old too with Stage 4 IDC of breast, I have 5 children ranging from 2years to 18 years. I was diagnosed in Sep 2010, and I'm self employed as well. Intially I felt like you too, but I'd say now in the last month I don't care what people think. I' happy to chat to people about it, and if I get a "pity" look from soemone I give them the broadest smile and say "Hello". Just look after yourself, do stuff you really enjoy...xox
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alyad I have DCIS and even tho the grade was low, the decission of going thru chemo treatment was for 3 reasons: my age, the size of the tumor and the family history (tho I haven't get yet the BRCA results) So here I am: bald, fat (post pregnancy belly) and happy with my baby girl.
moe thank you for your lovely words! Hope you are feeling better today.... what chemo treatment are you taking?
Sherrill I live in Oslo. Kristiansand is in the south of Norway (like 4 hrs driving from here) a lovely place to go during summer and you should defo come one day and visit Norway it truly has amazing nature!
Nicole thanks for stopping by You are so right... this too shall pass. Something I keep repeating myself on those days after the chemo. Hope you are doing great these days and having a nice Monday.
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I've started with taxol with added avastin(clinical trial), then ddAC... Taxol and avastin have not been horrible, I just really have 2-3 days a week that are exhausting, I feel very blessed with the minimal side effects...I know they could be much worse...
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Evening Ladies,
I got my genetic testing results back. I am one of the lucky 2% that come back with a defective gene that they can't tell if it is poss. or neg! How fun. So my family is so willing to get tested and see if any of them carry it. This will help determine if it is indeed genetic or not but it is mostly for research as they have never seen this variation before!!! CRAZY!!! So no real results except that I think a double mastectomy is in my future. We will see what the doctors have to say about the ovaries. I am leaning toward taking them as I have fibroids and cysts that could easily turn cancerous and I DON'T want to deal with this again. I have my second opinion in Boston on Wed.
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karebear76-Good luck with everything. It sounds like you have my kind of luck-lol. We've just started referring to me as Cursetal-as in curse-instead of Kristal. Hopefully you will get this whole BRCA analysis thing straightened up soon and know which direction you will go. Once tht decision is made, you do have some peace of mind. I got my brca test back yesterday-it was negative so I have opted for a lumpectomy. But, am having mri friday to make sure there isn't anything else lurking in there. The way my luck is going..........................
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im currently having radiation, ive had 17 so far . Any of you canadian ladies had DIEP, how long didyou wait after radiation? my radiologist is saying within 6months
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Hey Ladies, my turn to jump in, I was diagnosed when I was 38 however I made my normal doctor aware of the lump I found in early 2009, because of my age they refused to give me a biopsy, they continually made me come in for "every six" month screenings, in Junish 2010 I discovered a second lump, they once again told me that due to my fiber-cystic breast tissue & the size of my breast and once again my AGE that they believed it was fibernoma (sp), wanted to once again review in 6 months, I asked for a second opinion at that time, only to be called by a radiologist a week or so later to tell me she reviewed the results and agreed that we should continue to watch the lumps.
Two months later I noticed that the lumps had both began to change in shape, one flattened out while the other had grown considerably. I called them back for an quicker ultrasound, they got me in immediately did additional ultrasound, but once again told me that they were not concerned and that they wanted to see me in 6 months. I threw a hissy fit, and when I say hissy fit......I GOT PASSIONATE!!!
Demanded a biopsy, was even prepared to pay for it out of pocket, I wanted to know, come to find out my insurance paid for it 100%, went in on a Wed for the biopsy (nurse was not happy that I was there questioning her judgement), four days later results were in.......I remember the phone call like it was yesterday....YOU HAVE CANCER....I was stunned! That was all a month ago.
I am scheduled for a SPMX in less than four days. Have had all the testing ever created by man done, I decided I never want to go through this "not knowing & fighting Docs again", I have opted for Bilateral. My stats are Er+/PR+, HER2-, BRACA1&2 -, to be safe they did additional biopsy on left breast and it came back with several cyst aspirated but no cancer found. I have no family history of cancer other than one 1st generation cousin with cervical cancer at 41, she was diagnosed with precancer of the cervix at about 22 years old.
They additional viewing of the lymph nodes via ultasound and believed there was no reason to Pre Biopsy them (left & right arm) before the MX. The thing that confuses the heck out of me is how they make the determination for who is a candidate for Chemo and Radiation and who isn't. I just wonder how much is overkill and how much is underkill. It is so hard to be trusting when if it were not for my persistence I wouldn't even be on this board right now, I would be out counting down to the next six month "review period". SO the thing that really burns my hide is .......they wouldn't test me earlier because of my AGE, now that they have confirmed I have cancer, they want to give me Hard Chemo and Rads once again because of my age. From what I can understand I have a lot of positive markers that would make one believe that the chances of this reoccurring are the same chances that anyone else has, as I know nothing is definite.
The hardest thing for me through all of this is the large amount of decisions we have to make on a daily basis, man that is so overwhelming. I thought I came to terms with the fact that I have to take Chemo and if that is what they believe then okay, but then I read all of the SE and I am terrified! I think primarily from my age that they are going to give me the strongest stuff they ever created.
No doctors will talk to me about chemo, they keep saying they have to wait until my final path comes back, but even then if I have clear margins, no nodes, still 1cm lumps and a low Onc score, I still believe that they will order the hard stuff as well as radiation, and I just can not get my head around why or if it is right. I guess I am having such a hard time because I am so analytical and I am trying to reconcile the logic. All of the decisions they have made for my case (except BLMX) appear to be primarily based on my age and not my diagnosis, that is what makes this so hard.......
Sorry to rant, sometimes I feel like I cant say these things to my non cancer friends because they really don't understand the magnitude of what I am talking about or the magnitude of the decisions we have to make daily while dealing with this decease, of course at the end of the day I am going to do what the doctors recommend even though as I try to navigate through the information I get more and more confused about what is right.
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