TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
-
tld2017
Welcome.
Take someone with you to make notes when you meet with your breast surgeon.
Go prepared with questions.
As KB870 said it is scary now but it will get better.
Ask us anything ... you will be supported here.
Vicky
0 -
hap b comedo necrosis is when your cancer multiplies so rapidly, the cells starve and die. Myduct was full of it, which my mo said meant it was multiplying like crazy....
0 -
hi Tld,
As someone posted, take notes. Lots of notes. Ask questions, i kept a small notebook in my purses so if something came up i could write it down. I found my memory went fast with everything they give you.
Another big piece of advice. You are in charge. If you don't agree wth your Dr say something
0 -
moodyblues - I read the link you posted and am very encouraged by the new staging process. It looks like I might go from Stage 2A to 1B (T1N1 HER2+). I will make sure to ask my Onc about the new staging process at my next appointment. Very interesting read!
0 -
Special K, so sorry to hear of the loss of your mother in law. And thank you so much for your photo/posts. Still in the thick of things here (just had 11 of 12 weekly T/H, with another surgery still ahead of me). I thought i would feel better after chemo was over but I am still so stressed out about the decisions ahead and I know it shows as much as physical changes I am going through.
I also wanted to thank for all of your informative, well-researched responses. I just posted for the first time recently but have been reading your posts for a while. And thanks also to Vicky for her positive attitude and helpful posts in getting through the process. And to all of you for sharing your stories, and your hopes and fears. May we all have a healthier (and happier) 2018.
0 -
Specialk, thank you for sharing your recovery progress in pictures during this difficult time. You look great. I was feeling sorry for myself about my hair and aging and now will look forward to bouncing back.
FaithHopeLove, I had a PCR after neoadjuvant treatment. A PCR is less likely when one is highly HR positive. Also, a PCR may not be a predictor of long term outcome for a triple positive. So a PCR is good thing. And lack of a PCR is not necessarily a bad thing when one is triple positive.
See "The ASCO Post" 10/15/14 article "Pathological Complete Response: Understanding the Subtleties".
I wonder what new staging will mean for adding perjeta in early BC or the whole surgery or chemo first question
0 -
thank you ladies,
everything you write is so encouraging: the new staging as well as putting into perspective not having obtained a pcr with TP. Thank you moodyblues, thank you suburbs. Love Gudrun
0 -
HapB- I also hid my cancer from my employer. I think it was a good decision for me. I managed to advance my career and get a promotion right after treatment ended, if they had known my situation I doubt that would have happened. If it were me, I would be tempted to tell them you are in the middle of a critical project (you are)
and that you'd love to talk to them but the timing isn't right. Ask them if it would be reasonable to reach out when you feel like you could make a transition. I would love to think that employers are super understanding of health needs and it doesn't impact the way they view us at all, but I don't think thats true.0 -
HapB,
Everyone in my immediate professional network knew that I had cancer, thanks to my department chair (who is a serious gossip). At first, I was kind-of annoyed, but I got over it. I don't think my career prospects have been damaged by my cancer history, and this history helps explain a gap in my publication record. My career output was never going to be professionally fashionable or set the world on fire because I've been marching to my own drummer for too long.
0 -
Hap ...
I usually say tell the "whole truth" but I don't know about your field or the people there. In the case of being a cancer patient, I would not share the information that you had breast cancer or any other cancers. I am assuming that the offer was not contingent on being 100% healthy (or being young or being able to.run XX miles a day ...). I would be upfront that you are in the middle of a project (good call meg2016) and may need XX hours per week to finish it.
It may be that getting back to work would be helpful emotionally. Again, I don't know. If me, I would go for it and give it a try.
Vicky
0 -
you look great specialK. sorry ive been MIA for a while ladies.. thanks for posting specialK. i have been mistaken to be the mother of my husband TWICE during this cancer treatment. that is how much i aged.lo
0 -
lol.i just let it be.. just told them that he is my husband. btw,im asian and i cant seem
to give up on soy sauce .what do you ladies think of Bragg liquid aminos?...
0 -
So, ladies, my first breast cancer doctor appt was today. She said my case is highly unusual and she has not seen it before in her career to her recollection. I am HER2+ but Grade 1. Apparently, those two contradict each other. So she is going to talk to her team about it but is concerned. She wants the mass out ASAP so my surgery is actually Friday morning, the day after tomorrow! I've got a day to prepare for surgery! The doctor will do a lumpectomy, needle loc, and sentinel node biopsy. After the results all return from that, including a 2nd HER2 test just confirm that it really is HER2+, I will get 18 weeks of chemotherapy and about 6 weeks of radiation. All of that treatment is dependent on the multitude of tests that I will getting in the coming weeks to confirm (I pray!) that it has not spread. If it has spread, the treatment will be even more aggressive. Just wanted to put this out there in case anyone has heard of someone that was Grade 1 but HER2+. Thank you so very much! You are literally the only people that I can speak to about all of this and I'm grateful that I found you!
0 -
tld, I believe there are two ways to test for HER2. I don't remember exactly but Special K will know and she checks in regularly. My lumpectomy was a very easy surgery for me. Keep us posted. Thinking good thoughts for you on Friday.
0 -
HapB, I'm glad you are doing well! Did you need chemo? So you were a grade 1 and they switched you to grade 2?
0 -
Thanks, Cowgirl, for your response. You were diagnosed in 2009 and still doing well - this is wonderful news! Were you given chemo?
0 -
I saw this here on breastcancer.org. A recent one at that. Please tell me why. You get through all of this to have a study that comes out saying THIS is better. Geez Louise!
http://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/dose-dense-chemo-improves-early-stage-outcomes
Going to have to start drinking.
0 -
tld - one thing to keep in mind is that the grade you have so far is from a biopsy sample. Breast cancer tumors are not homogenous - grade can differ from different areas of the tumor. Grade is determined by looking at three aspects of the cells. Each of these three aspects is given a score from 1-3. The scores are added together to get a final number which corresponds to the grade, with 3-5 being grade 1, 6-7 being grade 2, and 8-9 being grade 3. The area examined are mitosis (how fast are the cells dividing), nuclear pleomorphism ( the appearance of the cells), and tubule formation or differentiation (how well the cells are forming normal structure). Grading of the cells is dependent on how many of them are doing certain things - i.e., say for tubule formation, to earn a score of 3 less than 10% of the cells are forming normal tubular structure - but some of this may be subjective to the pathologist. Many labs have two pathologists examine the slides to reach a common conclusion. All of this to say, that this is a snapshot - and it may change if your surgery is done first and a greater area of the tumor can be examined. Most Her2+ patients have higher grade tumors - often grade 3 because of the aggressiveness of the Her2 driven aspect, but this is not an absolute. I would also imagine that to do reflex or confirmatory testing for Her2 status a different (there are several testing kits for Her2) testing platform will be used to confirm the initial biopsy based findings. Good luck and let us know what happens!
0 -
tld, I was given chemo. Taxotere and Carboplatin (+herceptin for a year). When I found out I would need chemo I told the oncologist that I would rather dead then have chemo. I was terrified as I had seen my mother go through 2 rounds of chemo in the 70s. Chemo was vastly different from today. So back to my chemo, fortunately I really liked my onc and he had had a wonderful demeanor. So I had to do chemo as I was triple positive. At the end of the consultation he showed me the chemo room which was bright and had lots of light. Really good feeling in the room. He also introduced me to one of the chemo nurses because he knew she rode horses too and told her that I also rode. So it was really cool to talk to her about horses! After that I felt like I could do chemo and that it was a 'sign'. More later I have to leave for a catsit--I'm a catsitter.
0 -
Specialk thank you so very much for posting your pictures. You are truly a beautiful person. I can't tell you how much it helps to know that I might look better some day! I look at pictures of myself now and I can't believe how rough I look. My 7 year old granddaughter said I look a year older every time she sees me and I see her once a week lol. Most days I accept the way I look and don't beat myself up about it.
Hapb I doubt you look as horrible as you think, we are our worse critics. Would any of us think a burn victim or someone with scars is horrible looking? I guess the point I was trying to make is that we're all beautiful and how we look shouldn't prevent us from enjoying life!0 -
tld so sorry you have to be here but this is a wonderful place to find info and unconditional support! Sending prayers your way for a successful surgery tomorrow with clear lymph nodes and margins. Hugs
0 -
Kae - so glad to see your post! I've been worried about you and pray your pain is better. You're smart not to let stupid comments from others bother you. I notice many people don't think before they speak. Specialk's pictures show us that we will get back to looking like ourselves someday.
0 -
KB870 - yay your bleeding nose problem is gone! How long after treatment did it take? Mine still bleeds every day and I had my last Herceptin Aug 30th. I thought maybe it was the AI causing the nose bleeds
0 -
Faithhope- welcome to our group, sorry you have to be here but you will find wonderful support and info. Congrats on your last chemo tomorrow! I had what my MO called 99% pCR because I had clear lymph nodes and margins with only a few single cancer cells remaining in the breast (I had UMX). I participated in a neoadjuvant clinical trial and did not have chemo, only Herceptin and Perjeta. I feel blessed to have the results I did and I pray you have the same when you have your surgery in February. Hugs0 -
Moody - do they come out with these new studies to confuse and frustrate us more? This article goes way against what my MO told me and the basis of the trial I participated in. I don't know what to believe!
0 -
kae_md99, I am a big fan of Dr Braggs unfiltered vinegar. I have not tried the amino acids but why not. Couldn't hurt. I love soy sauce and sushi and make a couple Thai dishes that are favorites. I need to ask my MO about soy. I'm not eating tofu but I do like a bit of soy sauce.
Someone asked me today why I am still working and said I should hang up my skates after all I had been through. I have at least 10 years to retirement. I felt like he thought I looked older than I am. Frankly, it was depressing. I just crawled into bed for a nap. What a day.
Thanks for listening
0 -
Ugh, Suburbs! That was N-A-S-T-Y. What a loser! One of the advantages of my job is that the oldest members of the faculty are men, and they never think they're too old to work. Some of my colleagues are men in their 70s; at 50, I'm still considered "young" by many of them.
0 -
Suburbs, that comment was so insensitive! Some people are just stupid. Tomorrow will be a better day. Hugs
0 -
hap,
the expanders were truly barbaric!!!!
0 -
ElaineTherese and deni1661, thank you for your support!It's funny how a good nights sleep can turn things around. I don't think my colleague's comments were intended to be malicious. I have found that when it comes to people that are not in your inner circle, they really just want to know that you are ok and have a good prognosis. I try to put on my party face for work and keep things light. Staying positive for my work colleagues and staff helps me too. If I am having a bad day, I work from home. So, I am going to put on my party face and my big girl pants and go do battle. Thank God it's Friday!
0
