TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
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Sorry for this late reply - I am out of town. On getting the MRI approved - I have health insurance through the military. Anything that can't be done on base needs pre-approval and a referral. Almost 100% of my treatment has been given by civilian providers - echocardiograms and bone density scans are the only thing I have had done on base. My BS requested the MRI prior to surgery due to dense breasts (my 2cm tumor was not seen on mammogram) and also to inform the surgery choice between lumpectomy and MX/BMX. I was also unable to provide family history info due to being adopted and had a history of breast issues for the last 20 years. I don't know specifically what they stated in the request other than those things - good luck!
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Ang, I had my last herceptin February 6th. My MO said it takes 3 weeks to get out of your system. I am hoping that my hair will start to grow faster now. I got it trimmed and colored last night,but I still cannnot go without my wig. Right now it looks like a man's haircut,hopefully now that it has been colored I can measure the growth..
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Shasha,
Like you I was hospitalized after my first TCH ... but it was fairly "smooth" sailing after that.....I wasn't taking in near enough protein at the time....so a dietician came to see me in the hospital...
Ang,
So glad you are done. I had to kinda laugh when I read your question. I was asking that the day after PFC! lol But 3 weeks is pretty much what I remember as Eileen stated. Though I was told I wouldn't need a loading dose as long as I didn't miss more than 3 months.
As an aside, it makes me wonder why the length of time we take it matters, 6 mo vs 1 year vs 2 years etc. If it isn't in our system after 3 weeks how exactly does it stop new HER2 activity.
I'm sure I read that somewhere once, but my memory is horrible lately.
I blame the juice.
:P
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I am looking at your chemo regime and it looks similar to what I am to begin this Thur. TAC every 3 weeks for 4 treatments, then just the T for 2 treatments then herceptin to finish up the year. Can you tell me if you felt ok the day after? I have heard that it is the 2nd day after if you are going to experience any side effects.
All replies are appreciated
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eileenohio (or anyone), at what point is it too early to color your newly regrown hair? I'm thinking of doing a semi-permanent and not letting it sit too long. Mine is coming back brown on sides and back but grey on top so it looks like I have a skullet. I figured if it was brown on top also I might almost be able to topless and look slightly better....
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Steiner, I am 9 1/2 months PFC but I know there ar a lot of gals that colored their hair way before 9 months. Check out the thread Hair Hair Hair. Lots of info regarding coloring and products. This is the second time I had my hair trimmed but first time for color..
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My onc said I could color my hair anytime. I did it at 13 weeks when I went topless.
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Tomorrow I go for chemo 3 . I had my head shaved right before my chemo 2 and when I say shaved the stylist took it down to about 1/4 inch. I still have lots of thin thin 1/4 inch dark stubble all over my head with bald patches on the back of my head. So it is not like I am totally bald but I have this stubble.
I am so tempted to just go have it completely shaved down just so when it really does grow back it will all be even. Has anybody had this situation?0 -
Steiner, I colored mine the second my hairdresser deemed it long enough to be colored. It was about two inches.
Barberchic, chiming in on the drains and tests. I had four drains. They did not hurt when coming out. there was a little pinch when he cut the thread on the stitches that held it in. He then said take a deep breath and while I breathed out, he pulled it out. I was all stressed about it and had taken a pain pill just in case as I had read horror stories. I felt kind of stupid, as it was literally a non-event.
The only screening test I had aside from the mammos was an mri. Before the mri, I had a surgical biopsy due to location that found lcis, and nothing else. Saw a breast specialist (I was stupid not to do it first), had an mri that identified suspicious area. Had an ultrasound guided biopsy, all clear. Oops, a little too clear according to the pathologist, so another surgical one and they finally found it. Then moved straight into bmx.
On the brain thing, I talked about it with my onc a while back. He said his feeling is that it isn't really occuring more often in the brain, but that herceptin is working so well to eliminate it from the rest of the body, that the recurrence shows in the brain as the first recurrencel. His theory, and again, just his theory, nothing official, is that in many cases, without herceptin, there would likely have been a recurrence someplace else first before it went to the brain. Now, it just goes to the brain. But, he also kind of dismissed the findings to a degree. He followed more along the theory that Lago mentioned.
I have finished my steroid pack, and my physical therapy which did absolutely no good for my cervical/shoulder blade area. It was actually worse when having PT, although the deep tissue massage was pretty wonderful. So, now it just hurts when I take really deep breaths and laying flat and I am just going to go with it for awhile. The regular xrays didn't show anything except possibly a little arthritis.
My new mantra is by Joel Osteen, "It takes the same amount of energy to worry as it does to believe." I figure if I keep saying it enough, I will come around to believing it.
Does anyone feel like if they move on and try not to constantly think about every ache and pain, you might miss something? I feel like I will be less vigilant if I move too far on.
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Fluffqueen, I just wanted to say that watching Joel Osteen a half hour every week has helped me get through this experience.
I had never watched him until one night following surgery when I didn't feel like going to mass with my husband (I think I was doing the intravenous antibiotics) and was flipping through channels and landed on his show.
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I watch him off and on. But a friend watches him religiously and posts things he says. I thought that one was particularly effective for me. Kind of hit home. I married into a huge Catholic family, but never converted as there were too many rules and regs. I think I am more spiritual than a specific religion. I can go to just about any church and find things I like and dislike, so I opted to be neutral.
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My parents left it up to me to decide what I wanted to "be" (from a religious perspective) when I grew up. I always wanted to be Catholic - I have no idea why - so when I was in my twenties I was baptized Catholic.
I've been through a divorce so I don't take communion and I'm kind of hit or miss about going to church with my husband. Like you, I can usually find something I like in just about any setting. On the other hand, my husband was raised Catholic and attended a parochial grade school so it's all very much ingrained in him.
One of the Joel Osteen sayings that really hit home for me was not letting anyone or anything steal your joy ~ right down to not letting other drivers have access to it (it being our joy). That alone goes a long way - living in the Los Angeles area and dealing with all the traffic!
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I have a radiation consult tomorrow so I'm getting mentally prepared for the next big decision in the BC process.
I really don't see the merit in having an ALND after going through chemotherapy. My PET scan was "okay" per my oncologist and I had three nodes removed - the first node removed had a .5 micromet. The second sentinel node was clear and a node in the axilla that was palpable on the operating table was clear.
Anyway, I was just reading this article (dated 2013) and thought it might be of interest to others here -
Sentinel lymph node dissection for breast cancer: Indications and outcomes
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I was searching for information about micrometastatic disease and this article dated March 14, 2013 came up:
Trastuzumab for Breast Cancer Linked to CNS Metastases
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LeeA, Thanks for the article on SLND. Curious what the RO has to say to you tomorrow. Let us know.
TonLee, I think I've finally found my routine! ha ha. I'm still walking & doing yoga, and I love the spinning, but I added TRX training to it. Wanted to mention TRX for anyone who hasnt tried it - it's all your own body weight, and not hard on knees or lower back. IT's great. I've been doing it about a month now, and notice a big difference. I'm also increasing my walking distance - training for a big BC walk.
Camilegal, How are you doing? I missed a few days of the thread. Catching up on posts would take me all day,but gotta got to work - wanted to see how you're doing
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LeeA I am right there with you on trying to decide what to do next. I have MRI next week then meet with the BS and RO in the 2 weeks after that. I am hoping the findings on the MRI will help make it clear. My SLNB was done 12 years ago, so that is no help now. I did have 2 palpable nodes before chemo (I am hoping they are gone post chemo) But like my MO stated, because I am such a weird/special case, there really is no one right answer for me. I am praying for some clarity after all these appts are over.
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Bren and LeeA, I have learned that there really is no beginning and end to this. Each appointment, each scan, each test is just another piece to the puzzle. I try to keep that in mind and remind myself that I am unique. I require special care, and I need to be my own advocate each step of the way. Praying for clarity is a worthy goal! Hugs.
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Shore,
That's awesome! I like to do body weight exercises at home when I can't get to the gym....I pick 4-5 of them, set my timer for 15-20 minutes, and do them like 10 times each as fast I can, make a hash mark on a piece of paper and start over. Round and round until the timer goes off. If I complete say 10 sets in 15 minutes, then the next time I shoot for at least 11. That way I'm always pushing harder and for more...plus its also a great cardio workout!
Here is a video with TONS of body weight moves. Just forward the first minute because it is all blah blah blah. I like the women in this video because their form is great, and they have real women bodies. Not like on bodyrockertv! lol
LAGO...if you get a chance take a look...I've been looking for body weight exercises you can do with the ball, and there are some in there....also the "push up" you see called the "diamond" actually works the triceps not the pecs.....even tho it looks like a weird push-up. There are some you can do, and some you can't....but SO MANY to choose from!
Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xmEaWxJl7k
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GiGi,
Sorry. Not ignoring you
I didn't take TAC but I think most chemo is similar. My worst symptoms usually came on the 3rd day after chemo (when the steroids were good and gone) and lasted at first just a couple days, but by the end, it accumulated to a general icky feeling for a couple weeks. Not icky enough to keep me from doing my normal stuff...just an "off" "not right" sensation.Hope that helps. Good luck to you. Please ask any questions you need to!
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So um, LeeA, you stopped reading my posts? lol I posted that study on the last page...AND discussed it....I see how ya are!
Seriously, who is still talking about taking your axilla? And using what trial/study to substantiate it? They took 3 nodes, 2 were clear. The literature doesn't support taking any more. I'm surprised you can even find a surgeon who would do it. Let alone recommend it.
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Fluff, so if you don't breathe or lay on your back..all is good? lol
Bren, how are those thighs?? Feet any better? I know it's only been a day or two, but I'm praying you feel better soon!
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Vball,
Any news yet?
Edited....sorry, I was thinking you had some results coming up...I know your last MUGA was good news....
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Thanks TonLee. Checking it out now
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ok, I was thinking the full pike, shoulder press, and ball switch would probably work for you. And the jump squats...or jump lunges...I usually have a chair beside me to grab for balance because I have none.
The only exercise I say performed wrong, was the pistol/piston squat at the end. Her knees are over her toes...leads to knee injury...but she's trying to balance and the center of balance is off....I don't recommend that one to anyone.
Just ignore the dufus at the beginning and end
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Hi all! Drains out a day early, woohoo
Stage 11a. See the onc next Friday, not sure what will happen at the appt, but i am really ready to get the show on the road! Much love to all!0 -
TonLee - thanks for posting the video link!
Barberchic - great news
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Yay! no nodes for barberchic. How you feeling?
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I'm still in pain, but less without those dang tubes! Quik question...y'all know I had a bilateral mx, they removed 5 nodes 3 from right, 2 left. Left was the main affected breast! Doesn't it seem weird they took less from that side ? Oops, one more question....does this mean NO bp's or iv's in either arm now ?
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Barber, woo hoo!
Ask your Onc about needle sticks. I was told needles are fine in my arm and I had 4 nodes removed. But I don't risk it because I just don't have that kinda luck.
My surgeon told me it is very difficult to get a specific number of nodes because sometimes they are very close together. Even the SNs.
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barberchic what TonLee said. I too had 4 nodes in the non cancer side removed. I haven't let them stick me because I do have LE in the other arm with only 10 nodes and no radiation. I have a family history of LE (not breast cancer) so I'm super cautious.
But now that I had my port removed last fall for blood draws I will have no choice. No one wants to do it from the foot because of increased infection. I have good veins so I won't let them use the tourniquet.
I have had BP on the 4 node side though. Try to keep that to a minimum but when they do it on my leg many times it's so high they think I should be having a stroke… do it on my arm and 100% normal.
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