TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
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Omaz - No, I am 49 yrs old, but I still have my period, well, I did until until May, then I started my chemo in June and I did not have it since. These doctors tell me that it will come back after my chemo is over in August.
They suspect that I am brca1 or/and brca2, because my cancer was in both breasts. However, I have nobody else in my family with breast or ovary cancer. It will take about a year before I can get a genetic test . So, in the mean time they want to take my ovaries off just to be on the safe side. I have not mentioned it to my Oncologist yet. I am meeting him next week and will ask for his opinion.
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Jeanne - I was 51 when I started chemo and having regular periods. I have not had one since my first chemo last Aug. At 49 my understanding is that you may not get your period back. It's possible though but for those of us near menopause age chemo pretty much brings on menopause. Why does the BRCA test take so long? If BRCA positive then yes to ovaries out. My onc has me on tamoxifen until I have gone over a year without a period since finishing chemo, then I *think* he will consider moving me to an AI. He did not say anything about removing my ovaries.0
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Scans came back clear! Yahoo! my mind can now be free for awhile. 4 more herceptins to go. I have not asked my onc about getting the ovaries removed but it is on my list to ask at some point.
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Yay carberry - that's good news!0
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JeanneR I was 49 till February. My last period was 2 weeks before chemo. (Chemo started oct 5th). My cycle was regular but getting shorter. My onc felt based on what I told her about my mom and sister that my period would most likely not come back. She put me on an AI and monitored my Esteriol (sp) levels for 6 months. I checked the last one. Technically I have the Esteriol levels of a prepubescent male
BRCA tests can take up to 2 weeks because they send it out to these "special" labs.
Yay Carberry.
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GREAT News Carberry!
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YAY CARBERRY! SO HAPPY FOR YOU! ALMOST DONE!
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Woo Hoo!! Congratulations Carberry !
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YAH! Carberry!! WOO HOO....
Lago..lol, I was in O'Hare!!
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All done with my TCH #3 treatment. Everything went well today and I am feeling pretty good. I saw the PA today because ONC was out of town. My WBC was normal, but my HCT is 26.6, HGB 8.4, RBC 3.1, which is pretty low. PA told me to begin taking Iron and Vit. C. If they go any lower I will need a blood transfusion. Stupid period !! But, my period is pretty much over so I am hoping it won't go any lower. No wonder I have felt so tired!
No S.E.'s so far with this round. Feeling OK, just tired. I'm 1/2 way done with TCH. Feels fabulous!
Just wondering...does anyone know why I can't take tamoxifen during chemo? Why do we have to wait until after chemo to start taking tamoxifen? Anything I can do to block those hormones would give me some peace of mind.
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Christean i think i had my last and worse period after my tx #3, I asked the same question, wanted the hormones shut down and the onc assured me chemo would do that and it did. I did end up getting a blood transfusion, that was by far the worst I had ever felt during treatment. Went to work, and my boss took one look at me and told me to go home, had absolutely no color in me. Did not start the tamox until after chemo and radiation. there is a reason why and the onc told me but cant remember his explanation. Good luck you are almost there!
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Christean,
I think the TCH usually shuts down the ovaries. I have read women having 2 or 3 periods while taking it, but don't remember anyone having a period the WHOLE time.
I had one during, but then nothing .... so you may stop yet.
Glad to read you are doing well. Hang in there.
Also, I asked to start Tamoxifen BEFORE rads. My Onc said most women wait until after so they know which SE belong to which tx. But, since I am so highly ER I wanted the big gun right away.
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Omaz - In halifax, there is a waiting list of one year to see a genetic doctor. However, everything else is very fast.
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JeanneR--Is it possible to get in faster if there's family history to justify it? I'm in ON and I got in within a month because my mom and grandmother had breast and ovarian cancers, plus assorted rellies had other cancers. I don't know if I would have gotten in as quickly, certainly not with OHIP covering the cost, without it.
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Carberry, What fantastic news!!! Congratulations!!! I have not had any scans, (Onc, BS didn't think it was necessary) but I think I am going to request them. I have finished the chemo, but still have the herceptin till April 2012 and Anastrozole left to start. I am always thinking some lil cancer bugger is sitting in my lung,bone or liver waiting it out. I think the scans will take some of the weight of my chest. BTW I grew up in Horseheads NY and spent many a summer on Keuka Lake! It is so beautiful up there
Lago How soon did you start the Anastrozole after chemo? I was highly er + 100 % and pr 97%,haven't had a period since Feb.of this year ( was told to stop taking bc pills at that time because of the bc dx) I had my Estradiol level cked in April (result-159.60) which showed I was in menopause(this was before chemo started) My onc. gave me the rx for it last month and for the life of me I can't remember when he told me to start! ps
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Hey all. I'm at the beginning of my journey. Just had my 3rd Adriamycin and Cytoxan this past Wednesday. I'll be starting Taxol and Herceptin after and then rads. Anyone that has already gone through this specific schedule? I'm hoping to get a higher position at work which would make it so that I absolutely have to be here certain days. Is the Taxol easier? Can I look forward to only having to take off of work the one day my manager won't let me come in (chemo day)?
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TonLee: Thanks for the LE link. It sure gets confusing.
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I agree Fitz. Confusing is apt.
I don't know if you can get fitted for a sleeve now by a specialist, but if I had 23 nodes removed...I would. I'd get it and not wear it on the plane, but if I noticed LE afterward, I'd put that puppy on and nip it in the bud.
It makes sense that the sleeve can cause LE...heck if a scratch can do it....I imagine a tight fitting garmet in a pressurized cabin could certainly do it.
I didn't notice any difference of heaviness in my arm while flying, or landing. I lifted it in the air and did the LE massage strokes (short and soft starting from shoulder and working toward wrist) once or twice, but not because I felt anything, just because I could.
After you travel, please let me know how it turned out for you.
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Bucky my onc wanted me to start Anastrozole 1 month after chemo ended which would have been Feb 18th. My NP said to wait till March 1st so it would be easier to remember when the 5 years was up. She said it wasn't a big deal because women who get rads wait a month after rads (6 weeks total) so it would be about the same time.0
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Bucky thank you....my onc didnt suggest the scans either but I kind of insisted, now that I am getting closer to the one year mark, I want to know that everything is good so I can move on with my life, also had some tiny dots on liver they wanted to keep an eye on, and turns out they are just cysts. Someone has a quote in their profile that says " having cancer is like dealing with the mafia, you get to live but you are always looking over your shoulder" Dont know what the future plan will be for scans, but for now I will relax. I grew up in Corning when young, then moved here to seneca lake, so am familar with horseheads, we love this area!
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Lago Thanks so much! I am going to wait then until I see my MO the end of August. I hope you haven't had many SE's from it. If I remember correctly, he told me he I would need a bone density study.
Carberry your quote is right on the money! I am constantly listening to my body ie.. (too much) like Wow!, I'm getting short of breath walking two miles with just a little incline,(is it in my lungs now?) or what is that pain in my spine? (bone mets?) When logically, I know it is not, because 1.) I haven't really exercised in over 4 months and my hematocrit and hemoglobin are low and 2.) I am 48 and my bones have ached for years! esp. my low back ( I think from doing too many backbends when I was little
) I am going to ask my MO for a scan at my next visit the end of August and see what he says. Enjoy the Lake!!!! oh yeah, and the wineries!!!0 -
First 3 months no SE then I started to get stiffness in my small joints (fingers & toes) in the morning. Once I stretched out it went away. I do have stiffness in my legs. Basically if I'm in one postion (standing or sitting) too long it takes a bit to change. Not a huge deal. Just get into a car like an old lady at times… just plop down in the seat. Exercise and stretching really help.
I started of with slight oestopena. I'm on extra calcium for that. Already doing D. I'm due for my 2nd bone density in Sept. I have a family history of osteoporosis, I'm white, thin etc. I'm like the poster gal for it so we are watching.
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Hi, girls! I just wanted to check on all of you and let you know that my Oncotype DX came out negative for HER2. My score was ER+10.8, PR+7.4, and HER2-(8.9). With my score being 17, I DO NOT need chemo. It's such a relief. I will take an anti-estrogen pill--Aromasin--for 5 years (and hope I don't get any serious side effects).
I guess my needle biopsy showed a false positive for HER2 the first time around. I realize I am really blessed to be able to skip the chemo
I admire and salute all of you who are kicking cancer (and HER2)'s butt!
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Depending on what test they use you can get false positives and negatives with HER2. FISH and some new one that just came out are the most accurate but more expensive. They usually test again after surgery too for many reasons this being one of them.
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lago oh boy, I'm in trouble, I have had achy joints for some time now. Hope the Anastozole does not make it worse. I just started really exercising again the past two weeks, and it does help with joint pain and stiffness. Now, if I could just lose some of the steroid and icecream poundage! BTW I am reading this book call "Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips" very funny and it has some advice on foods to avoid and one of them is my beloved peanut butter. Who knew that there is this fungi that can grow on peanuts that are carcinogenic. I will be putting my peanut butter in the back of the pantry
from now on. From everything I have read, it seems that eating like a bunny rabbit is the key to longevity. Bring on the greens!!0 -
Hi Bucky I too am having arthritic joint pain. it is really bad when it rains, I woke up in pain last night when the thunderstorm hit here. I spend 15 min 1st thing in the AM stretching and I exercise 2 -3 times per week, but it seems to stay the same. I am going on an AI next month:( I read CSCT and there is adocumentary also if you your interested.
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I pretty much have to exercise every day otherwise I get soreness.
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bucky you have to eat an extremely large amount of that fungus to get liver cancer. The amount in peanut butter is minuscule. Breathing car fumes or many of your cleaning products (if you haven't changed to all natural) are far more dangerous. BUT peanut butter does have a lot of salt. I had to cut my peanut butter habit down.
BTW not everyone gets stiffness. It's not that bad, really considering I have the estradiol levels as a pre-pubescent boy.
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Some of the health food stores have grind your own peanut butter right from the roasted nuts - yummy!
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nmoss Thanks, I am going to watch it! Kris Carr went totally vegan, which I doubt I could do. I think I could cut out red meat, but I love fish and chicken, and icecream
Wish there was an oil can we could use (like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz) for our achy joints.lago Thank You, thank You!!! for the peanut butter info! Now, to get rid of my favorite cleaning product (Fantastic) and go green with them. That is much easier.
I had terrible news last week, one of my best friends was diagnosed with triple neg. breast ca. She just turned 40 in Feb., felt a lump in April. had her first mammogram two weeks ago which confirmed 2 suspicious masses, had biopsy etc....(we all know the routine) she will be having a MX the end of August. We, our family and friends are numb that both of us are going through this and it is even more overwhelming that we were diagnosed within months of each other. We try to blame it on living in New Jersey ( factories, pollution etc.) She grew up here, I grew up in upstate N.Y. and moved here when I was 30,but then she did some research and found out that breast cancer rates are highest in the North East. So that includes lovely states like Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Rhode Island etc. and they definitely don't have as much industrialization as our "Garden State". So what gives? Who knows?, but maybe we will just have to pack up and move to St.John and make shell necklaces,drink ale, and watch the cruise ships go by. Love that island!!!
omaz that fresh ground peanut butter sounds delicious!!!
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