Could lymph node positive survivors share their story?
I was dx in May 2010 with IDC stage 2, grade 3, BRCA2+, ER+ with 7 positive nodes. I would like to hear from long term survivors as this has been a very scary journey. Thank you so much!!!
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Hello,
Rachel I am not very happy to see that since April no one has written anything.
Please........ Me too, I had 2 nodes involved, and when I read about long term survivor and DICS and am not surprised, but we node + need also some encouraging stories.
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I know they are on here, because I've read their posts! My sister was stage 3C ER+ - it has been more than four years since her surgery and she had 10 + nodes out of 12 ILC.
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I had 5 positive nodes and it has almost been 3 years since my BMX. NJ
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Hello...just stopped in and saw this....I am 5+ years out. Perhaps one of the reason there is not a lot of response is due to ...the longer one is NED the less they visit this site. Just a thought.
I was sooo worried as well the first two years. Still cross my fingers when I go for blood tests etc.
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well, i'm not a long termer (yet!
) but i am going strong, feeling well, and living life. cancer is a sneaky bastard. you'll see gals on the stage iv thread with no nodes, and women with several nodes cancer free for many years. hard to know why, i think.
just keep on, keeping on.
i blithely ignore all stats/research articles/etc etc. if i'm here and healthy, i don't really care...and if something changes, God forbid, i'll tackle it then.
good luck to you! hugs...
janyce
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It's strange how things work out. I posted here weeks ago and there was no response. Today I am having an absolutely horrible day and wondering how to go on and when I look at the boards, I have all of you offering support. Thank you. This means so much to me. Love, Rachel
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Here's a long thread that might be helpful and encouraging for you:
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/108/topic/743397?page=29#idx_870
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I had 19 of 19 nodes positive. Dx in August 2009. Currently undergoing Herceptin and trying to get in a vaccine trail.
Worrying is a natural part of having cancer. Hang in there. Er+ is a good thing as there is a lot of treatment for it.
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Rachel1...go over to the "Success Stories" board - there are lots of great stories there. I'm almost three years out and every once in awhile I still go over for a little inspiration. Hang in there... 0
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Yes, I just came from there. lots of stories of positive nodes. This site hasn't been around that long has it? Most of the stories of long term node positive women were told to women on here (why would a woman who had cancer 33 years ago join this site...). My oncologist has a patient with 25 positive nodes that is on year nine of remission. Also her2+. Hope its true and she didn't say it just to make me feel better 0
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Hi, I just read this! I'm, stage 3a with 7+ nodes. I had neo chemo, masectomy, more chemo and rads. So far so good, and it was 18 months ago :-) Cancer it is tricky...it depends lots of it on your attitude. Whilst I was in treatment I stopped reading and talking with ppl (with cancer) in the waiting room, because it freaked me out, some of them were there for more than 10 YEARS! Now I realized they are the only ones understanding me, not even my docs.
Feel better, I know there are a lot of great survivor stories out there!
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HI Rachell
I am a 5 1/2 year survivor diagnosed at age 41 with stage IIB, IDC, grade 3 with 3 positive lymph nodes out of 23 removed.
This journey is really hard emotionally in the beginning. It does get better believe it or not as treatment finishes and you start to heal your body and soul. Getting there is not easy, one baby step in front of the other in the beginning. Give yourself time to grieve the loss of your "carefree life" the way it once was. Crying is very cleansing for the soul and helps let it all out.
I am happy, healthy and took up running almost a year ago and love it! I ran my first 5km race within 3 months of starting training and could not run a block within being winded prior to this!!!
I wish you the best in your journey!
Send me a private message or post on this thread if you have any questions, would be more than happy to answer them.
Michele
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Hi,
My mom is approaching her 10 years of survival of stage 3 with multiple node involvement...I believe it was well over 10 that tested positive for cancer at the time. She has not had a recurrence! She had a lumpectomy and they removed the nodes they needed to at the same time and she went on to have a few weeks of chemo and radiation and spent 5 years on Tamoxifen and the last 4+ years on Fermara which she will go off of in a couple of months when she reaches the 10 year mark.
And my mom is not the only woman I know who had node involvement and has survived 10+ years
Stay strong ladies!!
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Rachel, lots of positive stories. I had 4 / 6 positive 2 years ago. I am also BRCA2+ and I think that is a bigger worry
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While not about me, I know the RN in my Dr's office was stage 3 and that was 15 years ago and she looks great. Another friend of mine was in a support group when she went through breast cancer 8 years ago. She said half of them had positive nodes and the other half did not. They still stay in touch and the only one of them who has had a recurrence is my friend, who had no node involvement. I don't know my node status yet - BMX is on 6/1, but these stories give me hope. Hope they give you hope too.
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Rachel: I think we traded messages when you were first diagnosed. Looks like you just hit your 1 year mark - congrats! I'll never forget my 1 year anniversary - I was in an 8 week support group program (about moving on after BC) - and it was my turn to talk and I cried like a baby (not happy tears)! After some discussion, it was the impact of it being my 1 year anniversary (November) - and remembering how horrible that day was a year before (anniversaries can actually be tough for us). It will be 7 years this November and I had 2 positive lymph node + a positive node in my breast. I was terrified for 2 years and obsessed with fear of recurrence. What actually helped me was the various discussion boards (here and young survival coalition) and seeing so many node positive women being OK - and then realizing that it is really a crap shoot as to who will recur. I was in a morbid place for a long time - but every day was better and soon the cloud lifted completely. To me, it has been very similar to losing a close relative - the beginning is almost unbearable but with time, it is something that you don't forget but can move beyond. Take care and feel free to send a PM with any questions. Liz
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My second dx was Dec 2009. Had 2 postive nodes. Now am double masc. First episode was in 2000, no lymph nodes then, but tumor was very large. So I did surgery, chemo and rads. Second time at chemo was hard but I worked thru teh whole thing (parttime). Rads was tuff, they seared me chest and neck. Kept working though. I am now just battling cellulitis form teh lymphedema. I am 2 years out, and ticked about the NCCN guidelines not allowing follow up scans anymore, but every once in a while there is an excuse for someone to scan me...I am well...and still fighting...and still learning to remember to value life each and every moment...hugs terri in MI
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test
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I just hit the 5 year anniversary of my diagnosis this month. I was stage 3A, grade 3 with 6 of 9 positive nodes. I had TAC chemo, rads, hysterectomy, a bilateral mastectomy, DIEP reconstruction, 1 year of tamoxifen (before the hysterectomy) and I'm in year 4 of Arimidex. I'm also in the clinical trial for biphosphonates (I'm in the Zometa arm of the trial). I feel great. I go to the gym 3-5 days a week, I do heavy yard work. I remember those very scary days but five years out the future looks very bright. Hang in there.
Darlene
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Hello sweetie, this is msphil and I am a 17 yr cancer survivor(Praise God), I had 3 nodes positive, I was in the process of making wedding plans when I found the lump in my L breast, I was also mis diagnosed, first they called me and said it was cancer, then a short while later another call, it was a mistake I didn,t have it, then after callibg my fiancee atthe time, to give the good news again another call it was indeed me, so I was on a rollercoaster ride. My husband encourage me to write about itin a book and I did, called "The Healings Of Breast Cancer" A Physical And Spiritual Healing Of My Body And Soul. It is Inspiring to say the least, it can be purchased from Publisher faster at 18887954274ext7876. (idc,stage 2, 3 noded,L mast, chemo and rads, reconstruction(body rejected it) and 5 yrs on tamoxifen. God Bless and keep us ALL. msphil
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i'm going on 9 years. 5+ nodes. They were very large. I heard that after a few years the nide pos thing equalizes and we're in the same boat as all others.
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Your story is amazing. Did they explain how you had so many positive nodes with such a small tumor? Such a complicated disease!
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I am going on 4 years since diagnosis this coming January. Lots of positive nodes (10) and triple negative. I remember being scared and looking for those survivors on the board here with stats similar to mine.
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My sister, at age 31, had 3 positive nodes, a BMX and chemo. That was 1984.
She is still doing great!
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I'm so happy to read this thread! I'm just starting down the cancer road, but with 2 positive nodes, I need these stories soooo much! Thanks to all!!
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Hello all,
Just found this forum and find it an inspiration. My dear mom was recently diagnosed and had a lumpectomy. one node of 2 positive. ER+/PR+ Her 2 unequivocal...I am looking forward to discussing this journey that God planned for us. Thank you for being her. God bless all of you.
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Her2+++, grade 3, stage IIIC, 11/18 positive nodes. Doing very well 2 years out.
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Hello to all here:
I just found this thread as well
and am 12 years out
grade 3, er-pr- with 1 node positive ..
My very best wishes to all posting here
for a great New Year!
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Bump
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