Take our poll: Caregivers, what do you find most difficult about caregiving?
Weigh in: What are the best and worst gifts for people with breast cancer?

Stage IIb and 5+ years out, anyone?

12467…13

Comments

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited September 2013

    Thanks Girlstrong… did play the lottery. No win so back to work (and looking for a perm gig when this one ends in October). But still NED!

  • Headeast
    Headeast Member Posts: 393
    edited November 2013


    i am just reading about KaseyAnne. I am thrilled! Congratulations!

  • maltomlin
    maltomlin Member Posts: 48
    edited February 2014

    I'm still here...........coming up to 6 years out.............cruising to Norway in a few weeks .......and another to the Caribbean. Just got a little rescue dog........so plenty of walking.

    In the early days you can't look into the future........you just cross one bridge at a time & you can't see any end to it ........but it comes..........Life is good..........

    Mal

  • mjm1
    mjm1 Member Posts: 8
    edited April 2014

    I was recently reading a multi-page magazine article that was meant to raise awareness about breast cancer, and aside from one women having a prophalactic mastectomy, they were all families dealing with stage 4 cancer. These are very important messages to get out, but certainly not a cross-section of all women with breast cancer. I have been poring over a lot of bc research lately, and there are a LOT more women who are doing well at the 5 year mark than aren't. 

  • mjm1
    mjm1 Member Posts: 8
    edited April 2014

    PS - but it's still incredibly comforting to read the posts from ACTUAL women with all different stages at diagnosis who are doing so well so far on - thanks ladies!! (it helps to combat the occasional wave of terror Smile)

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited April 2014

    mjm1 I agree with you that most do make it and well past the 5 year mark. BTW August 31 will be my 4 years NED date but my 4 years from diagnosis is in a couple of months. I have no doubt that I'll make it.

  • jennap
    jennap Member Posts: 2
    edited April 2014


    Just reached my 5th year with NED!  Feeling happy and healthy!  Stage 2B, triple positive, dx at 35yo. Love and hugs to all!

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited April 2014

     Yay jennap!!! BTW I didn't know there was a Boston in MN

  • Soccermom4force
    Soccermom4force Member Posts: 311
    edited May 2014


    Just wanted to stop by and say hello!!

     

    9 years 5 months and counting...

     

    hHappyugs,

    Marcia

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited May 2014

    Soccermom4force I don't know if I'm the only one watching this thread but thank you for posting…
    and a big BIG CONGRATULATIONS.

  • Headeast
    Headeast Member Posts: 393
    edited May 2014

    Soccermom, thank you for posting! We will be there soon! 

  • katsOK
    katsOK Member Posts: 23
    edited June 2014
    • I am stage 2A and it has been 5 years since I was diagnosed.  I had my first chemo on June 11, 2009.   I had a 27 oncotype score, no positive nodes and a grade of 3.  I have had a few scares but they turned out to be something else, not breast cancer returning somewhere else.   I hope to stay on the medicine for 5 more years but do not know if the doctor will let me do that or not yet.  I have had bone loss so have to weigh that against taking the homone blocker.   Kathleen
  • maltomlin
    maltomlin Member Posts: 48
    edited July 2014

    OK.........I'm over 6 years out & one thing I've learnt is................DON@T GOOGLE.............it does you no good.........

    I know I did........but it was a serious mistake..........

    Listen to your onc and follow their advice...........they know best.....

    Google only worries you........you find stuff that doesn't apply to you (although you think it does)........you are worried...........plan your funeral  (I did)...........etc etc and I was absolutely bereft..........

    Life is good now...............don't worry.......just get through the treatment and you'll be ok.

    xx

  • sundermom
    sundermom Member Posts: 98
    edited July 2014

    So glad to see this thread still up and running!!! I'm almost 4 years out now and time does seem to make the fear of recurrence a little easier to manage. At my 4-month check-up last week my ONC said we would no longer do a yearly PET scan in October. As nerve wrecking as that test was hearing the NED results always gave me a boost.  I think my ONC trying to slowly break up with me! lol

  • claire_in_seattle
    claire_in_seattle Member Posts: 2,793
    edited July 2014

    Just got the "all clear at 5 years" yesterday. A bit too much champagne, but hey. I am here to consume it. Otherwise, life is just fab. - Claire

  • bc101
    bc101 Member Posts: 923
    edited July 2014

    That is awesome, Claire!! CONGRATS and YAY to all the 5 year (and plus) survivors on this thread!! Thanks so much for checking in so we can be inspired by you all! 

    Just curious - how many of you had PET scans or other scans throughout your follow-up? My docs follow the ASCO guidelines - no scans or bloodwork. How does one live with that? I'm having a really hard time with that .... wondering how to deal with the anxiety.

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited July 2014

    bc101 My onc doesn't do blood tests. I did have 2 liver scans after chemo because there were some suspicious lesions but 1 went away and the others stable so pretty sure they are cysts. I haven't been scanned in almost 2 years. I'm almost 4 years NED. To be honest I don't want any extra radiation if I don't need it.

  • bc101
    bc101 Member Posts: 923
    edited July 2014

    That makes sense - I don't want anymore radiation exposure either. But I haven't had any scans since diagnosis. Anyone else?

    Thanks lago!

  • Lissee
    Lissee Member Posts: 6
    edited July 2014


    In June 2014, I received the amazing news that the cancer was in remission.  I cried tears of joy the entire day.  My unsolicited advise....  examine your life, what you eat, what you are exposed to, how you manage stress, all of it.  To improve your outcome you must be brutally honest with yourself and take appropriate steps to live a clean life.   A well balanced organic life may be bit more expensive, and its worth it.   I was diagnosed when I was 45 years old.  Picture of health, literally the best I had been in my entire life. The most serious medical issue I had was a UTI. Cancer rocked my little world.  It was right after radiation that I emptied everything in my home that had any ingredient that was remotely tied to a cancer causing agent. I fired my gardner, and eliminated all chemicals from my yard, removed the lawn, and planted an organic vegetable garden.  

    I may get cancer again, but it wont be because I didn't do everything I could to avoid it. 

  • Headeast
    Headeast Member Posts: 393
    edited July 2014

    lisee, thank you for sharing. I am changing many things in my life again for exactly the same reason. I am doing everything I can to prevent a recurrence.

    Congratulations on your remission!

  • sandie1973
    sandie1973 Member Posts: 39
    edited August 2014

    Thank you all so much for your stories of hope. I am a newbie that was diagnosed in April this year and it has turned my life upside down. These last few months have been a total nightmare and I wake up every day with my stomach in knots about having breast cancer. I am still going through treatment - surgery, chemo and 5 - 10 years of tamoxifen. I want to survive and will do anything to keep the beast away from me. I have so much to do and see yet and want at least another 40 years on this earth. I pray to God that he gives me this time and gives us the cure for this dreadful, silent disease. Hope to God that in the future I will be posting in 5+ years of being N.E.D.

  • flannelette
    flannelette Member Posts: 398
    edited August 2014

    6 years out - I don't even take arimidex or even see an oncologist any more, and I never even had a PET scan...sheesh. But, oddly, I do check here almost every day..it sort of became a habit!

  • taniae
    taniae Member Posts: 60
    edited August 2014

    Thank you all for your wonderful stories. It 's very uplifting for some of us newbies to hear. And you are right  Maltomlin, googling has disasterous effects. I'm only just realising that now.

  • christina1961
    christina1961 Member Posts: 450
    edited August 2014

    I was stage 2B - and had chemo first with a pretty lousy reponse to the chemo as my remaining tumor was almost the same size and I had two positive (macro) nodes.  My diagnosis was 2/2011 and so far, so good. I was diagnosed triple negative, but after surgery they found 5-10% ER receptors in the tumor (but no Pr) so I am on tamoxifen. 

  • Vetmom
    Vetmom Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2014

    I am a 5 year survivor, stage 2a IDC with 3/10 positive nodes, age 42 at diagnosis. I did chemo (6 cycles cytoxan and tax others) and bilateral mastectomy, no radiation.  I was on tamoxifen for a year, then had a hysterectomy and switched to arimedex.   Others are correct - I have been so busy living my life that it has been forever since I hit this site.  So take heart, newly diagnosed, there really is life after cancer. I am living proof!  

  • msphil
    msphil Member Posts: 185
    edited September 2014

    Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!and I pray many many more yrs out, Praise God I am 20yrs Survivor and counting, even 1 yr is a blessing.msphil(idc,stage2, 0/3 nodes, L mast, chemo and rads and 5 yrs on tamoxifen)

  • taniae
    taniae Member Posts: 60
    edited September 2014

    Thanks Christina, Vetmom and msphil for your uplifting stories.

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,651
    edited September 2014

    It's so wonderful to read all of your posts about survivor ship, thank you for sharing them and congratulations to you all.

    Keep the stories coming!

    Lots of hugs

    from the mods

  • andersonsrus
    andersonsrus Member Posts: 4
    edited September 2014

    yes 11 yrs 1 node positive, did chemo, tamoxifen and Arimidex, now on nothing hoping my luck continues

  • flannelette
    flannelette Member Posts: 398
    edited September 2014

    6 years ago I was just starting chemo - I can't explain it, but for some reason I was amazingly happy. I had a whopper of a tumor that hadn't spread or metastasized (that I know of, knock on wood) and the blue autumn sky and red leaves were so vivid and beautiful. I was entranced. I'd gotten a gift from the universe. Mx, chemo, rads, 5 brutal years arimidex - now all that joint pain and stiffness is gone and I'm about to go for a swim in the St. Lawrence River. Yes, it's cold! but the day is broiling. My cancer experience turned me into an optimist, I was so very lucky. I kept asking my surgeon for an explanation and he told me - some tumors are just not the travellin' kind.

Categories

Join Us on Zoom: Upcoming virtual meetups. Read more...
Give your account some personality! Add a profile photo.