New Jersey/NYC/CT/Eastern Pennsylvania ladies
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I did go to 2 places for a consult on the rads, the first place the doc took 3 cell phone calls while explaining the needed treatment....
I ran even though he yelled at me and said that he would give me a referral to Sloan. BS said, don't worry, you will not see the RO much during treatment!
maybe so, but I ran to a dif hospital and now 5 years clear so for me, the second opinion was needed
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Sandcastle, thanks for the reply, I'm thinink about moving there.
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For anyone who Spins - I have a really close friend whose wife and he run a studio in Whitehouse Station. It's called Go Ryde... They have spin bikes that tilt and twist to mimic a REAL RIDE and a screen that takes you along an outdoor ride with the instructor. Its not like the up and down of a standard spin bike - you use your entire upper body pulling the bike to turn and lean into it. If you are looking to gain some endurance give it a go.
531 Highway 22 East - Whitehouse Station, NJ - 08889 - 908-864-7933
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June, never heard of those spin bikes! I belong to a gym which has spin and all sorts of classes and is 1/2 from my house!
Gee, have to ask the guys there if they have seen those bikes!
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Go to www.goryde.com and look at them.
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well they look sharp but the prices of the sessions...they seem out of my reach. I pay $35 a month for all the spin, yoga, pool and all the classes I can handle.
have fun, they do keep updating the bikes and this is surely updated
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Hey tri-state girls! Anyone else see article about md Anderson joining with Cooper in Camden? Even though I'm a MSK patient and very happy this is great news!
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Hi ladies. Do you mind adopting a Delaware BC survivor-to-be? I live very close to the PA border; I used to work in Media, PA.
As you can see from my signature below, I am recuperating from surgery that was 2 weeks ago. I've been lucky post-surgery; just some discomfort the first few days. I feel very fortunate that my PS was able to save my nipples and put the silicone implant in right away. I am happy with the outcome (I call it my 'silver lining' in this yucky journey).
My onc appt yesterday made me realize that the hard work is about to begin. I had been feeling pretty good and admiring my 'foobs' recently, but the onc appt yesterday has put a cloud over my head today. I have to decide whether to move forward with TAC (includes adriamycin) or TC (includes Taxotere). I know TAC is more toxic to the heart and can be a more bitter pill to swallow, so to speak. I am triple negative. I am considering the Taxotere route. 6 rounds, 3 weeks apart.
Thank you for this "Help Me Get Through Treatment" forum.
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Welcome, Doglover2013. I have read that for triple negative women, TAC works in preventing recurrence and overall survival. I am ER/PR positive and had dose-dense TAC five years ago. Adriamycin affects the heart - specially for people with prior heart disease, but if you are young and healthy overall, it shouldn't be a problem.
Hopefully, you'll go through the treatments with minimal side effects.
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Doglover. I had the TC 6tx, and had few issues. I lost my hair, and had a flu-like day once per cycle, but was fine overall. I know people who also coast through ACT... It is the more aggressive approach (which I didn't need), and I also was worried about the heart. But if I were triple negative, I would definitely consider the adyriamycin. The "T" in ACT or TAC is Taxol, which is very similar to Taxotere. The "C" is cytoxin (in both cocktails). So by doing the ACT, you are getting the "A" in addition to the TC.
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Doglover, I had the ACT. AC is given together four times (once every three weeks). I was heart healthy before and remain heart healthy now, a year and a half later. Two days after each infusion were couch days – feeling very flu-ish, but manageable. They give you anti-nausea meds in the infusion, so that is not an issue. Need to prepare for hair loss though, two weeks after the first AC infusion. If you decide to do ACT, the Taxol can be given once a week for 12 weeks, or can be given over a shorter compressed time-frame. I highly suggest having 12 weekly infusions. The overall dose is the same but since it is given over 12 weeks rather than 4, the likelihood for side-effects is reduced. I had NO side effects to speak of during Taxol.
If you get a chemo port, which most do, they tell you that it can be used right away. I suggest waiting at least a week since your chest may be a bit tender. Also be sure to ask for a script for Emla cream (topical anesthetic) to be applied over your port before you leave home for your chemo treatments, so that you don’t feel the infusion needle when the port is used.
This is all doable and you will get through it. The hardest part is now, deciding on the treatment plan. All the best to you!
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welcome!!
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I am new here. Diagnosed April. Set for lumpectomy soon. Do I shop for a surgeon (Gleason in Flemington)? Do I need a second opinion on her diagnosis and pathology report or do I get a second opionon after surgery for the treatment? Do i met an oncologist before surgery or after?
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Get a second opinion before any cutting. Meet with the oncologist before surgery to go over your options and what treatment is reccomended for after the surgery. Sounds like you caught it early and you shouldn't have to endure too many procedures. Good luck
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So, I take my original biopsy report and my mri / mammo disc and see another surgeon? Won't they just suggest a lumpectomy? I thought it was the treatment (rad/chemo) that I would second opinon? If i see an oncologist before surgery how will they know exactly what I am dealing with? The biopsy pathology report is all I have. I thought I needed the surgery pathology report to being to oncologist? Really.....
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I would suggest starting with the best surgeon. I saw onco only after my surgery as everyone thought I only had calcifications. Thing is they need the surgery to see what is there
My other suggestion is to start with the best hospital near you. Not sure where in PA you live, but if you say where, there will be folks here that can give you recommendations on docs based on their experince. I live in Central NJ and would highly recomment Susan McManus but she is in N Brunswick and there are other good docs near you
good luck and keep asking questions
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I also used Susan McManus (St. Peter's Hospital in New Brunswick) as my surgeon and highly recommend her for her skill and bedside manner. I didn't see an oncologist until after my lumpectomy, however since some people have chemo prior to surgery, you may consider seeing an oncologist first. Best of luck to you.
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McManus diagnosed me as we'll and after biopsy of breast and nodes and while I did not doubt her (she wanted to do surgery first and treatment after) I went to MSK for 2nd opinion and because my type was aggressive we did chemo-surgery-rads. By the time I got done with treatment all the cancer was irradiated. Good luck and keep us posted!
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Interesting news for those of us in New Jersey - Pennsylvania. Although I hope that after our current bouts, we never have to see a cancer-related doctor again!
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Book recommendation - I realize that we are all of different minds when it comes to wanting details about our disease. Some prefer to know more; some less. I am of the "more" variety. I am currently reading The Emperor of All Maladies. It is essentially a "biography" of cancer, tracing its roots, treatments, research, etc. from the beginning of time.
I am finding it fascinating. While it deals with all kinds of cancer, there is a great deal of talk about breast cancer and the origins of the radical mastectomy, the development of the mammogram and its limitations, how chemo for breast cancer developed, Herceptin, etc., etc.
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Joan I saw that last week. Even though I'm a MSK patient it's exciting that MD Anderson is coming to Jersey.
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Joan....I, JUST ordered the Book from Amazon....it should be interesting for me since I LOVE non-fiction...Thank You...Liz
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Hi! I am brand new here and trying to figure out how these boards work--so please be patient with me! I am in Morris County (northwest NJ) and was diagnosed with IDC in January. Had a bilateral mastectomy, chemo, and will have reconstruction in a couple of weeks. Looking forward to getting to know you all!
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Welcome bluebear
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I am a native NYer, although living in NJ for quite sometime. Was diagnosed in mid-March with recurrence of DCIS after 15 years and new IDC stage 1. Initially pursued treatment through local medical facility which got high marks; however, jumped ship midstream for Sloan Kettering in NY. Glad I did - approach was night and day, ie double radical with full reconstruction vs. single mastectomy with tissue expander. Three weeks ago today I had a single mastectomy to help rid myself of this ugly disease; dealing with discomfort of tissue expander, but eager to resume my normal life. Adjuvant treatment is TBD pending outcome of onca type test.
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Hi all! New here. Had my surgeries - 2 lumpectomies w sentinel node dissection - 3/5 nodes positive. Opted not to have axillary dissection based on new trend in care that not needed if having chemo and rad. Had my first ACT round on 6/11 - lots of digestive issues but got thru. But my blood work after one week came back really low "in the basement" my Onc said. Did anyone have that happen after just one treatment? I have to avoid anything raw and be diligent to avoid infection. Hoping numbers go back up so I can get my next treatment on time. From Princeton area.
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Doglover - You are more than welcome here. I had TAC - I finished up last March (2012). I was fortunate in that my side effects seemed less than a lot of people I've heard from, but it was still tough. There are things you can do to lessen the risks of neuropathy, like icing fingers and toes. I also swished and swallowed olive oil, and that seemed to reduce the loss of taste buds. I haven't had a heart scan since chemo, so I don't know if there was any impact, but I am a very active woman and rebounded pretty well. I do get tired a little more easily, and if I'm sitting for a while, I get stiff for the first few steps, but that's about it. Most women, regardless of what regimen they get, will tell you they never quite hit 100%, but we keep moving on. Let me know what you decide on, and feel free to ask any questions. I'm not on here much any more, but if you PM me, I'll send you my email. Good luck!
Onetitwonder - If you haven't already, do visit at least one more surgeon. I didn't see an MO until after my surgery, though I did ask a few times. It all depends on the size of the tumor, how aggressive, etc. Frankly, if they can just get the damn thing out, that's a big weight off your shoulders. I went to Thomas Jefferson in Philly. My surgeon (Schwartz) is retiring, but they're bringing in two new surgeons. And I really liked the plastic surgeons they work with (Jefferson plastic surgery). If you are considering reconstruction, you need to feel comfortable with the entire team - it was the PS who sold me on Jeff. And it's the PS who you'll be working with most closely. The bottom line is, you have to really feel comfortable with your medical team. If you have the slightest hesitancy, check out someone else. But don't let it drag on too long either. Good luck!
Robyn-Lynn - Did they offer you Neulasta? There are medications you can take the day after each chemo tx that will boost your white blood count. Even with that, I did wind up in the ER after my first treatment, but by the time I had my last tx, my white blood count was so high I probably could have weathered anything. I also was told no raw fruits/veggies - the positive outcome is that I am now a salad fiend and even juice a few times a week. Good luck with the rest of your treatments. It's a long haul, but you can do it. See my above advice to doglover on the olive oil - a friend gave me that advice, and I really didn't have to deal with 'metal mouth' much at all.
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Rachelvk - Thanks for the tips. I did get the Neulasta shot next day; so was surprised my counts tanked. Here's hoping its not a trend for the rest of treatments. I do hear the Taxol is easier than the AC.
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Robin-Lynn, I only had a very low white blood count with the first of my AC treatments. Hope you find that to be the case too. Taxol was definitely much easier for me. I had the weekly Taxol regimen for 12 weeks, rather than the dose-dense shorter regimen. Much easier to tolerate, since the overall dose is the same, but since it is given over 12 weeks, the weekly dose is lower and less likelihood for side effects.
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Just curious. Near you in Princeton. Who was you surgeon?
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