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Stage III Cancer Survivors ...Five + Years and Out.

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Comments

  • ausykaren
    ausykaren Member Posts: 64
    edited January 2018

    Hi 7of9,

    Yay for clear scans and ood on you for getting on that treadmill. I definitely haven't been exercising enough lately.

  • AliceS
    AliceS Member Posts: 74
    edited January 2018

    So delighted that you are doing well, Janie!!

  • Gapeach13
    Gapeach13 Member Posts: 4
    edited January 2018

    Hello everyone ~ It’s been probably a pretty long time since I wrote something but from a private message I received I realized that even though I’m a long way from treatment, I can give hope. This year (2018) I’ll be at my 15th year surviving. My youngest child was a baby still nursing at diagnosis. Now she’s 15. I still do my best to eat healthy; don’t smoke & try to not let things get me down. I’ve been passionate about trying to get enough sleep & it has been my worst side effect of the treatments from cancer. I suffer with insomnia still 😞. I do have quite a few little skin spots that show up here and therewhere I had so much radiation now. Mostly basal carcinogenic & very rarely premelanoma. I go every year without fail for a complete skin check. My right arm where they removed the 16 lymph nodes (11 positive...mostly all large in size & matted) doesn’t give me grief except where I don’t have the lifting strength that I used to. Other than that I feel good. I turned 50 and it was a big milestone!!!

    I hope this gives someone some hope 💜

    Kind Regards ~ Ruth

  • 7of9
    7of9 Member Posts: 474
    edited January 2018

    Oh Ruth thank you so much for this message. I am two years out from a recurrence with 10 out of 14 nodes. I was 40 and my son was only two when I was originally diagnosed with IDC stage to back in 2012. Hard to believe it's been six years since then but Im greedy and I want more! You're out more than doubled the years that I have been passed my first time through. This really gets me going... thank you thank you thank you !

  • ausykaren
    ausykaren Member Posts: 64
    edited January 2018

    Thank you Ruth

  • orlandpark65
    orlandpark65 Member Posts: 22
    edited January 2018

    Hello Ladies:

    I just wanted you all to know I hit 7 years since DX. Doing well and so blessed! If I can help with "positivity" please let me know.


  • Scaredbunny
    Scaredbunny Member Posts: 17
    edited January 2018

    Hi Orlando,

    Thank you so much for your post. It is very comforting to me. My tumor is 5.6 cm grade 3 7 lymph nodes with cancer. I struggle with anxiety over my diagnosis every day. Just today I started with a hypnotherapist to see if that will work. Can't struggle like this every day. Your post gives me much hope.

  • hopefour
    hopefour Member Posts: 104
    edited January 2018

    How encouraging for all of us all of those who have shared!! Thank you and congrats to Gapeach13 on 15 years, 7to9 on staying strong and being 6 years out, orlandopark65 on your 7 years. They're is always HOPE!!

  • outfield
    outfield Member Posts: 235
    edited January 2018

    I hit 7 years out from finishing treatment a couple weeks ago (12/30). Amazing to me.

    I never entered my stats - lots of reasons and some discrepancies among providers - but stage III IDC by number of nodes and tumor size, also DCIS and LCIS.

  • MamaFelice
    MamaFelice Member Posts: 165
    edited January 2018

    Congrats Orlandpark and outfield --& thank you for posting your updates to give us all hope! Any special secrets to share? Did you all continue with endocrine/hormone therapy?

    Thank you again and best wishes to many more years of great health!

  • orlandpark65
    orlandpark65 Member Posts: 22
    edited January 2018

    yes I'm still on tamoxifen. I see onc on Monday for check up. I go twice a year. When I went in July I forgot what floor he was on lol. I guess that’s a good thing

  • ausykaren
    ausykaren Member Posts: 64
    edited January 2018

    Thanks Orlandopark65, wish more five year survivors would post. I know they must be out there.


  • traveltext
    traveltext Member Posts: 1,055
    edited January 2018

    Ausykaren, this has been a good response, so please don’t worry further about your survival prospects. Time to get on with life.


  • Scaredbunny
    Scaredbunny Member Posts: 17
    edited January 2018

    Dana. Just reading your post. How are you doing now ?

  • kimber3006
    kimber3006 Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2018

    Hi all! I haven't been on these forums much the last few years, but I found myself back here tonight. I just passed 8 years in November. I remember how wonderful it was to read all the stories when this thread was first started, back when the fear was still a daily struggle, so I thought I'd chime in! Some fear is still there, of course, tucked away and rarely examined, but it really does fade into the background with time.

  • anna-33
    anna-33 Member Posts: 108
    edited January 2018

    Kimber3006

    Thank you for posting!!! I have the same diagnosis as you. 32 years old. Can I ask what kind of treatment you got?

  • kimber3006
    kimber3006 Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2018

    Anna-in-Norway

    I did 4 rounds dose dense AC then 10 Taxol with Herceptin, then radiation. Herceptin continued for a year. Lupron injections the first 5 years. I'm still taking Tamoxifen. I also participated in the Neratinib trial (for HER2+), but I still don't know if I got the medicine or the placebo!

  • PVM
    PVM Member Posts: 27
    edited January 2018

    Hi ladies i have been lurking on this thread reading your amazing stories & had to post something. I feel honored to be among a great group of warriors & survivors. I just finished my treatment & won't lie have fears of the ugly C returning & of course i worry about developing LE. I see some or your amazing stories & see how your living life as it should be lived not in fear but enjoying the every day were blessed to be given. I hope to be as strong as you amazing survivors are & start to enjoy the now & forget about the tomorrow. Cancer has taken so much from me from us that i won't let it take anymore. I love to read the amazing survivor stories on all these threads from the 5 yr survivors to 15 yr survivors & on so please keep posting to give us hope that life can be wonderful.

    Smile

  • newnorm
    newnorm Member Posts: 54
    edited January 2018

    Thanks to all the survivors who have posted. It means so much. You all give us so much hope. I always give a little sigh of relief when I read them. Best to all

  • sandys1964
    sandys1964 Member Posts: 2
    edited February 2018

    Thank you Karen for the wonderful post on life after BC diagnosis! You said almost word for word how I feel about my Stage 3 diagnosis. I'm almost 5 years out and have had both my children marry wonderful partners and now have a beautiful almost 2 year old Granddaughter!! My husband and I have never been closer and are loving life to the fullest.

    Best wishes to you, and heres to another 10 years and beyond!

  • evergreen9
    evergreen9 Member Posts: 25
    edited February 2018

    Hello everyone. I try to come back to this site once or twice a year just to report my progress. Because when I was frightened and stressed , this site was enormously helpful to me . You can tell by the stats below that my prognosis was not very positive. But here I am over 7 years from surgery. I had chemotherapy, radiation, and one year of herceptin for my stage 3A HER2 cancer. Once I felt like myself again, I embarked on a regular exercise program with a gym buddy and I believe that this has been very helpful. On top of the treatment I received of course! So have faith!

  • Flamin_nora
    Flamin_nora Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2018

    hey all! Today is officially my 9yrs cancer-free

    Have never forgotten the fear in the early days and of course how helpful these discussions boards and survival stories were and still are to me

    Am still on Tamoxifen (8 yrs), and was on metaformin (off-lable) until recently (stomach irritation made me put it on hold). Importantly am also on Zometa twice a year (also off-label-----is this standard of care yet anywhere???? there seems to be a lot of evidence to ward off the ever present scare of bone mets)

    Try to keep my weight down, lot's of cardio and good healthy eating.....but can absolutely not say enough about how grateful I am to have friends around me to support me on this crazy voyage known as life...to managing the big killer STRESS (too often self-inposed because expect way too much of myself) and focusing on quality not quantity (in friends, in events, in life-moments, in daily routine).

    Am ever grateful to be living this day, that I never thought would be possible 9 years ago

    To those of you just starting out in the "scary days"....DO NOT LOSE HOPE....there is a lot you can do, to assist yourself on this journey....including coming to this board often and not being shy to ask for help

    Thanks to all of you for your blessings to me and to other over the years.......we really have an invaluable community of positive energy....forever grateful

  • meg2016
    meg2016 Member Posts: 188
    edited February 2018

    Thanks for posting! These help so much! I'm doing Zometa but it really does not seem to be standard of care. I'll do what I can to prevent mets for sure!

  • HoneyBeaw
    HoneyBeaw Member Posts: 150
    edited February 2018

    Ladies

    Thank you so much for posting your years, so happy to read your stories and gives us hope

    Huggs

  • iamelaine
    iamelaine Member Posts: 39
    edited February 2018

    Flamin nora, thanks for posting your story! It is amazing how our stats mirror each other. I will hit my 14 year anniversary in a couple of weeks. I am still taking an AI and will continue on it indefinitely. This is a strange journey indeed!

  • lovepugs77
    lovepugs77 Member Posts: 108
    edited February 2018

    It is so great to read about long-term survivors. Thank you for sharing your stories!

  • 7of9
    7of9 Member Posts: 474
    edited February 2018

    Nora ...I too am on zometa two times a year to prevent bone mets also. I've confirmed with my counselor that it does reduce bone Mets recurrence by over 30%. I pressed my nurse on it and she said although it's recommended for three years they consider doing it longer as long as your kidneys are holding up. I've got another year to go before they decide if will continue it for me. 2yrs after axillary recurrence in 10/14 nodes. NED. Carry on!

  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 956
    edited February 2018

    I did one infusion of Zometa and then my onc switched me to Prolia. I have shots twice a year.

    I hope it keeps my bones healthy and any rogue cancer cells permanently asleep.

  • Chava
    Chava Member Posts: 6
    edited February 2018

    Hi, prompted to check in after getting a PM. I am almost 7 years out from diagnosis. I take anastrolozole daily and twice yearly zometa infusions To help prevent bone metastases as well as since having my ovaries removed I have Osteopenia. The Zometa should help with both. Thank God I feel good and the only long term side effect that I am experiencing is loss of libido (which doesn't get spoken about much). Fortunately, I have a supportive husband. My older daughter will graduate in June. I watch what I eat I was mostly vegan for a little while. Cut all sugar out for a little while. Spent a few years taking lots of different well research supplements but that got a little too much for me to take so many all the time. I still take some of them occasionally and usuallly take vitamin D. I still do lots of research. Unfortunately, I still periodically look up and see what long-term prognosis are (this usually happens around my bi-yearly appointments) and that is balanced by my optimistic attitude. I hope we have continued good health

  • HoneyBeaw
    HoneyBeaw Member Posts: 150
    edited February 2018

    Chave

    Wondering what type of treatment did you have .Chemo, Rads. Do you feel like the Vit D helps. I have read some articals about the connection of low Vit D and breast Cancer. It just happens before I was dx I had been taking large doses to get my Vit D up to where it should be for about a year. Once I had treatment my Vit D has been normal since

    Thanks

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