A place to greet and meet newbies to stage III
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Cannoli - I just finished rads w/implants that had been in place for 2 years. Everyone expects some damage and the tissue & muscle changes around the implant will continue to change for 2 years. So far if I do stretching exercises 3x a day, it doesn't get too tight.
My PS was very emphatic that they do rads w/TEs all the time and didn't usually have problems. But he will NOT put TEs in radiated skin - so I think you're going the right way. Maybe you won't want to fill all the way, but I don't know that answer. What did your PS say?
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a good radiologist oncologist will be able to work around the TE's.
so there shouldn't be any problem or at least I didn't.
that first planning phase where they do the measurements took whole hour for me. and I had to keep my arm in same position up over head. it was agony. wish I knew about this or I would have drugged myself up pretty well.
stage 4 isn't as bad as you think if you have right docs to treat it. I will grow old just like rest of you. ha at least I don't have to worry about it anymore.
I need to find another hobby besides internet. lol
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omg didi kill this thread?
i have awesome news! my last weeks PETscan was negative. i am NED. no evidence of disease!
my bone mets was fortunately caught early and hence treatment started early. Dr Dicke says two more months of chemo, then chemo light or maintencechemo starts. he wants my tumor markers down to 20. fortunately tumor markers rise when my cancer is active.
so still think yearly scans and blood work not important. it does make a difference when mets are caught.
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Fran.....Congrats.....NED is awesome...
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Awesome News Fran!!!!!!!
All Hail NED!!
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Fran, I don't think you killed the thread! It tends to speed up and slow down pretty regularly. (Looking at posting dates) Congrats on NED!!! That is great news!!
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Hi Cannoli1, I had tissue expanders filled while undergoing chemo. At the peak of chemo and when my blood counts were low I got a subcutaneous infection in one of the breasts but it was caught early and quikly taken care of with oral antibiotics.
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fredntan Great news! I am so happy for you and so thankful the bone mets were caught early too! I'm excited for you!
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Fran, that is fabulous news! Thanks so much for letting us know.
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Fran...I am so so so so happy NED has found you again!!! Now stay that way for a long time!!!! Keep visiting us!!
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I just finished my last chemo treatment a week and a half ago, and I have new hair growth starting!!!!!!!!!!! This brought me happy tears. My normal hair color is dark brown, and my new hair growth seems to be a salt and pepper mix of gray and dark brown. I start radiation and tamoxifen in a few weeks. By the way, has anyone taken tamoxifen while radiation, or have most waited until after radiation is over? My ONC says ok to start during radiation. I am meeting with my radiation oncologist Wednesday, and I am going to ask him.
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Cannoli, I started my tamoxifen last week and will be starting rads around the 20th. My MO and RO both are aware and not concerned. Some will have you wait, I think it just depends on the doctor.
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Hi RobinLK,
How are you feeling on the Tamoxifen? I am nervous about beginning to take it. I am also nervous that side effects state it can cause hair loss. I've just begun to see hair growth from my chemo.
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Cannoli, I am having hot flashes, but I had those during chemo too. No new SEs at this time. My hair is still coming in, even seeing the return of my eyebrows and eyelashes. If only the nose hairs would return as fast....
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Hi,
My name is Lola. I am 33 no kids unfortunately, we were trying to get pregnant again (miscarried in Nov. '13) when I felt a big lump on my left breast. Got diagnosed on March 22 with IDC and DCIS. Genetic testing came negative. Surgery was on April 22, left mastectomy with ALND. I was fine with the surgery but not too happy when I got my pathology report and saw stage 3 and was very surprised when I heard that 8 out 24 nodes were involved. Before going into surgery I knew that at the time of the surgery that at least one of them was comprised but wasn't expecting 8. So it took me a while to accept stage 3a.
After surgery started fertility preservation and have 6 beautiful frozen embryos waiting. I don't think that will be able to carry my child as I am ER/PR+ very high percentage 95/85 respectively. So this is my weak point.
Started chemo May 15 FEC-D treatment and going for my second session June 5. The SE weren't that bad till the neulasta shot. I was all achy for 2 days and after that it was been okay. I have had a good so far and fingers it continues. I am working from home during treatments.
Nice to meet you all!!!
Lola
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Welcome Lola! yet sorry you are here. there are some wonderful women here with a wealth of information,support, and just a place to come and talk if you need to.
Robin, those nose hairs will be coming! who knew they were so important!
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Lola - Welcome, and so sorry you are experiencing this terrible diagnosis. Please stay with us here. All are very encouraging and helpful and you will learn everything you need to know about this disease here. And yes, you will find hope along the way. There have been several stage III girls who went on to get pregnant after diagnosis and during treatment and given birth to beautiful healthy babies. So don't give up hope for a future. All the stages of breast cancer have good treatment options that give years of life with our loved ones. Expect to feel the ups and downs of sadness, confusion anger, and depression on some days. But also expect to feel happiness, joy, optimism, hope for the future. You will do this.
Oceana
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Lola, so sorry you have been dx with this stinkin disease. I still feel shocked being dx stage 3, and its been 10 months. I assumed I would just have that one node with cancer.
Treatments, chemo & radiation, are never easy. But we get through them.
Sorry that you have experienced a miscarriage before this. I hope your Drs. will be able to come up with a plan for you to be able to have a family. Not fair, you are too young for this.
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Hey every one. hope everyone is reasonably well and happy. Oceana, i keep meaning to ask, that little picture that is in your post, not your avatar, but the woman in the white dress/ i always thought she was you! but i just now saw some writing but i cant tell what it says. i love the colors! is she a photo or a painting? i want to paint her!
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Thank you Ladies!!
This forum has been very helpful and glad to have you all here although it is under these circumstances.
I am fine with everything that I am going thru and I have an amazing DH and family that have been very supportive. And none of them want me to get pregnant because of the hormone receptive but I guess will have to wait for a couple of years to decide anyway.
My head has been very itchy, thinking the hair will fall out soon, luckily I got a sexy Lil wig today so bring it on :-)
Well come to think of it 3 has been my favourite number (was born on day 3 of the year) so perhaps stage 3 is not so bad lol
Hope you all are doing well
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itchy is better than hurty, mine were kinda hurty. who knew that losing hair would be anything but sensationless! you are doing great!
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Hi, Apologies that the question I have is off this topic, but I don't know where to ask! I found a discussion a few days ago in the Stage III forum and marked it as a favorite, but now I've lost it! The thread was started by a woman who said she felt stronger emotionally and psychologically during treatment than after. Does anyone know the name of the thread? The posts I read were very helpful ...
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Martha,
I will look through my favorites & see if I can find it.
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do you have a computer that you can go back in your history and see what pages you looked at? but , i am another one! it is like when i was going through treatment, i wasnt always happy about it, but it was the only thing i had to concentrate on right then, and do. it is only right about now that the enormity of it is beginning to hit me, and i am trying to make sense out of how to move forward,and not let it rule the rest of my life! i do come here quite a bit, but i do find that other women here truly understand what it feels like.
also you can use the search function to the left. to go to all the stage three forums.
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Hi Cannoli1 i started my Tamoxifen the same day that i started Rads and have done very well. I started Rads Jan 9 2014 and finished February 24. My doctor assured me its perfectly fine to start Tamox while on Rads.
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Until yesterday I was a IIb, then I got the path report and learn I've been upgraded to IIIa – and I didn't even ask for it! Can't say I'm truly delighted to be here , but will try to make the most of it. Ten days out from surgery, still mighty sore, tight, achy, numb spots everywhere but I got all three drains out yesterday and had my first shower, washed my hair, just band aids on my drain incisions now.
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welcome Magdalene,
I think positive node # 4 sent you to our team.
Do you have your chemo plan yet ? It's no picnic, but we all some how survive. Lots of support & friendship on these boards.
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I was thinking it was the combo of that and my 5.8cm lump. Who knows! I'm here. I have follow up with surgeon Wednesday and waiting for call with oncologist appointment. He's going over my paths now. Had a meeting with him pre-op but don't know when I'll start chemo, still need port installed.
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Welcome Magdalene. you have a great attidude, and still that is not so many nodes! please be careful with your arm!
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Hydavis42,
Yes, I started my Tamoxifen last Friday night (May 23rd). The only SE so far from the Tamoxifen is that I think my nightly hot flashes have gotten a bit worse.
Did my CT Sim for rads 5/15. I called today, and they said it was "still in progress." I need to wait at least one more week for rads anyway because I had my chemo port removed yesterday. It was on the same side that I will be radiated, so my breast surgeon felt it should come out. He said sometimes rads will tighten the skin and make it more difficult to take out....glad to have it gone because it one less reminder of everything I have been through since January, but I am a bit sore today from it, and there is no way, at the moment, I could raise my arm above my head for radiation.
I am so thankful for this board. Truly people that understand.
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