A place to greet and meet newbies to stage III
Comments
-
Welcome ShellaB330...So thankful you reached out to us!! As you have already found we have some amazing woman here who are ready to encourage you! The battle with the fear of recurrence was very real for me that first year. I found the fear left me exhausted and served no purpose in my battle against BC. So, as Momie shared, I decided on some things like exercise, diet and such to help me feel less like a victim and more like a victor.
Truly the battle for my mind has been hard and there are still waves of fear, but they have become less.... as they will for you as time goes on!! We are not without HOPE ( there are many who don't have recurrences) so we need to always hold to that when the waves of fear and doubt hit!!
0 -
Thank you Karen for coming back after. It is so encouraging. You are all beautiful ladies and I am honored and comforted to walk this road with you. BC is a helluva way to deepen your spiritual practice and learn the meaning of life. As typical, today was a totally different day than the day before was. Good night BC3 warrior sage sisters.
0 -
Hello All,
I am grateful to have found you all and this forum. I started the bc journey on 2/1/12 with a stage 0 dx but by the end of surgery it was 2a and now just months after final active treatment an inflamed node on the other side revealed that nodes on both sides are positive including supraclavicular nodes on one side. So that is stage 3c or close to it. I've never written that before and am scaring myself. This dx is very new, less than 2 weeks and I start chemo Thursday; port on Wednesday. It will be my first time with aport but I've done chemo, surgery and radiation already. And am ready to do it again and to kick this bc's arse.
Any way, not sure what else to say other than I am still so new to this stage that I'm scared sh#$less.
V
0 -
Hello, another not so new IIIA-er here. I've been looking at siggy's in this thread and don't see anyone here with the same chemo regime as myself. Any others here treated with Taxotere and Cytoxan?Beginning to wonder if my onc chose the best treatment for me...
Kay0 -
Kay
Talk to your oncologist. I believe that with slow growing, highly estrogen positive tumors that tamoxifen and/or AI's are most critical part of treatment.
Elizabeth
0 -
Kay, last year when I was told that I was a stage 1b/2a I was given TC x 4. This year I had a recurrence; that's not my point but I just want to point out from the perspective of a lay person that now at stage 3 something I am getting AC x 4 plus Taxol x 12. This is more rigorous and often given when lymph nodes are involved.
I am not a doctor but do consider a conversation with yours.
V0 -
Elizabeth and HVV, thank you both so much. HVV do you mind me asking if any of your nodes were involved? Did you have a lumpectomy then have a recurrence in the same breast?
Lots of questions for my onc next go round....0 -
Kay, I had 1 of 2 nodes involved last year with what is called a micro-metastesis (so small that they don't want to count it but it does count trust me). This year, I am having chemo first to ensure recovery as it appears that the cancer is not in any organ and not in either breasts but is instead in my lymph nodes on both sides (armpit/axilla and on the original side at the clavicle/collarbone). This is advanced therefore; not good. I chose the most aggressive treatment offered to me last year: said yes to chemo when it was optional; asked about a larger surgery but was discouraged, etc. This year, months after treatment, and after just getting my sealegs for three months, a lump in my armpit which is a cancerous lymph node. Its not my business I know but please get more treatment or at least ask about it - unless I misunderstand your condition. I am no doctor and am not familiar with ILC but with IDC and DCIS which is what I had.
V
0 -
Welcome Kaydeesmiles...MD Anderson gave me percentages of what the chemo and hormone therapy would do for my survival, for my type cancer ( highly ER+ PR+) they said the hormone treatment would be higher...but Chemo treatment was important. I agree in talking to your MO.
HVV...so sorry you're going in for round two just when you were getting your sea-legs under you! UGH!! But, sounds like you are your own advocate and on top of your care...plus a fighting spirit...I am cheering you on! Please keep us up-dated on how treatment goes! Hope you are able to handle it well and that it will soon be behind you....for good!!!
0 -
HVV thank you so much for your response. I can imagine how upsetting and frightening that is for you. I made a mistake in my siggy. I had four positive nodes, but even one is too many. I certainly have a lot more questions for my onc. I take some comfort in knowing that I demanded a bi-lat. mastectomy instead of going with the recommended lumpectomy. Lobular is tricky and sneaky hence my concerns. It did not show up on mammogram or ultrasound. And the MRI only picked up one tumor of about a centimeter and a half. It showed no node involvement which still astounds me.
So far a PET scan (which the onc did not order but I went to another doctor to get) and a brain MRI have been clear. I'm pushing for a bone scan next once I get through chemo and switch oncs.
Hope4, I am highly hormone + as well- so tamoxifen research is high on my list. I am expecting to start it after radiation.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences.0 -
Thanks Hopefour. I really appreicate it. Kay, glad that this community helps.
V
0 -
Just discovered this site.
I am 55 and was having the BEST year of my life as a new grandmother, when I was just diagnosed on 6/27 with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in the left breast; I had total mastectomy & sentinel node/axillary dissection on 7/30. When I saw my surgeon last week, she said that since the pathology showed the tumor to be "rather large", and "several lymph nodes to be involved", that chemotherapy and then possibly radiation will be needed. At the time I just couldn't bear to ask, "how large?", or "How many nodes?", but I guess that puts me at Stage III. Up to this point I haven't been thinking beyond the surgery, but I will be meeting with my MO on Thursday to discuss the plan for chemotherapy. I have been feeling sadder about losing my hair than losing the breast, but at least the hair will grow back! I am working hard to stay hopeful & positive; I have a lot of living left to do with my precious grandbabies!
0 -
fredntan my response is NO-NO-NO on the HRT. I was in early menopause at age 48 not sleeping, depressed and so skinny my weight was very hard to maintain. My mom died at age 68 heart attcak and grandmothers both has bad osteoporosis. HRT was supposed to help prevent that. Well at age 58 I was diagnosed Stage 2b hormonal BC. No ca history in my family at all. Of course I stopped all hormones. Now at 65 my BC has returned, again ER pos hormonal ( how come as I was long past menopause) Onc says other glands like adrenals put out hormones even if ovaries are not. So back to Tamoxifen and now radiation. So please send out the word to all women ( stay away from HRT) it may save your life.
0 -
i tried to tell my friend (without bc) not to do HRT, she wouldnt listen. some people think it wont happento them.there is only sommuch you can do.
joyfulnana welcome to ourclub. yes this year will suck, but they get better. I am 2 yrs out from dx now. I think I am back now and better than ever. energy is back, mentally I am strong now. I am changed forever. chemo wasnt as bad as I feared. get some goodbooks. myfavs are Anticancer- it was written by dr that was dxwith brain ca. he lived over 20 yrs after they told him he had little time left. it focuses on diet changes.
then Life Over Cancer by dr kieth block-also talks about diet. more confusing for me.0 -
Welcome Joyfulnana..I love the name!! Yes, losing your hair was very hard for me too. I did find a wig that made me feel like me and thats how I handled the hair issue...but some do caps and other things!! Sounds like you are staying postive and thats a huge part of the battle. You will get to the other side of treatment and back to loving your grandbabies!! Please keep us posted on how you are doing with treatment!!
0 -
kay,
taxotere isvery similar to taxol.
C in my siggy is Cytoxin. not sure why your not getting the adriamycin part. my docs gave me like 4 different options of chemo.I had lobular mixed with ductal. have you gotten second opinion?0 -
Fredntan,
Unfortunately I started asking the questions too late. I was so terrified after being diagnosed that I wasn't being as clear and aggressive with the questions as I should have been. I just wanted to get started.mImhad a very goodn surgeon and went to the oncologist that she referred me to. I have not been happy with him or his office at all and am changing docs now that I'm through chemo.
I'm not sure I would have opted for adriamycin in the end even if offered. My family has a long history of heart disease and I have some very early stages of it. The benefits of that drug may not have outweighed the risks of possible additional long term heart damage.
But if there were a compelling case for using it anyway, I wish the onc had steered me in that direction.
I have talked to more docs now that chemo is finished. They seem to be stressing the importance of the Tamoxifen part of treatment since my ILC is super hormone positive.0 -
It's really great reading everyone's story here. It gives me positive hope,which I think I already have. I've decide CA wont get me!
My mother died at the age of 42 from BC so I've always been diligent about by Bcare. I had a few benign lumps on my left side about 14-16 years ago. My sister is a 14 year Ovarian survivor-thankfully!!!!
In July 2012 I felt pain in my left breast. But, because I was always told that BC doesn't hurt, I didn't do anything. Then, I popped a lymph node in my neck on the same side. I work for derms so I asked one to look at it. He told me to go to my GP in 2 weeks if it didn't go away. When it didn't, and I still had pain in my left breast with what I thought was swelling due to a bruise (I tend to walk into things all the time and bruise) I decided to go for a mammogram before seeing my BS-thinking the mammo would be clear and my BS would tell me not to walk into walls anymore! Well, you can just imagine my shock when the radiologist called me into his office and told me I had BC-even before taking a biopsy! He immediately called my BS and right after my core biopsy I went to see my BS who told me the tumor was over 4 cm by over 4 cm and they were sure the ca had spread to my lymph nodes. He was as shocked as I was. He had just examined me in April and my GP had examined me mid May-how could this happen???? I was so diligent -I had taken evista for a few years, nursed my children, ate healthy, exercised, didn't drink or smoke and had a prophylactic hysterectomy 14 years prior to avoid this diagnosis, but here I was!
My way to deal was to just march forward, determined to TRY to live my life normally and to conquer this thing. One week after the mammo, many tests later, and with a confirmed biopsy report I had a UMX. I wanted to do a BMX but the drs felt the key for me was to have chemo quickly so they only wanted me to do the one side. My Sx (full mastectomy with full lymph node dissection) was on a Friday and crazy me was back at work the Tues right after. I find work my saving grace. It gives me something to focus on. Exactly 3 weeks after my sx, I began dose dense AC followed by T. That was followed by 26 radiation treatments and then 6 boosts. I never missed a day of work. My boss thinks I'm amazing!! My family thinks I'm nuts and push myself too much. When I lost my hair, I rocked scaves wrapped around my head to look like stylish turbans-or so I thought! I finished all treatments in March 2013.
Since then, my focus has been on a PMX on my right done with bilateral TE's. After meeting with many Drs I found a team that I feel good about. My sx is August 29th and, for the first time in this crazy process, I am getting nervous, I have been so busy going forward that I really haven't stopped to think of all that has happenend until now. So reading the positives with my type of diagnosis has been a godsend. Thank you all!!!!! We all need to hear the success stories!!!
Barbara
0 -
Ok
This is all so confusing.
Oncologist told me today that I am stage three...no just three choice so I picked 3a....grade three and triple negative. Bone scan lit on thoracic spine so I need to have an mri and ultrasound showed a spot on my liver that we are going to watch for three months.
Had a lumpectomy july 18 with the removal of six nodes. First chemo consult on Friday. They assume that I will have chemo first and then radiation.
Is this all really a guess at best....Do the tests and try to come up with the magic potion that is going to give the best chance at survival.
Hope they get it right.0 -
Welcome to our club Diane
0 -
Welcome everyone. I am a year post diagnosis. I had bmx, axillary dissection, reconstruction, radiation and chemo bu not in that order. I have ilc so i.chose bmx. I had 8 positive node with extracapsular invasion so I got radiation. I did a/c/t because I was 42 i guess i dont know. I did learn that stage is only a number. Some people stay at stage 2 until they die of something different and others are stage 0 or stage 1 when they find out they are stage 4. There is no rhyme nor reason to it. Good luck and welcome again. Healing hugs
0 -
Diane,
Healing hugs to you. I know it is horribly nerve-wracking to be waiting on test results and trying to find your way through treatment. Hang in there and keep us posted on your progress.
0 -
Diane~~My spine and left shoulder both lit up on the bone scan, and the MRI. It took a pet scan and bone surgeon to see that there were NO abnormalities. I'm praying it goes that way for you too.
Blessings
Paula0 -
Hi girls and welcome, albeit under these circumstances. I've been away from the boards for a while, attempting to get on with life, but I know this is always a place I can go to share my worries, as well as rejoice with positive news. Some of you ladies are my extended family now!
The one thing I like to tell new people is finding out you have breast cancer is like having to learn a new language, one you never wanted to learn, and without a teacher! It's SO confusing at first and everyone's situation is unique. But one thing is for sure, you will find no better a place to come for advice, a shoulder to cry on, to bitch, to rejoice, etc. These ladies have helped me through some of my darkest times, and for that I am FOREVER greatful.
Ask away, nothing is off limits here. Be good and gentle with yourself. And don't forget---YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
(((HUGS))))
Sharon
0 -
Hi all, I won't go over my stat's as I know you can see them below, but I had my first round of chemo last Thursday and found out then that I am a 111C. I too have some incapsulated nodes so will have rads later, Chemo went ok except I had a major shingles flair up( did not surprise me as I have delt with them for 30 yrs) just need to figure out how to get through chemo and keep them at bay😕A 5 day's post treatment just tired and I feel hungry all the time but nothing tastes good except fruit, so fruit it is.
Shary🌞0 -
Hi Shary and welcome.
Those taste buds will come back. But man do I remember during chemo how certain smells would set me off. Not food necessarily, but any chemical smell, especially hair spray and mouthwash. I had to ask my husband to shut the bathroom door after he used those in the am because the smell made me nauseous. It actually reminded me of the chemo smell. Gack! I had extra capular extension in my nodes which really irks me as they didn't light up on my initial PET scan and then I had to wait 7 weeks for surgery. In the meanwhile I kept telling them I felt a pulling, tearing under that arm and they kept telling me they couldn't find anything. Oh well, water under the bridge, but as you can see I still can't let it go. Eeeshhh.
Let us know if we can help!
Take care,
Sharon
0 -
Oh the smells! A few days after my 2nd AC, I was at the Cancer Center for a bra & prosthesis fitting. Everytime the sales lady went out to get more bras I sat down because I was so light headed. After that, I went out into the lobby to wait to speak to a social worker. I was sitting with my head resting on the handle of my cane when she came out to get me.
She sat for a moment then said, " lets go back to my office, that smell is a bit overwhelming." It was then that I realized (thru my chemo fog) that it was that smell that was making me feel so sick. I asked what it was. She said, it was Mexican food cooking in the cafe beside us. OMGoodness!!! I thought it was chemical to take mold off the walls or something! A smell that would have normally made me hungry, actually turned my stomach!
Paula0 -
I'm glad to find a place to mingle and vent with other Stage III ladies. I am 46 and have 3 children ranging in age from 5 to 20. Next Monday, one of my girls will start kindergarten and the other will start high school. I see lots of tears in my future!
I have 4 weekly Taxol treatments left, then I guess I'll be meeting with the radiation oncologist. I'm not really excited about the prospect of radiation and Tamoxifen on top of the chemo. I'm a holistic health practitioner, and I've always hated taking drugs or having a lot of medical intervention. I guess the joke's on me!
I would love to hear your experiences with rads and hormone therapy as well as reconstruction. I may end up having to do the DIEP if the radiation damages my skin too badly. That is, if I decide to go that route; I haven't decided for sure yet.
Like some of the other ladies, I have been writing a blog about my experiences since May. I've tried to inject a lot of humor in my situation while sharing tips on things that have helped me through this experience fairly unscathed so far. I'd love to have you stop by. And I will be stopping by here frequently now that I know you're here
0 -
Hi
I did fine through rads. No se from tamox. Did diep. Getting my tats next week
I still get scaredsometimes. Not like before though. I started training for a half marathon in nov. Training not going well. Will prob walk it. Right now I am doing at least half hour walking every two days then one day off. Developed bakers cyst behind one knee. Running makes it worse. I think someone is out to get me0 -
Thanks for starting a stage III newby post. Strange - last week based on biopsy's I was stage 1 and after lumpectomy suddenly stage IIIa. Starting with chemo first next week followed by bi-lateral masectomy and then radiation.
0
