Stage 2 Sisters Club
Comments
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Thanks, K - that's pretty consistent with what I was told by the scheduler. And right in line with what I experienced last year after the call back.
I guess the upside is that I won't have to wait around for the letter with results, nor for a call from my BS's office. Ruth, I've not had a 3D yet, so it's interesting to have your first hand description of the advantages. I'm all in favor of them and glad that my center finally has the equipment. And if they have to take advantage of the 3D capability to look more closely at anything I won't hesitate to ask to see the process for myself. It sounds fascinating, actually.
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hopeful - I think the advantage with diagnostic is that the imaging process does not get dragged out with waiting, coming back, scheduling, etc. The majority of my imaging has been done in military facilities over the 25 years of dealing with breast issues, and they started my annual, and sometimes semi-annual, checks using diagnostic processes rather than screening many years ago even though I had yet to be diagnosed with anything other than cysts. This is what actually saved me as my mammo was clear and the greater than 2cm palpable mass, which was adjacent to a large cyst, was only seen on the subsequent US done five minutes later. I was Her2+ and node positive, so if they just used screening instead of diagnostic I think things would not have turned out as well. I liked that I didn't need successive appointments because it reduced the stress of waiting - a number of years ago I even had a mammo/US/biopsy - with two pathologists and a lab tech in the room for an immediate read - it was impressive!
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I think that's a good way to look at it, K; yes, for me right now it really does trigger some really tough memories. Eventually others will blur the edges of those but it will take time. In the meantime, I WON'T have to go through the dreaded waiting and wondering, any possible call backs, etc.
It sounds as though you did get lucky (using the term loosely) in terms of finding your tumor. I know none of this has been easy for you but the outcome certainly could have been grim.
Thanks for your support, as always.
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hopeful - I hope you can come through this mammo cleanly with flying colors and that you have as minimal stress as is possible - I imagine for all who have to have mammos after a BC diagnosis it has to bring up a lot of feelings, no way it couldn't! I do feel lucky that my breast cancer was found by a very thorough radiologist, who was not sure that what he was seeing on the US was cancer, but was adamant that I be seen for a biopsy asap!
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Thank you, K.
The funny thing was that I wasn't particularly bothered about the prospect of mammos until they threw in the "diagnostic" part. It's odd how it set off the psychic alarms
I'm just going to focus on the efficiency of the whole approach and let that carry me through. I am glad that my BS's office is on top of this and taking a very thorough and systematic approach.
Three cheers for doggedly persistent radiologists, right?
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hopeful - yes, and I will cross fingers for you!
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I am coming up for my yearly at the end of the month. Last year is when I was diagnosed. Really nervous and wondering do they do anything with the MX side? What will they do with my good boob, I now have an implant in that one as well. Will that require an MRI? The reason I am asking is that I went for echo today and the tech couldn't see my heart when he was doing the ultrasound from underneath my left boob, I had to tell him I had silicone implant. He told me that US does not see through silicone. So he had to do it from a different angle. So I wonder when I go for my Mammo and since I have dense breasts it will require ultrasound. So anyone know what the happens ? Also do they ever check the MX side? One last question, I just had my follow up with MO and they did bloodwork..but it looks like its all the same kind of tests that they did during chemo. Is it protocol to do tumor markers? MO never mentioned tests for tumor markers. No scans either.
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Hopefully someone will answer your mammogram questions (I had a lumpectomy so do not know). They don't do scans unless you are having some weird symptoms. Some oncologists order tumor markers, and some don't because they are pretty unreliable. Mine does order them. Maybe it gives me a false sense of security when they come back in the normal range.....but I feel better physiologically and think that if the numbers would be way crazy, that would be a red flag that maybe more tests should be ordered.
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..haven't been "here" in weeks and just found all your sweet welcomes, thanks ladies!!
finished chemo on the 20th of august and literally have been waiting every day for my various hairs to grow back. of course the pit and leg hair was the first to come back, go figure..my eyebrows and lashes are diminishing every day and i just look more sick every day instead of better. i know a lot of you know how weird somebody looks without lashes and brows, i don't have to go into that. i really am so sick of looking sick and so naked. it will be 3 weeks and monday that i haven't gotten chemo and i want my hair back now. nails are a hot mess too, half broken off but at least they are growing, i am so impatient. how do you get back to normal after this? i don't have 6 months to get back to normal, i will have to get a job at some point…and whenever i think about that i start panicking. i joined a support group but a meeting every 2 weeks doesn't cut it for me to be helpful i feel.
and then there's my lumpectomy around the corner on the 28th..still trying to get used to the thought of having my perfect boobs cut into and butchered. my surgeon said that my left breast will be smaller than the right one and i keep telling myself i will deal with it when it happens. but she also said that the tumor is basically gone and there are no more signs of cancer, i feel like i should be grateful and jumping with joy but my legs are burning and look like i just walked out of auschwitz and my boobs are about to be hacked into (i am also getting the port taken out which i am most excited about..even tho i have to have perjeta every 3 weeks til next may).
but oh well, tgif, right? it could all be so much worse. thanks for listening. and somebody please tell me my brows and lashes will start growing tomorrow!?
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Voglio, I wish I could wave a wand and make your hair grow. I hope your surgical results are better than expected. It IS hard to accept having them cut into, despite the fact that it's in a good cause.
Thinking + - let them know of your situation when you schedule your mammo - they can and will want to allot additional time for you. Good luck, too.
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CT Scan was good. The spot the Dr saw during surgery was nothing but they did find a "incidental right kidney cysts" and they want me to now have a dedicated renal ultrasound. So now we wait on yet another test...
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Jeez - if it isn't one thing it's another, isn't it? Still, we take what we can get and I'm glad the scan was fine on at least one count. Good luck with the US - I hope you don't have to wait too long for it.
I will say that I think it is great that your doctor is being so thorough rather than just dismissing those anomalies as nothing to worry about - which is what they probably are.0 -
I know Hopeful - I'm ready to say no more test you keep finding new things that are nothing! My ultrasound is schedlued for tomorrow at 2pm
I'm very lucky with the doctors I have, they are really on top of things and aren't afraid to run tests to make sure things are good.
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Mommado - I am glad your doctors are both on top of things and willing to run the tests; I hate it when they say "well, the guidelines say..." as if the guidelines are the be all and end all.
I'll be thinking of you today and tomorrow, Mommado. Thanks for keeping us posted. I hope today is busy and flies by.
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Sisters - I was away and came back to lots of posts. I thank everyone who sent love and supportive words regarding my brother's illness. We keep the hope going but are frequently reminded that his type of brain cancer kills without mercy. I would love to meet you in person Mary Jane. I feel confident we will get a chance. Let's not delay though. Life is rushing bye! I'm welcoming company from overseas this week and will be taking them to Las Vegas in 2 weeks... Any chance any of you will be there that week?
I am also prepping for what I think (yay!) will be my last reconstruction surgery in September. Can't wait to be done and feel sexy (well, just a little sexy) again. A tiny more symmetry and nip work and done! Which reminds me of my first morning after BMX. I had been told my surgeon that I was possibly getting "nip sparing surgery" so when I woke up, I asked the nurse if she knew where my nipples were. She said she would have to look it up on the computer. Moments of tension and then she said "they are still on you!" And we laughed so hard my chest was hurting. How often does someone get to ask such question?! Much happened to them since, so I'm looking forward to some repairs.
Hugs to all, Nisa0 -
Nisa, enjoy your friends from overseas. I loved your "Tale of Two Nipples" and am glad you had something to laugh about at that point. Those moments count for a LOT, don't they? Keep us posted on your upcoming surgery, please.
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monday will be 4 weeks that i finished chemo and all my hair has started growing back except my lashes and brows are sill falling out instead of regrowing..i look every day and nothing. i know everybody is different but i am running out of patience. i am finally feeling better but looking worse and worse every day (my precious come to mind).
so frustrated.
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Hopeful - the nip story always makes me smile, always. How are you doing on the Femara?
Voglio - my hair, lashes, fingernails and other things returned very slowly. I relate to the frustration but for now just try enjoying your scarf and wig or baldness, and on making yourself look and feel the hottest bald Voglio you can be. Looking at the mirror constantly will only make it worse and drive you crazy - I did that enough times! My never-dyed hair was a favorite feature of mine so I hurt and hurt and missed it like crazy. Last summer, 6 months after ending chemo ended, I finally went without a wig. I told myself my hair would not miraculously grow faster than normal, and that I already got my miracle: being alive and feeling a bit better every day.
Hugs, Nisa0 -
voglio, yes the eyelashes & brows (and all the rest of the hair) are SLOW to come in, which is very frustrating because you just want to move on! Did you ever do a 'Look Good, Feel Better' session with the American Cancer Society? If not, you still could (I didn't do one until after chemo myself). They give you lots of tips on how to look as good as possible during & immediately post treatment. Plus they give you really high quality makeup samples for free! It seems like forever now; but really, truly someday it will seem like a blip of time. Hang in there!
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Voglio, I've heard many women say that about their lashes and brows. It's kind of the last insult, isn't it? You'd done with chemo and the little hairs keep falling out. Why couldn't it be our underarms that do that???
Nisa, I've done extraordinarily well on Femara - thanks for asking. I've been on it 10 months without anything more than minor, transient issues. The most important thing, however, is that my tumor proved to be very responsive to it, which is very helpful information from my point of view. I hope you continue to feel better every day, Nisa, and that your hair returns to its former glory sooner, rather than later.
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Hello ladies,
I was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in March of this year, I was in 1 of my lymph nodes aslso, but they took out a total of nine. On May 1st I had my surgery, I made the decision to have a double mastectomy even though it was only in my left breast. I had immediate reconstruction with implants. My surgeons were awesome and I have felt great and recovered amazingly.
I did not get in to see my onocologist until the middle of June, which I believe took to long. Then when I did finally see him they had to order the oncotype test to see if radiation or chemo would benefit me. It took 2 weeks for the test to come back....
I fell in the gray area where it could not guarantee either one would be beneficial. So I decided not to do either, I am taking tamoxifen only. The doctors told me it was my decision.
I have moved out of the state that I was living in in August 3rd and asked them if they could give me a name of a good onocologist in the new area. They said they did not know anyone....I am 25 miles north of Cincinnati, I was in Indianna. You would think they would be able to give me a doctors name. My surgeons did not have a problem coming up with one.
I feel as though, once I told them I was not going to do the chemo or radiation , that they just didn't care anymore. They never gave me a follow up appointment, after the decision was made. I believe I should have a first follow up 6 months out from surgery is this correct?
I just feel some of these doctors just want to give the chemo and radiation regardless because it's their paycheck. I may be misspeak here, but this is how they made me feel. I have only been in Ohio 1.5 weeks and asking neighbors for names of good onocologist.
The onocolgist i seen in Indiana as recommended to me by several people. Just didn't know if anyone else has felt this way, and when should I have a follow up?
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Well, I am not sure for your situation because I did chemo and rads. But if I remember correctly, for me it was every 3 months for the first year. Then every 6 months until I passed the 5 year mark, and now it is once a year.
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Welcome Murphy. You have come to a great place. The information and support found here is amazing. I suggest you call the local university and ask for referrals. You will likely land in a good oncology dept. I am sorry about your experience with the oncos. Sometimes doctors don't behave like doctors but don't let that discourage you from looking and finding the right match for you. I was told I would he followed every 3 months for al least 3 years, and I am on Arimidex for life. Hugs, Nisa0
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i have follow ups every three months. My oncologist says four months but he says three for me since I worry so much. Does anyone have anything other than just blood work done at their follow ups
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Thinking Positive - only blood work taken a week before follow-up appt with Onco. And only one bio-marker. Hugs, Nisa0
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I am so far behind on reading posts. Been working 70-80hr weeks since changing jobs.
Hello to all the new comers- you are in good hands here!!
Nisa - would love to jump out to Vegas but I am actually going to Poland to see family in 5 weeks. We have talked about a quick weekend trip in January. I'll keep you posted!!! Enjoy your time with your visitors. Best of luck with your upcoming surgery too... Hope it is your last!!!
Hugs to all!! I hope to be able to catch up soon on all I've miss
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MJ - have a wonderful trip to Poland. So much history in Warsaw and yummy pierogi to keep the energy up for all the city walking you are going to do :-). We will meet up one day in Vegas or somewhere! Meeting some of my BC friends in person last June was the highlight of my year.
Murphy - any luck finding the right Onco for you in OH? If you have trouble with the search, PM me (private messaging is an option on this forum) and I will help you with the search.
Everybody - hope newbies and oldies are doing well and enjoying the summer. Hopefully no one here is currently doing chemo. It's been a busy summer but I have enjoyed every day as a true gift.
Be well! Hugs, Nisa0 -
thanks for all the support ladies!! the past 2 weeks have been hard, been shaving my head every week and got my first "hey sinead o'connor!!" yesterday and took it as a compliment!
got my surgery coming up in less than a week and starting to mourn for my perfect boobs. but keep telling myself it'll be ok, lopsided and all..
good luck to everybody having surgery this week and next and thank you so much for listening and being there!
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Thinking of you. Hang in there!
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Voglio - when you have a chance, please complete your profile so that reviewing it helps with memory of where you are on your treatment plan. I can't remember why or what type of surgery you are having next week! But whatever the surgery is, hang tight and let us know how it went. Best wishes. Nisa0
