Starting chemo July 2014
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Yay, maidentiredofwaiting! HER2+ cancer is really a marathon not a sprint. Awesome pictures! I have one more Herceptin treatment myself, next Wednesday. I've been doing OK. I'm seriously thinking of getting an oophorectomy. I've tolerated Aromasin well, and have been getting Zoladex shots so I can take an AI instead of Tamoxifen. But, do I really want to get a shot once a month for who-knows-how-many-years? I have an appointment with my OB-GYN tomorrow, and I'll be asking him about a ooph. We'll see what he says. Congrats!
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maiden: Yeah! so happy for you. You're looking good. I'm doing well, see my primary care doctor today for my annual physical, last mammogram came back clean.
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Hooray Maiden - glad you are finished. You look great. I also had a clear mammo and ultrasound in June and saw my RO and did bloodwork. All good - hope it stays that way for all of us.
Cheers,
Nancy
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So glad you have this behind you Ms. maiden..... It really has been a long haul for you, (as well as for the others of you dealing with hers2.) Congrats.
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Thanks ladies! So glad you're doing well!
Since my cancer is ER PR negative there is nothing more they can give me. This worries me a bit that I have to assume it's gone and move on. But I guess there's no guarantee in life so I will try to move forward. The thing is I can't have a mammogram as I had bilateral mastectomy and I was stage 1 so they don't do cancer markers. Basically, they will just do a breast exam every 3-4 months to check for lumps, regular labs every 6 mos, and a chest xray once a year? I had a huge tumor and never felt any lumps. Even the mammogram didn't pick up how big it really was but if I hadn't had one I may not be here. This scares me. And how does an xray pick up cancer? I thought it was for bones, not soft tissue. Well, there's my worries in a nutshell. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm probably being ridiculous but I think getting diagnosed with cancer at 40 made me see how fragile life can be. And I'm a natural born worrier, which doesn't help. I joined the YMCA and started taking a yoga class which helped clear my head but since my surgery the beginning of September I haven't been able to go. I'm going to try next week and ease back into it. I think it's good for mind and body. Well, happy Friday everyone and chins up, we are warrior's right?
Elaine, I'll be thinking of you on Wed! Best wishes.
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Maiden - you're not being ridiculous you're being very real. This stupid disease has us all worried. What about getting an ultrasound? I had a mammo in June and I asked for an ultrasound since I feel my previous mammos missed my cancer. I saw my RO in September and he ordered an ultrasound for me in December. Maybe you could ask about that?
Hugs,
Nancy
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Thanks Nancy, I was reading up on xray of chest and I guess it is used for soft tissue too. It's just an adjustment not being in treatment. At least then I knew I was doing something to get rid of the cancer. Now there's relief treatment is over but that fear it's going to come back. I guess it's something we all have to live with. I had an MRI after my lumpectomy and the cancer was much bigger than showed up on the mammogram. They did an ultrasound initially but nothing showed up on that. Cancer is a tricky devil. Best wishes to you!
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Maiden, I agree with Nancy. You can ask about additional screening if that will help. My MO says I should get an annual MRI, in addition to the mammograms every six months. I don't know how my insurance feels about that, but my MO has been good about getting them to pay for everything so far. Best wishes!
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I've had a CT, ultrasound and an MRI since last May because of unexplained chronic pain. None of the tests came up with anything that concerned my doctors...actually the opposite. They were all really excited that nothing was there. The final conclusion was that it is post radiation rib inflammation that may or may not go away. I can live with that. The point being, is that if there is anything of concern to you, they can check it. Be alert to new discomforts and mention it immediately. I told them that I didn't want to be a whiner/complainer... and was told to be vigilant and aware but enjoy life.
I have to say that I really am aware when anything bigger than a hangnail bothers me anymore.
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Maiden - I'm triple neg, and they do tumor markers for me, even though I was Stage One also. I think that not all doctors believe in them, and that they don't always give you the big picture. And yes, they just ship you off with a "go live your life" no more drugs, nothing, and suddenly, that's it! It's gradually receded more to the back of my brain, but like Coyote said, any little twinge or pain I'm on top of it. Just be vigilant and see your doc as often as you can. I did read, though, that the two best ways to have your breast cancer diagnosed, other than a mammo, is an ultrasound and MRI. Makes sense. My tumor in my left breast was found with MRI - the mammo never picked it up! Just keep up with your doctors and fight for what you think you need. Congrats!
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Finishing Herceptin is HARD. They say there is a seperation anxiety when leaving treatment, and for us Her2/neu+++, who have been seeing out MO every 3 weeks for a year, I'm thinking it is even harder. My MO did blood work, but he left my last day of Herceptin, my new one says she doesn't like it, because they can be increased by so many things. For example, mine was a little high and she and the nurse at my breast surgeon's said it was because I'd had surgery 6 weeks prior. My new one says she does scans, she did an ultrasound of my uterus (I'm on Tamoxifen for the ER+, PR+, and it likes to cause uterine cancer), I also was having headaches, so have an MRI of my brain on Friday. She likes scans without radiation, but mind you, not sure what she has to say about mammograms, as I did a double mastectomy.
I'd see what it is you need to do to get an MRI, especially with your ACTUAL history vs scientific studies. Here is my tumor on a 3D mammogram and on an MRI - OK it won't let me upload the picture... but it is night and day difference. pm me your email and I'll send it to you. Rest of my July Warriors, I'll keep trying to get it on here.
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Hummm.... how about this, lets get rid of Mammos, as they are not as accurate AND give us radiation, and go with what is easier to distinguish. BTW - that mammo was taken with the new 3D immaging equipment. I have (had) dense breasts. The one on the right is my mammo, why is the blob at the bottom cancer and not the blog at the top???? But on the MRI, it is very clear.
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yay maiden!!!
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my last of chemo I was crying. I was so down...I guess up until then I felt that I had a plan, I'm doing something about this. I got off the forums for weeks and headed south. I didn't think about anything to do with BC, until I got back.that was in jan. Now I'm at the point where I just keep going. No point in worrying.
Elaine, why did u opt for shots instead of tamox? I've been asking myself about the ooph, but my doc says as long as my hormones are low, I won't even get shots. Do u get ur hormone levels tested?
My BC was not detected by US. I had dense breasts and should have had an MRI. I thought they were mandatory now in parts of the U.S., if u have dense breasts
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knmtwins, mine was like that too. I don't know how they read that stuff on mammograms, it's crazy. I just read an article in Time magazine that they think the standard of care is overkill and that most women with stage 1 and 2 cancer may just need hormonal treatment and DCIS may not even need treatment at all. This scares me a little because it doesn't appear they know how or when DCIS becomes invasive and who is most at risk for that to happen. I get that treatment is not one size fits all but it would be pretty devastating to be in the 3% who will die prematurely of breast cancer and know you did nothing to treat it. Anyway, screw cancer, I'm enjoying the sunny fall day and thankful to be alive! 💜😊
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Well, today was NOT my final Herceptin. Apparently, I still have two more infusions to go! Oh well.
Dancingdiva,
My MO decided to have me do an ovulation suppressor (Zoladex) and an AI because the SOFT study showed that younger women had better outcomes with that regimen than on Tamoxifen alone. My OB-GYN said that tests of hormone levels probably wouldn't be accurate right now, given the number of meds I'm on. He wants me to wait until I'm 50. Then, I'll stop doing the Zoladex and test my hormone levels. If I'm postmenopausal, I'll just stop taking Zoladex at that point.
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Sorry it wasn't your last one ElaineTherese. But only 2 more to go, that's something to look forward to!
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Well, all of this is life changing stuff. I'm quite certain that I am not the only one with friends who went through this quite a few years ago. They have all told me that you never, never, never truly get over it - mentally. It lurks in the background of your mind with every unusual pain or every check-up. I have personal experience of a recurrence, so I know very well that it can come back. It does own its little corner of my mind - but I own the rest of me. My oncologist says to be vigilant and aware. That, and living life in the best way we can, setting our priorities, working toward our goals, and settling our place with our faith is about as good as we can do.
I love you all as sisters of my soul - just sayin.
Peace and good health,
Jana
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dancing diva , did u get your hormone levels tested? What was your level?
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Ladies - Like Maiden or was it Mags --- my auto email was turned off.... seems it is turned off on some others too. Wondered why very active posts sudenly went quiet.
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hey my July ladies. Getting a colonoscopy tomorrow. The Chek2 gene also increases my risk of colon cancer by about 30% so I can't put it off any longer. Hope everyone here is dong great. I had to give up crocheting for at least a month, carpel tunnel in both wrists
Shirley
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Ugh, Slappy-Squirrel! Better you than me. DH is getting a colonoscopy soon. I'm hoping that a clean PET scan suffices.
Bad news about your wrists! I just packed my cancer hats away, including yours.
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Just a note to tell you all that I'm still thinking of you. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I am Thankful for the gift of this last year. I may have struggled to learn how to deal with lingering side effects, but I am so grateful for the opportunity. I wish you all well.
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Happy thanksgiving to you too, Coyote, and all of you wonderful ladies, for sharing the journey. All the best to you, and let's hope for many years of dancing with NED.0
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Happy Thanksgiving to all!
I will be (finally!) getting my last Herceptin infusion in two weeks. I have decided to keep my port for the time being. Since I go to MO every month for a Zoladex shot, I can just get it flushed then.
Hope you are all doing well! I'm doing OK on Aromasin, but am struggling to get my blood pressure down. My GP has me on three blood pressure meds, and my BP is still high.
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happy Thanksgiving ladies! I don't post a lot but I'm still here and I think about all of you often. Mags, I was thinking about you just the other day when I showed off my pit titectomy scars. CoyoteNV, I think about you whenever I wear the beautiful bracelet you gave me.
Elaine, sorry to hear that your AI is raising your BP. 3 different meds and it still won't go down??!! That's the AI my new MO wants me to try next, but I don't know if I will.
Hugs to u all!
Shirley
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Happy Thanksgiving ladies! Good to hear from you.
I'm doing well, looks like we're going to make it back to Fargo tomorrow without any major weather events. It was snowing this morning and roads were covered and we had to slow down to 50 mph for about an hour or so as we drove from Lew's son's house to his sister's home, but everything is clear now for our trip back home.
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Hi ladies! Thinking of you all and wishing you Happy Holidays!
Told my oncologist about feeling so tired so she set me up with occupational therapy, which I start today. I was so anxious at my 3 month appointment I forgot to discuss the chemo brain with her. Does anyone else feel like their medical team kind of says ok, you did chemo, now have a nice life? My oncologist initially said she would do a yearly scan and recommended more genetic testing but now says just routine blood tests (no tumor markers) and a breast exam and that's it. Doesn't make me feel very secure. Kind of how the medical staff all acted like herceptin was nothing and I was crazy to have any side effects from it. Oh well. I'd love to be able to forget it all and get on with life. Trouble is it's not that easy. Anyway, I hope you are all doing good and wish you all the best.
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Hi Maiden!
I just finished Herceptin and had my last heart scan two weeks ago. So, I'm just starting on the every three months regimen. But, I'll still see the chemo gang every month because I have to stop in to get a Zoladex shot and get my port flushed. I'll see MO's nurse at that point.
I see my job right now as taking my aromasin and remaining vigilant. Frankly, I'll be happy to have fewer doctor appointments and scans. Maybe, I will now have the time to see my eye doctor and get some new bifocals.
Hope you have peaceful holidays, Maiden!
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