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Looking for Her2 Positive survivor stories

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Comments

  • bejuce
    bejuce Member Posts: 6
    edited February 2016

    I'm celebrating 7 years today!!!

  • __asher__
    __asher__ Member Posts: 106
    edited February 2016

    Thank you for your posts. IKC, I'm in tears after reading it as well. My husband lost his father to colon cancer two years ago. I'm determined to not let this ugliness claim another life from him & my kids.

    Much love to you all

  • denise-g
    denise-g Member Posts: 353
    edited February 2016

    JerseyGirl2 - THANK you for your comments about my blog.  I sure appreciate it.  I am 3 years  9 months out of chemo - lol - who is counting!!  And my sister just finished active treatment this week - she doesn't have to see Onc for 3 months.  She feels like she just got let out of prison!  

  • lkc
    lkc Member Posts: 182
    edited February 2016

    almost 11 yrs out from a stage IIIc bc dx and blessedly well

  • JerseyGirl22
    JerseyGirl22 Member Posts: 186
    edited February 2016

    Denise! Yay! So happy for your sister, and your whole family! Denise, did you/are you do hormonal drugs, too?

    lkc!!! Whoohooo!!!!! So happy for your milestone!

    warrior on!

  • princesstina
    princesstina Member Posts: 129
    edited February 2016

    Denise and IKC - thank you for responding! Esp IKC - I see fewer women answering who are ER/PR negative - I am done herceptin in June and am starting to seriously freak out - so much that i'm now obsessing over 401K and retirement accounts trying to make sure they're setup and easy to find and funded well enough for the hubby and children :( It is causing me a ton of stress, this helps a bit, thank you!

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited February 2016

    ThePrincess Many are living their lives not posting. True there will be more hormone positives posting because many of us recur years later and have a better prognosis in the first 5 years. But after that it's the hormone negatives who have drastic reduction in recurrence.

    Your biggest risk for recurrence if you are hormone negative is in the first 2-3 years. Then your risk drops sharply where as hormone positives gradually drop off starting at 2-3 years.

  • themomoo
    themomoo Member Posts: 9
    edited February 2016

    I finished herceptin September, 2015 and worry constantly about recorrence. Its nice to know Im not the only one. I have a lot of pain in my ribs and back all the time. Its hard to sleep, I cant get comfortable. I have had xrays and a bone scan which were normal. They say it is from the surgery but I still worry its cancer. Hopefully as time fmgoes on I will stop worrying. Thank you all for your stories. It gives me comfort and hope.

  • Jill900
    Jill900 Member Posts: 7
    edited March 2016

    Time has passed, I just had another oncology appointment a few weeks ago. He didn't find anything of concern during the physical exam or in the blood work. That makes me 4 years, 8 months, and 22 days out. But who's counting :)

  • raleighgirl
    raleighgirl Member Posts: 56
    edited March 2016

    Whoo hoo Jill900! Thank you for stopping by to post this!!

  • princesstina
    princesstina Member Posts: 129
    edited March 2016

    Jill900!!! Congrats and THANK YOU!

  • CassieCat
    CassieCat Member Posts: 863
    edited March 2016

    So encouraging to read all of these success stories. I really needed it today. I'm 1 year, 6 months and 20 days into my recovery...

  • girlstrong
    girlstrong Member Posts: 299
    edited March 2016

    thank you to all who gave posting on this thread...love to read this ❤️

  • momoschki
    momoschki Member Posts: 218
    edited March 2016

    My sister-in-law was diagnosed at 40, stage 4 out of the gate. HER 2 +. She received the dx on her birthday... next month she will celebrate her 17th (!!) anniversary.

  • fightergirl711
    fightergirl711 Member Posts: 190
    edited March 2016

    Thank you for posting these stories - this weekend has been tough, feeling exhausted trying to stay positive for everyone. It helps so much to turn to these stories for support.

  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 1,541
    edited March 2016

    Fightergirl, I had a similar diagnosis and treatment. Finished herceptin / perjeta last October. My last mamo and scan were clear! Herceptin and Perjeta are miracle drugs for her2+. One day at a time. It's not easy but you can do it. Love, Jean

  • fightergirl711
    fightergirl711 Member Posts: 190
    edited March 2016

    Thank you zjrosenthal! I'm on the THP now, then the AC. I'll need surgery again for ALDS and re-excision this summer. Then rads. Yesterday I felt deplted physically, feel like I wasted the day sleeping, and of course makes my mind go into dark places. Today feeling much better, and back to work. I love my medical team, and they have been extremely positive. When I first met my onc she said "We'll take care of this for you." I'm about to pain that on my office wall as a reminder. :)

  • AliceS
    AliceS Member Posts: 74
    edited March 2016

    FABULOUS news, Jill---celebrate! Life is good!!!! So happy for you--hope I follow you---have a similar DX so am very encouraged by your post. Wondering--do you watch your diet?

  • PTY507
    PTY507 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2016

    Hi,

    I feel bad posting here because you use so many terms I don't know, but I'll go ahead and ask my question ;)

    I'm done with chemo after taking 4 doses of A/C and 3 doses of Taxol. I'm going through radiation at the time and will finish in three weeks. My onc hasn't mentioned anything about Herceptin. Do I have to take this since I'm HERS+?

  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 1,541
    edited March 2016

    Pty, if you are her2+ I would definitely ask about Herceptin / perjeta. It saves lives. Love, Jean

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited March 2016

    PTY507 if you don't know what a term means ask us. Also there is a list of abbreviations here:

    list of abbreviations

    Types of Breast Cancer list

  • sandcastle63
    sandcastle63 Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2016

    Thanks for your story, I really needed to hear this today and appreciate your contribution to the rest of us.

  • MsBrompton
    MsBrompton Member Posts: 324
    edited March 2016

    PTY507 can I support others who have said you should most certainly be asking about Herceptin / Perjeta if you are HER+, though you don't give much detail on your situation. Herceptin has transformed the outlook for HER+ breast cancer. Good luck! And ask us anything else you'd like to know, some people (not me) are old hands in this forum :-).

  • LindaKR
    LindaKR Member Posts: 1,304
    edited March 2016

    Just hit 6 years post diagnosis on March 19th - woohooo! Still NED! Lots of residual side effects but.....no cancer! I doubt I would still be here if not for herceptin!

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited March 2016

    Yay Linda. I'm right behind you.

  • Annaanne
    Annaanne Member Posts: 7
    edited March 2016

    I was diagnosed 11 years ago, stage 3, her pos, hormone neg. I'm totally

    well and send good thoughts to all.

    Annaanne

  • princesstina
    princesstina Member Posts: 129
    edited March 2016

    Annaanne - thank you - I needed to see this today

  • edwsmom
    edwsmom Member Posts: 270
    edited March 2016

    For the survivors out there, did any of you not achieve PCR after your chemo treatment?

    I'm just wondering how much impact achieving PCR or not impacts survival.

    I did not achieve PCR, I did choose to have BMX (due to family history concerns) and ALND to remove the affected lymph nodes (and many that were unaffected).

    I'm on to radiation now....

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited March 2016

    edwsmom I have no idea. I had surgery first. Also I didn't get Perjeta because it wasn't approved yet. I'm 5.5+ years NED, aslo triple positive stage IIB.

  • fightergirl711
    fightergirl711 Member Posts: 190
    edited March 2016

    Lago and Linda, thank you! :) Just completed 12x Taxol, 4x herceptin and Perjeta. Next phase is the 4x A/C, starting Thursday. I feel like one minor milestone is complete!

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