TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

Pbrain - I go back a little farther than you, all the way back to Marcus Welby, M.D.   I learned a long time ago that I had to quit watching medical shows because I always developed the symptoms shortly after watching a show...  In my mind, that is.

Pbrain the last place cancer usually goes is to the brain. It's not your usual headache either. The headache won't go away with the usual headache meds and is usually more severe. Don't confuse that hangover with brain mets… lay off the cheap tequila and maybe the headaches will subside

Bellanan I have heard of Radiation Pneumonia. Hope you can avoid the steroids.

KayB, I'm with you and Dr. Kildare. Also, with you as to having to watch what Mom or Dad was watching! After all, there was only one tv in the house, I was in fifth grade before we got a color tv. LOL

And Pbrain, horses, NOT zebras! LOL , much love.

Lago, my port freaks me out.  I’m squeamish and I can’t hardly look at the thing.  Then there is some freakish cord up my neck which seems like a vein but isn’t…..  blech.  Can’t wait to get that thing out of me.

Specialk, thanks for the info.  MO has been having that CMP done from time to time – I’ll make sure I keep getting them periodically.  Are those tumor marker tests accurate?  I though those were more for the later stages?

Pbrain, I do the same thing all the time….  I would say that doesn’t sound a whole lot like brain mets, and I assume that if it really were something like that (which I’m sure it isn’t), you would have the symptoms more than just here and there.  Did you ever get scans and such?  I think a lot of us do that at some point during treatment or after.  Probably good to get an official “all clear.” 

Belaman I went to the Dr. and told her I stink like a family of skunk got mad at me, at the same time, I'd take showers, my perfunes never have smelled the same on me again --even now--I, like everyone, have the same group that I use, Tova, Clean, Philosophy I always got complimented on how frangrance was so nice. I never get them any more and I'm trying others and nothing much. LOL

OK Ben Casey was my guy, never smiled and always figured some goofy thing out--with Sam Jaffy as the head of the hospital.  And when I was going thru chemo I watched mystery Disease and I had a new one every week-none were cancer, but they all had to do with me not making it til next week which brought everyone up to House--no bedside manner but u thought about bed with him.

Cami, you're hysterical!  I love reading your posts!

And Cypher, me too.  The port has never hurt, never bugged me, but the little wire thing is gross.  It works though, so I'm glad I have it. 

Bellanan, I had 1 tx of taxotere and carboplatin and I reeked.  I couldn't stand being around myself.  And I sweated at night like crazy.  I washed sheets every day because I smelled like metal and (as Cami would say) a family of skunks.  Once I got that crap out of my system, I think I just smell the same, but I remember just being a giant stink bomb for a few weeks.  Those chemo agents are tough!

And yeap, radiation pneumonia is a real thing.  My RO always asked about cough and shortness of breath whenever I saw him, so I get the feeling it is relatively common.

KayB and Moon, yes, horses...zebras are not allowed.  And it is time to get off my dead a$$, stop feeling sorry for myself and exercise!

Bellanan I'm sure I gave great comfort to alot of people except the people I'm around.

Flaviarose, have you read anything by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber?  He wrote "Anti-cancer - A new way of life."  He had a theory about that.   It's very interesting theory and may have some merit.  Here's a transcript of a lecture he gave at M.D. Anderson in 2009.  He explains it very well. 

http://www.mdanderson.org/transcripts/current-topics-on-oncology/2009/anticancer-transcript.html 

He has since died, but lived, I think, about 19 years past his expected survival from brain cancer.  It's very interesting.  My apologies in advance, if you already know about this.

Flaviarose, I have no idea. I am always reading and everyone seems to have their own theories, but there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. You can have one gal that still eats junk food and barely exercises and she lives without recurrence and then another gal who eats healthy and exercises religiously and end up with brain mets and dies. It's so frustrating. I think that's why it's so scary, because sometimes it doesn't matter what we do.

bethcon - I had echocardiograms also, they are a completely external exam whereas a MUGA requires an injectable.  They both do the same thing and docs order one or the other based on style points.  My onc happens to like echo.

cypher - no, the tumor markers are not particularly reliable - they can be skewed by a number of factors, including inflammation - hello?  Every joint in my body hurts!  This is why a lot of docs don't use them.  Mine likes them for trending info.

BethCon1 - I get echocardiograms, not MUGA scans.  I requested the echo instead of MUGA because for MUGA you get injected with something radioactive I believe.  My oncologist says that echos are cheaper and give you the same information.

Hi everyone.



I'm kind of new here and I am always on these boards and I am glad I found a group for triple positive women. I am not going through breast cancer treatment myself but my mom is...I am 21 years old and I am her primary caregiver. I am always online trying to find information so I am really happy I found this group. In December my mom was diagnosed with stage 3 triple positive BC, 7/14 + nodes....it's been a really rough journey and I am hoping the worst of it is over. The thing that has really scared me is the fact that my mom is HER2/neu positive, and it's so nice to see so many HER2/neu positive women on here doing great now that their treatment has ended. My mom has one week left of radiation (and Herceptin until March) and the past week I have notice that my anxiety has really increased. I am just terrified for treatment to end and my stomach turns every time I ever hear the words "doctor" or "hospital"...I have been getting some help dealing with my fears and emotions but I was just wondering if experiencing more fear than usual around this time is normal. I really admire all of you women and I think you're all so amazing and courageous. I hope one day my mom and I can help and give hope to others going through this scary journey.

J92 Herceptin has done wonders for us HER2+ gals as far as survival. Don't let what you read on the internet scare you. Some of that information is very old. Are you in the U.S.? If you are I highly recommend you call the American Cancer Society. They not only help people going through treatment but they have help for their caregivers as well. The 24/7 free number is: 1.800.277.2345 . If for some reason you are having trouble getting them to return your call be sure to send me a PM. I know people on the inside.

Iago, thank you so much for your kind and positive words. I really needed to hear that. The statistics online are extremely scary...I have read them once and I refuse to read more about it. They are probably so generalized and so outdated. I am not from the U.S., I am from Canada (Toronto)...my mom and I have joined a cancer support group and I am also talking to a professional about my fear and anxiety. It seems to help because I'm not bottling things up inside, however I just feel that it's hard for someone to completely understand how you feel and the amount of fear that runs through you unless they have personally been through this. Talking to someone is definitely helping though, I just think it is gonna take some time since this was very traumatic for me. Thank you soooo much for your encouraging words though.



Also, I have a question for any ladies who may be reading this. If they can give their input or share their personal stories that would be great. This week is my mom's last week of rads. She is very burned (which is normal, she basically has most of the skin side effects)...other side effects she is experiencing is rib and collar bone tenderness. The RO is not concerned and said this is normal for many people, however I am a little freaked out because I have found lots of info online and on the BCO boards about women experiencing rib tenderness, but not so much the collar bone tenderness (I have found a few women and a few sites online). There is only 1 spot on my mom's collar bone that is tender, she says it feels bruised, the same feeling she feels on the ribs in the area being radiated, and it's the reddest and most tender spot on the entire area being radiated. If you look at her from a far distance it looks like a big bruise on her collar bone! Its very noticeable. She says that area hurts more than her underarm...so the pain she is experiencing is most likely due to rads, but of course any little bone pain, or headache etc. scares the crap out of me. If anyone can share their input or even their own personal experience that would be great since I've been a little anxious about that. Thank you so much.



Jessica

J92

You are an amazing young lady. Being a caregiver is sometimes more difficult than being the patient.