TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
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Linda my BS ordered scans before surgery because there was time and he pretty much thought I would be a stage III. Because they saw a couple spots on my liver it was scanned after chemo, 1 year later then 6 months later. They either disappeared or my MO feels they are cycsts. There is no difference in survival between detecting mets early or when you have symptoms. Also all that extra radiation isn't good either.
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Bren - I'm sorry, this is so hard. My brother's case was the same way. Tumors from the esophagus to the colon - bile duct cancer. Was there any discussion about Abraxane instead of Taxol - she may have reacted to the solvent, not the actual drug, and Abraxane doesn't have the solvent. My dad had Taxol for palliative pain relief from lung cancer spinal mets and a golf ball sized mass in the lung - he was 82 and tolerated it well, so maybe if the Abraxane is doesn't cause a reaction she could handle it. Wishing you and your mom strength to deal with this.
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thanks all - appreciate all the answers and advice.
SpecialK - how did surgery go? How you feeling?
Started off with a good day and felt my body go downhill - I am assuming I am in nadir and maybe RBC's are really low - a little short of breath and oh so tired and weak -came on gradually through the late am - I am home now and just chilling - may nap in a bit. I need me some spinach I think.
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I am so sorry Bren - she will be in my thoughts and prayers
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SpecialK, I did not think of Abraxane. I will have to call her MO's office and see if it is compatible with the Avastin. Hope your surgery went well.
linda, take it easy for a few days. Hopefully your SE's will be mild.
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Surgery was interesting... Blew my hand vein again on the 2-node side - had to stick the edge of my wrist. She first tried to set the IV on the ALND side and I let her know that was a no go! Then she tried to tegaderm me. I am thinking what is the point of putting all this info in the pre-op chart if nobody reads it? The good news is Implant is out, not much pain - have taken a nothing so far, no nausea. But - I have a drain and I am beyond flat on that side, quite the contrast. Short term problem, hopefully! I'm glad it is done.
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YaY SpecialK for no pain. Booo for drain. BTW why don't they use your foot? I had them use my foot for the IV. Also the hospital I go to puts these pin sleeves with white print on your arms that say no BP or sticks
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Ben, was your wife tested for the BRCA I and II gene mutations? Would she consider an oopherectomy? The highly hormone sensitive part worries me because of her age. But you are right, this is a tough one...I'd say stimulate the ovaries, freeze the eggs, remove 'em, stay on tamoxifen for 10 years and skip rads.
Gout, the higher the TSH, the more hypo you are. Anything above 3 is worrisome for hypothyroidism, according to the newer guidelines. Most docs don't treat until TSH is above 6. Why is this backwards? Because TSH stands for thyroid stimulating hormone. The more sluggish the thyroid is, the more TSH gets kicked out to wake it up.
Robin you can get an echo after just about anything. It's just a sonogram. You are in my prayers with the scan. Betcha it is scar tissue. I have a ton of it and self-done breast exams don't seem so effective anymore in that area. Too many lumps, bumps and strange tissue.
Linda, tumor markers are odd birds. I have gotten a bunch of them through FDA and they are really to be used only as ancillary information. Physicians should only use them in the case that they are high at the diagnosis, and then fall after treatment. My MO doesn't use them and I don't blame him. The only one worth any salt is PSA for prostate cancer, and even that one has issues.
And your shortness of breath sounds like anemia to me. I was super short of breath during chemo. I'd trudge outside to my car in the Indianapolis windy cold in my cloth Republican coat and feel sorry for myself as I got in my car and gasped for air. Tee hee, it was pathetic!
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Pbrain - thanks! No recon so any bumps are pretty noticeable. It is pretty close to second drain site, so really hoping it is only scar tissue. RO doesn't like the shape of it on the CTscan.
SpecialK - happy you are pain free and surgery went well. I really dislike the fact that people don't pay attention. I really want the lymphadiva sleeve that is caution yellow with the warning on it. Kind of does the job for them!
Bren - so sorry. I really don't have words.
Linda - rest. It is important to listen to your body. You've been doing well. Love my spinach...go RBCs!!!
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lago - they have the pink bracelet but I was in pre-op and speaking with both the PS and anesthesiologist and they had not put it on yet. The last two surgeries were at a different hospital and they had the bracelets ready and did BP on the ankle. I will go back there for the next surgery because they have the TIGR mesh allograft. I went to this hospital because that is where he was scheduled all day today. Sadly, it is also where I used to work. All the other care seemed fine but the anesthesia dept was full of jackasses. I was distracted she came from around the back of my bed and started trying to tie the tourniquet on - I freaked! I have a new red knit sleeve with the printing on it but I have had several surgeries at this hospital related to BC and they put the pink thing on right away so I was surprised.
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Special, I am glad you are back an have no pain, but sorry you are going down the flat road again
But like you said, hopefully it is only for the short term.The whole NO BP, NO Stick thing really bothers me, as I really don't think all health care providers are aware of the life long consequences their actions can have when they don't pay attention to the chart or the arm bracelet. I am scheduled for foot surgery on Thursday and even though the Doctor has assured me that they are well aware of LE and have the pink bracelets, I am seriously considering having DH print NO STICK, NO BP on my ALND arm with a black sharpie.
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Bren I have to fight often. Health professionals do what's easiest for them because they are so busy. I am going on Prolia instead of Reclast because my treatment center doesn't have their folks trained to give it in the foot. If my insurance rejects Prolia I will have to find another place that will give it to me in my foot. Very annoyed about this.
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Lago, can they give it to you in your backside? Just a thought. It wasn't that many years ago that that's where almost all shots were given
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Bren - I write NO BP/ NO IV on my SNB arm with a sharpie before every surgical procedure. I do this because as I was waking up from my MX with SNB the tech was taking my BP on that side. In my drug-induced haze I yelled out for her to stop and had to explain to her why. She was clueless! So I learned my lesson right from the beginning to not trust them when I am under.
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Bren it's the IV for Reclast that's the problem. Prolia though is a short so I can get that in my belly or thigh I think
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Linda, I go for as many tests as I can get to reassure myself. Just had a pet and not sure I can talk him into another one at the 5 year mark. I also had ca 27-29. Mine was 22. Normal range but a little unnerving.
My ps says all the pet scan shows is I don't have measurable cancer today. Could be there next month. I told him to shut up, and let me bask in the Ned glow for awhile, lol
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hello ladies,
I am 4/6 THC cycles in. I am beat up. Feeling the SE. I had a small tumor 1.0. I had no nodes. I had a lumpectomy and will have rads. I was on the line to have chemo. I want to stop but continue herceptin. Anyone done that. Only 4 cycles?? Anyone know efficacy??
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Thanks Fluff - I really don't think my insurance will cover anything without symptoms but I am at least gonna ask my MO about it.
SpecialK - I looked back at the blood test I had before my mastectomy and my CEA was 3.6 and my CA27-29 was 9.1 so since I know I had cancer in both breast at that time - I don't think either of those tests will have any use whatsoever for me LOL
Princess - such a hard question - what does your MO say?
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princess - some people are only prescribed 4 cycles of TC. You are node negative with a small mass, and you are having rads - I would think four might be enough if you are continuing on Herceptin and hormonal therapy. What does your MO say?
linda - your CA27/29 is in the normal range for someone who has, or had, breast cancer. Anything under 38 is normal for a cancer patient. Above 38 you have rising TM and that can indicate a rapidly growing cancer, or metastasis. Also, your CEA result shows cancer at 3.6 if the upper range of the test is 2.5 - does your lab work show that as the upper range?
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Hi specialK - thanks - I was misunderstanding these results. The upper range on the CEA is 6.09. So that means they were both indicating that I had cancer - that is good - thanks LOL
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Hi Princess. Nice to see you here. I don't know if they only do 4 rounds for those who are HER2+. I forget your age but that plays a part in it. I do believe at one time they thought anything below 1cm didn't need chemo/herceptin but that has changed… so all I'm saying is who knows. Some of this is such a crap shoot. Even with my big tumor my MO told me there was a 40% chance that all I needed to do was surgery. (58% chance I needed chemo & endocrine treatment. Numbers weren't out yet for herceptin for 10 years early stage back in 2010).
I'm sure you get benefit from 4 tx but is it enough. That would be a question for those who look at the studies much closer than most of us. Hopefully your MO can give you a bit more insight.
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Arghhh! I'm not sure, but I think I found a thickening in my right breast! I see my BS on the 23rd of this month, but am only having my mammo on the left breast. I had a mammo on the right in December...I hate this stuff. I'm trying to tell myself I'm fine. I had an MRI in October 2012...they didn't see anything over there. And now I'm thoroughly convinced I have rectal cancer and not just hemorrhoids. I'm a nut. Talk me off the ledge.
Special, you sound like you are doing really well. Congrats, you are a very tough cookie. And Robin, your hair is so super cute. I'd wear it that way forever!!
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so easy to go there!! Rectal bleeding or change in habits? Ask for mammo both sides.
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pbrain - not nuts - we all do this. Get it checked so that your mind will be at ease.
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Thank you Pbrain! I agree with the other women, get it checked.
I hate that we even need a stinkin' ledge. Currently waiting for Petscan results, guess I will know tomorrow. Picking up report on way to US and biopsy.
Seeing my BS on Wednesday, but maybe you all know. If this is not scar tissue and is another node, is it a met, new primary, or just get added to my total nodes?
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Pbrain report this to your MO so you can change that mammo to a diagnostic mammo (includes US ). Have you been experiencing the big D or C? If yes probably hemorrhoids but get it checked out.
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Pbrain. I agree. Get an US and mammo of both. You deserve and REQUIRE. Do not let anyone talk you out of what you deserve.
Probably 'rrhoids. I have them and the bleeding. You know the drill and the signs/symptoms. Do NOT try to take care of yourself. Call your PCP. Today.
Remember we love you.
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pbrain, its true, all we can do, is let them look inside & just wait for the answer. am keeping my fingers and eyes crossed for you. i pretty much had a nervous breakdown in front of my pcp today. long story, but he ordered a mammo for me today from the place that i went to originally, where they told me instantly i had cancer, almost two years ago now. because i am just not convinced that that my lumpy lumpectomy boob, is just awful, and painful, and extraordinrily bumpy, i think nodes that were "inflammed" several months ago, are bigger now, and i just had an mri last month at tx center, where they said there was architectural distortion, and it hasnt said that since the begiining. i am sorry, i am upset too, i hate thi$ $hit, and i wish i had just cut them off. i am not sure that some issues that i had with original bs arent affecting the way i am being treated at tx center. she pretty much told me i asked too many questions... but now i think i am a little paranoid, and so they wont tell me i have cancer again, till two years go by, so i can be a "sucess story"...told ya i was a mess.
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kathec you know now not to lets these people bully you. Please keep us updated.
Pbrain want to know your updates too!
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