TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

I started Tamox after rads was all done. But still on Herceptin.

You are a survivor the day you are diagnosed… let's face it the beginning is the worst part for many of us. You can count NED date or Treatment start date too.

I choose NED date because my first treatment was surgery. My diagnosis date is not definate because we all knew before my biopsy. Biopsy only proved the diagnosis and ER/PR HER2+ status

I recently noticed that my port scar was starting to itch like crazy and get lumpy. Anyone else have this? I had my port out last fall and it had healed beautifully up until a few weeks ago. So I went back to IR who told me to go see my dermatologist and have her inject it with a small amount of steroid. Since I was already scheduled with her for a skin check, I had her look at it. She said it was developing keloids and injected it. So hopefully that will help it calm down, stop itching and flatten out again. I was glad it was just keloids, because the last time I had a lump on the scar line it turned out to be a BC recurrence.

Bren, my port scar is pretty heinous, all purple and pissed off.  I had it out in April.  I'm kind of blue about that because it is so close to my collar bone, but heck, I don't have that many physical scars from all of this.  And I'm far beyond the age of wearing cleavage-baring clothes. :-)

Debiann, I would not have gotten surgery too soon PFC if I were a candidate, because even with an infusion of packed red blood cells, I was still alarmingly anemic.  I felt like crap for about a year pfc, but I'm starting to wonder if that is because I did 30 minute infusions with Herceptin?  It's really making me think reading what all of your guys are saying.  I never asked them to slow it down because I thought my symptoms were just due to the lingering effects of chemo.  Yet I didn't get a decent reading on RBCs or hemoglobin until late this March and they are still below LLN, so I keep taking the folate.  

Oh, and I started Arimidex in August of last year, pfc was end of February, rads were done at the end of May, still on Herceptin until December 9th.  So they'll probably float by your chemo chair during an infusion of Vitamin H and tell you they called in your prescription for one of the estrogen sucking drugs (as Lago calls them).

"And I'm far beyond the age of wearing cleavage-baring clothes"

What? I just got my cleavage boobie prizes in 2011. I  never had cleavage before cancer. Now you're telling me I'm too old to reveal it!? OK maybe more like a deep valley. I can't push them together that close but before I wore very low cut shirts… and not even a bump showed. :P

Love the never have to wear a bra. Well-actually-neither do I--but will be in competition with pancakes. 

Had my port out in March. Started itching in late April, now reddish and sore. Maybe the norm. But i collect keloid scars. 

In the BC Hall of Fame we all take such different routes. I started with Adriamycin and Cytoxin-4 dose dense followed by an MRI that showed new growth. Went to weekly Taxol with Herceptin. After 7 weeks had an MRI that showed 2 areas of new growth. Off chemo and had MX # 1. Back on Taxol and Herceptin. Became toxic on Taxol and moved to Taxotere. Toxic. Off Taxotere. LVEF dropping and drops from 66 to mid to high 20s. Stopped Herceptin after 20 weeks of treatment. On cardiac drugs. Started RADs. 30 treatments. Started orals. Femara, Aramosin, Femara, Tamox, Femara. After 8-10 months LVEF up to 60-62. Getting to start to wean off cardiac drugs. No Herceptin despite begging and offering a kidney. Still really anemic. Have discussed packed cells numerous times throughout treatment. HbB lowest ~7. I was transculent. Now almost 10. Still transculent. But much better. MO wants to look for cause as in colonoscopy etc. I reminded him of BC and chemo, etc. and declined "looking". Absolute neutrophil count still gets stupid low on occasion but not on horrid chemo. Lowest on horrid chemo was 0.3 and I was not dead. Probably should have been. I was banned to my house. Not sure why it gets stupid low but not going to search. Other than BC. I still walk, talk, breath, and run a Health Science Center full of faculty, staff, and students, and 3 therapy dogs. Have not lost accrediation for a program yet. And no one has died. Or-I have not checked the cadaver lab when a familiar dead body was present. 

The above was presented for the newbies to show the long and winding road versus the straight and narrow path. Keep a sense of humor-or a strong stiff bit of sarcasm and a side of scotch and keep pushing the wheel barrow down the road. Sing Cryng in Your Beer music or old Peter, Paul, and Mary, or Barny Childrens Music and plug along. 

And lean on the strong wonderful women here. I so hope I wil be blessed to meet some. A slumber party where we can pull Maddie from the UK, the Florida group, the upper east coast, France, mid-west, and so much more. 

Much love.

Debiann, that is pretty much much what mine looks like, except mine was white until recently. A keloid is a growth of extra scar tissue where the skin has healed after an injury or surgery. Mine just happened to be very itchy to the point I wanted to scratch my chest raw. 

footballnut I had really bad bloody nose on chemo/herceptin. Also remember it was winter so much dryer too. My onc says it happens with Herceptin but they don't know why. They were hard to stop. Once chemo ended they weren't as bad or often (doing just Herceptin). You do need to mention all your SE to your onc. You have now learned how important that is, right!? They want to know everything! Write it down as it happens and bring your list in. That's what I did. I still have my lists all in a word doc. Wanna see 

tx lago and special!

I actually have been keeping a journal and share with my onc. He listens and asks questions. I anticipate that next tues will be a very in depth chat

Oh pbrain. I don't think you ever told us about that! Man that's rough. And of course its ALWAYS the NEW coat! LOL

And this is why I hate white

So today I had my appt for my first Echo since herceptin started.  I don't have the results but the tech who ran the test said "you don't have anything to worry about" so I am guessing it will be fine.  Anyway, my appointment was at 10 so I decided to sleep in for a change and go in then head into to work for a bit.  Went to get in the shower and NO HOT WATER - ugghhh.  Checked the breakers - they were fine.  Unplugged and replugged the hot water heater in - didn't hear it cut in at all.  We had a pretty wicked lightning storm last night and I thought dang it - just what I need right now - the expense to replace the hot water heater!  So called my hubby who ran home real quick to inform me that I had the cold water only turned on in the shower LOL - ummm chemo brain??  That is my excuse

Lololol linda and I hope you know I'm laughing with you not at you. I also hope you are laughing cause we can't cry over everything. I could totally see myself doing that pre chemo, but at least we have an excuse now.

Omg, now I'm really laughing. I told DH your story linda and he responded "that's like peeing and forgetting to pull your pants down". I said we may get there yet, lol.

Linda, your story (and Debiann's husband's comment) made me laugh.  I can so see myself doing that.  Pbrain, you really have a lot of sad stories that you made the best of.  What a great attitude you have.  Wish me luck tomorrow.  My 5th chemo.  So close but starting to dread each one more.