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March 2011 chemo-lounge
OK ladies...I am starting chemo on March 2nd. Anyone joining me this month? I wanted to give the March thread a fun name..you know like we are all hanging out having a cocktail or something :) I need some lounge buddies, anyone? I will have 4 cycles of taxotere and cytoxan and will be doing cold caps to save the hair. Will…
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polyurethane foam cups
I would like to share with everyone my concern regarding a terrible experience I recently had with polyurethane foam bra cups. I need help getting this information into the hands of individuals that can help get this subject out into the public eye and hopefully promote legislation to prevent the sale of these products. We…
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Anyone Heard of the SWIM Breast Reconstruction Technique?
SWIM stands for skin-sparing wise-pattern internal mammary perforator. The procedure combines a nipple-sparing mastectomy with a breast reduction. Blood flow to the nipple is preserved, all breast mammary tissue is removed, and the leftover skin and fat from the original breast and surrounding area is folded to create a…
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I just had THE call
I knew what my doctor was going to tell me. So I was not surprised when she basically confirmed the worst. Cancer took my mom - ovarian. My sister is currently in treatment - fallopian. I ignored my breast lump for a year. My husband made me go have it checked up. I was ordered to have a diagnostic ultrasound and…
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Pain and side effects with estrogen blockers post treatment
Hello All Is anyone having severe side effects post chemo and radiation while taking estrogen blockers? Since treatment I have not been able to get back to pre cancer life style. I am in chronic pain with fatigue and insomnia and cognitive issues. Weight gain as well. I don't feel like I can work let alone do many things…
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Er/pr/her2 + IIIA stage IDC
Hi, my 68 year old mother was diagnosed with hr+ pr+ and her2/neu breast cancer (score 2+ currently being verified with fish method), last week. she underwent a tumorectomy with an axillary dissection. the pathological analysis showed the following results: - infiltrating ductal carcinoma of 18 mm, grade SBR 3 according to…
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Tamoxifen 5mg side effects
Hi I am wondering if anyone else on here his post menopausal and on tamoxifen. I started last week and have had debilitating headaches every afternoon and brain fog. My doctor said it should taper off in 6 weeks seriously. I am taking at dinner wondering if it would be better to switch it to mornings interested to hear…
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Allergy due to Tamoxifen?
I have developed a few allergies symptoms since last year. I really believe it's due to taking tamoxifen (for 3 years) that changed my body (gut health maybe). I want to see if anyone experiences something similar…. In the beginning of few months when i started to take the tamoxifen, i had night sweats but that was gone…
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Birads 4 with some oval lumps and axillary lymph node with thick cortex
Mammo and US show 2 lumps in right breast. Both are less than 1 cm and oval shaped and well circumscrimed margins and hypoechoic, parallel to chest. They were told as "probably benign" There is also an axillary lymph node with central fatty vascular hilum, but with a thickened cortex upto 8mm. The radiologist said, masses…
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MBC and working
Hello sisters I’m new here and just diagnosed stageIV. Has anyone with this stage and still working?? I am a RN and single mother and I have to take care of my 11 years old daughter😭😭
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Covid Vaccine - Lymph node swelling
I have LE in my right arm. I had my first Covid vaccine shot in my left arm January 15. My arm was quite sore and a couple of days later I had a swollen lymph nodes under my arm. One was quite large and frightening. The swelling has gone down a lot but still there. I'm scheduled to have the second vaccine next week. I…
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Self Care--All things MLD
Edited since LE diagnosis confirmed... I have seen a LANA-certified PT and gotten my fist full of handouts, plus advised to buy a low-compression sleeve "just in case." I had an hour of hands-on instruction for self Manual Lymph Drainage but I still feel like somehow I'm not doing it right. I get more confused by the…
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Just Diagnosed and Confused
Hello all, my name is Tetiana and I’m 37 years old. I was diagnosed with breast cancer on April 30th, 2024. The initial biopsy returned as DCIS stage 0 both ER+and PR+ in two spots in my right breast. One spot was grade 2 and the other was grade 3. I met with the breast surgeon that same week and we chose double mastectomy…
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Flap versus implant reconstruction
Hi Everyone, My sister had a double mastectomy back in January of this year. Her surgeon advised against immediate reconstruction because she needed radiation after surgery. She is now considering her options for reconstruction and trying to decide between Flap versus Implant. I appreciate it if those who had…
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Tumor found during reconstruction
I had skin-sparing BMX with direct to implant reconstruction in October 2021. Eventually I decided implants weren't for me, so I explanted and had a DIEP in February 2024. My radiated side didn't heal well, and I've had four surgeries since for debridement, skin grafts, etc. All that work resulted in my left breast being…
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Tumor Marker Increases Within Normal Range
Has anyone had experience with tumor markers increasing within the normal range? Since completing chemo/rads/mx after stage IV diagnosis (one unconfirmed met to the sacrum) I had been staying in the 13-14 range on the CA 15-3. I just had it increase to 19.6. I know that's a "normal" range, but it is still concerning to me.…
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Waiting for biopsy results
I can’t believe I’m actually here, venting, hoping for any positive feedback. I had a breast reduction 2 years ago. My screening mammo came back negative one year after (so last year) and now this year something has popped up, a focal asymmetry. I had 3d mammo, US, and biopsy. Report said it could be from surgery but “due…
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Diep flap surgery after 10 year old implant removal?
Has anyone had their implant removed and gotten the deip flap surgery?
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Did your doctor talk about your Ki67 %
Hello - I have IDC Stage 2 (++-), and I am one week out from my bilateral mastectomy. My lymph Node pathology reports were posted online, and from what I can read, there is no cancer in my lymph nodes. However, my Ki67% - was reported at 43%. so I have a Ki67: 43%. Is that bad? Did your doctor put much stock into your Ki67…
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And now for something unusual and a bit scary
Other than living with stage IV for 12 years, my bc life is something I keep low key, even on bco. However after 12 years on an AI (I’ve tried them all) the cumulative side effects have worn me down.None of my se’s were truly debilitating and I managed to cope but I have been struggling with chronic low level pain that…
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Difficult Reconstruction
I had a reconstruction with expander and then implant when I was diagnosed with breast cancer 12 years ago. I had an excisional biopsy in November that never healed so they removed the implant and placed a new tissue expander. Unfortunately, because of the radiated skin, I had two infections and the expander had to be…
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Should I do Chemotherapy?
I was diagnosed with stage 1A estrogen positive, HER2 negative breast cancer. The lump was small and was removed with clear margins and clear lymph nodes. I am planning to do estrogen therapy and radiation. Now they want me to do chemotherapy based on my Oncotype DX score which is 32. I had genetic testing which showed no…
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PTSD and cancer
https://www.breastcancer.org/community/podcasts/ptsd-20181220 I have read this transcript and it was simply amazing. I have developed PTSD type symptoms during cancer treatment and on top of other mental health issues. I have a psychiatrist to handle my physical symptoms but I'm finding it hard to find a therapist that I…
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I’m losing hope….
I just found out what I thought was stage 2/3 idc breast cancer with 1 positive node, has spread to my liver and I am now stage 4 de novo. I am only 39 years old. I have 4 young kids. There’s at least 6 spots in my liver. I haven’t even gotten a chance to start treatment and now I have no chance of fighting this???!?!…
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Big Lump on Butt from Faslodex Shot
Has anyone had a big lump from the shot. It has been several weeks since I have had the shot. There is a big Lump and it looks brusied.
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Upcoming DIEP Flap
I was initially diagnosed with a small DCIS. The plan was a lumpectomy with radiation therapy. Genetic testing, BRCA2+ gene mutation, strong family history, and the size of the DCIS measuring 65mm - the plan changed! A BMX with immediate DIEP Flap was the plan. Still a 'Stage 0'. The Plastic Surgeon changed the plan to a…
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New page for info on men and breast cancer
A new page with accurate and succinct information on male breast cancer. https://learnlooklocate.com/male-breast-cancer
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Eligard
I have had a reoccurrence and I’m now being treated with Eligard and was on an aromatase inhibitor. I have been getting really bad joint pain, and have stopped the inhibitor about three weeks ago, but I’m still experiencing quite a bit of joint pain. I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced joint pain from…
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Biopsy or not
Supposed to schedule one. But worried about it making it spread. They are concerned it could be cancerous. But my lymph nodes look fine. Why not just take it out then send it off for testing? Also my breasts are also very dense. Should I look for a doc to just take it out? Or is that too risky wait? The doc I visited just…
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TNBC reoccurrence in treatment (Xeloda & Proton Therapy)
Hi 😊I am dealing with my 2nd reoccurrence of TNBC and currently in treatment. Starting my 4th week of Xeloda M-F (1000mg twice a day) also doing Proton Therapy. Have 20 more treatments. My oncologist said I will continue with the Xeloda after my Proton Therapy is completed. Has anyone gone thru the same treatment as me?…