Topic: Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

Feb 27, 2009 09:39AM - edited Mar 2, 2009 07:09AM by Peggle

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Feb 27, 2009 10:34AM GramE wrote:

achi, I am the same as you, er/pr negative and Her2 +++.  I had dose dense chemo - total of 16 doses. It was no fun, but YES, I would do it again.  The chemo did zap my tumor and I also had no node involvement.  Maybe I am pushing my luck, but I am not doing radiation.  

And yes, I have a medical oncologist who "walks on water".  She has been wonderful and has an oncology nurse assistant whom you can call and ask questions, or leave a message and she does get back to you the same day (unless the weekend).  

My ob/gyn was the one who wrote the mammogram order since I had found a lump and was due for the annual one.   It was immediately followed by ultrasound and a biopsy was then ordered, for 4 days later.  I heard nothing from the ob/gyn, so phoned the office to ask.  The person who answered the phone said " who is your breast surgeon ".  I knew at that moment I had cancer, but felt like I had been shot in the heart.   But she could not tell me if I had cancer or not.   I told her to have the doctor call me ASAP.  When the doctor phoned me, she was very callous, told me the name of a breast surgeon and said she would fax the report.  End. Period.  I will not go back to that ob/gyn again, but will use my PCP, who is part of a Women's Health group.  

Sorry this is too long a post -  only on my first cup of coffee...   HUGS,  Nancy 

Feb 27, 2009 11:18AM sydpen2 wrote:

Rebecca,

Yes I was diagnosed at 49 with Stage1 almost 2 breast cancer.  They did the senital node biopsy and took 3 and saw they were clear.  They felt that the cancer had not spread past the senital nodes.  5 years later however it seems it has.  I thought my gall bladder was acting up and was certainly taken off guard when I was told I had severe liver cancer.  Both lobes had large tumors and too many to count throughout.   And then I found out it was also in my bone.  Currently there are no signs of the cancer in my bone at this time praise God and the liver areas have shrunk some.   Still going after that!  Anyhow, this is a journey none of us want to take and it totally stinks.  Thoughts to all of you and have a supervilous day! ??

Debbie

Feb 27, 2009 12:43PM - edited Jul 5, 2010 08:35PM by Maire67

Feb 27, 2009 01:19PM - edited Jul 5, 2010 08:36PM by Maire67

Feb 27, 2009 01:30PM - edited Feb 27, 2009 01:35PM by Sierra

Hi Northstar:

I hope they open the forum

as we all want to participate

Best....

Sierra :))

another question for the gals here

Did any take HRT

or the birth control pill??

you can PM.. if desired

re:  doing chemo again

can not answer until/if recur

tks

Sierra :)

Feb 27, 2009 02:22PM Northstar wrote:

I did take hrt, Estratest HS and natural progesterone.   Neither of these was implicated in the Women's Health Initiative study, which my gynecologist felt was a very flawed study.  She feels that hrt doesn't CAUSE breast cancer, but if the cancer is ER/PR +, then it can certainly FUEL it for years before it's noticed. 

Feb 27, 2009 03:02PM ritajean wrote:

Hi Gals.....Jan (Samedaynurse) sent me over to this thread and I knew I'd found a place to "park" when I saw your comments on belly fat!   LOL   Do you have room for another grandma here?  I'm 61, soon to be 62.

I was diagnosed in Nov. 2006 with IDC.  I had an excisional biopsy which came back with unclear margins and then had a lumpectomy to obtain the clear margins.  Those two surgeries sure messed up the holidays that year.  I began 6 CMF chemo treatments in Jan. 2007 and had 6 weeks of rads to the surgical area.  I have been taking Arimidex for a year and a half now.  Hopefully it is working for me as I am not ER + but am PR+.  My onc thinks it's worth the chance so I plug along.  At first I had the aching feet and joints, especially the knee.  Now I have occasional knee problems but I'm doing better with the rest.  The joints in my hands have swollen so that I can not wear my usual rings.  My primary care physician says it's Arimidex Induced Arthritis.  They don't hurt so I guess I'm not going to worry about it yet.

I will reread all the posts to see what I've missed when I get a little more time.  This thread is wonderful! 

Rita

Feb 27, 2009 04:53PM samedaynurseJan wrote:

*bigsmile* welcome Rita !!!! I knew you would like it here......what's not to like ? We all have ~issues~

I took Prempro.....cause EVERYONE took it.....from about.....1999 to 2001 really not all that long and then all the heart issues came to the forefront and all the docs who said we needed it said nooooooooooooope dont need it anymore.....I would hate to think that a couple of years is what fed my tumor but we all know the world of modern science is a complete mystery.

This is a VERY fast moving board, keeps us all on our toes ! The best bargain I found at Target today was Wolverine sheets for my just turned 3 years old little Superhero freak.....

*giving Nancy THE look* ....as we speak the snowflakes are flying here and its about 21 degrees.....

jan

Feb 27, 2009 05:40PM - edited Feb 27, 2009 05:43PM by JO-5

 Welcome to all newbies since I was here last night!  Wow! This is really turning into a busy thread and I'm loving it. I, too, read every single one.

There are so many different stories and I marvel at the courage and wisdom of all of you!

The question about HRT? I had a hysterectomy at age 32 w/ one ovary removed. Way back then LOL  they didn't know much about Indometriosis --- but in hindsight that's probably what it was.

I did very well until I hit 40 and began to fall apart. It took 6 doctors and two stays in the hospital to find out the remaining ovary stopped working. I went on HRT and it took about three months to get it just right. I did well, I thought, until I was about 59 --- had a lump. (One of those come back in 6 months deals) Dr. took me off HRT - cold turkey! In 6 months the lump was gone.

No more HRT for me..... but was miserable - and I started taking Flax and Soy - and it did help all the menopause symptoms! I had not told the Dr. and did not know anything about it acting like estrogen in the body.

In 04 I was dx. w/ BC in the other breast. Did all those years of HRT cause it? Did the Flax and Soy contribute? Don't know --- and the Dr. says we can't prove it --- but don't take any flax or soy!

I can't answer a lot of your questions - but you have my support and prayers!

Jan,

What a pretty lady you are and a great smile!

So here is my question ---- does it bother any of you to have your picture on the Internet? I have heard some scary stories and am hesitant..............

God bless you all!

JO

Feb 27, 2009 06:02PM mikita5 wrote:

Ok, if I started menopause 6 yrs ago, my ovaries arent' producing estrogen, right? So, if my cancer was er+,where'd the estrogen come from to fuel the breast cancer?

Feb 27, 2009 06:12PM FACECRAFTER wrote:

Wow it took me forever to get a post in - I had to read all these first!!
My story:  I am 62, dx in August, during a hospital stay where I had a total hysterectomy (a mass was there but not cancerous) and gallbladder removed (stones full) and a bowel obstruction straightened out (NO cutting) and had pancreatitis....Then the Doctor (who found a lump in my breast we thought was scar tissue from the breast lift 2 years ago)  said-  You have breast cancer. Anything else I asked, No that's all - was the answer.  The doctor is one who has treated me for years, and I knew him well.
Needless to say, I recovered from all that surgery, was put on Arimedex thru my sons wedding which was a month away.  Then started chemo.

I had 4 A/C  then 12 Taxol ( I just completed number 10.  Then I will have a Bilat Mast.  I don't want to have to worry about the other breast, and  I want my breasts to be even.  I named the girls "Rise and Shine" after the lift, and these will be named the "Pointer Sisters!"   LOL

Would I have chemo again?  YES.  I had no SE's other then losing the hair on my head (I never lost my lashes or brows or other hair)  And, I have gone to the med onc for many years,(I had something else that only he could monitor) and I trust them.  If he says I need it, I would listen to him.

Does it bother me to have my picture on the internet?  NO. It is not a porno site.  My picture is on my website, and it's never been a problem.  Cancer bothers me, not my picture on a website.  Besides how can we see who we're talking to if we have no picture?  On this site, I had my picture for a while, but I chaged it to SuperSquirrel because I think he represents me better.  If you like I'll put it back for a while.

What I've learned. 

1)  Listen to the doctor who is in htat specialty.  The PS for wound care and issues of surgical import. Do not listen to heim on issues of gen onc, or on radiation, they do not count as a second opinion..

2) The rad onc for issues dealing with radiation. She's studied it, knows it. And I'vd found that a woman cares about the cosmetic outcome as well,  and will take that into account..

3).The med onc for issues dealing with the cancer itself.  

4) Speak up. It's your body and your SE's and it deserves to be treated with respect and kindness.

I think of myself as a Conqueror not a Survivor.
The Jabberwocky poem is on my desk and I, like the beamish boy will have its head..on a platter!.  
Sorry for the long post.  This is a great forum, we sisters here for each other.  I don't often post, but I love reading the posts.  Great info here, and a great group of women that I am so glad I found!   JUDY

Feb 27, 2009 06:39PM 5graces wrote:

So glad I found this....just added it to my favorite topics!  I didn't even know you could do that~LOL~that's how computer savvy I am at 61 years old!

Feb 27, 2009 07:01PM FACECRAFTER wrote:

I thought the adrenals were continuing to provide estrogen, but I didn't say because I wasn't sure...so does anyone know how much they produce compared to the ovaries?   But ER+ does mean that it WAS fed by estrogen, or does it mean that it IS fed by estrogen or both?  Does starving it of estrogen make it go away, or does starving it of estrogen make it less "happy'?

Feb 27, 2009 07:11PM FACECRAFTER wrote:

I changed my picture.  On the other hand, I would not put my birth date on here, it is used for verification in too many places.   JUDY