Topic: 2017 Diagnosed-- A Place To Share "What's Next"

Dec 14, 2017 11:56AM DodgersGirl wrote:

tlfrank- I used calendula lotion and then a mixture of aquaphor plus Radiagard (has lidocaine in it and made for radiation patients-- RO gave it to me). And where skin itches used OTC hydrocortisone cream. Trick with Tefla pads is shiny side towards the skin

I covered area with the aquaphor/Radiagard mixture, applied Tefla pads where needed and wore a wife beater style man's tshirt to help keep pads in place and protect my skin.

Dec 14, 2017 12:42PM PauletteK wrote:

Everyone are talking about calendula cream, just want to confirm is this the cream you are using? Currently I’m using Miaderm and Aquaphor, I’m thinking to get one more cream to alternate. Thanks in advance

Dec 14, 2017 01:05PM AngelaJL wrote:

Paulette, yes, that's the cream I've been using.

Dec 14, 2017 03:01PM DodgersGirl wrote:

Castigame-- enjoy the team party and may this be the start of your return to normal life once again.

Dec 14, 2017 07:26PM PauletteK wrote:

I didn’t know taking out a port could cause pain! Oh well, I hope that will be the last pain we need to go through for awhile.

Castigate, congratulations you are going back to your normal life. I’m hoping I will be there in few months. It looks like after radiation I will spend my time with lymphedema PT to get rid of the fluid I got from radiation. Just can’t win !

Dec 14, 2017 09:25PM PeachyJeanne wrote:

Greetings to the 2017 group! I was diagnosed in April at 47 yrs old. A mammogram in Dec'16 did not show anything. A few months later, I felt a lump in my left breast which lead to an ultra sound followed by biopsy and the fun began. In May, an MRI found another area of interest and a suspicious node. Both tested positive. Off to neo adjuvant AC+T dose dense chemo I went. I tolerated that well.

On Nov 20 I had a unilateral mastectomy and sentinel nodes removed. While I responded well to chemo, there was still some residual cancer in the breast but 4 nodes tested negative. All doctors were thrilled with my response to chemo. But it now presents a dilemma on whether or not to have radiation. I'm in decision-making mode right now. Current standard of care would dictate radiation (since I had a positive node originally) but newer studies are being done to see if it is necessary after becoming node negative since my tumors were small.

Timing is everything.... Maybe in 5 years they will have a definitive answer and eliminate it but right now, they can't say for sure until the trials are completed. I can agree to rads, refuse rads or enter the clinical trial and be randomized. I'm struggling.

There is one other little tidbit that I'm waiting on to make my decision. The pathology report from the mastectomy mentioned one of the tumors was HER2 equivocal and being sent for FISH testing. It is the original palpable tumor that started the whole process. When first biopsied it came back as highly ER+/PR+ and HER2 (+1) which is considered negative. The other cancer found by the MRI came back ER+/PR+ and HER2 Negative.

2017 is definitely not the best..year..ever. Not by a long shot.

So happy to read through this thread and see how many of you are finishing up treatment and ready to move on in 2018. Congratulations to all of you for getting through!!

Dec 14, 2017 10:11PM PauletteK wrote:

Peachy welcome to our thread! Glad to see you.

Nancy maybe you need to put some cortisone cream.

Dec 14, 2017 10:28PM 53nancy wrote:

PeachyJeanne, wishing you the best in making your decision about rads. I felt I should do it, because I said no to chemo. While 2017 has not been the best year for my husband and I (he suffered sudden and permanent hearing liss in one ear literally overnight on Jan 1), I can honestly say this has been a good experience for me because it was the wake-up call I needed to make me proactive about my health. I won't forget the possibility of recurrence, but I want to go into 2018 with a positive attitude and deal with things as they happen without worrying about it constantly. It won't always be easy but I feel very much at peace now

Dec 14, 2017 11:12PM DodgersGirl wrote:

JeezLouise-- glad you found us. I am sure the ladies here will have great words of wisdom for you.

One thing I think we all learn is to take the journey one step at a time. Surgery tomorrow, then move to recovery. Pathology will help define a plan. If you need radiation, worry about that closer to rads. For now, surgery and recovery are the focus points. Personally, surgery was the easiest of the treatment steps. I hope your surgery goes well and that recovery is as pain free as possible.

Please let us know how you are doing, ask questions, and know that you can do this... and we will be here with you.

Dec 15, 2017 07:57AM Castigame wrote:

I never thought I am a needy person until this bleeping crap. 

I worked all year to take care of myself (235 medical claims and $245,000.00 actual payment by ins company) I even needed an in person drivers license renewal which included passing by  my old mammogram place which failed me 10 plus mammos. It seems I  am not done. Need a second opinion re multiple colon polyps. I also got the last maintenance car check 3 months early to minimize any absence from work. 

Told my mgrs that I will be reporting Jan2nd. The consul is on Jan 9th. 

I am sick and tired of drs appointments. 

Dec 15, 2017 09:49AM tlfrank wrote:

I did not have to have bloodwork done for rads.

Dec 15, 2017 10:07AM DodgersGirl wrote:

Castigame- when did you have your colonoscopy??

Dec 15, 2017 10:45AM PauletteK wrote:

JeezLouise - sorry that you have to join us, however all the ladies here are warm and knowledgeable, many of them we went through some bad time together. We are truly pink sisterhood.

No blood work for me, however I found out after radiation my blood pressure went sky high. I always got problem in dr office for BP but never seen that high before.

Mimi - I need to be in person driver license renewal also, I didn’t do it during chemo all he’d time, I need a driver luckily my hubby took me to anywhere. He doesn’t trust my driving during chemo anyway. Will renew my license after radiation. Praying for your second opinion.

I’m going for my 7/30 radiation today, so happy it’s friday so I have two days rest.

Dec 15, 2017 11:35AM - edited Dec 15, 2017 11:01PM by PeachyJeanne

Mimi..sorry to hear about the added stress. If it brings any peace, I understand snipping polyps is pretty effective in literally nipping colon cancer in the bud. Those that do not have the test and needed snips tend to let the disease develop. I hope just the snips are all you need.

Legomaster, we are very similar! I've had 2 conversations this morning. First was with RO and he said HER2 status would not change radiation options and prognosis is still very good either way. He even said if it does end up being HER2+ I could do the additional chemo and radiation simultaneously. He said HER2+ in the past was considered a bit more aggressive, but now with drugs available to treat , not so much.

My MO's office called after that conversation with a slightly different recommendation. For some reason the FISH test is being re-run and I'm told results should be in early next week. She said if the HER2 status does change and come back as +, she would want to do additional short term treatment prior to radiation. If HER2- is confirmed, proceed right to rads. Sounds like she recommends rads either way but I'll confirm that early next week.

So...I'm going to take this weekend to try to NOT think about this and wait until I at least get those results before asking each dr why they differ on the timing of treatments (Herceptin first vs. Herceptin/rads concurrently).

Dec 15, 2017 04:27PM EastcoastTS wrote:

Brneyegrl: So sorry to hear about the additional cancer -- however, SO relieved for you that you found it early.

PeachyJeanne and JeezLouise: Welcome -- though sorry you're here. This is the most supportive group. I literally could not have made it through the past year without the support, advice and understanding I've found here.

Hoping we all have a better/wonderful 2018!!!