Share your personal story, diagnosis, and treatment path, and stories of survival, hope, and success to encourage and inspire others!
Posted on: Mar 27, 2008 06:07PM
duff0015 wrote:
Would love to hear your stories! Especially, if you were young at diagnosis.
Thanks for being an inspiration! :)
Log in to post a replyPosts 1 - 30 (45 total)
Apr 4, 2008 12:18PM RoxanneNJ31 wrote:
I had a lumpectomy with lymph node removal in January 2006. I was stage 2b and although I was dxed in July 2007 with bone mets, I am doing amazingly well despite my cancer drawback...
Hope this helped. Take care and many hugs.
Apr 6, 2008 10:24AM Member_of_the_Club wrote:
I had a lumpectomy and full dissection in october, 2004 (stage IIb as well) and have been NED ever since and doing great. I was 42 at diagnosis, don't know if it counts as young. Remember there is no difference in survival between lumpectomy and rads and mastectomy.
Apr 6, 2008 04:31PM awb wrote:
my mom is a survivor of ILC; had lumpectomy, rads and tamoxifen, now over 21 years without a recurrence!
Apr 8, 2008 04:46PM gsg wrote:
Found lump while celebrating my 50th birthday with a weekend in New York City with my sister Feb '06. Stage II, IDC, No Nodes, Grade 2, chemo first, then lumpectomy September '06, finished rads 11/06. Now taking Arimidex and so far so good...NED!
Apr 8, 2008 05:25PM jpann39 wrote:
dx'd Nov. 2006 at 46 yrs old, found lump while showering.....stage 2, 2.4 cm, IDC, grade 1, lumpectomy, snb-no nodes involved...er+/pr+, HER2-, 37 rads, complete hysterectomy, tamoxifen....17 months out of dx and NED....getting ready for my 6 month follow up next month.......
Apr 8, 2008 05:35PM Catherine wrote:
Jpann, I like your motto. Very appropriate.
It's nearly five years since my lumpectomy and I'm doing fine.
Catherine
Jun 21, 2008 09:27PM joteach wrote:
My sister had a lumpectomy in 1999. She was diagnosed at age 51. She is doing great. I had my lumpectomy in december 2007 and just finished rads. I am doing great also and hope to be a long term survivor.
Joan
Jun 21, 2008 11:31PM awb wrote:
my mom had a lumpectomy, radiation and tamoxifen for ILC--is now a survivor of over 21 years without a recurrence and doing very well. I was diagnosed almost 5 years ago with LCIS--had lumpectomy, taking tamox and very closely monitored with MRIs and mammos--doing very well.
Jun 23, 2008 10:35AM larousse wrote:
I am glad to read all of these stories. I had a lumpectomy and worry that I didn't take the most agressive course of action.
Jun 23, 2008 07:58PM Curlylocks wrote:
I am almost a 3 year survivor, diagnosed in Oct 05 at age 41. My tumour was 4 cm, grade III, IDC, er/pr+, her- and had 3 positive lymph nodes.
<> I am living my life now beyond breast cancer and am currently NED (No Evidence of Disease) too!
<> MicheleJun 23, 2008 10:58PM Rainenz wrote:
Will I am over 11years since I had a Lumpectomy of my left breast with auxillery clearance 6/14 pos nodes followed by chemo and rads. Am doing fine with no other problems in that breast, but did get a new primary in the right breast 2yrs ago and had to start treatment all over again. This time after a failed lumpectomy I had to have a mastectomy as no clear margins and unbelievably I had 29 positive nodes this time, so my theroy is thay they were doing there job and hopefully stopped it from going elsewhere. Have completed chemo and rads again, now just a watching game as am triple neg so no other treatments are available to me unless it show up again. Was 1st dx at the age of 42.
Jun 24, 2008 03:49PM Aug242007 wrote:
I had a lumpectomy 9/07 just had my first mammogram and they have found possible DCIS or another IDC. Anyone noticed that almost everyone who has a lumpectomy ends up with a mastectomy? Bad part is with the recurrence you may get to have chemo. If I had this to do over, I would do a bilateral mastectomy.
Jun 24, 2008 09:58PM momtothree wrote:
I had a lumpectomy with axilary node disection in 1997. I was 36 years old at the time. So far so good!!!
Jun 25, 2008 10:00PM - edited Jun 25, 2008 10:01PM by Beesie
It's wonderful to hear from the long-term survivors!
What everyone should keep in mind that there are lots and lots of long-term survivors who had successful lumpectomies and never had to deal with breast cancer again. I know of many. But this is a breast cancer support discussion board and those women don't have any reason to be here - they are happily off living their lives.
For the most part, the women who are here are those currently going through treatment or those who've just recently completed treatment. It's true that many of those who come here with a recurrence or 2nd bout of BC may have a mastectomy after originally having had a lumpectomy, but that sure doesn't mean that every lumpectomy patient will eventually have a recurrence and need to have a mastectomy. Quite the opposite, in fact, but we just don't hear from all those other women. With the exception of a few wonderful long-term survivors who've stayed on this board to offer advice and support, most of those women are long gone and have no reason to come back here.
Jul 23, 2008 11:13PM phillygirl wrote:
I had lumpectomy, radiation and chemo in 1996, and I'm fine so far.
Jul 25, 2008 01:16AM dalen wrote:
hi i just got diagnosed w/ breast cancer i'm 36yrs old my doctor said i got it at the early stage on thursday is my surgery my doctor advice is to have lumpectomy w/ radiation therapy but my friend suggested to go w/ masctectomy now i'm so confused. i wanna get out of this i dont know what to do.
Jul 25, 2008 12:37PM - edited Jul 25, 2008 12:38PM by pinoideae
40 at diagnosis, 1.9 cm tumor, lumpectomy, chemo, radiation, then chemo again. So far so good.
Jul 29, 2008 09:31PM Pharmmom wrote:
My mom was 50 at diagnosis. Had radiation and lumpectomy in......1988!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :)
Sep 13, 2008 11:42AM KLG wrote:
Thank you, Bessie. I sometimes am very concerned because there aren't many Stage IV survivors here. I had a lumpectomy in May 2008 and am getting ready to receive my last chemo
treatment out of 4; then I have radiation. I'm really just beginning and appreciate your insite as to why we don't hear from more survivors. I wish more Stage IV survivors would speak up.
Sep 13, 2008 11:58AM KLG wrote:
dalen,
You need to read the latest on lumpectomy vs masectomy and discuss it with your surgeon. I have Stage IV and had a lumpectomy last May. Many friends and family have well intended advice. It does become very confusing and is very scary. The one thing I have discovered is that every person reacts differently to treatments. It's best to do your own research, then discuss with your doctor what you found, and together decide what is best for YOU.
The best of luck to you.
Oct 22, 2008 10:21PM blessme1 wrote:
good evening everyone, I had an lumpectomy jan of 2008 and I completed my rad in april 2008 i will begin my 6 months visits to the radiologist and oncologist I feel great I have been to do things as I did before BC I work out, active with my kids and church, I'm engaged to get married October of 2009 my fiance' has been there for me from thr beginning. I look forward to annoucing how I've been clear of BC for years to come......
Oct 24, 2008 01:30PM cp418 wrote:
I too would like to hear more stories from those with positive nodes.
Nov 14, 2008 02:11AM goophy58 wrote:
hi everybody,
please help me, im so confused right now.... the doctor who operated me last oct. 21, 2008 told me that i dont need to undergo a chemotherapy.... but when i go to another doctor for second opinion, the doctor told me that since mine is 4cm, stage 2, grade 2, er-/pr+/her2 2+ i need to undergo a chemotherapy.... please do you have any knowledge about this......help me...
goophy58
Nov 14, 2008 12:49PM LisaAlissa wrote:
Hi goophy58!
I'm so sorry that you're having to deal with this. I'm not the right person to help you with this, but I think you might get a better response if you post your question as a new thread in the "Just Diagnosed" forum here:
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/5
Call if something like "Do I need chemo? 2 docs, 2 opinions...help!" and I think you'll be more likely to get the help you're looking for.
Hang in there!
LisaAlissa
Nov 16, 2008 12:12PM nowheregirl wrote:
dx'd with stage IIb IDC in July of 2005 at the age of 39. MRI's at dx comfirmed one positive node but by the time I finished chemo (did chemo before surgery), it disappeared. Had a lumpectomy in March of 2006 and during surgery, they took 9 nodes and all were negative. Did chemo again followed by rads. Been free of cancer since they took that out!
xo
Fumi
Nov 16, 2008 07:43PM jessee54 wrote:
Hi Rainenz,
I'm curious about your story, as was trip neg dx Aug this year, and currently undergoing chemo, then rad. I did get clear margins, with lumpectomy, and no node involvement. I was wondering after going for 11 years, your prognosis seems like it should have been great. Did you change your lifestyle at all since your orig. dx?
I had gone thru a tremendous amount of unusual stress for the 2 years preceeding dx, and smoke, not a lot, and slightly overweight, not a lot. But the stress was awful, and my doctor said he sees this time and time again relating to breast cancer.
Incidentally, my sister had DCIS with lumpectomy at 49, and went 9 years, was ready to go back to mammo's only once/yr, when they found hyperplasia in the same spot, this year. Another lumpectomy and no cancer, thank God. But she did say she lost 15 pounds after the first surgery, and kept if off for a while, and as soon as she put the weight back on, she got this hyperplasia. She also has a stressful job.
Would love to hear your thoughts on this. I really think mind/body connection is a key thing. Best of luck to you.
Jessee
Nov 17, 2008 02:02AM junie wrote:
will add my 2 cents worth here. Was dx with IDC in Dec 2000--merry christmas!--had lumpectomy and ax node dissection, nodes neg, 4 A/C chemos, rads, 5 yrs Tamoxifen--and, still dancing with NED!!! (I was 53 chronologically, but 18 at heart!!!) This wonderful place didn't exist when I first needed it, but I backed into it looking for some answers to questions about the side affects of the Tamoxifen...I have met the most wonderful sisters here! I continue to hang out and contribute when I can...and, I am impressed and amazed by the knowledge that is shared here. Much has changed even since my treatments, so I am grateful should I need that updated knowledge in the future. May NED keep dancing with us "lumpectomies" for many years to come!!
Nov 21, 2008 12:57PM mamakaren wrote:
Hello, I was diagnosed in January had 2 lumpectomy did 6months of chemo and currently doing rads. After they found the second lump I had told him to just take my whole breast off. He told me that there was no need for that. Once you start talking with people they start making you doubt. So I ended up confused wondering if I did the right decision. I did research and found out that the percentage of survival rate is the same for both. I feel very positive about my lumpectomy and I trust my doctors. I love to here all the positive comments and the stories of all the survivors.
Lots of Love, Karen
Nov 25, 2008 07:18PM roseg wrote:
My Mom was a youthful 57 when she had her lumpectomy/radiation for DCIS in the 1980s.
Not one little problem since then.
Nov 25, 2008 07:25PM Ivylane wrote:
I had lumpectomy in 1991, stage 1, no positive nodes, 6 months of CMF and rads...
No problems till 15 years later... Dx'd with stage one in other breast, no positive nodes, Bi-lateral mastectomies, AC/T, Herceptin and Arimidex
Tested negative for BRCA1 and 2....go figure.....2 years out (17 years total) and doing great.