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Jan 22, 2021 07:28PM
blue22
wrote:
Hi LW,
Yes I did have DCIS in my right, and IBC in my left, but we did not know it was DCIS going into surgery, just abnormal cells (I can look up the exact terminology, don't remember it off the top of my head thanks to chemo brain...). I had a left mastectomy and lymph node dissection. Right side was only lumpectomy, no lymph nodes removed there. All my margins were clear.
I did have targeted therapy too - after surgery - one year of herceptin/perjetta. For part of that time I had Xeloda. Yes, I did have side effects, but honestly, you really just get through it all. It is not fun, but it is tolerable.
My medical team tends to not get into the nitty gritty details until it is time to deal with them. In other words, we didn't get into too much details of side effects and what to expect for treatment weeks or months off. It is much easier that way to take each treatment as it comes. That being said, I did have a general idea of what to expect. Once we were closer to treatment everything was covered in depth. My MO is amazing.
I highly recommend trying to focus on one treatment at a time Don't think about what is coming months from now, just what you have to do each day, or each week. It is manageable, and not as overwhelming that way. Honestly, the hardest part is psychological.
I'm also glad you are scheduled for the port - I loved having mine.
Hoping the best for the PET scan results. For me it was such a whirlwind and shock that I wasn't really thinking about them either. I think my mammogram/ultrasound was on a Thursday and the PET scan maybe the following Tuesday.
Hopefully the weather will cooperate and you can get outside this weekend? Taking walks etc is so important! Maybe you can do some shopping for head coverings or wigs, whatever you decide you want to do. Have fun with those. (I didn't really mind losing my hair... it is just hair, it grows back)
Take Care,
Blue
Dx
1/2019, IBC, Left, 6cm+, Stage IIIB, Grade 3, ER+/PR+, HER2-
Chemotherapy
2/14/2019 Abraxane (albumin-bound or nab-paclitaxel), Adriamycin (doxorubicin), Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide), Taxol (paclitaxel)
Surgery
7/29/2019 Lumpectomy; Lumpectomy (Right); Lymph node removal; Mastectomy; Mastectomy (Left)
Dx
7/30/2019, IDC/IBC, Left, 6cm+, Stage IIIC, Grade 3, 4/14 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
Dx
8/2019, DCIS, Right, <1cm, Stage 0, ER+/PR+
Radiation Therapy
10/8/2019
Targeted Therapy
Perjeta (pertuzumab)
Targeted Therapy
Herceptin (trastuzumab)
Chemotherapy
Xeloda (capecitabine)