Trying to get pregnant again...

Marlina

I was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma in 2004 at age 28, when I was still single. I completed all treatment in March 2005, got married in September the same year (in wigs and all!!), and got pregnant in January 2006. I gave birth to a wonderful, healthy baby girl in October 2006 and she is going to be 2 next month. I was told by many, including my docs who suggested abortion, that she is a miracle. Now I'm getting greedy and I want more children. I have been trying for 3 months but hasn't been lucky so far. I carry a mutation of the BRCA1 gene, and want to have a few more kids before my ovaries give up. Any inspirational story that could lift up my spirit because I have been told that the egg that resulted in my daughter may be the only one that survived chemo??!!

Nisa

Hi Marlina,

 I am so happy to read your story..........I have a question? were you on hormonal treatment at any point?

In Dec 2003 at age 24, I was diagnosed with IDC as well, stage 2B, did chemo, radiation and tamoxifen(I was told to wait 5 years before trying to conceive).

However, the cancer returned to the same breast in Sep 2007, I was very disturbed as "baby" has been in my mine especially since I got married in 2006.

Anyway my onc, has me on Lupron while I took my chemo for 4 months(finished in Apr 08)

Lupron protect the ovaries from chemo. I am now on Arimidex and Lupron, I intend to come off everything and try and conceive Jan 09.

 Best of Luck to you

Aniesa..

gemsa

As far as anything I have read, chemo will not damage your eggs. I had a baby four years after my diagnosis and am trying for number 2 as well.

 Good luck!

Marlina

No, I wasn't on any hormonal treatment. Both receptors are negative. If the cancer returns to the same breast, is it the same as the cancer spreading to other body parts? Did you have mastectomy the first time in 2003?

nash

Marlina--cancer returning in the same breast is considered a local recurrence, and is totally different (and less serious) than distant recurrence in organs or bones.

BethNY

What kind of chemo were you on?  CMF tends to be more damaging then ACT when it comes to fertility.

Marlina

FNC. I had neo-adjuvant chemo 4 cycles, once every 3 weeks supposedly but all extended to 4 due to Neupogen shots and hospitalisation..low level of neutrophils...was even put in isolation. 2 cycles of adjuvant chemo. The lump was huge, about 10cm x 11cm, but all nodes negative. I carry BRCA1 mutation. I had another sister with breast cancer. One onco said it was carcinoma, another said it was sarcoma. It was driving her nuts. Does anyone know whether it matters? My grandma died of ovarian cancer, an aunt of breast cancer. I'm scared shit of passing the gene to my daughter. Should I really try for another child when there's a 50% chance of me passing on the mutated gene?

nash

Breast cancer and sarcomas are two totally different types of cancers, so yes, it matters what your sister's lump was.

What chemo is FNC? I'm not famliar with that combo. 

Marlina

Nash,
5-fluorouracil, mitoxantrone and cyclophosphamide.

I have been cancer free since 2004 but the fear of recurrence is very real to me, especially after my surgeon found out about the mutation. Now I have to attend both breast clinic and O&G for check up, on top of the onco and plastic surgery (had free TRAM flap done in 2006).

Anyway, one my 13-year-old students, Mina, has a mother with metastatic breast ca. Chemo has failed and two weeks ago her mom tried to commit suicide by drinking bleach. She also had a couple of chopping knives with her. Fortunately, the father managed to stop the mother by slapping her senseless. But since then, the mother has been pestering Mina to commit suicide with her because she believes Mina is better off dead than being taken care of by anyone else.

But the bigger problem is, Mina is losing respect of her mom and she believes the mom is just going mad. She doesn't fully understand what stage IV breast ca entails. In fact, she's beginning to hate her. As a teacher (she doesn't know I'm a survivor), what should I tell her? What can I do to help? There's little time left and it'd be horrible if she spends it hating her mom. But what's the right thing to say?

nash

Marlina--thanks for the info on your chemo. That's actually the first time I've heard of mitroxantrone being used for bc. Were you in a clinical trial? I'm just interested in how your onc came up with that combo--I thought I was unique b/c I had 5-FU with my AC, but you've got me beat in the unusual chemo combo department.

My jaw about dropped when I read your story about your student and her mother. How horrible. I'm stunned, actually. Wanting her daughter to commit suicide with her is the mark of a mad woman, I'm sorry to say, and actually I would be fearful for Mina's well-being. What will happen the next time Mina and her mom are alone and her dad isn't there to intervene? 

I think if I were in your shoes, I would talk to Mina's father and find out what he's doing to keep Mina safe. Has he talked to his wife's oncologist about her behavior? If nothing is being done by the family to protect Mina, I would call Child Protective Services.

The poor child. As far as what to say to her, I think it would be OK to explain that her mother is dying. And to explain that she's right, her mother is acting very strangely, but it's because she is so sick and scared and loves Mina very much.  

Hopefully someone else will chime in here with some ideas, but it sounds like an extremely serious situation to me. 

nash

Marlina, I had another thought--is there a school counselor who can help you talk to Mina? Also the counselor might have some good suggestions on how to handle the whole situation.

Marlina

I'M PREGNANT!!! Well, it's only 5 weeks and i haven't had a scan yet. I'm happy..., but worried too...

gemsa

Congrats Marlina! That is wonderful news! Please keep us updated on how you are feeling!