Roll Call

lemonjello

To Jan244....my aunt had a cancer come back after 20 some years and lived to be 88, 20 years later she passed away and not from cancer.  True.

Mouser

Diagnosed at 63 by film mammogram, stereotactic, biopsy -- the usual sequence. IDC plus DCIS -- 2 foci. Stage 1, grade 2/3, ER+/PR-/Her-.

To my own surprise, i went for lumpectomy plus rads plus letrozole (Femara). A year later, 1st mammo showed more calcs in the same breast -- digital mammos are more sensitive! Stereotactic confirmed ADH, 7 cm, from nipple to chest wall. Oncs split; rad onc said do nothing; home med onc said excisional biopsy; 2nd opinion said mastectomy.
Everyone agreed this was nothing new -- just technology! I opted for the mastectomy:  7 cm seemed a bit much to lose in an already damaged breast. Now 65; still dealing with side effects from various surgeries (mostly not bc related) but otherwise doing fine. Already waiting for the next mammo with considerable anxiety - and it isn't til the end of September....

f0wvay

A lot of failures.  Stereotactic biopsy, lumpectomy, mastectomy, silicone implant leaked in less than 3 weeks and disolved my skin and stitches and the silicone rolled down my stomach in the shower.  Explanted within 2 hours in the surgeon's office.  Lat flap.  Went to ER less than a month have MRSA.  Surgery to cut out the center skin from mastectomy and explantation of expander.  Finished Vancomycin.  Less than a month later I believe I have osteomyelitis of the sternum with MRSA.  Oh the pain.  I am grateful to be alive, and half and half is just fine with me.

spar2

Oh f0wvay, you have been through just too much, this is awful.  Hope it is ok to put you on my prayer list.  Hope they are able to keep your pain under control.

Mouser, 4 more weeks until mammo, will be thinking of you.

So glad to meet all you guys and wishing the best for all of us.

lemonjello, what a wonderful true story, we need to hear more stories like that for hope.

blueberry, I have heard constipation is suffered by a lot of people here as side effects of their treatment.  I am the opposite, have had diarrhea for years and during chemo I could not even hold it so never went to buy groceries or anything by myself incase I had to "run" LOL

Hugs, hope, and love to all of you.

Haze

New to the forum.  First dx in 1995, had mastectomy, estrogen positive, put on tamoxfin for 5 years.  Second dx in 2003, had another mastectomy, this time estrogen negative, put on arimidex.  So far so good.  By the way was 59 first time, 67 second time and still going.  I walk two miles a day, bale hay and seem to be doing well.  Glad to have found this forum.

SoCalLisa

Me too Spar..I wish I had bought stock in Immodium AD

guitarGrl

Hi guys. I'm 61 and don't really know what to say. I was lucky in that they found the little lump during a routine mammogram - it was very small and hadn't spread. My treatment finished over a year ago, but now I spend too much time worrying about the disease coming back. Going through a bit of depression right now, partially due to a 50-year old friend who died of mets to her spinal cord last week.

BarbF

I love this "seasoned" section!  I am 59; diagnosed Halloween 2007, Bi-lateral mx with re-construction at same surgery.  Had tissue expanders for 4 months, now have silicone implants.  Stage IIIB, 7 out of 15 nodes, Hormone + Her 2 negative, 6 cm tumor.  Had A/C taxol chemo, rads, put on Femara.  Cheryl60-I too had BAD mood, depression issues!!  Had to go off Femara.  I am now on the antidepressant Effexsor ER, 37.5 mg and it makes a HUGE difference, no side effects.  Finished all treatment June 2008.  January, 2009, tumor marker CA 15-3 went from 56 to 165.  Bone scan showed 8 bone mets.  Have had Zometa, Fasodex (Fulvestrant) once per month.  Have bone scans, CT for liver, lungs every 8 weeks.  Tumor marker went down, bone scan stayed the same.  Now tumor marker is up again and bone scan tomorrow (Monday, 9/14) see oncologist and treatment in afternoon.  So far, liver & lungs are clear, thank God.  I live in Portland and see that a few of you are somewhat close.  I still don't know how to navigate around this site, but find it very helpful, just reading what everyone else writes!  I am planning to learn more about how to use this website, I think it's my best support group so far.

Barb in Portland Oregon

Shedua

Hi,

I was 47 when I was diagnosed the first time & then 52 the second time. I am now 60, soon to be 61. 

 Shedua

1995 Intraductial Carcinoma Biopsy (in-situ).  8.95 to 10.95 Radiation.  6.00 Rt breast Mastectomy.  6.26.00 to 9.14.00 Expansion injections.  9.00 Saline Implant.  12.28.00 Rt nipple & left lift. 1.01 Tattoo. 2002 Hasimoto's Thyroiditis.  7.02 Ablation for palpitations.  4.03 Osteoporsis. 2008 Cataracts.   

melissa-5-19

I am 56 , had semi-retirement planned in May 2010- to move back to home-close to sib sisters and was dx,ed with dcis on 9/10-i am scheduled for a bilat mx on monday 10/19 as I am not going back for more- so many of us have had one dx- then more biopsies, waiting, waiting,waiting, referral, appointments, results, then I see so many with the second dx-and I am just not doing it. I am very comfortable with my decision and just want to go plant flowers in the country.

mom with total radical mx of left when I was 15- I was her nurse-(yeah)- no chemo then I guess or they thought they got it all and they should have because it was skin (some skin) over bone from breast bone to spine on thew left.

a few years later she has stomach ca- chemo- long suffering- drag- PTSD??? OH YEAH! I think so and will pursue that- anyone know a good website for that one? 

Anyway DCIS is not the most terrible thing that they could have found and there are Blessings there too so we have to count all the GOOD and the Bad- the good- maybe I won't need chemo or rads, maybe I can move in May to my country home and spend my days planting flowers and watching the weeds grow- my husband is a Prince and true support and very tender with me- I have great girl friends (Here!!-thansk you have pulled me through) and locally, my sisters are the greatest my surgeon is good and my med onc is the greatest! The bad- well you guys all ready know that sh-t so why go there??

Yet I am BLUE      

  today- will go take my xanax and get busy with something.

kayok

Okay, I am jumping in, I think I qualify for the older woman bit.   Will be 72 in January.   Got the surprise of my life in Sept. when called back for a biopsy of the rt. breast.   Things moved fast from there.   Had an MRI on Sept.24th and a lumpectomy on Oct. 8.  My next move is to see the onocologist the day after tomorrow and I was told by the surgeon that she thought I would be a good candidate for external beam partial breast radiation.   I haven't found anyone to talk with that has undergone that treatment, so hoping you all can help.

I have read many of your postings and you all sound like such brave and upbeat ladies.  The great thing I read is that you are all so willing to share with folks you may never meet face to face.  We are all in this together and pulling for each other.    Thanks for all of you, 

joan11847

Hi kayok

I haven't posted on this forum before, but I am 62 and was diagnosed in March, 2009 with left bc stage 1 Grade 2 no lymph node involvement.  I was a candidate for lumpectomy and mamosite radiation (a tube implanted during surgery that extends out the breast that will be connected to a rad beam for a few minutes.  This takes 5 days twice a day and you are done with rads.)  I don't know if that is what they are suggesting for you, but it was quick, painless (except for the tube being annoying) and no side effects.  I had to have some chemo after that and herceptin still going (due to HER2+), but all in all it has not been bad compared to years ago.  Hope you do well and let me know if the external beam partial breast radiation is the same as mamosite.  

Joan 

kayok

Not sure what to expect when I go see the radiation onocolgist next Wed. as there was no mention of implanting tubes or pellets at time of surgery and none was done.    The surgeon, the onocologist both said it would only be radiation twice a day for 5 days. In fact, she did say that was one way to do it but plans had to be made before surgery.  I am getting concerned since I really can't seem to find anyone that has had rads that way nor can I find anything on the internet.   Am anxious to get more info.   I am going to Kansas University Med. Center and have felt very confident as to the treatment so far.   I think they should be on top of things but really am confused.   Not planning on living till I am 100 but sure don't want to go through this again in a couple of years if it can be avoided.   (Like I am the only one in the world feeling this way)

Hugs, and will let all know what they tell me Wednesday. 

FlowerArtist

I'm jumping in here too.  BC found 1 year ago, I was 58.  Routine mammo., very, very small.  Had it removed, followed with radiation.  Refused tamox. (could not stand the thought of increasing my hot flashes .... they are really bad anyway ..... onc. didn't push, sounded like he had other reservations about side effects).

Had a clean mammo 1 month ago.  All is good.......

Kayok, check out the DCIS forum, there is a thread about this kind of radiation .... my surgeon called it 'ballon' radiation.  I wasn't a good candidate for it because of the location on my spot, but there was a whole bunch of stuff about it a month ago.  You might be able to find the thread by searching on my ID (flowerartist) .... the side affects they were talking about seemed pretty heavy, but, of course, these are the people who had side effects ... my comment was about being glad I had traditional radiation. 

 Good luck and lots of hugs and great thoughts and prayers for you.

FlowerArtist

For Kayok:

OK, I'm not as lazy I as think I want to be...... the radiation treatment is called mammosite radiation and it uses a ballon to pinpoint the radiation right at the right spot minimizing exposure of the rest of the breast.  It does take a week of twice daily appointments.  The thread that you want in the DCIS forum is "Side Effects of Mammosite Radiation" ...... but do remember that the people posting are those that have experienced side effects and most people don't have significant side effects.  (Easy for me to say since I didn't have that kind of radiation, huh?)

I think I got away pretty lightly for cancer.  Surgery was easy .... I went bowling the next day.  Radiation was ugly because it took FOREVER and spaned last year's holiday season (yeah, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years), but I really only had a tiny bit of a rash on my chest.  No fatigue at all ..... kept up my hour a day exercise right through the whole period .... probably would have slacked off over the holidays if I hadn't been so intent on not getting tired.  LOL

Take good care.  Hugs and prayers.

(By the way, I figure I'm shooting for 90 before I stop living....or maybe 95 ..... 100 just might be too old..... oh, well, whatever I get is what I get, just want it to be fun.)

Suzanne

GretaB

Responding to Roll Call- I just turned 79 - was diagnosed in August 2004 - already Stage 1V due to spread to spot on one bone (Iliac). I always did a yearly mammagram but it was confirmed that the radiologist missed a serious cluster in right breast in 2003. I had mastectomy of r. breast and was placed on monthly Zometa (4 years later it was changed to Aredia less frequently due to kidney damage) plus Femara daily.

Current bone scan indicates some recent progression to a rib and femor - due to have a Cat scan this week. Potential plan is to change Femara to Aromasen (sp?).

I am very happy that we now have a group for "seasoned" women

Greta

Chevyboy

Hi Girls!  Man, you gals are "young" compared to me!  I am 72, & going in this coming Monday, 11-9 for an ultra-sound guided core biopsy on one of my "girls".......I flunked the annual mammogram, AND the follow-up compression & ultra-sound tests!   The "Radiologist" told me he thought it was breast-cancer, but I could have a lumpectomy followed with radiation!  So I think, "Damn him!"  Yeah I ASKED, but he didn't have to tell me! 

 Anyway, I got ALL the film, the report, the "disk" and have been scheduled for the ultra-sound next week at a Hospital closer to my home!  Thank God, the know-it-all "Radiologist" is long gone, & all his opinions!  I asked my Doctor to take charge of all this, & now at least I don't feel like I am on a run-a-way train going no-where, as with the Sally Jobe centers.  So after next Monday, & after I get the results, I'll be back on here, probably asking you gals a million questions!  Your posts really help us "newbies!"  Thanks!

grandmother6

I am in my late 70s and have been diagnosed with Paget's disease of the breast. I had a mastectomy on January 12, 2010 and now have to decide on chemo.  My cancer is stage 1, the tumor is .9 cm.  This week I have an appointment with a medical oncologist to discuss chemo.  It has been suggested I have "light chemo".  I question why, at my age, have any and become a victim of side effects.  Can anyone help me?   .

Cecilia1949

I am 60 now, dx at 57 w/ stage II, no lymph nodes.  Had bilat mastectomy, still working on reconstruction.   For grandmother6, it depends on what you want to accomplish that you haven't done yet.  How much more do you want to see or do and how many side effects can you "afford" to pay to accomplish it?  If you're content and don't want to pursue treatment, that's what I would use as my yardstick.

mardee

I'm 65 and was diagnosed with breast cancer two weeks ago, had lumpectomy and microscopic cancer cells were discovered in my lymph nodes.  I am now awaiting appointment with an oncologist to determine appropriate treatment.  I frankly resent this being called  "old lady cancer."   Other than this development, i am healthy, eat well, exercise and stay fit.  I know there are many younger than i in worse over-all physical condition, so II just find that to be an inappropriate and bothersome comment.  Let's just call it what it is--breast cancer--no matter the age..

64karin

I´m 64 and was 1st.DX 2001 (55 years ) I have a recurrence Feb.2010

currently chemo

BAK

Hi I am Barb.

I am 65 yr. old. I was diagnosed with papillary Carcinoma in March. I am scheduled for a lumpectomy May 13. Thanks heavens it is not a Friday. I will then have 6 weeks of radiation . I opted not to do the 5 day balloon implant. I have done all the test ,core biopsy MRI. I don't know yet what will happen after that.

Just wish it was over. I cannot believe there are so may women out there with BC and some so young.

karenjaninaz

Diagnosed at 67. Two small sites: 5mm Right breast. Decided to take the damn things off.

Surprise! Tiny cancer found in opposite breast. Immediate recon w/expanders. It looks pretty decent.

 Cannot take Arimidex(hardware in spine for scoliosis. Tamoxifen;unable to walk with left leg.

Onco said I was "low risk" for recurrence.

Just need to live one day at a time. No guarantees. Look what happened at the World Trade Center

PatH

Diagnosed at age 67. IDC had cryoblation surgery to freeze the tumor to death followed later by a lumpectomy and SNB. Onco dx score of 18 plus another test rank me in the low recurrance catagory. I'm forgoing chemotherapy and will have radiation possibly with taking Tamoxofen for 5 years.

Granellie

Diagnosed at age 70. Had a lumpectomy first, but there was still cancer. After meeting with a multi-specialty team of doctors, decided to have a dbl mastectomy with no reconstruction. I wanted to avoid future surgery for recurring cancer and reconstruction as well as chemo and radiation treatments. My thinking all would just be done and over quickly without problems was faulty. I'm lucky not to have a lot of complications, but cutting off body parts takes recovery time and adjustments. I cannot wait to get passed this stage "on with my life."

ducky9

Hi. Hey i have a 2cm seroma from a lumpectory a year ago,any suggestions for pain thxs

BonnieK

Diagnosed in September, 2008 at age 61.  Had regular mammograms prior that showed calcifications in left breast for about 3 years prior to DX.  Single mastectomy, chemo, rads followed by arimidex (1 year), femara (3 years) and now on tamoxifen for a year.  Reconstruction failed, but otherwise so far, so good.

meghar

...mom is age 86; IDC in left breast, mastectomy next week.  Hearing about lots of patients in their 80s and 90s having surgery for BC so seeing so many people in their 50s and 60s on this site saying they are "old" is interesting. I think by the numbers, most BC appears in older women - not sure the statistics by percentage incidence -have to look that up - the BS said "breast cancer is a disease of age", so that is more the norm than it is for the "younger" ages.  But more younger women use the internet apparently. The good news is that it seems the elderly patients, when offered the same treatment options, do just as well as younger women (data supports that).

denilynne

I'm in! Just diagnosed the beginning of August. Pre-op is Aug 27. I am 59

Kat-ski

I diagnosed with ILC , III with nodes involved.  This is my second go around and my choice of treatment is very aggressive.  Bi lateral, had exapanders but infection set in and out they came.  I am done with chemo and radiation.  Taking arimidex.  Next step is reconstruction at PRMA.  I am 60 years old and I love to dance as much as can