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  • Kymn
    Kymn Member Posts: 999
    edited October 2011

    Good Morning Ladies, welcome Lindsay I am sorry you are having to go through this with your mom please always feel welcome here for support and questions and invite your mom to come by too for the support it really does help get through all of this.

    Heidi....LMAO thanks that really made me giggle.

    Ka-cey where in Alberta do you live? You can PM me if you dont want to post on the public forum I may already know this but you know>>>>>>CHEMO BRAIN....lol

    Am meeting with the X today to try and work out some details, will be the first time I have seen him in 6 weeks. Am a little nervous I need to be very very strong and not let him manipulate me as he is so good at it. wish me luck.

    Hugs to you all

    Kymn

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  • Summer38
    Summer38 Member Posts: 253
    edited October 2011

    Good luck today Kymn - you are one strong woman! Smile

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  • Suze35
    Suze35 Member Posts: 1,045
    edited October 2011

    lilredpony - welcome, although I'm sorry you have to be here.  I am also Stage IV, I was just re-staged at the end of September.  It is very scary when it seems nothing is working - my initial treatments of AC and Taxol/Carboplatin obviously failed, and Xeloda did nothing for me.  I am now on Abraxane (a clinical trial) and I *think* it is having an effect, or at least keeping things stable, but I won't know for another 5 weeks.  There are still some good chemos that we can try - speak with your doctor about Ixempra and Halaven, both of which are pretty good with chemo-resistant tumors.  Also, Navelbine and Gemzar are options.  Have you considered a clinical trial?  This would give you the opportunity to possibly add a novel agent into the mix, and we never know what that could bring!  Hugs.

    Kymn - good luck today.  Hold your head up high - you are the strong one here.  Thinking of you.

    Heidi - I'm there.  Ahhhh......

    Dealing with a withdrawal headache today, plus the change in weather.  Ugh.  I'm down to 1 mg of Decadron a day, but it is still giving me grief.  Hoping to be off it in another week.

    Would you believe we are supposed to get snow tomorrow?  Only 1 inch, but sheesh, I'm not ready for winter yet!!  I know it isn't unheard of here in the Northeast, I guess I will just enjoy it.  I do love a good quiet snowfall.

    Have a great day everyone!

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  • inmate4232010
    inmate4232010 Member Posts: 310
    edited October 2011

    Good Morning Ladies,

    It has been awhile since I've posted but I have been trying keeping up with everyone.  I just finished my last Cisplatin on Thursday.  Boy, I know why they used to call it "cis-flatten".  Not my favorite drug, that's for sure.  I call myself a turtle.  The Cisplatin makes me so tired but the Decadron keeps me manic.  I just can't stop doing things, albeit at the pace of a turtle.  The good news is I have gotten a few home projects done and Christmas shopping is almost complete. That's my silver lining.  

    This Friday I have my last Gemzar then a scan, then on to Navelbine, Xeloda and Methotrexate. I am definitely looking forward to the end of this two year ride good old BC has taken me on.  I should be done by February.   

    Suze and LJ  I think of you ladies every day and hope each is filled with love, warmth and smiles.  You both inspire me to fight like a girl, with my head held high and a smile on my face big enough to make people wonder!  Thank you!

    Heidi your humor makes my days.

    Hang in there ladies.  The strength I see from you all gives me hope that we will win this fight.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited October 2011

    This is *exciting*!:

    http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/10/26/herpes-virus-could-kill-aggressive-breast-cancer/?test=latestnews

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  • Kymn
    Kymn Member Posts: 999
    edited October 2011

    hmmmm that is interesting, does this mean we trade in breast cancer for herpes though???? Kind a strange. I am afraid to get my hopes up everytime I read about something but I know hope is what we have to go on. thanks for posting that I will definetly be following this.

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  • ksmatthews
    ksmatthews Member Posts: 812
    edited October 2011

    Heidetoo thanks for sharing that is so exciting!  

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  • bak94
    bak94 Member Posts: 1,846
    edited October 2011

    Kymn, you look adorable with your short hair. I know we all get frustrated with our new hair, but I see so many woman with their new short hair and it looks fabulous! Something fresh and new about it!

    Thinking about all of you and hope everyone is hanging in there or doing better than hanging in there! I have one more abraxane tomorrow. I am a bit nervous about this being my last one and even more nervous about it not being my last chemo! Does that make sense? i will be continuing Avastin after my surgery and rads. What happens after depends on my path reports. I am just entering a new phase of treatment.

    Suze-Sounds like the abraxane is being good to you! I am so happy for that! About into the 6th treatment my doc upped my doasage to 110mg, that is when everything went south.

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  • Suze35
    Suze35 Member Posts: 1,045
    edited October 2011

    Bak - that is just fantastic that you are on your last one, yay!!! I am actually on 100 mg according to the trial protocol - 3 weeks on, 1 off. I feel a little nervous at the lack of SEs, although my blood numbers are down a bit and my hair is a litte thinner. But I also am feeling less cancer symptoms, so I'm taking that as a positive sign. I'm keeping you in my thoughts for this next phase of treatment, I think your path report is going to be something to celebrate :). I completely understand your fears - more chemo sucks, but more chemo is also a security blanket. Hang in there.

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  • riley702
    riley702 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited October 2011

    OBXK, I have to say I love my Temper-Pedic mattress, too. I've had it about 2 years now. No divots or uneven spots yet.

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  • Lynn18
    Lynn18 Member Posts: 416
    edited October 2011

    Suze-I am so glad you are feeling less symptoms,  that surely is a positive sign.  I am glad also that you are not having too many SEs.  It is already snowing in my state!

    Kymn-Love your hairdo!

    LJ-I am thinking of you and hope you are feeling good.

    Heidi, that is exciting news.  Who would have thought a virus might help us?  Your trip to Iceland sounds great, BTW 

    Welcome to all of the new people, I am sorry you have to go through this with us, but at least we don't go through it alone.

    So, my surgery was almost a year ago today (October 25).  I just realized that I am having a lot of days where I don't even think about BC.  (Or as LJ says, FC).   I hope all of you can have some of those days.

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  • mccrimmon324
    mccrimmon324 Member Posts: 1,076
    edited October 2011

    Bak94 - Good luck today on your last treatment. 

    Suze - so glad to hear your feeling less cancer symptoms! 

    Heidi - I really hope this is the breakthru we need and they are quick about getting it ready to use. 

    I start Rads on Monday and I'm waiting for my hair to grow.  About a week and a half ago if you looked really really hard at the side of my head you could sort of see some white fuzz.  I've been obsessing over it since and then yesterday realized that you no longer have to look really hard to find it.  It's pretty easy to see the white baby fuzz so I hope that within the next few weeks I'll start to sprout. 

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited October 2011
    The light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
    The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.
    As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up.
    He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.
    After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
    He said, ''I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you and cussing a blue streak at him.
    I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk, so naturally I assumed you had stolen the car.''
    ______________
    Priceless
     
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  • NavyMom
    NavyMom Member Posts: 1,099
    edited October 2011

    Gotta love that one, Heidi.  Hey, I thought of you on Saturday.....DH and I were in Vegas, just walking along the strip and passed a gal with a tank top that read "F**K CANCER"   But of course the Letters were all filled in.  I just kept walkin and smiling.  Thinking silently.....Yep F**K CANCER.  And had a wonderful couple of days NOT thinking about FBC. 

    Waving hello to everyone....Thinking of those struggling and hurting and sending positive thoughts.

    Navy

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  • Kymn
    Kymn Member Posts: 999
    edited October 2011

    yeah I just feel like saying FBC today.....thats it, thats all

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  • Suze35
    Suze35 Member Posts: 1,045
    edited October 2011

    Ooh ooh *raising hand and waving*...



    FU breast cancer!!

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  • TifJ
    TifJ Member Posts: 1,568
    edited October 2011

    Yeah! Thanks for stealing my peace of mind and making me a hypochondriac- FUBC!!!

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  • mccrimmon324
    mccrimmon324 Member Posts: 1,076
    edited October 2011

    TifJ - That's exactly what happened.  Before this FC, I never thought twice about an ache or twinge.  Now I'm aware of every single one of them!! 

    FUBC!!!

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  • Sugar77
    Sugar77 Member Posts: 2,138
    edited October 2011

    Hi ladies - on this day two years ago, I got my diagnosis...what a terrible day that was.  This year is so much better. 

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  • Lynn18
    Lynn18 Member Posts: 416
    edited October 2011

    Sugar, glad this year has been much better for you.  You look great!

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  • denjak
    denjak Member Posts: 36
    edited October 2011

    Hello Ladies:

    Found this site after diagnosis two weeks ago. Stilll can't believe I have BC..then last night found out I was TN!!! triple yikes..I have a PET scan tomorrow and back to the onc Monday. Question for the group: Am I misreading or is there some thought on chemo first then surgery?...or for TN is it always surgery then chemo? Thank you for any thoughts.

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  • Luah
    Luah Member Posts: 1,541
    edited October 2011

    denjak: Welcome, sorry you have to be here but you will find lots of support. You will find that some women here did chemo first, and others (probably most) did surgery first. Often chemo is done to shrink a large tumour so a lumpectomy is feasible - this wouldn't apply to you as your tumour is small anyway. Increasingly, some oncs are putting chemo first for TNs because then they can determine is the chemo regime is working (see if tumour is shrinking) and modify if needed; that can be important as chemo is the only systemic treatment we TNs can get. On the other hand, excising the cancer right away can be important too. As with most things in BC, there don't seem to be any hard and fast rules on this, talk to your onc and discuss your options.

    Kymn: Hope you're doing okay after your meeting with the X. 

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited October 2011
    denjak- usually neoadjuvant chemo (before surgery) is done on larger tumors to shrink them prior to lumpectomy. With a 1 cm tumor I suspect you will have adjuvant (after surgery) chemo. It's not a hard and fast rule though, as we are all treated as individual cases.
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  • KSteve
    KSteve Member Posts: 486
    edited October 2011

    Denjak - While my tumor was large, my oncologist explained that chemo first was his preference.  As he said, let's kill any cancer cells that may have travelled before they have a chance to "set up shop" elsewhere in my body.  He also said it's a great way to confirm that this particular chemo was working.  In my case, it completely melted my tumor.  When I had my BMX there were no cancer cells found in the pathology (in the breast or lymph nodes)!  That did a world of good for the mental part of this battle.  Trusting your oncologist is key . . . if you don't have the trust, get another opinion.

    Good luck on your journey!

    Kathy

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  • bak94
    bak94 Member Posts: 1,846
    edited October 2011

    KSteve, that is great you had a complete response! I am hoping for the same thing! Doing my last abraxane right now. Thought I would have some relax time before my surgery, but my doc is ordering a bunch of scans! I knew he would, but it seems like I just went through scanxiety! He wants to do a pet/ct, last one was July 29th and a bone scan, last one was sometime in April or May. Not sure if my surgeon will want another breast mri, just had one 6 weeks ago, plus a chest mri and ct scan. I have to come back next week for Zometa and a pre surgery appointment with bs. He wants a muga scan and a heart workup, not sure what else that is going to include, but my blood pressure and heart rate have been a bit high since the abraxane and avastin.

    denjak, I did chemo first because I had cancer in my internal mammary nodes found by mri. They now don't see any cancer in my last scans, actually last 2 sets of scans.

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  • Paintingmywaythru
    Paintingmywaythru Member Posts: 317
    edited October 2011

    To all.....A woman is like a teabag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water. Eleanor Roosevelt

    And FUBC!

    denjak...I had a Rx of 1cm on May 26th..my course was lumpectomy then chemo TC every 3 weeks for 4 treatments....it varies though as we are all individuals and doctors weigh several factors in making their decisions...I am sorry you are here but these wonderful women are an amazing support and have so much info....you will soon be more of an expert than you ever wanted to be. HAng in there and breathe.

    Ksteve...Love your wonderful story...such great news.

    Sugar 77 ...Congrats to you...celebrate....what a great place to be!!!!

    Heidi...loved the punch line.

    Suze...hope today went well....am free tomorrow afternoon later for lunch if you are up for it... rads at 1:30 in Danvers MGH....

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  • Paintingmywaythru
    Paintingmywaythru Member Posts: 317
    edited October 2011

    Oh...does anyone have info about a metaformin trial?

    I've been trying to look it up without success.

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  • Luah
    Luah Member Posts: 1,541
    edited October 2011

    KSteve: What a great response you had - and what peace of mind to know that!

    Sugar: Congrats on the 2 years!

    Painting: Here is info on the trial. It is a Canadian-led study and I am not sure whether they are recruiting in the U.S. yet or not, I would think so as it's listed. http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01101438

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  • mccrimmon324
    mccrimmon324 Member Posts: 1,076
    edited October 2011
    Luah,
    I'm not sure how to read those but does it say we must be HER2+?
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  • Kymn
    Kymn Member Posts: 999
    edited October 2011

    Morning ladies well meeting with the X was really just a waste of time. Still blaming me for changing with BC .His big suggestion is that I rent the house from him until my kids are done school then we sell it for a profit.....really.....ummm its not your house A hole. I bought it you put nothing into it he is truly delusional and yet I am still sad....go figure

    Have a great weekend all

    Kymn

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