Stage IIb and 5+ years out, anyone?

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited April 2013

    Thank you so much to all who chimed in on this post. I NEED to hear this. I passed my one year mark on 3/3/2013. I'm still here! I have a PET scan tomorrow and am scared out of my wits. My sister was stage IIb, ER+, grade 2 and she is 10 years NED!

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  • katarinaketty
    katarinaketty Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2013

    Hi, can someone explain difference between so called micro mets to lymph nodes and other forms of cancer that spread to nodes?

    (I apologise for my bad english, I m from Europe and learned english only in school)

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  • Colt45
    Colt45 Member Posts: 771
    edited July 2013

    Somebody with better knowledge than me will come along, but in the interim, I'll offer this: I think micromets are just a smaller amount of the cancer in a lymph node than a macromet.



    You can have a few cells or a foci under 2mm at it's greatest diameter in a node and I believe that would be called a micromet.

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  • maltomlin
    maltomlin Member Posts: 343
    edited August 2013

    Hi 5 years out with 3  nodes involved. I'm doing great and am working through my bucket list!

    xx

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  • flannelette
    flannelette Member Posts: 984
    edited August 2013

    Hi - 5 yrs out as of July 30 (mx in 2008) and fine, as far as I can tell - well, except for darned arimidex

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  • Colt45
    Colt45 Member Posts: 771
    edited August 2013

    Always love when you check in, Maltomlin!

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  • Colt45
    Colt45 Member Posts: 771
    edited August 2013

    Awesome, Flannelette! You're another beacon of hope.

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  • NatsFan
    NatsFan Member Posts: 3,745
    edited August 2013

    Stage 2b,Grade 3 tumor, with a postive lymph node - 5.5 years later and still going strong.  Ran my first half marathon in April - and I was in no way shape or form a runner before b/c!

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  • Colt45
    Colt45 Member Posts: 771
    edited August 2013

    And, of course, hearing from Mary is ALWAYS good. Way to go, NatsFan!

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  • flannelette
    flannelette Member Posts: 984
    edited August 2013

    just to make COLT feel better - I had a huge tumor (about 8-10 cm) AND a score of 9 out of 9 on the rapid cell division hooliganism scale. (there is a correct name for this - Nottingham or richardson or something)

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  • Colt45
    Colt45 Member Posts: 771
    edited August 2013

    Flannelette:



    Making COLT feel better is always allowed. You are quickly becoming one of my favorites.



    God bless.

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  • claireship1
    claireship1 Member Posts: 7
    edited August 2013

    I am in the process of coming off Aromasin in order to try one of the others, I am 52, getting terrible joint problems. Have you ever managed to acertain whether the pain is actually indicative of damage to your joints?

    I have also had problems with my speech, more in terms of word confusion than actual speaking and my eyesight has deteriorated quite noticeably.

    I am thinking of asking to try Letrozole as the joint problems reported seem to be marginally less on that, my alternative is Anastrozole. The other alternative is back on Tamoxifen which I didnt have many problems with but as I had a grade 3 DCI with 4 positive lymph nodes implicated I feel that I should stick with AI's.

    Any advice about the side effects of these two would be welcome. 

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  • maltomlin
    maltomlin Member Posts: 343
    edited August 2013

    Especially for you Colt 45.

    I'm doing just great. 5 years on, OK I have some s/e but nothing I can't handle. Life is good and I'm thankful for the opportunity to enjoy life again.

    Take care.......you'll get there.

    xx

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  • flannelette
    flannelette Member Posts: 984
    edited August 2013

    well. I can't help it. have to gripe a little, so here it is. will they never leave me alone? no. I had the weensiest tiny granule of something in my lung last summer when they were trying their darndest to find one bc cell hidden somewhere in me (because I had enlarged lymph nodes, stemming from the rash from hell, they had to concede).

    I had every test going, including 6 lymph nodes removed for dissection. nope. nada. then around last Xmas they just HAD to do another CT scan  - or was it an MRI? I've lost track, on my lung again. Nope, the teensy granule had not budged one nano-particle of an inch, causing them to say it's no doubt a scar left over from an old lung infection. Great!

    But, is that not good enough? NO! I just had a friggin call asking me to come in for yet ANOTHER ct scan on my lung, this November. arghhhhhhhhhhhhh! Just when you think you're out of it......whammo, they pull the string. so, my utter conviction that it is just a scar turns to a little bit of doubt, and it takes all I have to not let it wreck my day....sigh..right now I know I should be thankful but there's an overwhelimg urge to just tell them to F* Off while I run away

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  • sam52
    sam52 Member Posts: 950
    edited August 2013

    clairship1......I think you may get appropriate replies if you repost in a forum that deals directly with endocrine therapy (such as Hormonal Therapy- before,during and after; anastrozole side effects etc etc) or put 'aromasin' into search and you should find posts you could add yours to.

    Best to you,

    Sam (in UK too)

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  • NisaVilla
    NisaVilla Member Posts: 574
    edited August 2013

    Flannelette - I agree with Colt. I love reading your posts and you are quickly becoming a favorite as well. Please keep writing and never go away...we need you here.



    Today was my last chemo and I want to be here supporting others in 5 years out! This community has been such a source of strength. Thanks, Nisa

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  • flannelette
    flannelette Member Posts: 984
    edited August 2013

    NisaVille - congrats on your last chemo...whew, turn the page, seems like the heavy duty part is over.....is it rads next? Hey, your dx is practically the same as mine. IMHO rads = piece of cake! Except, perhaps, if you are in the US, you seem to get twice as many as we do in Canada...I think we end up about the same, except I guess they make ours twice as strong & do it less?(15)

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  • JDB53
    JDB53 Member Posts: 166
    edited August 2013

    Flannelette,

    My wife has nodes on her lungs that were there 3 years ago. She went to her pulmonary doctor every three years to watch it and it never budged. She has asthma and they were caused from scarring. Sounds just like you.

     I can only imagine the hoopla thats gonna cause when she goes for her scan. Im gonna have to explain it to them!

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  • tina1997
    tina1997 Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2013

    My dear sisters in survival,

    This is my first post to this board.  I remember how frightened I was when first diagnosed and how I frantically looked for long term survivors to make sure that there actually were some around.  I was diagnosed at age 37 with a 4.5 cm inv. ductal tumor with 8 positive lymph nodes.  I am estrogen +.  I had chemo (AC), a stem cell transplant, radiation, tamoxifan, and arimidex (which I am still taking).  

    I was diagnosed on my oldest son's 6th birthday.  My younger son was 4 at the time.  On Friday, my oldest son celebrates his 22nd birthday!!! I will celebrate my 16th anniversary of being a survivor and still NED.  When I was newly diagnosed, I was introduced to another young survivor who was three years out at the time.  She also had a stem cell transplant because she had 23 positive nodes.  We are still close friends and she is a 19 year survivor and NED.

    We survivors are still out here.  Believe it or not, the longer time goes by, the less you think about it. We get busy with other things and don't come to these boards anymore.  Be strong and know that we are here.

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  • JDB53
    JDB53 Member Posts: 166
    edited August 2013

    WOW AMAZING STORY TINA! Can you tell me about the Stem cell thing, how does that work?

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  • wildrumara
    wildrumara Member Posts: 450
    edited August 2013

    Wow!  That is amazing!   They don't do stem cell transplants anymore for breast cancer, correct?   Just curious, did you have your ovaries removed, or have any sort of ovarian supression since you were diagnosed so young?  

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited August 2013

    ★ ✩ ★ ✩ ★ Today marks 3 years NED for me. ★ ✩ ★ ✩ ★

    No nodes but a really big (6.5cm in totally… 5.5 IDC) HER2+,Er+, Pr+ tumor
    Plans on playing the lottery later today. Wish me luck.

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  • nora_az
    nora_az Member Posts: 720
    edited September 2013

    Congrats to everyone!

    Tuesday marks my 3 year "dreaded cancer diagnosis" date. October 2010 was the actual surgery. 

    Happy to report the past year has been quite blissful other than the stupid anastrozole joint problems. I am scared to death to try anything else because I dont want the cancer to come back. I just turned 50 in June. Had a HUGE birthday party because back when I got this diagnosis I never thought I'd see my 50th. 

    Things are well. I don't get on here too much because to be quite honest I don't thinking about it too often anymore....which is a GOOD thing.

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  • KaseyAnne
    KaseyAnne Member Posts: 23
    edited September 2013

    Well I was not Stage 2, but stage 4.  Seven years ago! Did 6 rounds of FAC, 12 Abraxane and a Stem Cell Transplant at MD Anderson.  Finished with all that in 2007 and have been cancer free since then!

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  • Believe4Life
    Believe4Life Member Posts: 51
    edited September 2013

    Kasey Anne-very encouraging! What have you been on since 2007? Where was your spread? What type? You give me hope... :)

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited September 2013

    Wow KaseyAnne  that is fantastic.

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  • JDB53
    JDB53 Member Posts: 166
    edited September 2013

    Hooray for all of you wonderful ladies!

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  • nora_az
    nora_az Member Posts: 720
    edited September 2013

    Kasey Ann!   How wonderful!  Congrats

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  • Colt45
    Colt45 Member Posts: 771
    edited September 2013

    @Maltomlin:



    Thanks. Having you looking out for my wife and me means a lot.

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  • Girlstrong
    Girlstrong Member Posts: 438
    edited September 2013

    Lago: a big "Congratulations" to you on your 3 year anniversary. This inspires me :)

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