Stage 111C triple Neg Hers1- Hers2-

rainee87

Hello everyone,

Five years ago my doctor told me that I didn't need to have my mammograms anymore. I'm 52 and my mother had breast cancer so I thought that this was weird but still did the law of the Herd. Biggest mistake of my life!

This July I was diagnosed with stage IIIC breast cancer triple negative. I don't carry the gene.
When they told me I thought you have the wrong lady I'm healthy!!! I just had all of my blood work done in the spring no sign of cancer. I went in to have a mammogram because my new Dr wanted one before I started seeing her. Well, they found something and did a ultrasound and then followed with the biopsy.
I have stage 3 what!!! Mammograms save lives. The radiation is no more than what you get from a microwave or dental x-ray.
I am going through chemo, mastectomy, and 36 radiation treatments.

I have finished up 4 rounds of Adriamycin/ Cytoxan I had this every two weeks and Neulasta. I had many side affect from the chemo and medications given to me.

1.) Day one of Chemo- I felt fine. I was given medication for nausea and Adivan for Nervousness.

2.) Day two- Neulasta injection - I had nausea in am and felt very hot.

3.) Day three- Nausea and a lot of bone pain cause from Neulasta. I started to have a throat thickness start. Like vinegar in my throat.

4.) Nausea, Throat pain, loss of appetite, tightening in my chest. (I have asthma). Tiredness.

5.) Nausea, sores in my mouth and most of the sores came on in week two recovery week.

6.) Rash under my boobs and on tummy. Am Nausea, loss of Appetite,

7.) Am nausea, tired a lot, starting to eat again (food taste like tin. very weird),

The next week was pretty good other than I had sores in my mouth and throat. (I used Chlorahexidine rinses), I was tired but tried to walk my dog everyday. x 2. I would get out of house as much as I could.

I have had really bad constipation with each round. I'm on Miralax and stool softeners 4 a day. (Each time its like the chemo and meds shut down my bowel for up to 1 week to 10 day.) this last chemo I thought that I was going to die from the pain in my stomach due to constipation. (I now have sodium citrate to drink.) I suggest drink 1 whole bottle.

I also lost both of my big toe nails. They started to have a lot of pressure under them for about 1 week so I went to a foot doctor and he had to remove them. I'm just now getting healed up it was very painful..

I went yesterday to the urologist because I do get Kidney stones and I have a whole bunch of them that I'm now scheduled to have surgery to have them removed due to the fact I'm starting to have pain in my Kidney.

I start my Taxol/ Carboplatin on this coming Thursday. I'm nervous to see how this is going to go due to all the side affects that the AC brought on. I have 12 weeks of this every Thur. .

on a good note they say it should be easier than AC...I'm also very nervous to have a surgery and chemo too in the same week. Please pray for me and for God to give me strength and His Grace.

In Dec. I will have a double Mastectomy and then start the Radiation. I have so many feelings about this journey and love to read everyone else's journey.

I have a parathyroid issue That is why I get the stone in my kidney so after all of this I will look at getting my parathroid out and Reconstruction of my breast.

I can't wait to have my health back because up until now I've been so healthy never needing any Meds. Sometimes we take our health for granted and I guess I did just that. I'm 52 and very active. I manage dental clinics and have raised two children and have two grandchildren. My husband is my strength everyday to keep going....I love him so much.....

I can tell you some days can be very dark while going up against this monster called breast cancer. any stage is so lonely..... please keep a health mind and reach out to people whom love you because that is our strength against this awful disease.....

I will continue to share my Journey so that I can help other with the what ifs and all the side affects you can have with the many meds that they are putting into our bodies.

I will pray for each of you in my prayer and please add me to your list...

God Bless,

Teresa

Sunshine89

Helloo Teresa, I am so sorry you are dealing with this shit... i was diagnosed at age of 25 in 2014 (stage 1) and in 2018 (stage 3) reccurance.. 6 months after i got married. So life is not easy for anyone. currently i am doing chemotherapy (AC+T) i already have done surgery. my third infusion of chemo is on this friday. I will complete my chemo in start of january and thn i will have radiotherapy. Most of the time i try to remain positive. But some days are just not good . trying to overcome my fears but still learning

lkc

Hi Teresa.

Sorry you've joined our club. I had a similar experience , being dxed at stage IIIC while being so " healthy".and also losing my mom to BC.

I also did AC and T andalso had a bilateral mastectomy.

That was over 13 yrs ago, and I am blessedly well thankful every day.

The treatment period is no walk in the park, but you will get through it, and eventually it will all be a memory.

Wishing you a gentle ride through this time.

rainee87

Hello everyone,

I haven't been online for a while. I went through surgery for Kidney stones and was in the hospital for a week. I missed one Chemo but made it up. my numbers were to low to have treatment. I had shots and then my number jumped up... I only have 6 more Chemo treatments to go!!! I have had to have the shots to build my WBC each week and have been in a lot of pain with that but getting through.. I see my doctor today and I'm just counting down the treatments. I have double mastectomy scheduled Jan. 10th. scared but ready to get this over so I can heal and then start radiation. I will have reconstruction at end of yr or next year. want healing to take place... Thank you all for your support. I'm so sorry to read all the women who are going through this too. I love to read the positive post and the posts of others that need a lot of love during their journey. I'm here if anyone has any questions or just need to talk. God bless each of you.....

rainee87

Hello everyone,

I'm back Well, chemo was done in Dec. of 2018. I couldn't finish the rest of Chemo due to my body gave up and I swelled up and was not doing well. I did do all treatments but 2. My oncologist said that it would not of made a difference. I did have my double mastectomy on Jan. 10th, 2019. I had expanders put in too. My pathology report was not as good as I had hoped. I still had 5.5 mm if cancer cells in the tumor that was at the 6 o'clock area of my right breast and out of 8 lymph nodes I tested positive to cancer in 4 of them. Darn!!!!! all my margins came back clean and I'm cancer free at this point. since I still tested positive I will be taking 6 months of oral Chemo for clean up and I start radiation in the first part of March. I have 6.5 weeks everyday for 15 mins. then I will start the oral Chemo right after. I'm triple neg. and had stage 3c 9/9. and tested positive after first round of chemo IV and Surgery so we will use Xeloda. This is my insurance policy.... I also was offered to enter into a case study for more chemo treatment at the end of the oral treatment. We are still looking at the at study to see if it will be a fit for me.. I feel really good right now except that the expanders are tight and I still have nerve damage in my right arm. I go to PT everyday and it is getting better. I will write more when I have more news. God Bless you all.

beeline

Hi rainee, I am also stage 3C and was diagnosed while in the best shape of my life. I’m sorry you didn’t get a full response to chemo but glad there are other options. Like you, Iwasn’t able to finish chemo and am now considering a clinical trial. Wishing you luck on your next steps!

rainee87

What did you decide about your treatment. Did you enter into the study if so what one?

Hope you are doing well

Teresa

rainee87

I wanted to give you all an update. I'm now taking the oral Xeloda 2 times a day for 2 weeks then have a week off. I did 3 rounds of this and on the last day of round 3 I had to stop with my dosage and take a little break due to foot and hand syndrome. I developed blisters all over my feet. Very painful. I see my doctor today to start treatment again with a 20% dosage change. I hope this will help because we are going to Europe for a month and don't want any problems when we are on vacation. Keeping thing positive and trying to live rather than think about dying. Life is short so live it up!!!!!!!!

rainee87

Update: Yesterday I picked up my last oral Xeloda RX. I feel so good to see the light but the side affects are real. My guts hurt so bad and my hands and feet hurt. I have no energy and have a lot of pain in my bones. I have been constipated during my treatment so I take meds to help with that. Right now I just want to recover and feel better. I hope that everyone fighting is doing well and if you have any questions please reach out.... Merry Christmas to everyone...

ilovemymom4ever

Ikc hi,

hi what was your chemotherapy combination

rainee87

Hello all,

Boy what a change of events. I was cleared by my oncologist to go live life that was Dec. 12th. I called and had my appt for surgery for the reconstruction of both my breasts. I had surgery on Dec. 18th 2019.

I went in and everything went well. On Sat. I woke up and had pain in my side and thought that I was constipated so I did some laxatives. I felt a little better but the next day I was still in a lot of pain so I went to the hospital. I had scans, ultra sounds and MRI with contrast. I was told that my cancer has spread to my liver 50% and I had 4 tumors on my brain and scull has 3 spots of cancer, my top vertebrae in my back and lower back too. I also have cancer in both hips. I could not breath!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so shocked I had to have a liver biopsy to see if the cancer was the same as my breast triple neg. and it was. I could not believe that this was happening. It was Christmas eve. The oral chemo was not working on my cancer the whole 6 months. I was so mad that they didn't know this until it had spread so bad. I think that I should of had more scans. My Dr. said that I was fine only a few weeks before but I was not fine!!!!! Ladies make sure you are getting screened MRI with contrast or pet. My cancer was not seen on a cat scan.

I went home for Christmas with my family and then went back to the hospital in so much pain on the 27th of Dec. They did more tests pet scan. I was in so much pain in my liver. They put a pain pump in my back that gives me medication for pain. I was in the hospital for weeks. I got out Jan 8th. I started a new chemo that day called Eribulin. 2 weeks of chemo and 1 rest week. is what my treatment is .

I'm stage 4 now so I will be on this for the rest of my life as long as it is working. I also had cyber knife done on my brain. They told me the chemo has killed 2 tumors in my brain so they killed the other 2. Praise God..... I started radiation on hip and lower back a week ago. I have 10 treatments and that will be done for now. I also have a MRI with contrast and a full pet scan on the 16th of March. I have been on the chemo since Jan. and I just know its working.....will find out how much on my liver soon. I don't know what the next plan is after that...

My husband and I did update our wills and I'm getting everything cleaned up so that if somethings happens to me that him and my grown kids will be OK. This is so hard at times but i'm so grateful that I might have some more time to travel and be with my family. I will not let this beat me... God Bless everyone who is fighting this beast....

santabarbarian

rainee, i am so, so sorry to hear your news. What a shock. It must be so hard to wrap your mind around. I am glad that your current treatment is tolerable and working, and that you are able to focus on your family and having more good times with them. .Sending you hugs.

sbelizabeth

Oh, Rainee, I'm so sorry for this turn of events. Just reading your news took my breath away. Sending hugs. SB

rainee87

Hello everyone! I was wondering if anyone else I’d having shortness of breath while and after taking Eribulin? I stopped taking it because it stopped working and my cancer got worse. I start my new chemo Trodelvy on Friday. Has anyone taken this drug? I’m having bad shortness of breath and my pet and mri of chest are clear. Wondering if it is from my last chemo.

santabarbarian

I am not sure about the specific chemo you have taken, but I had very bad shortness of breath from my chemo due to anemia. I was gasping for air just bringing a bag of groceries 20 yards from my car to my kitchen door...

Maryjv

Ditto santabarbarian!!! I alsohad shortness of breath from anemia!!!

rainee87

thank you for your reply. I started having shortness of breath when taking Eribulin

Did yours go away

santabarbarian

Yes, my anemia resolved some months after stopping chemo

rainee87

Good afternoon,

My name is Kevin Wallace my Wife Teresa was battling TNBC she asked me to make this post . Teresa had so many positive things to say about this organization and the wonderful people as she would say the real warriors. We like many did not know how or where this journey would take us. Her disease had some very aggressive progression and like all that battle cancer she would step up and face the challenges directly ensuring she did not give up and in fact cancer would not defeat her. I am sadden to say that Teresa is now with the angles in the heavens. Her blessing of time her on earth was noticed by all and she had such a positive impact on life. Her message was clear live for today and love every minute of it. I would like to thank all those on this network that had conversation or message replys to her . It helped at times when we where lost and confused she felt some comfort in speaking with other warriors. Please keep up the fight cancer will never win.

God Bless

Kevin

Maryjv

I am very sorry for your loss, a loss we all feel 😞❤️ God bless you and your family, will keep you in my thoughts and prayers

Hopeful82014

I am so sorry to learn of Teresa's passing, Kevin. My heart and prayers are with you and your family. Take care.

santabarbarian

Kevin I am very sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you and your family.