Thumbs Up from a Doctor

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olduser
olduser Member Posts: 24
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer
Thumbs Up from a Doctor
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  • olduser
    olduser Member Posts: 24
    edited January 2009

    First, thank you to all on this forum and the Stage III forum who have answered my questions and helped calm my fears about my partner, Joyce, and her Stage IIIC, Her2 positive diagnosis. I appreciate your strength and wisdom.

    Second, I thought I'd share something that made me smile today, and hopefully, lend a little encouragement of my own. I took Joyce to her oncologist today for a checkup. She finished her AC round of chemo in December and she will start Taxol with a clinical trial of some Herceptin/Tykerb combination next week.

    I asked the doctor if he knows if the treatment is working so far and he said that it is basically a leap of faith that it is working based on what science shows has worked for others with similar diagnoses. But, he also said given Joyce's age and health that he was very optimistic. Then, he turned and said with a big smile and a thumbs up, "And she's Her2 positive, and that's a good thing."

    I gave Joyce a big high five. I also thought I'd share with you the doc's comment about Her2. You read so much about Her2 tumors being so aggressive. It feels great to hear a doctor say something positive.
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  • Sassa
    Sassa Member Posts: 1,588
    edited January 2009

    When I was being diagnosed, my oncologist said to me,"If you are really lucky, you will be HER2 positive" and then when on to expound on herceptin.

    Of course, at the time, I thought she was nuts for saying having a very aggressive form of cancer would be "lucky," 

    Now I understand.

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  • kimbly
    kimbly Member Posts: 398
    edited January 2009

    lol funny comment yes, my husband said the same thing to be honest and my onc agreed.  Who knew... go herceptin go!

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  • Seven11
    Seven11 Member Posts: 162
    edited October 2010

    Me too all - my doc said... it gives us one more tool for our arsenal.

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  • DianaT
    DianaT Member Posts: 532
    edited January 2009

    yep, my onc said the bad news is that I have breast cancer, the good news is I have Her2+. 

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  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 2,645
    edited January 2009

    My second opinion onc told me that Her2 + breast cancer has the better prognosis now because of the Herceptin. He also said that he has seen very, very few woman come back after taking Herceptin. I agree with sassa, at first I was a wreck with all the stuff about being Her2+, now I see that I am lucky to have this drug available to me.

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  • ejlj
    ejlj Member Posts: 211
    edited January 2009

    thank you so much for starting this thread!  When i was first dx er/pr came back negative and my husband and i were very disappointed, then her-2+ and we were initially excited because we had heard such wonderful things about herceptin and my onc was also hoping for the same thing.  As time has been ticking by, i think i lost track of how the odds of being cured is so much greater thanks to herceptin.  every time i read something related to "her-2", "aggresive" is always right next to it and I think it just wears you down.  Thanks for making me smile!

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  • lisa39
    lisa39 Member Posts: 255
    edited January 2009

    Yes, thanks a bunch for starting this thread!  Ejlj - you are so right - everything I read says something like "her-2 associated with a poor prognosis" and that gets me down.  I wish the literature would catch up with all the recent evidence that Herceptin has really changed things for us HER 2 + gals (and guys).!

     

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited January 2009

    Okay, now y'all are freakin' me out. I'm HER2-.....

    Does it make a difference that I'm not IDC? 

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  • ejlj
    ejlj Member Posts: 211
    edited January 2009
    barbe1958-so sorry if my comments freaked you out.  No cancer is a good cancer to get.  It all pretty much sucks.  I'm thankful for all the treatments that are out there that we can benefit from.  I would never say my cancer is better or worse than yours because there is no way of knowing what it will do.  I've seen women who SHOULD have been cured go on to have mets and women who statistically should have done bad, go on to lead really wonderful lives.  Go figure.  There's just no way of telling how each one of us will do.  I do my best to listen to my medical team and to the wonderful people on this site to help me through this journey!  I wish you well.  Tina
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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited January 2009

    Tina, my cancer is very rare and we are treating it like DCIS which is a very treatable cancer to get rid of - with mastectomy. Still and all, I feel lucky. 

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  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 232
    edited January 2009
    I got a big thumbs up from an oncologist that I went to this week for a 2nd opinion. I've finished all my tx (except AIs), but was seriously considering enrolling in a HER2+ vaccine clinical trial. Last week I brought it up with my treating onc. who basically dismissed it with no explanation other than an exasperated, "you should be focusing on the fact that it was node-negative." So dh and I went to this wonderful doctor who took my history, looked through all my pathology and treatment records and said, "Your prognosis is excellent. You should consider yourself cured. You have a minuscule chance of recurrence." 

    He said the clinical trial wouldn't hurt me, but there was no evidence that it would help me and no guarantee that I would get into the vaccine arm of the trial. He said it was a big commitment for unknown value, and that I don't need it. "Go home and enjoy your daughter and live your life. You're going to live to 113." (We'll be playing that number in the lottery, lol.)

    I think this is a great thread. Whenever I go into panic-mode, I'm going to come back and read this thread. Thanks.
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  • suemed8749
    suemed8749 Member Posts: 1,151
    edited January 2009

    Great thread! Even a year after dx, I still freak out about being Her2+ sometimes. Reading comments like these is so reassuring. I'm with Carolina - when I feel that panic-mode coming upon me, I need to remember to come here and read these comments.

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  • orange1
    orange1 Member Posts: 930
    edited January 2009

    I freak out too.  I'm glad to hear I'm not alone.

    Thanks all you other Her2 posters, you help make this whole thing easier to deal with.

    Jackie 

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  • mmm5
    mmm5 Member Posts: 1,470
    edited February 2009

    This is a great thread, can we please add to it? Lets add all positive feedback we are hearing on the Her2+ and Herceptin, etc! I am on my 12/17 Herceptin treatment and most days am doing ok mentally, but have been suffering much mentally the last 2 weeks. I am scared and can't shake the anxiety. Reading the positive thread help. I will add that both my Radiation Onc, and my reconstruction specialist state with stage one no lymph node involvement they feel a cure is most likely! The Oncologists (1st, 2nd, and 3rd opinion) (all most highly regarded in the SW) state a very high response rate to the Herceptin.

    Lets continue to add the positive feedback we are all hearing until most recent follow up with Stats from Hera trial (long term) can be given.

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  • my2boys
    my2boys Member Posts: 339
    edited February 2009

    When I go for my chemo infusions, the nurses keep reminding me how lucky I am to get the herceptin.  I always smile and tell them that I want to make sure that I get every drop, so if there is any little drops left in the bottom of the bag that I will "take it to go".

    Keep smiling everyone and stay positive. Laughing

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  • pmm10414
    pmm10414 Member Posts: 18
    edited February 2009

    That is what my PA said but so scary new is out there that reading this news is somewhat comforting.  My ONC said progress is being made with AC -- taxol herceptin is next prior to surgury.

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