CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2009

    I am so ticked off.  I just posted my introduction, thought "OMG I'm stage II, not stage 1" and left the thread.  THEN I realized "um, yes you were stage 1".

    SO...I'm Peggy, I live in BC, Canada (West Coast) with my wife, two cats and two dogs.  I have two sons (22 and 23) and one beautiful amazing gorgeous sweet granddaughter whom I adore (can you tell?). 

    I was dx'd in early April 2006 so I'm about 3 1/2 years out.  I won't go into my dx because it shows up on the bottom of my posts.

    I like long walks in the rain....oops...wrong forum LOL.

    I'm glad to see you all here and when I'm not feeling so crappy with a sinus infection (wth???  I never get sick) I will post more!

    Hugs

    Peggy

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2009

    Okay...I'm pleading stupid here.  Apparently I was Stage II *rolls eyes thinking one should not post when one is medicated*

    Sorry guys...nice to meet you though!

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  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 345
    edited November 2009

    Hi sisters!

    It was a year ago today I received the news.  My Dr said ' Marlene, I'm sorry, you have breast cancer."  WORDS NO ONE SHOULD HEAR.   Words that turned my world upside down, Words that scared me so much.  But as I sit back today and think back I am truly grateful for each and everyday. In that year I had surgery, (Lumpectomy) chemo, rads and now Tamoxifen.  I cant believe it has been a year.  I have my one year follow-up Dec. ( I can't wait)  I'm still scared I  may hear them words again, but when them feeling start to take over i think about what my Dr said.  He said "Marlene with chemo you will have about a 96% chance your cancer will not come back."  Then I think man them are good figures. Smile 

    I would like to say hello to all my breast sister and wish each and everyone of yous good health and happiness.

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  • o2bhealthy
    o2bhealthy Member Posts: 2,101
    edited November 2009

    Another stage oner here!  Multifocal IDC & DCIS - just had my exchange last Thursday and I am sooooo HAPPY with the new girls!  Shelia thank you for starting this thread!  

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  • MarciaGoudie
    MarciaGoudie Member Posts: 10
    edited November 2009

    WOW! Arimidex $10 a pill. I have Kaiser and I got 90 days supply generic Arimidex for $10..

    I haven't noticed any side effects (I have been taking it for 4 weeks). What should I be looking for? With both knee replalced (12-06) my knees always hurt, but so far nothing else.

    Marcia

    rads #12/30

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  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 25,634
    edited November 2009

    o2bhealthy...Michelle It was a nice surprised to see your avatar and glad you found us.

    I met Michelle when I first joined the July chemo thread, and she was the first one to PM me to welcome to their group.

    marlenet I know every anniversary takes you back to that day. I congratulate you on your first year of what I always looked at as a <Celebration of life>

    Hugs to all

    Smile Sheila

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  • Sue-61
    Sue-61 Member Posts: 599
    edited November 2009

    Marcia, I thought there was no generic Arimidex. Not until another year or two. That is very interesting.......My health insurance has a pharmacy site that I can access and they only offer "the high test" as I call it. Of course my health ins company owns the mail away so that might be why!

    There is a site called ARIMIDEX. I find my SEs are very small. A little hip pain everynow and again but I had that before the dx. 

    Welcome, you will like this site.....Sue

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  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 345
    edited November 2009

    any one here on tamxoifen and have hip pain.   I do. I am not sure if it is the drug or the bed OR both.  I have had problems in the past.  The pain goes away after I start to walk. 

    Thank you Sheila.   how true , Celebration of life !

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  • HES112
    HES112 Member Posts: 29
    edited November 2009
    Hi Everyone...I am also a stage 1, diagnosed in May of 2008 with Er positive and HER positive.  I had lumpectomy with several reexcisions for clean margins.  Had a trial of Taxol and Herceptin dose dense for 12 weeks and then finished with Herceptin every third week for a year. Also finished Rads in February and Herceptin in July.  I am 46 years old and have three daughters and very supportive husband.  I am on Tamoxifen as well and I also have hip pain...Oncologist is sending me for MRI...So funny that every time I ask about a symptom the oncologist looks at me as though she has never heard of it before, but there are so many similar symptoms I have found throughout this forum...HopeSmile
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  • Nicole112
    Nicole112 Member Posts: 327
    edited November 2009

    Hi All,

    Glad I came across this forum! I am a stage 1erish... they called it 1B. (First surgery did not clear margins, had to do partial mastectomy to sealt the deal!) I am through treatments, ontoo maintenance and a few incovenient side effects along the way. NOTHING unmanageable. I am 37 years young, have 2 children, a husband, and all the love and support from family and friends a girl could ask for! With this said, there is nothing like sharing experiences with woman who "get it"... so I look forward to this forum and sharing experiences.

    PS Having a celebration of life party tomorrow, good friends and hubby are taking me in limo to Napa, wine country for a feast and celebration! Friends are flying to town now,can I say, I am blessed!

    xoxo

    To my new sisters!

    Your lopsided friend,

    Nicole

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2009

    HA HA HAAAA...now I feel like a complete idiot.  I AM Stage 1...I really am!!!!!!!  I was questioned by seyla which prompted me to look at my path report.  I've spent the last 3 1/2 years thinking I had IDC when it was DCIS AAAAAAAANNNND...I always thought it was Stage II.

    Is there room here for someone who is so *duh* (I blame it on the tamoxifen)...?

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  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 25,634
    edited November 2009

    HES112....Welcome only few of us with HER+ on the thread.

    Nicole...Happy celebration to you

    and Sige finally everything fell its place, call your friends and tell them your new DX   LOL

    Wink Sheila

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  • Nicole112
    Nicole112 Member Posts: 327
    edited November 2009

    Sige,

    If it makes you feel better, I had never heard of Oncotype score until I got on this website. I asked my dr about it at my next visit and he said we never tested me... is this common or uncommon for early stage bc? Do they only do oncotype at later stages? Confused on this test!... a little irritated my dr's never talked about it... what I recall them saying loud and clear were these three words, INVASIVE, AGGRESSIVE CANCER!... and with that I ran to surgery and the chemo ward!

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  • LoriAnnS
    LoriAnnS Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2009

    hi swim... i am stage 1 and had a mastectomy a year and a half ago. couldn't handle any of the treatments that are available so i am seeing a naturopathic doc and praying every day that this will keep me healthy. I didn't realize that so few stage 1s get mastectomies... i wouldn't have survived chemo and radiation so hopefully the surgery was enough... i guess none  of us really know that for sure though. take care.

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  • nmi
    nmi Member Posts: 180
    edited November 2009

     Nicole,

    They do the ONCOtype test on early stage BC, ER+, to help determine if you need chemo.  If you had an agressive cancer, they already knew you needed chemo and skipped the test, but your doctor should have explained this to you. That's my understanding of this.

    Nancy

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  • crusader1
    crusader1 Member Posts: 1,222
    edited November 2009

    Hi Debbie,

    I had stage 1 BC and had a mastectomy. If they can't get clean margins with a lumpectomy ( had that too) that is standard operating proceedure. One only has radiation with a lumpectomy to get rid of cancer cells around the area or when they find many lymph nodes involved. I had chemo with no involvement due to the oncotype score. A mastectomy is a good option because one knows all cells are gone. ( if no node involvement)

    I do remember the terror in me when I was told I would need a mastectomy. Having had it almost a year ago it is a viable option that one can live it.It is not a drastic measure if it gets rid of your cancer.

    Francine

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  • rgiuff
    rgiuff Member Posts: 1,094
    edited November 2009

    LoriAnn, in case you haven't seen it yet, there is a thread called Natural Girls under the Alternative, Natural and Complementary forum.  Many of the women on Natural Girls are seeing naturopathic docs.   Some of them also refused to take hormonal therapy, chemo, or rads.  Many interesting discussions on that forum.  If I could afford it, I'd maybe give up the tamoxifen and go with a Naturopathic M.D myself.

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  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 25,634
    edited November 2009

    Hi Francine, we practically are neighbors .I had lumpectomy and re-excision but I had all the treatments, sometimes I think about it. Why I had to have chemo. They had no Oncotype test when I was DX or maybe They didn't do it. Maybe because I was HER+? Any sisters here just had lumpectomy and still was given A/C and Taxol. I'm just curious.Thanks.

    WELCOME LoryAnnS

    Sheila

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  • Nadine54
    Nadine54 Member Posts: 230
    edited November 2009

    Hi Ladies:

    Been reading all of the postings and must say I think I found a new home.  I posted earlier and for the life of me can't recall what I posted.  I was to busy reading everyone elses post.  I go on Nov 18th for my 1st 4 month check-up...not sure what to expect on that.  I am worried because a lump was found on my neck which I knew was there.  Question...when does a person generally need there first mamo after the treatments are done?  I had a modified mast and am wondering are they really going to try and squeeze whats left in the mamo vise?

    I really do like the warm and fuzzy feeling I get here. 

    Hugs to everyone,

    Nadine

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  • deborye
    deborye Member Posts: 7,002
    edited November 2009

    A generic Arimidex?? Tell me more♥  I didn't think there was a generic for Arimidex.  I do the Express scrips 90 days.  That saves me some money.

    Sheila, my docs did not do oncotype on me either, kind of makes me nervous, I had two types of cancer but both under 1cm.  IDC 6mm and DCIS 7mm.

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  • OnePetie
    OnePetie Member Posts: 68
    edited November 2009

    Hi LoriAnn. I'm Stage 1 with a mastectomy. In fact,my Onc says I'm so barely Stage 1 that she wishes there was a Stage 0.5 to stick me in. I had a large area of microcalcification core biopsied....came back DCIS, Grade 3. My Onc said she could do a lumpectomy but that she would not feel comfortable unless she removed that whole area. I would then have needed a PS to work on that quadrant...with iffy results. Plus, I had a percentage of reoccurance in this same breast that just wasn't worth going through this twice......so I opted for Mx with immediate MS2 Free Tram reconstruction. AND...no chemo or radiation! I am, indeed, feeling so blessed.

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  • crusader1
    crusader1 Member Posts: 1,222
    edited November 2009

    Hi Ladies,

    I have been told by my oncological nurse practitioner that on January 1st. Arimidex will go generic. This is great for those women who have large prescription costs.

    Seyla,Where are you from ? Westchester County.

    I had chemo due to my  oncotype score(27) even though I was stage One. I felt that I could do all to prevent a recurrence down the road. I have no regrets but also respect each person's decisions regarding their treatment.

    Hugs,

    Francine

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited November 2009

    Stage one here-starting Femara on Monday after 4 rounds of T/C and 28 rads/5 boosts (last one yesterday!!!) Hmmmm, I was told Femara was going to be the 1st of the 3 to go generic.  Amazing how much info is interepted differently by different medical folks who you would think would know!

    Joni

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  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 25,634
    edited November 2009

    Hey Joni, so glad you are here, time passes so quickly isn't it? July chemo thread just started when we started to post there the first time. Memories!

    Good luck with your Femara journey. I'm already on it since march of 2006. No complaints!

    Francine...Yes I am from Westchester County.

    Smile Sheila

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  • MarciaGoudie
    MarciaGoudie Member Posts: 10
    edited November 2009

    wow! going to Napa..

    I live in Vacaville...not far from there. Weather has been nice...have fun.

    Marcia

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  • cakeisgreat
    cakeisgreat Member Posts: 660
    edited November 2009

    Hi, guys!

     My daughter (age 7) has the flu, waaaaa!  Not swine flu.  So $160 later, all my kids get to have Tamiflu to keep them from getting it, and guess who has it now...ME.

    Waaaaa

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  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 345
    edited November 2009

    Joni Congratulations on your last treatment.  You are so right, how things can be interrupted differently by different medical folks. I was told a mastectomy was not necessary. I have faith in my medical team.  My onco score was 25 ( 16% recurrence) So I decided to do chemo.  My onco said he felt comfortable with that because I was 44 when I was Diagnosis. ( one week before my 45th b-day)

    Cakeisgreat, oh no your poor lil one.   Hope she is feeling better.

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  • crusader1
    crusader1 Member Posts: 1,222
    edited November 2009

    Seyla,

    Where in Westchester do you live?

    Going into the city next Saturday to meet with a bunch of ladies from NY whom post on this board. If you are interested scroll down on the board to the heading Get Togethers. If you would like to go maybe we could go together.

    Hugs,

    Francine

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  • deborye
    deborye Member Posts: 7,002
    edited November 2009

    ((((((((((cake))))))))))) hope you feel better soon.

    Congrats  Joni on your last tx.

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  • cakeisgreat
    cakeisgreat Member Posts: 660
    edited November 2009

    Thanks deborye!  I'm going to lay down after making some chicken soup and quiche (moms work is never done!)

    Hope everyone else is feeling well!

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