Calling all Stage II Sisters!!!

neecee,

Glad for you that you have some answers and a treatment plan.  What chemo will you be getting?  I am also a IIa, but had a positive node and strongly er/pr+.  I finished chemo 2 weeks ago, no fun, but doable.  I will be starting my tamox in a couple of weeks. 

We will be rooting for you!

NeecEe sounds like your doc is covering all bases. The chemo is not fun but you will Get through it. The percentages are mind boggling aren t they? The sooner you get started the sooner you start kicking cancers sorry azz.

Just stopping by to say hi to stage 2 sisters!  I'm new to this thread though I've wondered around other threads here and there.  My onco type test came back low, so I was fortunate to not have to do chemo.  My heart goes out to those of you who have had to do chemo and rads.  I had BC in both breasts at the same time and had a double MX and a hysterectomy for prevention purposes.  I WAS premenapausal, but not anymore. Instant menapause! Hot Flash City!  LOL!   I've just started Tamoxifen to take for the next five years.

Sendng hugs and well wishes to you all. 

Thank you Jalsmama55 !

I'm so glad I found this website.  It has helped me soooooooooo much! 

HI- what is a Ki67 or ONCO type?? I have not heard of either of those....

 Also, anyone out there who went through treatment whose CA1-25 (I think it is) number went up during chemo?? Mine is ten points higher- went from 39 (normal is under 32, I think), before surgery to 49 now after three chemo treatments. The nurse on my last treatment, Friday the 13th, was freaking me out with reasons why it was going up- such as  my diet (I have gained weight- about five or seven pounds). She told me I have to be in charge of myself and not contribute to the cancer returning! YIKES scared me!

Yizbieta. I think because it was fri 13 the nurse had lost her freaking mind. The last thing you need is someone nagging you about your weight. Almost everyone gained weight during tx. Lucky you can eat and not be hospitalized. Sorry but as someone who has always struggled with weight this makes me ill. Since my tx ended I have lost 20 lbs and am exercising, no sugar, etc. You just get through your treatments. We have a choice of what/whose chair we sit in at tx. Since I did not have a port and am finishing up my herceptin I always wait and opt for the nurse I call the vein whisperer. Libraylil

yizbieta My onc told me I would gain about 8lbs on chemo. I did. Granted I had just lost 8lbs so I only have to lose 8 now that chemo is over to be at my ideal weight.

I know I put on the weight because my activity and exercise level dropped. I started and stopped (current reason is I'm still recovering from shingles) but I know I will lose it again.

What is CA1-25?

I felt that way too Neecee.  Once you know the path, then just go down it.  Good luck Monday.

I was energized to have a game plan in place, and then just execute.  I will tell you that I think my decision to exercise thoughout treatment, and I did this every day, made a major difference in how I felt, and in my recovery.

Good luck.  I found the port very helpful. - Claire

NHSmiles,  I am grateful as well.  Things could have been so much worse for me.  I was stage 2 in one breast and stage1 in the other breast.  The stage 1 breast was a surprise.  I'm thankful I decided to do a double MX or it would have been more serious down the road had it gone on untreated.

Focusing on living is good!!  Somedays that's easy to do, other days it's harder, but its a great focus to have! A good attitude!!  Thanks for joining us here!

My onc said I would gain about 8lbs chemo. Not sure why. I did. Granted I had just lost 8lbs several months before so it wasn't that bad. Still need to lose it though. My exercise hasn't been regular yet. Still keep getting side tracked with other issues (this month it's been shingles). I'll lose it though.

Some women do gain more. I personally think it's from lack of activity and diet. In some cases it's instant chemopause. When on chemo you tend to physically do less because you're just tired. You taste buds can go wonky so you eat what tastes good. 

I was lucky that my taste buds didn't get to weird but I did physically do less. I did go into chemopause but I had already been peri so I already gained my middle aged 8lb spread. Now I need to take it off again. I will do it.

Hi all, I'm new here and it's been great reading all your stories. Just knowing that there are others out there who are going through what I am. My mum had BC but passed away 12 years ago and noone else I know has any association with it, so it can be a bit hard to talk about.

I was just diagnosed 3 weeks ago and still a bit scared by the whole thing. Never thought I would have BC at just 31 with 2 little kids. I hope that I can get to where some of you are in your thinking.

Have had a lumpectomy and SNB, where they found an 8mm cancer and 1 node with 2 deposits. I will be starting chemo in about 2 weeks but like one of you said, am kind of looking forward to this as it's the start to fighting this thing and being on my way to getting better.

Thanks Iago,

Don't know what drugs I will be given yet. The Dr is going to go through all that a few days before I start treatment. I'm guessing that depends on Stage and grade of cancer as to what drugs they will give me. Is that right? Oh and thanks for the link, I will check out the thread.

I was diagnosed on 4/13,had a left breast mastectomy on 5/16, and met with an oncologist today.  I just recently graduated from an MBA program and received a job offer today.  The onco said that I will have 4 treatments of doxorubicin/Cyclophosphamide every other week then tax(?)something once a week for twelve weeks and after that tamoxifen.  If I accept the job I will start July 11th.  When I told the onco this, it seemed that he did not like it but I did ask him if I could start chemo Aug 5th instead of immediately at the same time. 

I don't know what to do.  Should I put off chemo?  will this hurt me? Should I ask the potential employer for a later start date and start after the four rounds of the bad stuff?  I would like to add that this is the job I have wanted.  I would work 4 days a week and could receive my chemo on fridays.

If this is supposed to be adjuvant therapy, why do they treat it so aggressively?

Wendy72 & pejkug3-from what I've been told you have up until 12 weeks to start chemo.  I was under the impression that it had to start at 4 weeks post surgery.  My oncologist assured me that this is not the case, he even said that clinical trials don't take you until 6 weeks and you have up until 12.  I had a lumpectomy 4/19 and it was healing good until the 3 week when I developed a seroma & infection and have been getting that healed up since.  I'm hoping to start next week but I think you have some time.  Personally I want this started ASAP but I understand your situation.

Wendy....I am so sorry.  What absolutely rotten luck!!!

You need to know that AC + T is one kick-butt protocol.  Putting off chemo won't help with the issue that this takes a long recovery period.  I came through this "like no other patient"....major outlier on the positive side.....and I still don't think I could have managed a new job plus this protocol.

Granted, I had more AC than you will be getting, but still would say this is true.

I could have done a job I already knew backwards and forwards, but I couldn't come up a learning curve.  So I continued consulting during treatment, but had to say "no" to a couple of job leads.

Important as your career is, your health has to come first.

So good luck.  I am wondering if you can negotiate anything with your employer.  Or, you may need to pass on this opportunity.  There is also the whole insurance question, but this is a pre-existing condition.  No way to hide the surgery.

What about moving your start date back to radiation?  That is, negotiate a November 1 start?

Good luck.  Again, my take is this one time you can't reasonably expect to do it all.  Surgery and radiation, yes, but not surgery + chemo + radiation.

Please be well. - Claire