Trouble making a decision

The Dr said in 2 weeks but Im not sure now as I see the onco in 3 weeks they have to make up their mind weather its treatment 1st or surgery I find out Thursday.You know I think I wrote my Her dx  wrong because the Dr did say I would take Tamaxifen after the treatments and because I was Her + and Prog + it was good to have cemo.I didnt get my patholigy report last week @ the last appointment with the BS as I just cried through the whole appointment.I had myself convinced I was just having Radation no more surgery or chemo so I did'nt listen to everything.

  First of all, none us can really tell you what to do.  You have to gather your info, discuss it with your onco. weigh the recommendations and decide what you feel is best for you and hopefully you will make the right decision.  I was diagnosed at age 40 way back in 1990. Cancer research has come a long way since then. My tumor was less than a cm and I really was not even classified as a stage.   I went with a modified radical mastectomy and immediate reconstruction on my surgeon's advise since he felt that way we would be sure to get it all.  I had 19 lymph nodes removed, all of which were negative.  The onco I consulted with felt I did not need chemo and there was some discussion of tamoxifen, but at the time they were still doing trials with it and I was told it would not reduce my odds of recurrence that much and since I was ER+PR+ if it did recur, it could then possibly be used as treatment later.  My cancer was a very slow growing one. I was happy I didn't have to do chemo since I had always heard horrible things about side effects and I didn't want to lose my hair. I went for check ups and passed the magic 5 yr number.  I would guess it was maybe a year or so after than I started having pain in my sternum...complained about this to GP who sent me back to onco and PS and both assured me my cancer had been so small that I was worrying about nothing, maybe had pulled a muscle...and the pain did go away....but it would come back about every 6 months...this went on for maybe a year and  1/2....the last time it did not go away and finally I had a bone scan which revealed cancer in my sternum.....CAT showed cancer to be in my left lung as well as a spot in my liver. This was 1998, 8 years after my initial diagnosis and treatment.  I have been Stage lV for 13 years now and have been very very fortunate in that not only am I still here, but I have been living a pretty normal life and am still able to work.   However, once you get to Stage lV there is no going back and you are always going to be on some form of treatment just to keep the cancer under control. Chemo is not fun, but it is doable. Knowing what I know today, if  had to do it all over again, I would do chemo, would then go on tamoxifen as a preventative and would possibly be cancer free today and able to say I HAD breast cancer, way back in 1990. Again, no one can tell you what to do, but I feel that if there is any way to prevent recurrence, that is the way to go. Unfortunately there are no guarantees with anything. Good luck to you. Marybe

Dexxy,

Please check with your radiation oncologist about taking any supplements or herbs during radiation. Items as simple as Vitamin C supplements can interfere with the effectiveness of the treatment.  I was told a multivitamin was OK, but nothing else.

Since you're ER+ follow through on the tamox,  ER+ cells feed on estrogen and at the very least you need to starve out any that are left behind.

With an intermediate oncotype, you have trade offs to look at.   I've recently seen several folks who went with radiation only have recurrences, so I'm a bit wary of that route right now. 

Do look through the main portion of the sites and make an informed decision.

Take care,

Meg 

I would also say go for chemo. IMHO, the hardest part has been the darned arimidex!

I think you mentioned homeopathic remedies. I think they're perfectly ok as they are not "herbal" - they are pure energetic medicine. I used one at the time of my MX (on consult with a homeopathist) for "cuts, wounds" and I healed in no time - nurses were amazed. Of course, we don't really know if the remedy had any effect, but it made me feel better, like I was more in control. Doing everything I could.

I've found an intersting thing about chemo chemicals. Many are derived from trees. Like Taxotere.Certain trees emit chemicals - they cannot run from enemies, so must produce their own poisons to survive insect attacks etc. My property is surrounded by black walnuts, which secrete juglone, because they have to.In the book The Global Forest, written by a world-renown expert on trees and  a biologist, it say that if a black walnut ball (lime green, smells very pungent) is held in the crook of a child's arm, that will confer him immunity against childhood leukemia. Iam fascinated by this. the same for the "phytochemicals" in veggies & fruits - their defence system - red, blue etc. since they can't run away. so we use them to good effect in our bodies by eating them. Chemo seems extreme, but put in this context, perhaps not so nasty after all? I too found it quite doable.

Best of luck

Arlene

I wish I could help you. An intermediate score would have been my worst nightmare: a high or low one would make the decision for me, I thought. fortunately, I was a 12, and the onc told me that not only would the chemo been of no benefit, it may have hurt me. But an intermediate score -- well, you're only 43, it's a grade 2. I'd do the chemo.

I am sorry about your situation....I too am stage one and 45.  This whole BC threw me for a loop as I am a healthy person - fitness professional too so I eat well and exercise daily.  I never would take aspirin for a headache unless it was super bad!  I had to make a decision on chemo as I was in a gray area.  Some med onc's said no chemo and some said chemo.  I was so confused but I had to make a decision.  I guess my philosophy was chemo is poison, but so is BC.  I already had BC in my body and figured I wanted that poison out more than anything.  I also have a 4 year old son and I wanted to do everything I could possible to rid my body of cancer.  I know there is no guarantee but I decided on chemo.  I did TCx4.  It was not that bad.  I exercised 5 days a week through chemo and did not miss a day.  I was back to teaching aerobics 2 weeks post chemo.  My class did not even know I had BC - I never told them and I was able to keep my hair so I never felt it necessary to discuss it publically with my fitness class.  I wish you luck with your decision.  THere is not just one right answer......there is only the right answer for YOU.  You will wade through this and figure out what is best for you.  Best of luck!

I remember my onc saying - metastases are like thistle down blowing in the wind - they are tiny & invisible and could be carried anywhere. And then he said "stage 4 is incurable". short and to the point. I heard him loud & clear.

Arlene

The way tumor size was explained to me was: When you have a mamogram you are standing up & your breast hangs(and is squished) one way. When you have an MRI, you are laying on your belly with your breast hanging down. When you have an ultrasound, you are lying on your back & your breast spreads differently. I "had" small breasts & my tumors ended up 1.3 & 1.6cm, smaller than any pre-op measurements. Both were believed to be 2-3cm & I was warned they may be found to be larger at the time of post-op biopsy. Or maybe mine shrunk & would have gone away on their own. Wouldn't that of been great.

Dexxy ~ You originally asked "Is there anyone out there that had a similiar diagnosis and did not do chemo".

My diagnosis is pretty darn similiar! Right down to age 43 at diagnosis.  One difference is that I had a bilateral mastectomy..thus avoiding radiation (I had many personal reasons for that decision).  So after the mastectomy....my systemic treatment choices were chemo and/or tamoxifen.  My MO wanted to wait for the oncotype score to make a final recommendation.

My oncotype score came back at 15 and my MO said he thought the chemo would do me more harm than benefit against recurrence in my case.  He thought that Tamoxifen would be the best weapon of choice for me since my tumor was HIGHLY estrogen positive.

That's my story...so far.  Absolutely no regrets.  Could the cancer metastisize and be back some day? Statistically, my chances are very low....but sure it could.  I could also have done chemo and still have it come back.  As you see there are some ladies on here that "threw everything they had at it" but it still came back.  For me... I felt I would sleep best at night NOT doing chemo and avoiding the possible damage it could do to my healthy tissues....but then again... I had the blessing of the MO as well..so that helped.

Best of luck to you in your decision making process.  Being in the "gray zone" is probably the hardest place you can be. Big hug to you!

HI dexxy, Just wanted to chime in here.  I didnt elect to have chemo. I had a 2cm tumor, stage 2a. 5 lymph nodes removed all negative. I saw 3 Oncos' for opinions since I was young at diagnosis (45).  Two said it was up to me, my Onco DX score was 11, one Oncologist said to have it I was young and there are so many surviors now because of chemo and the new Onco score is new. 

I honestly now regret not accepting the additional treatment.  I did have radiation and am now on an AI, however, I am also being watched for something in my lungs. It could be something and it could be nothing.  Next scan will likely give more information. Its a bit scary and I don't wish this on anyone. I wish I had asked folks like those here like you did before I elected not to have it.  Its different hearing advice from others who have gone before us.

Good luck with your decision. I just wanted to let you know I was someone like you and now wish I could turn back time.

Best of luck with your decision, dexxy...and when you decide, I wish you peace with your decision and strength to move forward in your journey!

Why so "half empty" Clyn???

Agree on Stage IV, that's where NED applies.

I am moving forward assuming I am cured.  And that my life will be wonderful henceforward.  I have things to do, places in my career to go, new mountains to climb, both literally and figuratively.

To do anything else would be robbing myself of the precious time I do have on this earth. 

Please don't tell me that I will forever have cancer.  Because I don't believe it.  I have a "history of breast cancer".  Very, very different.

I also have a "history of measles".

Dexxy .. the only difference in our diagnoses is our age.  I had just turned 51 at the time I was diagnosed.

I did not do chemo.  I had a lumpectomy and radiation.

I wish the best in making your decision.

Hugs,

Bren

PS .. A close friend of my was diagnosed at the same time I was ... again, the diagnoses were the same, except she was 48 at the time.  Chemo was recommended because she was under 50.  She turned down the chemo and had surgery and radiation.

I have been following coolBreeze on her blog, and I am just sick and pissed off for her. Ann, if you read this, we are on facebook together. I think I sent you some advice on skin and hair. I really admire you and I hope you go into remission for a long time.xoxxo