Hi, Diana,

The woman who runs the medical supply store where I get my mastectomy bras is a Stage IIIC survivor, and she's seven years out and feeling great! Just keep trudging along...you'll get there, too.

hi, another stage 3 gal. i never dwelled on being stage 3 much, because there's nothing one can do about it. it's better than stage 4, to put it mildly, and at the risk of sounding blunt, there are plenty of stage 1 and 2 women who wind up stage 4. mypoint is: this disease is a sneaky bastard, but there are so many hopeful stories and amazing, amazing women who survive and thrive.

ignore the stats, ignore the numbers. make a health goal for yourself - e.g., i've decided i'm going to be throwing my now 5th grader's college graduation party. when I make that, i'll make another goal.

good luck to you, and congratulations on clearing 3 rounds of chemo! there's great support here - amazing ladies all around.

janyce

Hi Diana!

Welcome to the Stage III sistas! 

I can relate to your request to hear from others with a stage IIIc dx.  To begin with I was just told "locally advanced".  Boy, did that sound nasty and I needed to find others! 

I've been on the boards since Aug of 2009.  Just finding out that I wasn't alone was a tremendous help.  And as I've hit bumps or needed advice, these ladies have been so helpful.  We are quite diversive so it's very likely, when you need help, that you'll find at least one lady who is spot on with the same problem and how she got through it.

My only issue now is finding the right hormonal treatment.  Once I get that figured out my life will be back on track.  I returned to work 13 months ago and this summer my garden looks much, much better than the last 2 summers!

Could you give me more information on where you are in chemo?  I actually did weekly ACT so when you say that you've had your 3rd round I have no idea how many or how often.

Sorry you've had to join us here Diana.  I'm also IIIc, the 28th will be a year out for me and I've finished active tx.  You're feelings are totally normal, we've all been there and I still get that way sometimes.  I'm sorry to say those feelings might never go away but they do get fewer and far between till bc is not on your every thought.  It is an process that takes time.  Chemo is the worse part, so congrats on getting this far with tx.  Rads will be much, much easier and for me my BMX (surgery) was easier than I anticiapated.  I just had my ovaries & flallobian tubes removed 1 month ago and that was a breeze...each step gets easier and easier, for most of us.   Stay strong and come here anytime you need us, we get it.  Hugs and prayers going your way. 

Sorry you had to join us here too .  My name is Beth and I'm 3 years out.  Yes, you're gonna be scared, and THAT'S OK. It's your right to be considering the circumstances.  If you don't mind me asking, did you find the lump on your own?  I found mine that way scratching the right place at the right time so to speak, and at 38.  I'll be 41 in a few weeks.  I hadn't had a chance to get a baseline, and mine was stage 3a, IDC.  But this bastard of a disease, especially the IDC type is the most common AND MOST CURABLE!!!!!!!!!! Those were the exact words the doctor (ob/gyn) said to me over the phone as I heard my horror.

Chemo I had heard was a bitch too, but miraculously I got through my regimen of AC/taxol fine.  Soup could handle queasiness, and I WAS AT WORK DAY OF CHEMO!!! GO FIGURE!!!  Rads were the bitch for me --skin broke down, peeled, faster than it healed.  Get Aquaphor for rads if you're going through with them.  It's a vaseline based ointment sold in drugstores over the counter.  It cools your skin the same way an ointment would if you laid in the sun, cause basically when you get radiated, you're getting a sunburn.  Good luck and God Bless.  Keep us posted of progress

Welcome Diana.  It looks like we are almost dx twins.  I'm 3c, and also found my lump five months after a clean mammo.  You probably have dense breasts like me and were never told that mammos were not effective for you.  There are whole other threads devoted to the topic.  I can't look back but I do talk to many other women about the dangers of assuming mammos work for dense breasts.

My favorite thread on this board is the 5 years out checking in posted at the top of the page.  You'll find many stage III women who are doing well and surviving this extremely scary dx.  You'll have days where it will probably hit you like truck.  The wonderful ladies on this board have helped me through a few meltdowns.  Don't keep those dark thoughts inside.  You'll feel so much better once you talk about it with women who truly understand.

Chemo is tough but doable.  One of the benefits of being Stage III is there is no question about the amount of treatment you'll receive.  You'll be hit hard.  When it comes time for TAxol ask you onc how often you'll receive it, weekly vs biweekly.  The weekly dose is gentler on the body and is just as effective.

You've come to the right place for support and information.  Stage III is a very different place to be, and we all understand each other.

Hi Diana, Glad you found us. I am " out" 6 yrs from a stage IIIC, and all is blessedly well.

The initial days are scary, but with time it wil get better. Come here often for support and wonderful, accurate information. Try to stay positive and keep in mind they bring out the "big guns" for us stage IIIers and that is actually a good thing  when dealing with this disease.

There are alot of us out there and soon you'll be on the other side too!

Diana - you must doing well with your chemo if you are still working.  Taxol will be so easy compared to AC.  Be sure and ask your onc about Zometa.  Many of us on the Stage III board are using it to hopefully prevent reoccurance(although the studies aren't conclusive yet) and you may need to be proactive with your onc to receive it.

It will be 2 years since dx next month and I just saw my onc and I'm doing well.  You will get your health back too.  I would caution you not to spend time with Dr. Google or ask about your prognosis unless you want to hear some scary statistics based on old data.  When I realized I was Stage III prior to my first visit with my onc, I very clearly stated to her that I realized my situation was serious and I did not want to discuss my prognosis.  I only wanted to talk about treatment.  I had cancer in an internal mammary node plus loads of lymph nodes and vascular invasion.  Not a good situation, but there are women on this board that are surviving worse dx than mine! 

Hi Diana!

Another Stage 3c!! I too had positve axillary and internal mammary nodes. I just had my 3 year anniversary in June and am doing GREAT. Feel free to PM me!!!

Jackie

<chuckle>

 I think Stephanie said a lot in her post!  I enjoyed it!

 Diana -

Thanks for the clarification.  Like Clarice mentioned, I'm glad that you have been able to work up to this point!  But if it's time to get away then do it!  I started chemo Aug 21 (my B-day!) and finally quit work at Christmas.  It became such a struggle and I finally realized I was working 2 jobs.  But the cancer job was more important.  Went back for a few weeks after chemo and before my double mast and then have been back since last June.

I probably should have stayed away longer but there was a tragedy at work that compelled me to be there for my coworkers.  I started all this when I was 50 and it's been such a shock.  Went from healthy, no meds to daily meds and various issues.  Probably would have been better off if I had stayed away from work longer.

But I'm determined to thrive everyday!