TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

Thanks Lago for the information.The onc already gave me an order to have the blood test again in Oct so I will see. 

 I have a friend who had BC 17 years ago. She just had a blood test last month in China to check the cancer cells in her blood and the result was negative. I have asked my onc about this test but he seems have no information about this kind of test. Has anyone else know what kind of test it is and where it can be done? I only know it is not a normal blood test. Thanks!

Good luck Arlene. I think that's a pretty good ef. I am thin and athletic and my ef was in the 50's and they kept the herceptin flowing.

GeeWhiz:  I started at 77.6 so that is why I was concerned and it keeps going down.  I was a 1/2 marathon runner before all this and perhaps the lack of exercise is why it is going down.  Hope it is now stablizing.

Life sure changes, doesn't it! 

Thanks Omaz.  I"m doing pretty good post op, so far.  Getting lots of rest, etc.  And  a big congrats to you on your port removal also! 

Lago - I hope you get over your cold quickly.  I took the flu shot last year as well as the H1N1 shot, and I'll be doing it again this year just to help myself be on the safe side.

ArleneA - my EF dropped as well during H.  Not significantly, but a slow decline.  I took CoQ10 while I was on H, and am still taking it.  My onc. was very agreeable with that.

CONGRATS to all getting their port removed!  what a milestone.

Lago  congrats on working  I go back to work in three weeks and although I am a little apprehensive it is a step to getting back to "normal"

Hi all - got my first fill today!  But get this, he filled my newly replaced TE, the poor one that still has the surgical fill from last Nov. got nothing.  He is trying to even me out because he only put a little saline in the TE when he replaced it.  But hey, progress!

cotrinh - I had a complete hysterectomy 10 years ago and even though I may have some bone issues, they can be watched and medicated.  I was 45 when I had that surgery (which was for numerous fibroids, but also revealed a B9 ovarian mass) and I am glad that stuff is out.  I think my ovaries were sputtering anyway because I had a lot of very low estrogen symptoms.  After a month on Femara I am not having any increase in flashes.

Hi ladies- I had a bilateral mastectomy last year, and I have expanders. I will have my silicone next month. I would like to know what was your experience on silicone implants?



Thanks,



Tiki

@dragonfly1 - I just turned 35 July. Not married,didnt freeze eggs because that was the last of my worries when I got DX. I'm ok if I dont have children, theres lots of kids to adopt out there plus I got 5 nephews and 7 nieces. My primary and onc think that it'd be a good idea to remove my ovaries. Before they had chemo drugs, they use to remove ovaries if there was breast cancer. Even with the chemo I hear of recurrence. 

@SpecialK-  I was DX with endemetrosis about 10 yrs ago by my gyno and he had me on the pill continously since, so add the 8 yrs prior to dx, I was on the pill a total of 18 yrs. I never had it scoped or anything so I possibly have lots of fiberous tissue inside of me. My friend had a cyst on her ovaries so when they did surgery they found she had endemetrosis and removed 3 water bottles worth of tissues. Thanks for sharing info it makes me feel better that you've gone thru it and did fine! 

Cotrinh - I am 45 and had a complete laparoscopic  hysterectomy in January this year.  My onc suggested having ovaries removed to keep me from having my period return after chemo.  She said that women who don't get their period back have "better outcomes."  I was done having kids at that point, and had had a bunch of gyn issues over the past 8 years, so I opted to have my uterus removed too.  I am not sorry about it.  It was a very easy surgery and recovery, and I have no issues now.  Watching bone density of course, but so far it's fine.  And I feel good about taking extra steps to protect myself when I can.

If I were 35 I would probably have thought longer and harder about it though.  You are much younger, and the physical risks might outweigh the benefits. 

TonLee - Wow, that is weird!  You will be such a great help to her.   Hi windlass!

Hi all. I'm triple positive plus BRCA2+.  My surgeon/onc say the compelling reason to remove ovaries has to do with BRCA; that without ovaries, you reduce your recurrence chances of BC by 30% (and being BRCA positive without removing ovaries has a 70-80% recurrence rate).   I'm 45 and still have a few years before menopause, but still plan to have ovaries out in the next year (when I'm done with chemo).

Diana 

dianamaps the reason why BRCA+ usually removes ovaries is because you are also at a higher risk for ovarian cancer. I know if I tested positived I would have mine taken out too.

BTW today is my 1 year NED (1 year ago I had my BMX). Also it's been a year since I wore a "real" bra other than the sports bra when exercising. Sorry I didn't post earlier. I'm working a freelance gig this week.

I had round #2 of AC last Thursday (8/25), two more to go.  Then 12 weeks of taxol/taxotere, that begins to overlap with one year of herceptin.  Don't know yet if they'll have taxol available, given the national shortages.  As of today there's not enough taxol here...