stage 3a breast cancer survivors

Today it's 4 months since my last chemo. Nov 21st it will be 2 months since my last rads treatment. Hair and energy are coming back. Today there is no cancer. YEAH!!! But is still have the twenty chemo left me with.

Miriar,

The first few months are so hard - the shock of the diagnosis, the horror of the treatments, the fear of recurrence.  But, there truly is light at the end of the tunnel. On Nov. 30, it will be five years since my unilateral mastectomy.  I had a high-grade, 6 cm tumor.  I am also strongly ER and PR positive.  Today, I am doing great - with no signs of cancer anywhere!  Even the strong side effects I had from the Femara have dissipated, and I feel great.  I am thankful for every day - and that I no longer worry about cancer constantly!  I am sorry you are going through this - but there are many amazing survivors out there.  Better days are ahead!

Hi - I will be six years out since DX in Dec. 2005 and I am fine - Other than my messed up body and some chronic pain issues - I am as fat and sassy and doing well. I feel a little bit like it is luck of the draw - and I don't mean to be flippant either. I still worry any time something weird happens but it does get better -I promise. And I am not the poster child for healthy living God knows. My Mom is 86 and she is a 17 year survivor! She was Stage 0 but at least it never came back. Slobir is right - you will get to the point that it is not constantly on your mind  take care - Ellie

Hi

I am 4 years out and doing great.   It does get so much easier to accept and you do feel like you are part of the human race again.   I know when I was first diagonsed, I felt like the world was moving around me at a fast pace and I was standing still.  Once you get past the point of acceptance and determination to be a survivor...the easier it gets.   God bless!

You'll be here Romansma - You have a great smile! Your dx is similar to mine - I know things can happen but I just keep living well, that is the best revenge isn't it???

Hi,

I'm a stage IIIb..I think.  I have been a breast cancer survivor since 2006 however I just became a stage 3 gal in October 2010.  I plan on living at least another 10 years so I thought I would respond with an Anticipated Long Term Survivor or Stage III BC. 

Take care,

Nancy

mariar, it will be 5 years ttomorrow that I was diagnosed with my 9 CM ILC tumor, with 2 out of 16 nodes positive.There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.

I still get the blues sometimes as well . I guess we all do. It comes with the territory.For me it has to do with missing my life BC (before cancer). A loss of innocence.

Hang in there.

Cyndi

3 years 4 months out and doing great!  I had some rough "black" times during chemo, oh how I remember those days.  Time is a great healer and finding friends here really helps!  Hugs sista

SpunkyGirl-  A big thanks for the encouragement.  You most likely already know how important it is to have the support of those who have walked the walk.  Today was another difficult ]day since I was told that I also need  a hysterecomy.  No cancer- just simple to complex hyperplasia without atipia--- but they cannot give me the normal course of treatment of progesterone because my bc was 100% estrogen postive & 90% progesterone positive.  Not to menetion, bc increases your risk of uterine & ovarian cancer.  I can wait until completion of my chemo & rads if I have another D&C between the chemo & rads treatments.  Of course the recommendation may change if there are any cancer cells detected in the d&c.  Ughhh!!!!  Is there no end to this roller-coaster.  I guess not.  Hope all is going well with you.  Love & Hugs to you and all orur sisters  {{{HUGS}}}} 

I read an article testifying that Femara is effective up to stage 2 only! Do consider Arimidex at 1 mg per day!

Take calcium with vitamin D3 and glucosamine with msm and chondroitin to fight bone pain!



Merry Christmas

kheng, will you please post a link to the article you are referring to?

I was dx 7/11/12 and had mastectomy of left breast followed by additional lymphectomy 1 week later because 1 of 4 lymph nodes was positive (it was initially scored neg during surgery), finished chemo in Dec '12 and am currently going into 4th week of 6.5 wks of radiation. Also I started on arimitex a couple weeks ago-probably for the rest of my life.



Initially doctors said no chemo for me and maybe radiation depending on which surgery I qualified for but because my tumor was > 7cm they have given me the full on treatment. I was in perfect health (hahaha) going into this so my physical side affects have been minimal. My biggest complaint has been the bad taste in my mouth through chemo. It's still slightly off. Oh and I have slight case of lymphedema so am wearing compression wrap daily.



As for emotionally I have been in good spirits the whole way but occasionally I realize I am getting the full dose of treatment which is serious business and I wonder if the cancer will metastasize in the future? I don't dwell and the thought passes but I am not in denial either. I have several friends and acquaintanceswho are survivors or near the end or who have died. It's a crap shoot but I strongly believe a positive attitude helps me heal. I fight this all the while continuing to live my life as normal as is possible during this first year of treatment.



I am amazed at the number of women who go through this--before I was "one of them" I didn't realize what a challenging journey this was. I have "handled" it well but that doesn't mean it's been easy. God bless to you all!

MelG:  I like your onc much better than mine, for what she said that death is the least likely outcome.  I wish we could get to that place where that is the "norm" in all cases.  I just welcomed my first grandbaby in December and plan to be around for him for a loooonnnnng time.  ((())) Shelly

Hello Mariar,

Yes, it does get better...

Like Bob above I am also a male breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed young at 49 with Stage IIIb with 6/24 nodes affected. I chose a radical modified mastectomy and did 6 sessions of Chemo with 25 sessions of radiation at the end. I also took Tamoxifen for almost 3 years afterwards. I started Chemo one month after the surgery and was done in December of that year. 

That being said our journeys may differ since I am a male. I was not affected by hair loss or being seen in public with no breast and a huge scar. I tolerated everything well except the Tamoxifen. The Chemo brain was another issue altogether. I found that that took me much longer to recover my short term memory abilities and a sense of clarity. I did not have any issues with Lymphedema either in my affected breast and arm. I do not have alot of feeling in that breast anymore. It will be 6 years since my surgery this coming July. I can say that this is the new normal and it is fine.

My older sister was also diagnosed with the same cancer, same breast but stage I almost two years ago. Both she and I are fine now. We wish you the best of luck and hope you will post again to let us know how you have been doing lately. 

Best wishes

Peter

I was same as you but refused chemo, and i am one year on........lobular is slow growing but lurks, there are lots of stage 3 survivors long term......but after treatment is when we get to do the emotional processing..........good luck