Mastectomy Sept 2011

I forgot to add that the Aredia infusion was easy and my infusion center is very nice ( as far as these places go). I will be getting a monthly infusion that takes about 90 minutes. I also seem to be having no major se's from Arimidex and I feel sure the exercise really helps with that.

Caryn

Groovygirls - I am sitting in my chair like a SLUG reading your plans for next week - YOU GO !! 

I don't see any marathons in my future - but definitely some ZUMBA!

Our house woes seem to be at bay this week - we have HEAT and HOT WATER !  

I am "on vacation" this week - using up time - but I too am completely swamped at work - making up for 8 weeks out - and it is insane - my deadlines didn't move so everything is due on 1/4.

Trying not to freak out and keep perspective - but some days are harder than others.

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season - and I cannot wait for this year to be behind me - and start 2012.... Of course - I still have my TEs for a few more months and another surgery for the exchange - but I can handle that.

Glad to read everyone is doing pretty well - and always keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers!

Tina 

Groovygirl, I wish my MO had recommended no chemo no rads for IIb and had pushed tamoxifen only as I think I would be far better off now.  I now have persistent chemotherapy-induced fatigue, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, pain and difficulty with my dominant arm from surgery, and STILL have to do tamoxifen.... lots of wishing I had listened to my inner heart and not the statistics my MO scared my DH with.... I don't think the chemo gave me any longevity, and certainly did not do anything except destroy my ability to be active and significantly decreased my quality of life - have not been able to backpack, dance, exercise strenuously since first chemo in Oct. 2010.  And I had recurrence just exactly one year after first diagnosis.  I know chemo works for a lot of people and they don't have long-term SEs, but some of us do, so count your blessings that you are able to live fully and do what you want to do for as long as you can.  The thing is, chemo is always an option in the future if you have progression, so don't be  overly concerned and don't do it unless/until you have to!  Glad to hear you are still hanging in there and going like a mad woman!!!

Groovy - first, so excited for you that you're feeling so well and that you're going to race - I did my first 10K just a few weeks out of treatment for cancer Round I (chemo, rads etc.) and it was the most empowering thing I ever did. I hope you feel the same - what a rush! Second - yes, it's weird to be stage II and not have chemo, but here's the thing - they have been OVERTREATING many breast cancers for years b/c they didn't have a tool like oncotyping . . . so so many women have been saddled w/tough treatments for nothing. I know it feels like you want to do everything you can to fight the BC, but what you're doing is enough, and that's the great news. Go run & celebrate, my friend!

Sarah 

Hi Everyone,

I think I may have forgotten to join this thread. I had my Rt Mast Sept 9 with TE. 17 axillary nodes removed.

I just "graduated" from Pt-when they discovered that my insurance for Pt ran out on the last day I was there. I had been there 8 weeks/going twice week. She was a LE specialist I've heard, but she didn't teach me any MLE massage or much about LE. They just would have me go through my exercizes when I got there and at end of session would massage that pectoral muscle for about 5 min. I've been doing my PT exercizes daily/lately twice day. in the last few weeks they had me add 2 lb weights to routine.

I guess my arm muscles are more tired from small weights, but I'm still having discomfort from that TE-not a lot just feels like a rock is in there. I think this is normal. and its really always felt like this.

I have appoint with LE specialist in feb after chemo is over to teach me some more of the stuff I need to know about LE. Its a hour away. 

Hi Fredntan - welcome - glad you found us! I can't speak to the TE discomfort b/c I got implants straight-away, but there are other women here who've had them/still have them, so hopefully they'll weigh in.

I have a question for you guys, too - anyone still having discomfort from their sentinel node biopsy? My site is achy off and on - really annoying. I don't remember the left side being uncomfortable for this long back in '01 when I had it done - maybe it's having it, combined w/the tissue removal for the mastectomy? 

In any case, I wanted to wish all my breast friends a very happy 2012! I hope this year proves to be much less eventful for us all . . . .

xoxo

Sarah 

Welcome, Fredntan.  I didn't have implants either, so can't help you there.  I hope you have better luck with your LE specialist in February.  The drive will be worth it if that person is better qualified and gives you more one-on-one care and attention, which you deserve.   

Sarah - my SNB is asymptomatic and has been so since oh, I don't know, maybe 10 wks post op?  Maybe you can ask your PT if this is normal for your case - perhaps you had more scar tissue with it?

Caryn, psyched for you to get back to a normal routine!

I'm still recovering from my 2nd reconstruction surgery a week ago Friday - doing better every day!  Man oh man are my hamstrings and pecs tight, though...gently and gradually working on it.  Meeting with 3rd opinion docs on rads 1 wk from today.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Lorraine  

Ladies!!!! I am done with chemo!!!!!Yesterday was my last one... So far did not sleep at all ( hello, emmend), go to get Neulasta today and see my PX about future operation- exchange defective TE, probably in Feb. Also my heart rate is always high, and ECH showed something, so I have to see cardiologist on 17. I wll get Herceptin every 3 weeks till the end of Septenmber.Oncologist wants to give me Tamoxifen too...I am happy for you ladies, all of you are doing good and better..

My love and prayers with u, OLGA

Congrats on being done with Chemo, Olga. My last one was three weeks ago and it is such a relief to be done with that. Now I just want some HAIR!

Congrats to Olga & Momine on finishing chemo!!!

Caryn- I am so glad you are excited to go back to work. There really is a comfort in the normalcy of routine. 

Fredtan - Sorry you have to join us but glad you did.

Congrats to Olga & Momine on the last chemo!  Don't be impatient right now - it may take you longer to feel better than you expect (most people around you expect you to be jumping back into normal stuff after a couple of weeks, but it may take several months or longer, so rest when you need to!).

Olga, the PET scans are not without risk as you get quite a lot of radiation exposure during one, so they don't like to do them routinely, but for baseline or diagnostic.  My MO sort of suggested thinking about monitoring with PET but said it is NOT standard of care (so insurance might not approve payment for it).  The other thing is that since you have also had surgery, there may be some residual tissue response from healing that might give "false positive" and just cause more anxiety.  You have had surgery, done the chemo, and you are going to do the herceptin and tamoxifen, so at this stage, treatment would not be any different even if they DID find something.  So this is just to try to reassure you that the PET scan does not provide all the answers, sometimes misses things, and sometimes finds stuff that isn't really of any consequence, and does expose you to additional radiation.

Caryn, I am so glad you are heading back to work also!  I took a couple of weeks off, but have a very flexible schedule, so it was a bit easier for me to continue working this fall.  I do think I might be feeling a bit stronger and healthier now if I HAD taken time off, especially with all the extra complicatins and set-backs, but emotionally, spiritually, and mentally, I am better off working than not.

Special thanks today for all of you wonderful women who have helped support me through 2011.  And welcome to the newbies here.  May our 2012 be a better year!

Olga,

I have also heard that scans are not routinely done for early stage patients who have undergone tx and have no symptoms to warrant scans. That being said, I did have an MRI and PET after my collapsed lung which turned up my bone met. I had no symptoms and nothing else that would have pointed to mets but I believe, just as with the lung collapse, that I am the exception. Gee, why couldn't I be exceptional in some other area, like a big lottery win ? Don't worry, my friend.

Caryn

Momine, that was my experience with chemo.... the FIRST hair that came back was on the legs!!! Just no justice, is there?   to leg hair and having to shave before the head hair comes back!!!