IBC roll call

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tlarnold
tlarnold Member Posts: 24

I have not posted for awhile, but I wanted to say hello to everyone.  I have been working on getting funding for IBC research and have been off this site.  As sorry as I am to see this group become more active, I am glad we are finding each other.   My question since my triple neg IBC dx in the summer of 2007 as been a simple one.   How many of us have this "rare" disease?  I don't think it is all that rare, just under-reported.  One of my plans is to push for a medical incoding number for proper tracking purposes.   We need research and we can't get research if we are not counted.  So How many IBCer are here?

I am Terry, in Texas.  

Comments

  • dogeyed
    dogeyed Member Posts: 884
    edited April 2012

    Missy Terry, I of course am another, GG.  But if you will look down just a short ways in the subjects of this particular topic, the one entitled in caps, "IBC DIAGNOSED," you'll see that more than 400 women have posted there, which is not to say that is a total, but might help you in your coding project.  I happened to have a first-rate cancer center take over my care and my cancer physician is very good, so mine was a clinical diagnosis to start out, which I believe most are, but I don't know all the ins and outs.  But IBC symptoms are actually what sent me to see a doc, which was very rough and hard skin and swelling, cuz while I also had a 5cm+ IDC tumor, I never felt that, altho of course the growth showed up on the mammo they did when I came in.  GG

  • tlarnold
    tlarnold Member Posts: 24
    edited April 2012

    Thanks for replying.  I have seen the IBC dx thread.   But I wanted women to know about my plan to work towards getting a medicial encoding for IBC.   I want them to be in touch with me so we can work together.  Have you seen my map?   www.terrysmap.org    I have met close to 3,000 women since my dx in 2007.  I have over 300 pins on the map and I think that only a faction of the 400 on this site are  on the map.  I am using it as a visual aide.  I am also very invoved with getting funding for IBC research.  

    I Hope you are doing well.  BTW, what is GG?

    Terry

  • ibcmets
    ibcmets Member Posts: 4,286
    edited April 2012

    Hi Terry,

    I've read about you on ibc threads and put my name to be counted on the  map.

    Diagnosed ibc and idc with bone mets from the start in 6/09. I did chemo, BMX/Recon a year later and now on Femara & Zometa for the bones.  I do have more than occasional joint & back pain, but stable for the last 2 years.  I get Pet scans every 6 months.

    Good to see you here.  I still keep in touch with the ibc board.

    Terri

  • mrsnjband
    mrsnjband Member Posts: 1,409
    edited April 2012

    Ibc, tn chick here, still NED.  I recently had my reconstruction 3 years after my BMX.  Doing well so far. NJ 

  • dogeyed
    dogeyed Member Posts: 884
    edited April 2012

    TERRY, my initials are GG, and also my nickname in some circles, but I'm Gail, you see where I'm from by my Avatar info, which my town is the only one by that name, it's in NC, and NED status since my treatments are done and my cancer is gone (as is my boob!).  Thank you for asking how I am doing.  But I reckon I should ask you how you are doing!  Did you have other cancers?  I had three in one breast! 

    As for how I feel, much better after cancer treatments than I did before, much better in attitude and feeling physically sooo well.  However, I am disabled from a car accident, fractured three vertebra, and to this day it hurts and hurts.  Trying to get my neuro to do something with my medicines, on account of it hurts for hours after I get up, the it hurts if I try to do the least little thing like gardening, going to the store is awful and am trying to figure out how to get out of that chore, altho husband picks up slack when I ask.  He has a bad back, too.  And both of us have had cancer, he's a 25-year survivor.  I'm a 1-year survivor.  But other than being in pain all the time, I am a happy soul, albeit a tad melancholy, and crazy about dogs, miss my waist-long hair.  Bye bye!  GG

    HI MRS NJ!  Always good to see you.  Encouraging noticing you're four years out, didn't quite realize it.  You were lovely to me when I first came here, and I think you are sweet to always be there for those who need someone to hold their hand.  GG

  • tlarnold
    tlarnold Member Posts: 24
    edited April 2012

    Ladies, Good to hear from all of you!  I will write more tomorrow as it is almost 4:30 am and I have been working all night!  I am so happy because on Monday my foundation will be funding IBC research and that is so exciting!  I don't think I will sleep much between now and then.

    One reason I stopped writing on this board is that Holly and I were very good friends.   She wrote on this board alot and it was so painful to see her name everywhere.  She was truly one of the best people ever.  She would be so happy about the funding. 

     cheers, 

  • venaba
    venaba Member Posts: 22
    edited April 2012

    Terry, I saw your map. Effective visual I must say, but sad so many of us! My oncologist said it needs it's own classification system because it's just different from breast cancer.



    I have put my name Vena, into your map. I would like to add another, my maternal aunt, Lois. I didn't have the BrACC gene but got IBC anyway. Lois was from Muskogee, OK. She passed away from it in 1995. the doctors had not a clue how to treat it so removed the affected breast. It returned in her lungs and she was gone. The only thing common to us both was that we were married to smokers.

  • tlarnold
    tlarnold Member Posts: 24
    edited May 2012

    Venaba, I am sorry t hear about your aunt. I have meet a few family members with IBC but not many.    I don't know where you live to pin you to the map. Can you message me some details.  Need city, TX.  

    One of the reasons I am doing this is I am using this as a visual aide to try to get that medical incoding we need so much.

    Thanks,

  • venaba
    venaba Member Posts: 22
    edited May 2012

    Sent you a PM Terry.  Have a sweet day!

  • Dutchie
    Dutchie Member Posts: 112
    edited May 2012

    Feel free to add me- Jennie from New Jersey, dx 2008 with IBC. Liver and brain mets. Stable now. Good luck!!

  • darlenetcb
    darlenetcb Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2012

    Dx 10/30/2010, IBC.  First misdiagnosed as infection.  My sister-in-law an RN suspected IBC, and encouraged me to keep insisting

    on more testing.  I was fortunate in that I got a correct diagnosis in 2 weeks.  4 months of chemo.  Surgery.  Radiation.  Mine was estrogen receptive possitive, so I take a pill each day.  I still feel weak much of the time, and this is 19 months out from Dx and a year after finishing radiation therapy.  I am 66 years old.

    Count me.  Darlene in Texas

  • Krissey
    Krissey Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2012

    Hi,  I was also recently diagnosed with IBC and a large tumor so I have to have 4 treatments every 2 week,  so thats 2 months.  and then 12 treatments weekly so thats 3 months.  And then my dx  and then more chemo every 3 weeks, along with radiation.  and take a pill too for the rest of my life.  I was positive for estrogen and something else.  I am done finally with my 4th treatment.  Been sick for most of them.  Feels so tired all the time.  Can't eat, or drink.  I have the poops terrible,  and can't get rid of them.  Dr. has given me shot,  and prescriptions,  I am 62 and still working because I need my health insurance.  I work for a very small company with only 2 employees.  Including me.  My boss has been wonderful about me leaving early,  and going for treatments.  Being tried and having the poops 10 - 15 times a day,  and being dehyraded is rough.  I have went in 2 times for fluids put through my port.  Which does help.   Your story sounds like what mine is going to be,  I hope.   did you have any of these problems during your treatments???  And any suggestions.   

  • tlarnold
    tlarnold Member Posts: 24
    edited June 2012

    Krissey, there is a group of women who have IBC, in a facebook group.  They talk about all this stuff, and share tips. Really nice ladies.  Do you have a facebook?   I could add you to the group and I think they will all have great tips.   I was super tired during chemo and other issues, but not poops.   Where are you being treated?  

  • OneRadBattle
    OneRadBattle Member Posts: 4
    edited July 2012

    Hi tlarnold I would love to have the facebook group name or put  be on it. I am addicted to fb. I was dx with ibc 12/11. Always looking for new groups and people to talk to. Krissey if you are her2 + there is a group called her2support.org which i have got lots of support from also. I just finished chemo in late april and just had my bl mast. and will be starting radiation on july 30. Chemo was the hardest so far. There were days i didn't think i would make it. But now when i think back on it i don't really see it that way.  I know that sounds strange but you just don't dwell on it anymore. Stay strong and you will get thru it. If i can help anyway please let me know. Prayers and hugs

  • dmlenn1
    dmlenn1 Member Posts: 47
    edited July 2012

    Hey Terri!  I am in Charlotte, NC. Right now UNC-Chapel Hill doctors say I am NED. I am so thankful for right now. My doctors are awesome, and I am currently just on Herceptin. If anything shows up on a scan, they plan to look at other options then, but until then, they said no point in pulling out the big guns till we have a target. Hope your project goes well!

  • nancyjac
    nancyjac Member Posts: 120
    edited July 2012

    I have seen many references to IBC being difficult to diagnose but have never understood that reasoning.  There are basically 3 different types of breast cancer....ductal, lobular, and IBC.  If the cancer orginates in a duct, it is ductal, in a lobe, it is lobular, in the skin or underlying tissue but not contained in lobes or ducts, it is IBC.  I can see in cases where orignal diagnosis was Stage IV and the original cancer metastatized from ducts to surrounding tissue, duct, to lobes, etc. that it might be difficult to determine where the cancer originated but it seems to me that would be just as likely to result in over reporting as IBC as it would be under reporting.  In those cases, I'm not sure that it matters what kind of cancer it started out as since treatment would be for metastatic cancer whether it originally started as ductal, lobular, or IBC.  What type of research is needed specifically for IBC that would not be needed for other types of breast cancer?  

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