Bone mets after 8 years... Should I have done more?

Most of all, remember to breathe. Know that you made the best decisions for your treatment when you were diagnosed. After all, you had an Oncotype of 1! You went through surgery, radiation, and five years of therapy. That is a rigorous treatment regimen. Waiting for the scan and results is hard. You are surrounded by good wishes. 

Jennsmom, I forgot to mention, I too had sciatic pain for months and thought it was age, to much bending, etc.  I think at first we are kind of paranoid and then maybe get too relaxed, but it is what it is.  Don't look back only forward.  Kathy

Jennsmom, you did everything right.  Please don't kick yourself for anything.

Chemo may not have helped at all, particularly if you were strongly ER+.   You could think of it as tamoxifen did the job for 5 years. 

This could be nothing, and it could be mets.  Waiting is indeed the hardest part.  As for living with bone mets, lost of people do for a long long time.  I met a 15 year survivor at a conference last year.  If you look at the Stage IV boards you'll see women celebrating 7 years, 12 years, all sorts.

Can you get yourself out of the house and do something? 

I think one thing to keep in mind is that the oncotype gives a prediction as to whether chemo would have provided benefit. Your low score suggests that there would have been no benefit. 

My interpretation of that is that you'd be probably dealing with this even if you had chemo back in 2006, you know what I mean? 

You really did make the best decision given the information you had at that time. From what you've written, it truly sounds like you really did.  

Also - grade 1 means slower growing cells means less responsive to chemo...  Grade 3 means faster growing cells and more responsive to chemo.  So, chemo really may have made little to no difference in what you are - very unforuntanately - facing now.

Last thing - I'm so sorry that you have to face this. But, as you can see...  there are many here ready to show you kindness and support.

Jennsmom - I just joined today as well.  Bone mets after 11 years.  I went from doctor to doctor trying to get my upper back pain diagnosed for 8 months last year because like you "I just knew it wasn't my back problems this time" and they kept disregarding my opinions that it was deep in the rib area.  Low and behold 8 months later finally get a diagnosis of fractured ribs.  Huh?!!  A quick bone scan and that evening call from my primary doc was not totally unexpected, you know.  We're in it for round two and hope we'll all go as far as we can.  After the first couple weeks things settle down and life goes on, we do what we need to do for life to continue day by day.  What else would we do?  We are strong (most of the time) and need to grab our daily joys a little tighter and more often.  Good luck.  I'll come back if you do.

Karen

Hi jiltandreillt,

I just went through several months of intense thoracic spine pain. I am very, very active and am used to all kinds of aches and pains and injuries but, of course, you always have  BC in the back of your brain. I waited until my scheduled MO visit and she suggested a bone scan. Results were negative and I am off to a physiatrist for examination and PT . My MO also said to make sure to keep her informed on the pain. Reassuring??? Kind of...

I also passed on chemo  ( 3 yes/3 nos) but the no came from one of the best so, I try not to keep bringing that decision back. I only have control over lifestyle issues so, I concentrate on that. It is hard though. They don't make it easy for us. So many unknowns.

Good luck getting to the bottom of your thoracic pain. ((((HUGS)))) to everyone else on this thread.