TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

I need some advice. Would you PM me if you have any? I'm still taking Herceptin, and Tamoxifen, plus a growing number of supplements. The dentist wants to root canal a tooth because it doesn't feel any cold so he thinks it's dead. I don't have any pain or swelling. Is now the time to have it? Should I wait until I'm done with Herceptin? The biggie is if I do it will the cancer reoccur? I've read that if there is an infection at the root they can never really get it. The tooth is on the same meridian as the breast. Wondering what Chinese medicine would say to do. This is all keeping me up at night.

Hi Ginger, and welcome . . . you've found a great resource. I'm a teacher, too; we can compare notes re: TCHP and teaching full-time.

There are so many wordsmiths, here! (I was an English major, myself. . . )

ElaineTherese I'm sure your MO will explain this to you. Does seem strange. I know they saw 4 areas in my liver before chemo. Scanned again after chemo then 1 and 2 years later. One went away and the others remained stable so convinced they were cysts. Last scan almost 2 years ago.

"concerning" doesn't mean "IS"

Hello! I am triple pos. I need support and info. I have been in a way denying all this. Just going through it and then having brief perioss of trying to deal with it and looking away again. I have had my mastectomy, completed my big chemo and doing herceptn. Part of my issue is that I had a stroke 4 years ago so this is just so much to think of and try to remember. Anyway and I'm trying. I had 2 tumors. One was and the other fast. the large was 3.5. I have headaches all the time but they are worse lately. maybe the herceptin. Also bodyaches. I look forward to all the info and have read lots already

Jen-The clinic where I see my MO and receive my treatments is 85 miles away from where I live. But I work at a medical clinic in the town I live and they would just do my shots there. I ended up not getting the Neupogen on Friday as my wbc was fine. So I decided to hold off. My MO was on vacation so I couldn't ask him if that was ok to wait.

Elainetherese I don't like the way I worded that "confirm mestastasis"I meant prove that it's not mestastasis but I too do not know what a bone scan shows I've never had one..good luck to you as well!!

jumbledbamboo do mention the headaches to your MO (medical oncologist). There is a chance it is from Herceptin. See if they can slow down the infusion to 60 or 90 minutes. It has helped others.
BTW I did similar treatment to you except more nodes removed and BMX. I didn't have node involvement but had a really big tumor (5.5 cm IDC + 1 cm DCIS). August 31st will be 5 years since my surgery (did surgery first). I didn't even get perjeta. There is a good chance you'll be OK. What (ESD) estrogen sucking drug are they putting you on?

JenPam you should not wear a sleeve if you don't have LE except maybe for flying and/or weight lifting but even that is debatable. Granted I do wear when I fly and lift weights on both my LE and my as risk arm. My LE arm had 10 nodes no radiation. My good arm only had 4 nodes removed. Since I did get LE in one arm I do feel I am at a higher risk for the other. Also I have a family predisposition to LE.

Read this: linky

Good morning ladies. Newbies--this is the best thread ever. Really. Everyone reacts differently-despite what the literature says. My plan was to have a bilateral with new perkies in July of '12, chemo and rads finished by no later than Nov '12, and done by the end of the year. I was freaking delusional. But three years later I remain on the right side of dirt. I remind myself of that often.

I had 23 nodes removed on my R side and 8 or 18 on the L. I bought sleeves with the intent to wear when I fly or travel to higher altitudes or when I was supposed to for other reasons. I thought about purchasing a couple of the fancy smancy sleeves. Nope to all. Wore them a few times and quit. So far am good. LE is almost one of the ONLY side-effects I have not had during this windy road.

Working. I worked throughout and am still. The day I had THE mammo, I signed a contract to serve as Dean of Health, and found out about the squalid cesspool of an ex-husband. I was still teaching a couple of nursing theory courses but was able to schedule chemo on days I was not in class or in the myriad meetings I was attending. My building had multiple labs with beds, stretchers, or gurneys-plenty of choices for a nap if needed. And, almost every faculty member had initials behind their name so I could have my port accessed for fluids. I recently resigned as Dean and returned to Nursing Program Director. I can still schedule appointments, IV iron, scans, easily. Students wore masks if they were coughing, sneezing, or whatever. My MO did ban me from health care facilities as a clinical person due to the risk of my being infected. I went to my office with drains after both surgeries. BUT-I knew it was mentally healthier for me to go to work then stay home and mope. That and my German heritage. Everyone should do what is best for them. Just them. Not them and their family. Just them.

Well, I went to see a GI guy Friday because of my continued low blood counts and pervasive anemia. Did not like this guy at all. Will be interviewing another soon. He went through the song and dance of what I should have done--upper, lower, swallow, and almost chew and spit. I-again-reviewed my history and symptoms. He did state he did not think I had gut cancer or anything serious but wanted me to go through the onslaught of testing to prove. I asked about management and he got snippy and snotty "I certainly do not intend to discuss management with you when you will not understand what I am saying until I have to". Hmm. Clearly he did not read my social history. I thanked him for his time and said I would ponder the conversation. Then...l turned into the psych nurse and was able to get him to discuss his personal story-marriage, divorce, children, plans. I learned more about him than he knew about me. I then put on my lab coat and turned to leave. He looked and said "Oh your are medical". I responded-"That makes a difference in your practice". And left. Jerk.

Nausea. I swear by Emend. Expensive but my pharmacist was able to get coupons to decrease my cost from $500 to $50 each cycle. I react to Zofran-the killer headaches. Emend was the best. Also used steroids and lorazapam.

Neupogen versus Neulesta. I had both. Used Claritin starting a couple days before until a couple days after chemo. I do not know if it worked because I used it everytime. I still had joint and bone pain though.

It doesn't matter how you look at this-it is a bitch. Every. Single. Day. This thread helped pull me through the nastiest of days, the women are my dear friends, I can say anything here and not be judged or criticized. I worry about those I have not seen post. Such as PBrain--where is she? This is real. This is family.

Thanks, susan. I always feel better when I read more about you, I wish one of these days I could come see you. I bet we would have a nice time! I do wonder about pbrain too, I hope she shows up soon, just to say hi

Kate...I feel ya! The psychological part has been hard for me too! I also have said many times "I miss my old life" the time when my brain was not filled with all of this all the time. We can do it and you will rally in a few days. I was on this site after my first one asking for support because I was so scared I was never going to feel good again and wondered what would happen next. The ladies talked me through it and even told me what days were the worst. For me it was day 3,4 and 5 and then I started to come around again. Others had said day 3 to 10 were tough. I'm very impressed that youre going to yoga. I don't think I could have after my first one. I did go for a walk this morning and that helped. Hang in there

Elaine, I was told a Pet scan picks up all kinds of stuff that are benign. What does your MO say? The fact that it didn't change at all during chemo mean that it's probably benign? I would think that it would have changed in size if it wasn't. My Mo is going to try and get a Pet approved through insurance due to a cyst on my right ovary and an issue I've had with my hip since about three weeks before the end of chemo. Very frustrating!

Elaine, yes, it can change profile but from what I've read it isn't that often. IF it switched to triple negative, AC-T is a common treatment that is given. It still sounds benign but I understand how stressful it is not to know

I just wish this weird feeling in my hip would go away again. My MO doesn't believe it's cancer related but doesn't know what it is. The Pet is mostly for the cyst on my ovary so we can say 100% that it's benign before I have an ooph next month. I had an X-ray done on my hip in the spring. Everything looked good. It didn't detect any injury either. We both think it's exercise related...after I had sat on the couch for several months during treatment. Not trying to say I sat ALL the time but it was a lot!! 😉 It finally went away after I wasn't able to run for six weeks after my exchange/lift. Then it came back after I sat for a long time in the car for a few vacations that were back to back. It doesn't hurt which makes it even more confusing. Anyone else have an idea of what it could be?

Tomboy--lets meet someplace. Pull in some of the others. I would like that. Much.

The New Normal.

About three weeks after I was diagnosed I was listening to the Dr. Radio (yes I am that person--total geek) oncology show (no longer on) and the guest was about 6 years post dx. The show was on The New Normal-or as she said-you never go back. She talked about taking 5-years to come to the point of actually feeling she was not just Ok but good and accepting of The New Normal. She talked about losing her hair and then how it felt when it grew back and almost feeling resentful of having to "do" her hair. And people asking when she would be the way she used to be and wanting to do great bodily harm. I cried as I listened because first I knew statistically I would be lucky to make it a year and 5-years was forever, and, never. Now I am 3-years and I am not yet at a new normal. But I am on the right side of dirt. My hair fell out 3 times. For some reason I still have chemo curls and can wash and wear. My hairdresser knows I do not want to "do" anything to it that takes time. Time is precious and I am not about my hair. Or my absent lack of breasts. That is me. I do wish my Femera belly would go away though. That is the shallow me.

Love you guys.