TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

Hi, All:

Life seems to go back to normal, I am taking tamoxifen and all SE are manageable so far. I do have a question, periodically my energy will just drain out, sometimes I can only be functional for a couple hours and collapse after that. I would like to know how long does it take to regain the normal energy level after the chemo/radiation/herceptin ordeal?

Thanks

Colleen

Hi,

New to this party:(. My tumor on MRI was 1.2cm and the team is recommending that I have surgery first in order to accurately stage. I'm 47 and I understand the plan so that if my nodes are clear (Mri didn't show anything) if that stays the same, I'll be stage 1a and TH for 3 months vs TCHP for 5. Either case Herceptin for a year. Decided to have BMX, not sure of the recon meet with PS on Tues. Feel like the oddball with surgery first. Nervous

you're welcome Mizzoh! I find this thread very helpful as it doesn't seem there are many of us "triple positives"

Natty I had surgery before chemo...and am almost finished with my year of herceptin.

Natty, I also had surgery first. I was not referred to MO until after surgery. Not sure why that was.

Natty back in 2010 most of us did have surgery first who didn't have any node involvement. Granted they thought there might of been micromets but there wasn't. MRI said my tumor was 6.5cm. Technically it was right but my tumor was only 5.5cm IDC the other 1cm was DCIS. So your tumor could actually be part something non invasive. They stage you on the invasive part only (unless there is no invasive part then you are stage 0).

I saw my MO for the 1st time 2 weeks after my surgery.

But if you would feel more comfortable I would ask to see a MO before you make your decision. Unless they already discussed this as a team.

Trying to understand Triple Positive?? Bad or good?

sorry for being completely naive but just reading through the threads and I'm confused. Does everyone with Triple positive get chemo and Herceptin? I have not been to MO, this is planned for after surgery. The SO says I am stage I with <1cm IDC and another area 6mm of DCIS on pathology, but 4.8 cm on MRI in the area of IDC. I'm trying to ready my mind for whatever I need. I'm planning on Bilateral Mastectomy with reconstruction. Anyone with similar profile or advice?

Natty it was 6 weeks between biopsy and surgery for me. You really shouldn't wait more than 5. Sooner the better. But as you can see I'm fine. Remember that biopsies only take samples. They can't sample everything nor can the tell how much of your tumor is DCIS or IDC. Only after surgery before chemo can they do that. But if you do chemo first you can see how your tumor responds to chemo. I have no idea how my tumor responded to chemo but must of worked because I'm 5.5+ years NED!

Health23 with cancer the glass will seems to be always 1/2 empty AND 1/2 Full! HER2+ means aggressive BUT drugs like Herceptin is great to combat HER2+. There are a few more but depending on the size of your tumor but it sounds like from what you are stating that you might be eligible for Perjeta too. I did not get Perjeta because it wasn't approved for early stage at the time I was getting treated and wasn't eligible to get into a study.

My SO said my tumor was 7cm, MRI showed 6.5cm, surgery it was 5.5cm of IDC with 1cm of DCIS. Even with the MRI you still don't know how much of the 4.8cm is IDC. I did get a bilateral with recon. My other breast had 4 suspicious spots, one my BS was really concerned about. I would have to have them biopsied every year so the recommendation was remove it. Sure enough that one little spot was LCIS making me high risk for a new breast cancer since I already had a diagnosis of cancer in one breast. other spots were cysts.

Thanks, Mizzoh. I should say, though, that everything I know about +++, I learned from this board and its veterans (Special K, lago, etc.).

Natty believe it or not I knew most were cysts. I wanted a bilateral. I have very dense breasts and at that time I was a small 34B. I was already in shock when they told me I had a 6.5-7cm tumor since no one spotted it on the last mammo, and I had a scare 4 years ago in the same spot! The tumor was in the posterior region and my breasts were dense… and the f@*king radiologists were blind at the place that was doing the screening. My BS knew just by looking at mammo (they sent the wrong disk for US) that I had cancer. At the screening place they said "suspicious but not typical!"

So like I said, not big deal of a small amount of cancer in other breast when you have a big on in the other. It was…off with their heads

I used to be a 32a when younger. I too wanted to go a little bigger. Was told a large B or small C. I ended up with a 34D! While they look fine it's a big change for me. I'm still trying to figure out how to dress these girls.

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Hi Special K - a general surgeon who is a friend of mine had suggested that I ask about the PS about that as mine were placed behind the muscle. I certainly hope that can be the case - not that I'm looking to be even the same or bigger but I would definitely go smaller since they will take the tiny amount of breast tissue I have to avoid the additional surgery involved with the TEs. What seems to be the consensus of silicone vs saline? Back when I had my implants placed, they had moved away from silicone and 90% were saline. Have things changed? I haven't researched that aspect yet. Thanks so much for sharing all of your knowledge on these threads - invaluable!!!

Thanks SpecialK - had no idea there were that many options. You have armed me with great information to take to my PS tomorrow - thank you so much for that. I'm intrigued about having something that's softer, I can feel the rippling under my saline implants now and though it doesn't bother me, softer might be nice. But really, I just want to be cancer free and look like myself again. My husband on the other hand might be interested in those 800's - just kidding. Well you have eased my mind about the direct to implant process - I was concerned that there would be too much pulling against the incision (not keeping my nipples). Thank you again!!

Lago - thank you for sharing that. I was reading somewhere on the forum about the gummy bear type not being recommended due to my existing implants - something about the pocket being too big. If I recall Mine are 300s overfilled on one side to 330 and 400 maybe on the other but this new pair I guess will have to take into account the loss of my exisinting breast tissue. So not sure what he'll say about the recon tomorrow a far as sizing goes. It would be lovely if I could stay the same, move them closer together and not be droopy - oh and while I'm asking, brow lift, lipo.... lol. That is so interesting about the temperature. Surely there's a catchy name for that:) I really just hadn't even entertained the possibility of being able to avoid additional surgeries and go straight to an implant so I'm hopeful. I'm strongly considering the silicone - I like the idea of them being softer and maybe feel like they are more integrated with my body. You have really really helped me and I so appreciate you taking your time to talk me through this.

Lago that's awesome! I'm kinda looking forward to going braless on occasion since I won't have any nipples to worry about. After your almost wardrobe malfunction I might get some two sided tape:)

Good Morning ladies, I am new to posting to this group, though I have read a few of the posts in the past weeks, very insightful and I am quite thankful! Some background on me, I had a biopsy and they thought it was only IDC but the surgeon thought that there was more, so insisted on a lumpectomy this all happened on xmas eve , so Jan 8th I did where they found 2 spots, one was 2.5cm ( HER2+) and one that was .7cm ( HER2-). Chemo began Feb 8th. I am on Perjeta and Herceptin in addition to the Taxotere and Carboplatin though it is not approved in my case ( post surgery) but it is the most aggressive way to fight it as there are all grade 3. I had one treatment minus the Perjeta as it makes me rather sick, but I would rather have that then be back in this situation in 3 years from now.