Good for 8 years.....and now it's back......and it's everywhere

Hi, arissasmom. I looked back at your earlier posts and saw what a hard time you had with TC and how they may not have given you proper meds to help you. Listen, your stage iv treatment is likely to be easier. It is not going to be TC all over again. Maybe you will start with a hormonal therapy plus a targeted therapy, or a milder chemo, possibly with some targeted radiation. Are you at the same place for treatment now and are you ok with that?

When you get a chance, enter your Diagnosis and treatment “stats" on your profile and make it public so BCO members can see it and give you relevant comments.

arissasmom, I'm so sorry. It's so scary to think you're in the clear and then get hit with a diagnosis of mets. I,too, did chemo the first time but no radiation.

Now I've had palliative radiation and have begun the targeted therapy (sometimes referred to as oral chemo) and a monthly infusion of Zometa to help my bones. Do NOT confuse the word "palliative" with "hospice", like I did. I thought they both meant end of life, and they do not. If/when the docs talk about palliative care, it will be to help your symptoms/pain. Hopefully, you'll start to feel a little better when you have a treatment plan in place.

I agree with the Moderators that you might find it helpful to go to the Stage IV forums and check them out. There are ladies who have had Stave IV mets for more than a few years, and it's reassuring to see that they're still with us.

All the best to you!

Arissasmom. I’m so sorry you’re back here. It’s so hard to face everything again. You’ll find good support here to lift you up. I was diagnosed last Friday, 8 years after the first time as well. I started Arimidex last Monday and Verzenio yesterday. So far, so good. The first time was brutal but so far this is much better than the first time. Please message me if you need to talk about this with someone.

Arissasmom, I just read some of your earlier posts about the horrible experience you had with chemo. WOW! I'm so sorry. No wonder you dread having to face that again. I guess I got off easy with chemo the first time in 2008. I took steroids (don't remember which) the day before, of and after chemo. They also gave me a drug called Aloxi, which was an anti-nausea drug. I had virtually no nausea or pain. On day four or five after chemo, I felt "yucky" , but that was really it. I had Taxotere and Cytoxin. I feel for you and am so sorry you are going through this again.

Let us know how you're doing. This is a wonderful place for support.

See, I really don’t think that arissasmom is necessarilygoing to “go through again” what happened before.

I am so glad your plan is in place. Hoping you tolerate teh combination well and that it kicks back those mets!