Got Cancer? AGAIN????

G - Are you doing the drugs sequentially or the Adriamycin + Cytoxan and then a taxane? Is it dose dense?

NS, I don't know if I was lucky or what, about a week after the first Neulasta shot I had some back pain. The next time I had treatment I was so worried that I did not do the shot right (we did it at home) because I had no pain. The rest of my treatments went like that, really no side effects at all from the Neulasta and it worked so well. My white counts never went down to where I had to postpone a treatment. Plus I stayed pretty healthy during all my treatments. I had one sore throat/cold and that was about it and I had 2 kids in school bringing home all kinds of fun germs.

Newter

edited for grammar & spelling errors

I used Neupogen instead of Neulasta and did pretty well. For about 2 days into the series of injections, I got some hip/lower back/upper femur pain, but ibuprofen took care of it completely. And I, too, had good white counts throughout and never got any colds or infections. It was completely worth it!

Marin

Hi, I was first diagnosed four years ago with bc in my right breast. I now have a recurrence/new primary (onc isn't sure) on the skin of my left breast. Stage 111C.

I am about to start Xeloda for this and am just hoping it works.

love
Sue

G~ Just a trick to try with the neulasta pain....I had a LOT of pain in my long bones in my legs and in my spine. I hated feeling drugged all the time, so when I was not taking pills I would alternate hot and cold packs. The heating pad was as hot as I could stand it for about 15 minutes, and then I would do an ice pack wrapped in a light-weight towel for about 15 minutes. I had a nurse tell me this trick, and it really helped me. The theory is that it somehow "short circuits” the nerves and they quit giving pain impulses for a while.

I also had healing touch and Reiki treatments that helped the bone pain probably more than any other type of pain. It seemed to get rid of the really bad “hot-spots” of pain. I would still have the aches, but the intense pain was much better.

Have you ever taken Neurotinin? It really helps a lot of people with bone pain. I don’t think it is a narcotic (not sure though). Maybe it is something you could take.

Hope you are getting some rest.

Hugs
Deb c

This is kind of long, so I apolgize in advance. I consider myself to be a 24-year survivor but there have been a few bumps in the road over that period of time. Maybe I can give some hope to others who read this.

1983: First dx at age 33. Had never had a mammogram & found the lump myself. I have to rely on my memory for details because, at that time, I just wanted to get the thing out of me and be done with it forever. I had a lumpectomy (a new procedure back then!) and lymph node removal. I don’t remember if any nodes were involved or not. Immediately after surgery I received what was called an interstitial boost of radiation. (Similar to today's mammosite or brachytherapy I think.) That was followed by 30 days of external radiation. I had no chemotherapy and I’m not sure whether or not they even tested for ER/PR pos/neg back then. After finishing rads I went on with my life not really thinking about the possibility of ever having b/c again.

1996: Annual mammo found it this time, in the other breast. 1.1cm IDC with 3 of 19 nodes positive, Stage IIA. Had another lumpectomy, then chemo (A/C), 30 days rads, then more A/C. Okay, I’ve done it twice now so that’s enough, right? Wrong.

2003: Annual mammo found it again, back in the original 1983 breast. 4cm IDC, Stage IIIB. Had a mastectomy with immediate TRAM recon. Chemo with Taxotere. Had final chemo in Feb 2004. Finished, right? Wrong again.

2004: Three months after last Taxotere I noticed some small nodules near the TRAM recon and under my remaining breast. They were about 1cm in size and were dx'd as a cutaneous recurrence. I started taking Xeloda which was very effective for me; it really reduced the nodules a lot. I then had chest-wall radiation along with hyperthermia treatments. Unfortunately the hyperthermia caused a serious burn on my Tram recon so it was discontinued. (The burn took 14 months to heal & was yucky.) Finished rads in Nov 2004 and have been disease free since Jan 2005. I do have a mild case of lymphedema, but that’s another story.

I'm also a triple-negative, and I consider bc to be a chronic condition that I have to deal with. I have follow-up exams every 3 months right now but starting in June it will only be every 6 months. So far, so good! I go to Duke University, which is a wonderful facility, but every time I have to go back it brings back all the memories and reminds me that it could happen again. In my everyday life I don’t think about it that much at all, fortunately.

Trina

Wow, I do not know if so many of us with reoccuring BC is comforting or really scarey! First time was 1992, rt. breast. I had a lumpectomy and radiation. Second occurence was in 1999 rt. breast again. I had a mastectomy w/immediate tram flap reconstruction, and then chemo. I was not put on tamoxifen even though both times I was estrogen positive. I had a hysterectomy in 1983 for lestions, adhesions, and severe endometriosis so I was not really producing estrogen. Plus I have a neuromuscular disease and a neurological disease. I exercise several hours a day to help prevent the progression of these diseases and am prone to blood clots. Third time, December, 2006, left breast. I had a mastectomy and an expander. I am currently taking Arimidex. I should mention all three times my lymph nodes have been clear. I have been lucky that it was caught early. All 3 times invasive ductal carcenoma. I really am not doing well with the medication because it really affects the symptoms of the other diseases ... bone pain, fatique, nerve pain, etc. I am determined to stick with it as long as possible! I am going to be 57 years young on Tuesday and still have alot of living to do! This is my first post so I hope I did this correctly. Love and light, Dianne

Hey g-
Just dropping by with a hug. You hang in there girlfriend. Rest, drink, rest some more. I wish we could help more....

Deb C

Diagnosed October 2004 with IDC Stage IIb. Multi focal, mastectomy, 4 out of 11 nodes positive. TRIPLE NEGATIVE. Had 4 AC followed by 4 Taxol, followed by 25 rads. Finished all treatment end of August 2005.

Early March 2007, no symptoms at all, feeling fantastic and healthy.... I had a nightmare and woke up in a cold sweat.. dreamt that the cancer had come back.. 2 weeks later annual physical with family doctor... bloodwork comes back a bit wonky, slightly elevated liver enzymes... 2 days later scans confirm mets to liver, bone and lung. Had first Carboplatin/Pamidronate treatment on April 17th, next one is May 8th. I am still having lower back pain that won't go away. So afraid that treatment is not working. Will have scans after 2nd treatment. If it comes back with bad news, I don't think I will be able to cope.

I am still in shock and finding it hard to have any hope... I just don't know how to get there. Hope seems a long way off right now.

Dawn that is great news your pet scan came back clear!

I hope the port placement goes smoothly for you.
It probably makes you feel better to see soon you will
know your treatment schedule, that is a kind of relief, isn't it?

I had my bilateral and port put in about 4 wks ago but had complications so it has delayed getting chemo for me but I see my Onc the end of this month and hopefully we can get started.
I'm like you, let's get the show on the road!

It was 16 years ago in my 30's I was dx the first time. I had mast with 7 rounds of CMF. I never lost my hair or got sick at all. I had IDC about 2 cm with negative nodes and was er/pr positive. This last dx was stage 1.. 9mm of IDC and DCIS. I went for lumpectomy, SNB, 4 rounds of TC, rads and now on femara. My last chemo was in late Sept and I still don't have enough hair growth on my head to go topless. This was the worst treatment for me because I don't think I am ever going to look or feel normal again. I'm not bouncing back like I did 16 years ago but then again my body is older and my treatment harsher.

Hi,

Just saw this group, so I'll add my story:
9/2005 IDC stage 1 er/pr-,her2+
had lumpectomy, then mastectomy after margins not clear
4 dose dense AC followed by 1 year Herceptin
had recurrence in dermal lymphatic on last month of Herceptin
am currently during rads followed by scans and will probably do Taxol & Herceptin

- Anna

Pam,
My hair is very fine on top where you can still see my scalp. I never had extremly thick hair before bc but never was it as fine as this..I really shouldn't complain about the
hair issue because we can live without hair but just gets old having to worry with headcoverings all the time. My prayers go out for each and everyone. (((hugs)))