HER2/neu-Dx-2005

MaryAnne,  I was DX in 12-20-05 & had MRM on 1-3-06.  So I'm a touch over two yrs out and I'm finally feeling pretty much back to normal which worries me at times.  I have many more good days now then bad...but then I have those days where I look in the mirror and think how quickly my world can be turned upside down again.  I hate when those fears come creepying in. 

Its so nice to have my hair down to my shoulders again. It took so long to get it this way and unfortunetly I know from personal experience how fast that can change.  I pretty much think positive but with ever little pain or ache comes that "ut oh" feeling comes to mind.  I still have that cancer cloud that hangs over my head but its not as bad as it use to be.  But to be honest I hate that its even there!  I take nothing for granted and appreciate each and every day God blesses me with.  BC has stole enough from me so I refuse to let it take anything extra if I can help it. 

I felt so happy to hit my two yr milestone with this her2 cancer...but I just hate the not knowing what tomorrow might bring.  I try to live a little bit in denial at times as we can't change a thing by worrying.  

Its thanks to the women I've met on these boards that made me realize I can make it.  Now that I've made it the two years I just continue to pray I make the third yr too.  I'm so positive at times...and other times I a get a bit down.  It comes and goes.  But it is nice to read these boards and see other women that ARE NED after years and doing well.   Those women keep me going and help me to think positive.  One gal on the Her2 board had her oncologist actually say the "cure" word to her.  She had her2/neu with 7 or so positive nodes and has been cancer free for 6 years.  She was taken back when her onc told her she thinks she is done with all the bc stuff.  I want to be like her.  So I will continue doing what I can to keep IT away...and think positive.  (But it sure isn't easy at times.)

Chelee

Yup....my mind wanders as well. 

I was diagnosed in April of 05 and had surgery in june. So far so good. 

I read all the info about TC being better than AC and of course, I was given AC and a year of herceptin, so I worry that I did not get the right treatment.  

At least I got the herceptin, as that was up in the air to given the tumor was 7mm.

This has been a hard year for me to.  The mind plays tricks for sure.

.

Well gals, just ahad my check up and all is well!  In fact, my doc just switched me from every 3 months to every 6 months!!!  And she still says not one of her stage 1-3 her+ patients who had herceptin has recurred.  Feel like a miracle...

Annaanne 

Hi 05's

I was dx in april 05, had all the chemo and herceptin and rads, stage 2b, no lymphs.  Have not had any scans done, so not sure I'm ned, praying I am.  NO se's life resumed as normal.  Mind does play nasty tricks and i worry about recurrance, choose not to take the AI's, had a full hysterectomy, so just letting god guide my way!!!!!!!

Randi

Hi Stay. 

I'm er/pre neg.  Strongly her pos.  Large tumor and one pos node after neo adjuvant chemo.  9/9.  Ki67 of 90% (that means growth rate off the chart.) 

I had a/c, taxotere plus herceptin (not dd), continued herceptin for one year and rads (including rads to the super clavs).  

All my "prognostic indicators" were "poor".  And I'm fine!!!

Also -- when my onc said that not one of her herceptin gals had relapsed -- to put that in perspective...she doesn't have a huge # of her2 patients, since she's a general onc, but she started giving herceptin off label 8 years ago.  So some of her patients are recurrance free for 8 years! 

Annaanne 

Hey there!! do I count? 12/04?

I am still Ned as far as I know. I hurt (muscle/joint) which I contribute some of it to my reconstruction, weight, menapause. If I do yoga and take Alieve, I feel better.

Yes the fear is still there. Hearing about Alaska Deb spinned me a bit.

But, I am living...man am I living! probably too much for my DH (ie. shopping).

I hope that whatever happens, tykerb and herceptin will have my back.

Janis

Fists up sister!

Diagonosed 10/10/2005, finished herceptin 1/2007.  Stage III.  I was walking down the hall at work about a month ago when I had this sudden profound feeling that it was possible that I was cured of cancer.  Not that I was cured but that it was possible.  I hadn't realized how on some level I was carrying around the weight of cancer even if I wasn't aware of it.

Donna

HI

I am new to this so please bear with me. My 53 yr old sister has invasive ductal. Already had single mastectomy with reconstruction simultaneously.  Preliminary path says -estrogen/+ progesterone and HER2 pos 7.

Has anyone had any readings like this? Still waiting for Oncotype.

What docs are you seeing and where? What treatment?

Thanks

Sherri

Maryanne-

Diagnosed 10/05 stage 3 also.  I have continued to be NED and I am firmly in recurrence denial at all times!!  I figure I worried so much about it for the first 2 years that I just am not going to anymore.  I just had my first 3 month visit with onc and I asked if it hasn't come back by now, what are the chances it will? He said simply "I don't think it's coming back Marge."  Anyway, I know no one knows the answer.  I just keep on going to my appointments and that is all I am going to give cancer these days. Better days for all of us- here, here.  And my thoughts are with the ladies still fighting- cancer is a b%$#*.

My mom was dx Aug 04 (so not quite 2005) with Stage 1 DCIS with .5mm IDC, Her2+, mastectomy, chemo, clear margins, negative nodes.  We lived like the doc said, less than 3% chance of it reoccuring....3 years NED, all scans clear until Sept 07 she was dx with mets to liver and bones.  She is fighting again.  Doing a good job too...she is almost NED again after only 4 months.