Another "new" comer

[Linda_M]

Hi everyone,
I've been looking all over this site and have discovered an incredible amount of very wise and intellegent women!
I really liked the thread on what everyone does - quite the diverse group.

I was diagnosed (is the ancroymn dx?) in 2000 with 2 DCIS and 1 invasive tumour. I was told that it was 100% Her2/neu positive. I went through 4 horrific bouts of AC chemo from which I was hospitalized for the last two. I also went through a total of 30 radiation treatments, the last five were boosts.

At the time of this I was a single mother to my then 10 year old son. My husband passed away from brain cancer 15 years ago. I had no family around to help me go through this journey except for a very short visit from my mother who lived far away.

I was only on Tamoxifin for six months. I took myself off due to side effects. I haven't taken anything else for 5 1/2 years.

It's always on my mind that it will come back. How does one get over that?????

Sorry for the long post.

[tousled1]

Linda,

So sorry that you had to go through all your treatments alone. I know what that's like. As for getting over the fear that your cancer will recurr, I don't think you ever get over that fear. I am not even NED for a year and find myself worrying about it. I think it is perfectly normal to worry about it. Just don't let it consume you. I'm assuming from your post that you have not taken Herceptin -is that correct?

[Adriana Mangus]

I was NED for almost 10 years, I never tought about it and have no regrets about not getting scans, blood tests,etc. No one knows why cancer comes back. Some of us will died from the disease, some will make it. Do not waste time thinking about it, eat in moderation, avoid stress. More than anything else enjoy life while you are strong and healthy. Do not be a stranger....Visit us whenever you can.

[Linda_M]

Thank you for your replies.

The doctor did not prescribe Herceptin for me. There was little known about it six years ago. I also have Hep C which compounds my stress and a teenager who takes all his anger out on me.

I try to be happy but I find myself always thinking about cancer reoccurring and my other health issues. I've sought out help through dr.'s and meds but I hated the meds and the dr.'s just don't seem to work for me.

Sorry for all the venting being new to this site. I'm just at a low time right now, I guess it's from Christmas which always adds stress.

Could you please tell me what the acronym NED means? I need to know the "lingo" :-)

Thanks again

[Adriana Mangus]

NED No Evidence of Disease. I have been on Paxil for awhile and it does help, you may wanto to check with your doctor. This type of antidepresant is a non-habit forming...I feel really good, it was initially prescribed due to fibromyalgia but now that am dealing with this recurrence it has help me a lot...Take care..Write anytime you want...

[Adriana Mangus]

NED No Evidence of Disease. I have been on Paxil for awhile and it does help, you may wanto to check with your doctor. This type of antidepresant is a non-habit forming...I feel really good, it was initially prescribed due to fibromyalgia but now that am dealing with this recurrence it has help me a lot...Take care..Write anytime you want...

[Linda_M]

Hi again Adriana,
I did try Paxil and felt like I was in a complete fog. I recently tried Prozac but on that I just didn't feel...........I didn't feel happy, sad, just nothing.

I looked at some of your previous posts and understand that you were NED for 10 years! Did your doctor confirm if that was a reocurrence or was it "just" another type of cancer that hit you?

Seeing all the strength on this site from so many women that have gone through more than me helps me to realize that if it comes back there are new medicines that can help me get through it again.

Thanks for you love and understanding

Linda

[Smiley]

I know how hard it is but one of the things I'm learning is that we still get "regular" illnesses and to not be terrifed by every symptom. I began having a lot of pain in my upper arm (same side as lumpectomy and lymph node removal). After visits to oncol., neurologist ( I also have MS) my family doc diagnoed an inflamed ligament in my shoulder. The pain in my arm was called "referred pain". All i needed was heat and Motrin!. Best of luck.
Smiley

[Bev]

Linda,

Maybe you've dodged the bullet. 5 years is a very good thing. Who knows? If you want to be proactive, you could try Herceptin or the AI's if you're post- meno to boost chances, as ER+ have a little uptick in recurrences at 10 or so years.

Use the search button in purple bar above. Maybe search prognosis or ER+ prognosis or go into the Articles of Interest page. There have been a lot of prognosis studies reprinted here. Your odds are at 5 years out are pretty good.

Generic Zoloft takes the edge off sans fog.

Yes dx is diagnosis. Tx is treatment. C/x is chest x-ray.

Sorry you've had to do it alone. Try to think positive most of the time. We all have worries some of the time. BB

[Linda_M]

Thanks for the info Bev, l liked your wording


as ER+ have a little uptick in recurrences at 10 or so years.



Even though it's not good news - I found the lingo cute. Uptick......never heard that one before!

You made me smile today and that makes today a good day!!

[gin-tx]

Dear Linda,

I think we are all in the same boat, since I had BC in 1995 with a recurrence in 2006 that was much more aggressive. I kept up all physicals, mammograms, etc. I had no idea after over 10 yrs it would come back, try to take one day at a time and keep a positive attitude which I'm sure you do. As long as you're following up on all your medical visits, etc. that's about all you can do and try not to worry. I'm getting Herceptin & Aridia now but had no chemo last time, only radiation. That was the normal course of treatment unless I had had positive lymph nodes which I did not the first time. Good luck to you and keep in touch as to your progress.

ginkott1@aol.com

[Linda_M]

Hi Gin-tx,

Was your reoccurrance breast cancer again or somewhere else? After 10 years of NED I would not have thought it would come back either. Why no chemo? Also I heard that you can only receive radiation once - do you know if that's true?

Linda

PS: thanks for your kind words