Now in 8th Year
 

Hi

This is Gabrielle from "5th Year of Survivial" (down below). Just wanted to check in with you all to let you know I'm now in my 8th year of survival and still, no NED. Keep the faith!

-Gabrielle

Gabrielle,

Congratulations on 8 years!!! Wishing you many more

Always great to hear from you. You give a lot of courage to some. :)
Best of health,
Anne

Gabrielle,

Thanks for sharing! What do you mean no NED? Have you never been NED throughout the 5-8 years?

Eric

Hi,
Congratulations !! Keep going !! Let's make breast cancer a chronic disease that can be managed instead of a life threating one. Let's all live to 90 together !!
ElaineM

Hi, it's me again - Gabrielle. Everytime I come in here, I seem to have to re-register. :)

I'm in my 9th year. I've never had the cancer spread or recur other than being present in 9 of 21 lymph nodes at cancer discovery. I was diagnosed at Stage IIIa in December 1999.

Just amazing. I don't know why I've lived and others haven't. I don't do anything special with diet; I work full time; teach 2 accounting classes part-time and just started my doctorate. I'm grateful I had the herceptin in the 1st year -- grateful I found aggressive doctors.

Anyway, my kids who were 9 and 12 when I found out are now 17 and 20. Four years ago, my husband had heart failure and we almost lost him but he's hanging in there too. We are blessed.

Anyone who's thinking this is a death sentence....don't. Put the cancer in a tiny box; compartmentalize it in your mind; pray for healing; and get on with the business of living.

Hugs and good health to all. See you next year! :)
-Gabrielle

9th year
 

Hi Gabrielle,
Congratulations !! Let's keep going together.
Peace,
ElaineM
(Year 9 - going on 10)

New Member - Herceptin and Fertility
 

Hello everyone. I am so glad I found this forum. I am new to this group. I have been learning quite abit from everyone's posts.

I am 37 years old. Diagnosed with BC (HER2+) in July 2007, just three weeks before my wedding. I finished chemo a month ago and will begin radiation next week. My last MRI and mammo were clean! Therefore a mastectomy was not warranted. Here is my question...

I began Herceptin in November and will continue for one year. My husband and I want to have children. While I was on chemo, I did take Lupron once a month. This is an injection that shuts down an woman's ovaries in order to protect them from the chemo. I am wondering, however, if anyone knows the effects Herceptin has on a woman's fertility. Of course I am concerned. I look forward to hearing people's responses. Thank you! River

New Member - Herceptin and Fertility
 

Hello everyone. I am so glad I found this forum. I am new to this group. I have been learning quite abit from everyone's posts.

I am 37 years old. Diagnosed with BC (HER2+) in July 2007, just three weeks before my wedding. I finished chemo a month ago and will begin radiation next week. My last MRI and mammo were clean! Therefore a mastectomy was not warranted. Here is my question...

I began Herceptin in November and will continue for one year. My husband and I want to have children. While I was on chemo, I did take Lupron once a month. This is an injection that shuts down an woman's ovaries in order to protect them from the chemo. I am wondering, however, if anyone knows the effects Herceptin has on a woman's fertility. Of course I am concerned. I look forward to hearing people's responses. Thank you! River

Ovaries
 

Hi River and others,
I don't know if the drug can prevent pregnancy, but I have a couple suggestions about how to find out.
If the drug is in pill form maybe you can ask the pharmacist where you get it. You can also ask the prescribing doctor. I think that is his or her responsibility to inform you. If it is something you get through an I.V. the I. V. or chemo nurse might know. I wonder if the website for the drug or the drug company's website would have that information? Most drug companies that provide cancer drugs have websites for each drug.
Take care. Hang in there.