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07-20-2004, 12:08 AM

Hi...I know I took up a lot of the oxygen around here yesterday. I was really in a tizzy, feeling overwhelmed by so so so much information on this site that may or may not be of any use to me at all....and I was feeling kind of upset and a bit angry, not at anyone here, but just in general. I wish so much that we were 50 years into the future so that our answers could be known....

I don't want to post in profiles of courage for personal reasons. But the short story is that I was diagnosed two years ago this August, multifocal Stage IIb, two positive nodes out of 18 total, er/pr highly positive, her2 highly positive. I was diagnosed following a series of miscarriages. Just goes to show you what happens with hormones. I was 36 at diagnosis. Already had two young children at the time, ages 3 and 5.

Family history - not compelling for breast cancer but very compelling for adenocarcinomas in general (prostate, ovarian, post-menopausal breast cancer, colon cancer), all on dad's side.

OK, treatment: double mastectomies (my choice), with immediate one-step saline reconstruction (i.e., no expanders), four rounds of A/C at three week intervals (there was no dose dense at the time), four rounds of Taxotere plus Herceptin, two of which were spaced out to weekly intervals and two of which were given at three week intervals (I couldn't tolerate the side effects of the weekly taxotere, but little did I know my hair would fall out again on the three-week taxotere).

I continued Herceptin for another year after completing the Taxotere (I received Herceptin off study). I had six weeks of radiation (my choice, again) during that time. During my radiation, I had my ovaries removed to permanently keep me in menopause (I went into menopause immediately after starting A/C).

Immediately after completing radiation, I began taking Arimidex.

I had liposuction to get rid of the menopausal fat deposits on my flanks and front abdomen, and I still have to have my ports removed from my saline implants and have nipples made.

Other than that, I feel great!

07-20-2004, 12:08 AM	#2
lauren Guest Posts: n/a	Hi...I know I took up a lot of the oxygen around here yesterday. I was really in a tizzy, feeling overwhelmed by so so so much information on this site that may or may not be of any use to me at all....and I was feeling kind of upset and a bit angry, not at anyone here, but just in general. I wish so much that we were 50 years into the future so that our answers could be known.... I don't want to post in profiles of courage for personal reasons. But the short story is that I was diagnosed two years ago this August, multifocal Stage IIb, two positive nodes out of 18 total, er/pr highly positive, her2 highly positive. I was diagnosed following a series of miscarriages. Just goes to show you what happens with hormones. I was 36 at diagnosis. Already had two young children at the time, ages 3 and 5. Family history - not compelling for breast cancer but very compelling for adenocarcinomas in general (prostate, ovarian, post-menopausal breast cancer, colon cancer), all on dad's side. OK, treatment: double mastectomies (my choice), with immediate one-step saline reconstruction (i.e., no expanders), four rounds of A/C at three week intervals (there was no dose dense at the time), four rounds of Taxotere plus Herceptin, two of which were spaced out to weekly intervals and two of which were given at three week intervals (I couldn't tolerate the side effects of the weekly taxotere, but little did I know my hair would fall out again on the three-week taxotere). I continued Herceptin for another year after completing the Taxotere (I received Herceptin off study). I had six weeks of radiation (my choice, again) during that time. During my radiation, I had my ovaries removed to permanently keep me in menopause (I went into menopause immediately after starting A/C). Immediately after completing radiation, I began taking Arimidex. I had liposuction to get rid of the menopausal fat deposits on my flanks and front abdomen, and I still have to have my ports removed from my saline implants and have nipples made. Other than that, I feel great!