HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - percentage of those who respond to Herceptin

v-ness · 02-24-2010, 12:04 PM

thanks everyone. i actually am a 'half full' person most of the time and i don't know anyone who doesn't dip into the 'half empty' range sometimes, as i did last night. i ended up calling the HERsupport hotline last night and spoke to an oncology nurse. it was the first time in all these months i've called any hotline at all and am glad i did. she helped me understand things better and reassured me that my oncotype DX is specific to the genetics of my tumor and thus the most accurate reading where stats are concerned. a klonopin also helped.

i just hate math and statistics and i have no idea what prompted me to even bring the subject up with my oncologist. i do wish she would have said "in your case, valerie...." but whatever, i had my meltdown and recovered. i usually live like i haven't had cancer since it was removed on september 8 and ironically someone on another support board just wrote me the day before telling me how she admired me for being so positive, unconcerned with recurrence. but we all are at one point or another, particularly when presented with confusing information. it's the nature of the cancer beast. god, when bob had days to live we both still thought positively. we thought he was not only gonna get out of the hospital, but going to beat his cancer. i wouldn't have even had a meltdown if he was here to talk to. i get lonely and don't want to burden my friends or family with my intermittent fears. surely i'm not the only one screaming obscenities from time to time asking what the hell 'god' wants from me.

valerie

v

02-24-2010, 12:04 PM	#12
v-ness Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: western ma Posts: 280	Re: percentage of those who respond to Herceptin thanks everyone. i actually am a 'half full' person most of the time and i don't know anyone who doesn't dip into the 'half empty' range sometimes, as i did last night. i ended up calling the HERsupport hotline last night and spoke to an oncology nurse. it was the first time in all these months i've called any hotline at all and am glad i did. she helped me understand things better and reassured me that my oncotype DX is specific to the genetics of my tumor and thus the most accurate reading where stats are concerned. a klonopin also helped. i just hate math and statistics and i have no idea what prompted me to even bring the subject up with my oncologist. i do wish she would have said "in your case, valerie...." but whatever, i had my meltdown and recovered. i usually live like i haven't had cancer since it was removed on september 8 and ironically someone on another support board just wrote me the day before telling me how she admired me for being so positive, unconcerned with recurrence. but we all are at one point or another, particularly when presented with confusing information. it's the nature of the cancer beast. god, when bob had days to live we both still thought positively. we thought he was not only gonna get out of the hospital, but going to beat his cancer. i wouldn't have even had a meltdown if he was here to talk to. i get lonely and don't want to burden my friends or family with my intermittent fears. surely i'm not the only one screaming obscenities from time to time asking what the hell 'god' wants from me. valerie v __________________ 8/09 - IDC 1.8 cm triple positive, lumpectomy left breast 10/09 began chemo (taxotere & carboplatin) and weekly herceptin. 1/21/10 finished chemo, continued on herceptin every 3 weeks until 10/2010. 2/10 began 7 wks of radiation 6/10 mom dies of primary peritoneal ovarian cancer 8/10 got my last remaining ovary out 10/10 mammogram all clear 3/11 MRI shows 5 'spots' in right breast, largest 1 cm unidentifiable on US needle biopsy proved the largest to be old inflamed cyst -phew! 7/10 switched to Arimidex 8/9 switched to Femara - allergic to arimidex Femara made me lose hair quickly so switched to Aromasin Aromasin made my hair fall out too and the bone pain was too much. back on Tamoxifen 1/2013. blood clot from trains and planes 5/2014 so on coumadin per onco for as long as i am on tamoxifen tamoxifen was supposed to be up with my 5 yrs in may but my boyfriend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer so i am staying on tamoxifen indefinitely because i want some ammo against BC, given the stress. lost my husband in only 10 wks in 2007 to stage 4 esophageal cancer. cancer's screwing with another man i love 2/2016 - 6yrs in remission, off tamoxifen and off coumadin - yay!