I haven't got round to setting out my journey - it seems to have been so much part of my life. It all started out in 1990 with first recurrence in 1996 and from then on seemed every couple of years till I moved to stage IV in 2002 with extensive spread to my bones. Have been through so many chemos and by 2002 I was on xeloda and had to come off that after 2 cycles because of too many se's. Went on to Navelbine which seemed to work (this could be seen by the reduction of the lymph node swellings all around my neck. But at end of chemo they were back
. It was then that they checked out my her2 status and found it to be her2+++ and I went on herceptin. The effect was instant - those lymph nodes all went down - even to the point that I got full movement in my neck back again - I had probs turning side to side. Since 2004 I have been on just herceptin & pamidronate and latterly zometa every 3 weeks. Generally keeping ok but last 3 years problems with a tumour next to my lumbar spine causing nerve pain problems. But given I have clocked up 21 years with bc I am not doing too badly living with it.
asahizuru
xx