just tested positive her2 and 7/14 nodes pos!!

Hi there i am new to this board, i was diagnosed with multifocal breast cancer (IDC) in August last year, i have since undergone 4 x FEC and 4 x Taxotere, i was not brave enough to speak to my oncologist about my path report at the time of surgery so i asked him yesterday on my last day of chemo and i was so saddened to hear i had 7/14 nodes positive and am her2 positive er- pr+, he wants to use Tamoxifen because of the pr status and also Zolodex to put my ovaries to sleep, he has also asked if i will enter the Hera trial to see if giving Herceptin in early bc will benefit, this has freaked my out as i was hoping to have reconstruction and i dont know if this will effect my chances of that, also ill have to keep my hickman line in for however long i get accepted, if i get that arm of the trial...i am so scared i thought i was dealing with having bc but to be told this is like being diagnosed over again...please somebody tell me what the reality is of being hera2 positive and also the amount of lymph nodes involved, is there any long term survivors and more importantly is this cured atall????? i have a young son i am 31 and live in London, please help me before i go mad....
Love to all
Nikki my email is nikkilc2000@yahoo.couk

Nikki,
There ARE many long term survivors who are living long and well with Her2 positive breast cancer. It's not known if Her2+ cancer can be cured, hopefully the HERA trial and others will establish whether or not Herceptin is a cure. I didn't receive Herceptin until after recurrence, but since Aug.2001 have had No Evidence of Disease. There are others who frequent this site who have been free of disease even longer, maybe you've read some of their posts. Also, go to the home page, then the Index, to find the Stories page. Lots of hope there!
Finally, take a deep breath and let it out slowly. You are not doomed, you can survive.
Hugs,
Lolly

Hello,

Sorry that you've had to come here...but you sure will find a lot of help. My partner Rachel was diagnosed just over a year ago with her2+ disease and we tried really hard to get her into the Canadian branch of the HERA trial. We're in the U.S. though, and their ethics board said no. Which is just my long way of saying you should try to get in the trial: since failing to get in the trial, Rachel found a doctor to give her herceptin outside of a trial. After chemo, herceptin has proven, so far, to be a breeze.

Hope you and your little one are o.k. tonight.

Best,
Jeff

Hi Nikki, don't get too disheartened, I was diagnosed in 1998 with 16 out of 16 all positive with a aggresive cancer and not responsive to hormones. I have been having treatment ever since chemo and radiation, and survived a severe heart problem in October last, under active thyroid, and now being treated for a positive node in the right side of neck, I had 15 doses of radiation for that, and all while nursing a fractured shoulder since January last year, so they say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, with all that I am kept busy at 4 different hospitals for individual treatments, I like to think I am bullet proof. I am to have reconstruction and the only problem they have with chemo is that it has to be done before your next scheduled dose or about 72 hours after, it is so they are not exposed to the chemo drugs. Another problem would be is, if you get sick with your drugs you wouldn't feel like it.

Big Hugs Lyn

So many of us hanging out here were diagnosed just like you. We pray that you will not get a recurrance and your chances for that are still good, no one can say for sure otherwise... You have already gone through the worst of it...Get in a trial if you can, you will feel like you are on the offensive...Then just live your life..There is no reason at all to feel that you are doomed...You have already come so far and you can face tomorrow with confidence, so much research is being done now, double time.. You will be here to cash in on all the new drugs..You are going to be just fine, you wait and see... And when you doubt that, you just ask God to give you peace and courage and He will. And then come and tell us all about it and we will give you courage too.. We are now in this "Awesome" club together and we gain strength from one another.. I would never really "welcome" you to this place, but here you are, through no fault of your own, and now we hold each other's hands and WE WILL SURVIVE! You wait and see!!! Love hugs and prayers, Lola

Nikki,
20 years ago, I had 12 of 24 nodes involved and after chemo had 19 years of cancer free time! I had a recurrance last year and am now stable with Herceptin and Arimidex. Be encouaged.
Kathy from Ohio

Nikki, do not despair. Take a deep breath, be strong, and look for available & appropriate drugs that you could take. Then fight along with us here! You are not alone. Simply live your life to the fullest.

I just turned 36 this month. Dx last year with 17/18 nodes (primary tumor all gone at result of chemo regimen). Now on herceptin up to 1 year, and femara (er+/pr+).

Any questions or comments, feel free to email me. Hugs

Nicki, my wife was diagnosed in October and found to have 7 positive lymph nodes, er-/pr- (I have read that pr+ is better), and her2+. At that time her defenses kept her from looking at any questions about a possible recurrence. As a result, I was unable to share this information with the person closest to me. Although, I don't claim to have gone through what you are going through, since it was not my body, I was PETRIFIED. When I learned about her2, I was even more scared and felt more alone. Alone and angry...until I discovered this site and the wonderful people that make it up. Please rely and lean on them. They are wonderful.
I do not accept the notion that her2 may be incurable. More importantly, I no longer give it much thought since so much research is now being done targeting her2 that, I believe, in a short period of time, all of the rules will change! Also, while there are many people that were her2+ and doing just fine, you, my wife, and many others are now fortunate to have access to herceptin. I would do whatever you need to ensure that you get this drug. My thoughts are with you and your family, Eric.

dear kathy
i hv just started on herceptin and arimidex... but hv mets in liver and spine and there are pleanty of metastatic nodes popping up all over.. did u hv the mets in the lymph nodes only and do u think i shd have chemo with the herceptin and arimidex.. fluid has also appeared in the lungs.. am on third shot of herceptin .. love arati aononlo

Hi Nikki, please contact me. I am 34 and had 16 of 22 nodes. I now have mets to the nodes under my right arm. I am HER2+. Would be nice to talk to someone on familiar ground. My email is FisherRN2B@aol.com

Hi Nikki, please contact me. I am 34 and had 16 of 22 nodes. I now have mets to the nodes under my right arm. I am HER2+. Would be nice to talk to someone on familiar ground.