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Old 11-10-2011, 10:53 AM   #1
YellowTail
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YellowTail all done Chemo!

I am officially all DONE my 16-week chemo regiment!

On Monday I received my last taxol treatment and I wish there was a bell to ring at the chemo suites. However there was not, so quietly I left the chair, the IV pole, said a quiet goodbye to the nurse at the front desk and walked down the hallway in BLISS knowing that that was my last chemo. Reflecting I on those weeks I did exceptionally well, minimal side effects all around, no fevers, no hospitalization thank goodness. Certainly as you most probably can all relate to it was a journey filled with plenty of emotions across the scale of course. Comparing the 4XAC to the 4XTaxol, most definitely the AC was a more foggy and challenging time yet still tolerable. The taxol, very eay for me, the first two doses I had a few sore joints and muscle aches that were handled with Tylenol Extra Strength. The Nuelasta shots were also well tolerated and I did not have to have the last shot as I am done chemo, happy happy. Now what to do with all the anti-nausea meds and Tylenol 3's that I did not use? I guess I can take them to the pharmacy.

My Onc team is thrilled with my results, cancer free from the time I had the lumpectomy and node removal and very pleased with my actions and reactions to the treatments. For me I believe it is a collaboration between the traditional meds, positive outlook, yoga, rieki and meditation.

Now on to radiation, planning and tattooing done, begin Nov. 29 for 16 sessions and 5 boosters.

Tamoxifen begins Nov. 28th for 5-years.

I have been asked to be a part of a trail study as well. Has anyone else been asked to participate in the following? or any other studies and what are your thoughts?

A PHASE lll RANDOMIZED TRAIL OF METFORMIN VERSUS PLACEBO ON RECURRENCE AND SURVIVAL IN EARLY STAGE BREAST CANCER.

It is world wide, approximately 3582 people will take part. It is a double blind study placebo group and metformin group, we will only know who was on which med at the end of the study. I am doing more research before signing on however learning towards participating. The Metformin is a med that is tried and true on type 2 diabetics and has been shown to have good effects on other cancers according to some of the research I have come across. The purpose of this study is to find out whether it is better to receive the drug Metformin with the usual treatment for breast cancer, or not. The research is being done because previous laboratory work has shown that Metformin may decrease the growth of different types of cancer cells, including breast cancer cells. Research has shown that Metformin lowers the level of insulin, a hormone found in blood that can cause growth of the breast cancer. It is not know if Metformin will help prevent the recurrence of breast cancer in patients like myself who have had their breast cancer removed by surgery.

As noted earlier I am not certain to date if I will participate, I have a 2-weeks to decide what to do. I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.

On the road to complete recovery!
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Old 11-10-2011, 12:19 PM   #2
tricia keegan
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Re: YellowTail all done Chemo!

Congratulations on finishing chemo, everything else I felt was a breeze so think you have the hard part done!!

I've participated in a few trials since I was dx and a still on the Azure trial which was to see if zometa lowered the risk of bone mets, the early trial results are out but the study is ongoing.

I think its wonderful to take part in a trial and help tx move forward and when I was asked to do so initially my first thought was thanks to all those earlier women who were in the herceptin trials and now I was benefitting so its a way of paying it forward.
From a purely selfish point of view too, I liked the fact I'd be watched and tested more closely on an ongoing basis going forward so all in all it was a good decision for me.
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Dx July '05 IDC 1.9cm Triple positive 3/9 nodes positive
A/C X 4 ..Taxol/Herceptin x 12 wks then herceptin 1 yr
Rads x 36 ..oophorectomy August '06
Currently taking Arimidex..
June 2011 osteopenia/ zometa x1 yearly- stopped Zometa 2015 as Dexa show normal bone density.
Stopped Arimidex July 2014- Restarted Arimidex 2015 for a further two years on the advice of my Onc.
2014 Normal Dexa scan
2018 Mammo all clear, still NED!
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Old 11-10-2011, 02:18 PM   #3
Jackie07
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Re: YellowTail all done Chemo!

Congratulations on completing your chemo!

There's a thread on the topic of Metformin:

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...ight=Metformin

Looking forward to hearing more report of the trial from you.
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3-11 Appendectomy - visually O.K., a lot of puss. Final path result - not cancer.
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Old 11-10-2011, 02:37 PM   #4
NEDenise
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Re: YellowTail all done Chemo!

Marlene,
Congratulations! What a great feeling!

I'm involved in three trials. But the research doesn't involve my taking any medication I wouldn't already be taking anyway.

Are there any negative side effects of taking Metformin? If not...I'd go for it! Like Tricia said...other women participated in trials so we could have Herceptin.

Congrats again on finishing the chemo marathon!
Denise
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1/11-needle biopsy
2/11-Lumpectomy/axillary node dissection - Stage 3c, ER/PR-14/17 nodes
3/11 - Post-op staph infection,cellulitis, lymphedema,seroma,ARRRGH!
4/12/11-A/C x 4, then T/H x 4, H only,Q3 weeks
8/26/11 finished Taxol!!!
10/7/11 mastectomy/DIEP recon
11/11 radiation x28
1/12/12 1st CANCER-VERSARY!
1/12 Low EF/Herceptin "Holiday" :(
2/12 EF up - Back on Herceptin, heart meds
4/2/1212 surgery to repair separated incision from DIEP recon
6/8/12 Return to work :)
6/17/12 Fall, shatter wrist,surgery to repair/insert plate :(
7/10/12 last Herceptin
7/23/12 Brain Mets %$&#! 3cm and 1cm
8/10/12 Gamma knife surgery, LOTS of steroids;start H/Tykerb
8/23/12 Back to work
12/20/12 Injure back-3 weeks in wheel chair
1/12/13 2nd CANCER-VERSARY!
1/14/13 herniate disk in back - surgery to repair
1/27/13 Radiation necrosis - edema in brain - back on steroids - but not back to work - off balance, poor cordination in right arm
5/3/13 Start Avastin to shrink necrosis
5/10/13 begin weaning steroids
6/18/13 Brain MRI - Avastin seems to be working!
6/20/13 quarterly CT - chest, abdomen, pelvis - All Clear!
7/5/13 finally off steroids!!
7/7/13 joined the ranks of the CHEMO NINJAS I am now Tekuto Ki Ariku cancer assassin!
7/13/13 Symptoms return - back on steroids
7/26/13 Back on Avastin - try again!
8/26/13 Not ready to return to classroom yet :( But I CAN walk without holding onto things! :)
9/9/13 Brain MRI - fingers crossed
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Old 11-10-2011, 07:20 PM   #5
Mtngrl
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Re: YellowTail all done Chemo!

Good news! May you continue to flourish!
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4/19/11 Diagnosed invasive ductal carcinoma in left breast; 2.3 cm tumor, 1 axillary lymph node, weakly ER+, HER2+++
4/29/11 CT scan shows suspicious lesions on liver and lungs
5/17/11 liver biopsy
5/24/11 liver met confirmed--Stage IV at diagnosis
5/27/11 Begin weekly Taxol & Herceptin for 3 months (standard of care at the time of my DX)
7/18/11 Switch to weekly Abraxane & Herceptin due to Taxol allergy
8/29/11 CT scan shows no new lesions & old lesions shrinking
9/27/11 Finish Abraxane. Start Herceptin every 3 weeks. Begin taking Arimidex
10/17/11--Brain MRI--No Brain mets
12/5/11 PET scan--Almost NED
5/15/12 PET scan shows progression-breast/chest/spine (one vertebra)
5/22/12 Stop taking Arimidex; stay on Herceptin
6/11/12 Started Tykerb and Herceptin on clinical trial (w/no chemo)
9/24/12 CT scan--No new mets. Everything stable.
3/11/13 CT Scan--two small new possible mets and odd looking area in left lung getting larger.
4/2/13--Biopsy of suspicious area in lower left lung. Mets to lung confirmed.
4/30/13 Begin Kadcyla/TDM-1
8/16/13 PET scan "mixed," with some areas of increased uptake, but also some definite improvement, so I'll stay on TDM-1/Kadcyla.
11/11/13 Finally get hormone receptor results from lung biopsy of 4/2/13. My cancer is no longer ER positive.
11/13/13 PET scan mixed results again. We're calling it "stable." Problems breathing on exertion.
2/18/14 PET scan shows a new lesion and newly active lymph node in chest, other progression. Bye bye TDM-1.
2/28/14 Begin Herceptin/Perjeta every 3 weeks.
6/8/14 PET "mixed," with no new lesions, and everything but lower lungs improving. My breathing is better.
8/18/14 PET "mixed" again. Upper lungs & one spine met stable, lower lungs less FDG avid, original tumor more avid, one lymph node in mediastinum more avid.
9/1/14 Begin taking Xeloda one week on, one week off. Will also stay on Herceptin and Perjeta every three weeks.
12/11/14 PET Scan--no new lesions, and everything looks better than it did.
3/20/15 PET Scan--no new lesions, but lower lung lesions larger and a bit more avid.
4/13/15 Increasing Xeloda dose to 10 days on, one week off.
7/1/15 Scan "mixed" again, but suggests continuing progression. Stop Xeloda. Substitute Abraxane every 3 weeks starting 7/13.
10/28/15 PET scan shows dramatic improvement everywhere. All lesions except lower lungs have resolved; lower lungs noticeably improved.
12/18/15 Last Abraxane. Continue on Herceptin and Perjeta alone beginning 1/8/16.
1/27/16 PET scan shows cancer is stable.
5/11/16 PET scan shows uptake in some areas that were resolved on the last two scans.
6/3/16 Begin Kadcyla and Tykerb combination
6/5 - 6/23 Horrible diarrhea from K&T together. Got pneumonia.
7/15/16 Begin Kadcyla only every 3 weeks.
9/6/16 Begin radiation therapy on right lung lesion that caused the pneumonia.
10/3/16 Last of 12 radiation treatments to right lung.
11/4/16 Huffing and puffing, low O2, high heart rate, on tiniest bit of exertion. Diagnosed as radiation pneumonitis. Treated with Prednisone.
11/11/16 PET scan shows significant improvement to radiated part of right lung BUT a bunch of new lung lesions, and the bone met is getting worse.
11/22/16 Begin Eribulin and Herceptin. H every 3 weeks. E two weeks on, one week off.
3/6/17 Scan shows progression in lungs. Bone met a little better.
3/23/17 Lung biopsy. Tumor sampled is ER-, PR+ (5%), HER2+++. Getting Herceptin and Perjeta as a maintenance treatment.
5/31/17 Port placement
6/1/17 Start Navelbine & Tykerb
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Old 11-11-2011, 01:20 PM   #6
Kellennea
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Re: YellowTail all done Chemo!

Congrats! The rest is a breeze
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10/01/10 - Dx at age 44. Found lump after miscarrying & was told it was "probably a clogged milk duct" not so much:
stage II - invasive ductal carcinoma ER/PR+ HER2+
10/01/10 - BRCA test - Negative
11/3/10 -2.5cm tumor removed via lumpectomy, clear margins. sentinal node biopsy - nodes clear!
12/2/10 - port placement
12/2/10 to 3/17/11 - 6 rounds of taxotere, carboplatin & herceptin every 3rd week.
04/20/11 - 6/6/11 - 33 rounds of radiation
4/6/11 to 11/2/11 - 11 additional rounds of herceptin every 3rd week
7/15/11 - port removal
7/5/11 started my 5 year journey on Tamoxifen
9/4/11 -1 yr Chest MRI - CLEAN!!!!
9/5/12 -2 yr Chest MRI - CLEAN!!!!
8/29/12 - Started spotting after being in chemopause 1.5 years. Ultra sound detected 6cm ovary mass & very thick lining. YIKES! Taken off Tamoxifen
9/6/12 - Full abdominal hysterectomy. Pathology report came back clean... thank you baby Jesus!!
9/28/12 - Started Anastrozole
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Old 11-16-2011, 09:21 AM   #7
YellowTail
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Re: YellowTail all done Chemo!

Thanks Ladies for your thoughts, I have decided to go ahead with the trail, the only side effect I have been told about and read about is the diarrhea which I think I can handle simply knowing it will pass. I have also decided to start the tamoxifen for two weeks then start on the trail, whether it be a placebo or metformin I will not know until after the trail however if I get the side effect stated I think that will indicate that I am on the med not the placebo, however I could be wrong.

I agree Tricia with your comment about the many ladies that have been on trials for years before me....this is certainly a way to pay it forward

thanks again everyone
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Old 11-16-2011, 10:19 AM   #8
BonnieR
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Re: YellowTail all done Chemo!

Christmas came early for you! But just in time for Thanksgiving!
Keep the faith.
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Post menopause
May 2007 Core biopsy, Rt breast
ER+, Pr-, HER2 +++, Grade 3
Ki-67: 90%
"suspicious area" left breast
Bilateral mastectomy, (NED on left) May 2007
Sentinel Node Neg
Stage 1, DCIS with microinvasion, 3 mm, mostly removed during the biopsy....
Femara (discontinued 7/07) Resumed 10/07
OncoType score 36 (July 07)
Began THC 7/26/07 (d/c taxol and carboplatin 10/07)
Began Herceptin alone 10/07
Finished Herceptin July /08
D/C Femara 4/10 (joint pain/trigger thumb!)
5/10 mistakenly dx with lung cancer. Middle rt lobe removed!
Aromasin started 5/10
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