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01-26-2008, 10:18 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,210
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eye exam
just a quick question.....is there any time frame in which one should avoid getting an eye exam in relation to chemo/Herceptin treatment? I missed my annual exam last year when I got preoccupied with surgery and chemo. I really feel like my vision needs attention. But I wonder how much is related to treatment and if I should wait? If it would be invalid to get an exam right now.....thanks....
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Bonnie
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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01-27-2008, 05:00 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Bay City, MI
Posts: 73
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Hi: My vision really changed during chemo, and the year following. I was told by my eye doctor to wait 6 months after I was finished for my exam. It did seem to get better after finishing herceptin too. There were some days where it was scary to drive, because of my eyes were so blurry. I never get that anymore. It must have been the drugs.
Sue
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Sue
IDC, Stage 1, Grade 3
Oncotype Dx Score 40
Her2+++ E+P+
Lumpectomy 5/05
Re-excision 6/05
4AC
33 rounds of radiation
1 year Herceptin (had to quit after 8 months, due to low muga scores)
Faslodex until 11-07
Hysterectomy with ovaries 11-07
Arimidex 12-07 switched to Aromasin 10-09
Quit Aromasin 11-09 due to joint pain
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01-27-2008, 07:52 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 823
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With me after I finished Chemo, then I started on my year of Herceptin, when that was done I waited for almost a year to have my eyes checked.
They did change some, but not as much as I thought they had.
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Vicki
Texas
Biopsy Dx'd 3-23-05 Age 48
MRM 4-5-05 w/ 2 tumor's 5cm, and 6 cm (right side)
IDC (poorly differentiated infiltrating ductual carcinoma)
5+/16 nodes
Stage III A
Grade 3
ER/PR-, Her2/neu ++
Ki67 78%
Begin Chemo 5-2-05 4XAC Dose Dense , 4X Abraxane Dose Dense (ended August 05)
28 Rad's ended October 13 2005
Started Herceptin Weekly August 2005 for one year
Had a Simple mastectomy left side after Mamo showed incresed micro-calcifications. Jan. 17 2006.
Brain MRI Feb.2006--All Clear
August 28, 2006 Last Weekly Herceptin.
October 2006--Colonoscopy, 6 Polyp's removed--all B9
PET Scan July 2007
Abdominal MRI Oct. 2007---2 Right Kidney Cysts
Core Biopsy-- Lump on Scar Line 1-10-08---B9
Brain MRI 6-2008--All Clear
PET/CT Scan 6-2008
Sept. 8 2008, 4CM area removed from mastectomy scar line. Proved to be B9.
PET/CT Scan-- July 2009 --All clear
August 17,2009 ---Had Port Removed
6 Years NED -- April 5,2011
DX'd with Melanoma left arm 10-10-2011
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01-27-2008, 08:50 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Beavercreek, Ohio
Posts: 67
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Bonnie:
My eye doctor recommended I wait 6 months after chemo. My vision was quite blurry but did get some better in 6 months.
__________________
Joannie
Diagnosed April 2003
3.3 cm tumor left breast
HER2 positive 3++
ER/PR negative
Masectomy April 2003
4 Rounds of AC - dose dense
4 Rounds of Taxol - dose dense
Removed right breast prophalactically
Full reconstruction with implants/nipples
No Late Herceptin Received
Started Tykerb TEACH Trial in May 2007
Completed Tykerb TEACH Trial in May 2008
5 year NED August 27, 2008!!!
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01-27-2008, 09:40 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Posts: 301
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Hi Bonnie,
I waited for a year after completing chemo and about two months after finishing Herceptin. I am not sure if I waited long enough or not- my vision had changed dramatically and my prescription almost doubled. My doc said that the tearing mechanism gets a little out of whack and that sometimes it corrects itself and sometimes not. Even with the new lenses, I find that things go blurry sometimes and I have to blink several times to readjust. I also seem to have periods where my vision gets a little worse and then gets better. Don't know if this has helped you or not- :-)
Love, Kelly
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dx'd 05/06, 37 years old
er/pr-, Her2+, grade 3
double mastectomy, immediate reconstruction- implants
Stage 2b, 2 tumors- 2.2 cm and 0.6 cm, 3/5 + nodes
all scans clear
genetic testing- negative
06/06 began dd A/C x 4, 12 weekly Taxols w/ Herceptin
30 rads
Herceptin weekly x 1 year
Herceptin completed 08/07
Port removed 12/26/07 MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!
05/17/08 Two year anniversary NED
"We gain strength, courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... you must do the thing that you think you cannot do."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
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01-27-2008, 10:06 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,210
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well, what I am hearing so far is that I am having my exam too soon.. I only stopped chemo Oct and am still on Herceptin for several months. But my vision is really compromised and I was hoping for some improvement with new lenses....maybe not....
__________________
Bonnie
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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01-27-2008, 10:34 AM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Illinois
Posts: 8
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I'm glad you brought this up...I'm on herceptin now, 6 months since chemo and also on tamox. I'm extremely nearsighted anyway with corrective lens powers to 10 in both eyes but in the last few months, I feel like I can't see. I especially notice on street signs. Been back to eye doc twice but still not better. So, going to mention to onc in February at next visit and see what the heck is going on.
__________________
Stage I - 1.9 cm, Negative Sentinel Node
Triple Positive ER/PR/HER2
April 2007/dx & lumpectomy
May 2007 re-excision
4 DD A/C
36 Radiation tx - done 11/6/07
Starting Tamoxifen & Herceptin 11/8/07
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01-27-2008, 10:54 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,210
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Susan, I am glad I brought it up too! I am glad I'm not alone.
What did your eye doc have to say about the situation?
I will check with my onc tomorrow, too, and get back to you.
__________________
Bonnie
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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01-27-2008, 09:49 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,519
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I am starting to realize that we should wait 6 months after chemo for everything 'normal' in life... LOL. Eyes, teeth, hair color, etc...
__________________
Brenda
NOV 2012 - 9 yr anniversary
JULY 2012 - 7 yr anniversary stage IV (of 50...)
Nov'03~ dX stage 2B
Dec'03~ Rt side mastectomy, Her2+, ER/PR+, 10 nodes out, one node positive
Jan'04~ Taxotere/Adria/Cytoxan x 6, NED, no Rads, Tamox. 1 year, Arimadex 3 mo., NED 14 mo.
Sept'05~ micro mets lungs/chest nodes/underarm node, Switched to Aromasin, T/C/H x 7, NED 6 months - Herceptin only
Aug'06~ micro mets chest nodes, & bone spot @ C3 neck, Added Taxol to Herceptin
Feb'07~ Genetic testing, BRCA 1&2 neg
Apr'07~ MRI - two 9mm brain mets & 5 punctates, new left chest met, & small increase of bone spot C3 neck, Stopped Aromasin
May'07~ Started Tykerb/Xeloda, no WBR for now
June'07~ MRI - stable brain mets, no new mets, 9mm spots less enhanced, CA15.3 down 45.5 to 9.3 in 10 wks, Ty/Xel working magic!
Aug'07~ MRI - brain mets shrunk half, NO NEW BRAIN METS!!, TMs stable @ 9.2
Oct'07~ PET/CT & MRI show NED
Apr'08~ scans still show NED in the head, small bone spot on right iliac crest (rear pelvic bone)
Sept'08~ MRI shows activity in brain mets, completed 5 fractions/5 consecutive days of IMRT to zap the pesky buggers
Oct'08~ dropped Xeloda, switched to tri-weekly Herceptin in combo with Tykerb, extend to tri-monthly Zometa infusion
Dec'08~ Brain MRI- 4 spots reduced to punctate size, large spot shrunk by 3mm, CT of torso clear/pelvis spot stable
June'09~ new 3-4mm left cerrebellar spot zapped with IMRT targeted rads
Sept'09~ new 6mm & 1 cm spots in pituitary/optic chiasm area. Rx= 25 days of 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the tumors.
Oct'09~ 25 days of low dose 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the bone mets spot on rt. iliac crest that have been watching for 2 years. Added daily Aromasin back into treatment regimen.
Apr'10~ Brain MRI clear! But, see new small spot on adrenal gland. Change from Aromasin back to Tamoxifen.
June'10~ Tumor markers (CA15.3) dropped from 37 to 23 after one month on Tamoxifen. Continue to monitor adrenal gland spot. Remain on Tykerb/Herceptin/Tamoxifen.
Nov'10~ Radiate positive mediastinal node that was pressing on recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing paralyzed larynx and a funny voice.
Jan'11~ MRI shows possible activity or perhaps just scar tissue/necrotic increase on 3 previously treated brain spots and a pituitary spot. 5 days of IMRT on 4 spots.
Feb'11~ Enrolled in T-DM1 EAP in Denver, first treatment March 25, 2011.
Mar'11~ Finally started T-DM1 EAP in Denver at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center/Rose on Mar. 25... hallelujah.
"I would rather be anecdotally alive than statistically dead."
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01-27-2008, 09:51 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hilo, Hawaii
Posts: 1,867
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I just finished my last herceptin and I had my annual eye exam just prior to my last treatment. My vision changed VERY little from one yr ago which was before chemo and herceptin.
Bonnie, my husband, an optometrist, said it will not invalidate your eye exam to get it examined now.
For those on Tamoxifen, he said it is a very good idea to get it examined before taking Tamoxifen and then to be checked regularly while on because that medication may cause physiological problems to eyes. Rare, but can happen.
__________________
*** MARYANNE *** aka HARRIECANARIE
1993: right side DCIS, lumpectomy, rads
1999: left side DCIS, lumpectomy, rads, tamoxifen
2006:
BRCA 2 positive
Stage I, invasive DCIS (6mm x 5mm)
Grade: intermediate
sentinal node biopsy: neg
HER2/neu amplified 4.7
ER+/PR+
TOPO II neg
Oncotype dx 20
Bilat mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction
oophorectomy
2007:
6 cycles TCH (taxotere, carboplatin, herceptin)
finished 1 yr herceptin 05/07
Arimidex, stopped after almost 1 yr
Femara
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01-27-2008, 10:00 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,210
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Thanks Maryanne. Your husband too.
I know I have postponed my exam by a year just because the cancer happened and I kind of forgot everything else! And I was noticing changes back then. So I would like a checkup, even if I require another one later......
__________________
Bonnie
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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01-27-2008, 10:18 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hilo, Hawaii
Posts: 1,867
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Bonnie, I think that is a very safe thing to do. Plus keep in mind that not only does an eye exam check your vision but the eye health is just as if not more important.
Maryanne
__________________
*** MARYANNE *** aka HARRIECANARIE
1993: right side DCIS, lumpectomy, rads
1999: left side DCIS, lumpectomy, rads, tamoxifen
2006:
BRCA 2 positive
Stage I, invasive DCIS (6mm x 5mm)
Grade: intermediate
sentinal node biopsy: neg
HER2/neu amplified 4.7
ER+/PR+
TOPO II neg
Oncotype dx 20
Bilat mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction
oophorectomy
2007:
6 cycles TCH (taxotere, carboplatin, herceptin)
finished 1 yr herceptin 05/07
Arimidex, stopped after almost 1 yr
Femara
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