spread to lungs??? Help
 

I've been very hoarse for the past 2 months. Went to a ENT who put a tube down my nose and told me my vocal cords on the left side are paralyzed, WTH?? He was thinking maybe the cancer had spread to my brain. had brain scanned and PET scan. Got results today and was told cancer spread to lungs. I find it very odd that cancer in the lungs would effect my vocal cords. there have been no changes in blood work. Anyone else experience problems with their vocal cords? This just sucks!! My girlfriends just took me to Vegas 2 weeks ago to celebrate my 1 year since I finished Herceptin. They want to start chemo Tuesday

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

Valleygirl,

That just is sucky news. I wish that you didn't have to restart on chemo.

I hope you find a magic combination with minimal side effects that permanently eradicates those bleeping lung mets.

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

Valleygirl,
Sorry to hear your news. To say it sucks is a mighty understatement! However take heart from the positive stories to be found on this site, and remember it is possible to live well and long with this #***!!! disease. I hope you have a great response to the chemo, without too many nasty side effects.
Best wishes..... Pam

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

Sorry to read your post Valleygirl, but for what it's worth I've been living with lung mets now for over six years, and chemo/Herceptin has been helpful at keeping them under control. Sorry I haven't heard about vocal cord connection. Let us know how you are going. What chemo are you going to have?
Best wishes, Marie

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

Dear Valleygirl,

I'm so sorry for your bad news. It's a huge shock to hear those words, "the cancer has spread." But, as others have said, take heart. It ain't over till it's over, and you don't know how it'll be for you.

There is a woman in my in-person group whose vocal cords were affected by metastatic breast cancer. She's getting speech therapy in addition to the cancer meds.

Hang in there and let us know how you're doing. And don't worry about anything until you have to.

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

Thank you for all the kind words. I don't know what i'd do if I haven't found this forum. I need to figure out how to post a picture and place my info

Denise

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

Hi Valleygirl I'm sorry to hear about your recurrence! What a bummer! Good to hear it's not in your brain! There are lots of options you may not have to lose your hair. I had 3 chest wall nodes and kadcyla took care of it a year ago

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

Hi Valley Girl,

First, please accept my sympathy for the diagnosis you just received, it does suck but it's not the end of the world for you.

Don't despair. Listen to music, go to the movies, don't allow your mind to wander with what if and all that crap.

You are a newbie, read the posts from all our sisters and you will find inspiration through everything all of us have been up to in dealing with this disease.

Having been diagnosed with metastatic disease is no longer a death sentence, unfortunately there is no cure but is highly treatable.

Please keep us posted. Sending you Hugs.

Adriana

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

Hang tough, valleygirl! We are holding you in love and light, and sending healing rays ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

I'm chiming in with what everyone has already said ... this SUCKS, no question, but there are lots of options to deal with it and get you back to NED.

To add a picture/details, go up to Quick Links and then Edit Signature underneath. :)

Carol Ann

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

Hang in there Valley Girl. Wishing you the best successes In treatment options and responses!

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

Valley Girl,

I had a paralyzed vocal cord and lost my voice after removing a huge brain tumer (CN has recently been reclassified as grade II) in 1990. The brain swelling gradually subsided and vigorous speech therapy helped me tremendously and I even went back to choir several months later.

I would watch closely in the brain area - perhaps your doctor will rescan it in three months - as the (PET) scans can only detect growth that's more than several milimeters in diameter.

Sending you good vibes.

Ps. I posted the following in the 'Calling all stage IV Sisters' thread http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...+stage+sisters not long ago:


Saw this encouraging story [shared] by Luchy 4x in the 'Herceptin side effects - real or perceived' thread. Need to add her to the list - for fear I'd forget:

Hi there!
I haven't been here in so long, but I thought I should post this as I am a Herceptin Life-timer. I have been on Herceptin since Sept, 2005. Every 3 weeks, via Port, without fail. I have Syma (Canada) or Mugga scans every 3 months and see my onc. every 3 months. I am lucky that the mets to both lungs that were discovered in 2005 are completely gone and I have had complete response to Herceptin. Side-effects? Nothing I would ever complain about but since you asked... my nails are crap, therefore I get bio-gels once a month (but its $$!) and sinus probs with sores in nose but like I said nothing to complain about. My heart is fine, I dragon-boat race on weekends and practice 3x a week with a whole boat (22 women) of breast cancer survivors. I am lucky to be able to have herceptin as I am a 4 time survivor, since 2000. When I asked for Herceptin in 2002, I was not able to have it- I didn't have mets. Boy am I glad that rule has changed and now it is given as part of a regiment for Her2pos patients. Memory loss- not from Herceptin- but def. from chemo. Always happy to speak to anyone about my story, about Herceptin especially since it worked so well for me. By the way, I was given the choice to go off it .... I said "NO WAY! It's the only thing keeping me alive"! :)

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

Hi Valley Girl, Sorry to read this. I agree with all the ladies. Fortunately I have not progressed, but I do work with a number of ladies that have. Her2 positive mets is much more treatable these days. NED is very very likely in your scenario.

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

THANK YOU for all the kind words!!!!

Re: spread to lungs??? Help
 

More sorry. I will keep you and your family in my prayers as you continue your fight. Gods blessings are all around you��