HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - sit down, relax, chill out--stress response encourages metastases (can be blocked) in

v-ness · 09-18-2010, 06:19 PM

that part bugged me too! younger women have more stress? really? i don't think i am considered "younger" anymore at age 50 and the last couple years have been the most stressful i have ever endured. my father died in the garage of a massive heart attack or stroke in february 2006. my mom found him, and i was her closest support. in october 2006 my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer with 3 large tumors in his liver. he died 10 weeks later. after him, 3 of our precious long-time companion cats died. then i was diagnosed with breast cancer in august 2009. i was convinced that the intense stress of the previous 3 years contributed somehow. my mom was incredibly stressed about the fact that she was unable to sell her home and had no idea what her future would be, then she was helping care for me, her eldest daughter. any mother knows how terrifying it is to have a kid with a life-threatening disease. then what happens? mom herself gets ovarian cancer during my treatment and died in june. death has tremendous impact on the survivors. i am convinced that all the stress of those deaths influenced bob's cancer, my cancer, and mom's cancer. so, back to my original point - the older we get, the more deaths we are faced with. i'm pretty sure losing your spouse at any age is a lot bigger stressor than, say, balancing kids and a job. it's pretty idiotic to focus on 'younger women' for the reasons they cite. and i'm pretty sure a larger percentage of 'older women' (how scientific a phrase) still get breast cancer more than 'younger women'.

WOW, DID THAT EVER STRESS ME OUT.

valerie

09-18-2010, 06:19 PM	#10
v-ness Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: western ma Posts: 280	Re: sit down, relax, chill out--stress response encourages metastases (can be blocked that part bugged me too! younger women have more stress? really? i don't think i am considered "younger" anymore at age 50 and the last couple years have been the most stressful i have ever endured. my father died in the garage of a massive heart attack or stroke in february 2006. my mom found him, and i was her closest support. in october 2006 my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer with 3 large tumors in his liver. he died 10 weeks later. after him, 3 of our precious long-time companion cats died. then i was diagnosed with breast cancer in august 2009. i was convinced that the intense stress of the previous 3 years contributed somehow. my mom was incredibly stressed about the fact that she was unable to sell her home and had no idea what her future would be, then she was helping care for me, her eldest daughter. any mother knows how terrifying it is to have a kid with a life-threatening disease. then what happens? mom herself gets ovarian cancer during my treatment and died in june. death has tremendous impact on the survivors. i am convinced that all the stress of those deaths influenced bob's cancer, my cancer, and mom's cancer. so, back to my original point - the older we get, the more deaths we are faced with. i'm pretty sure losing your spouse at any age is a lot bigger stressor than, say, balancing kids and a job. it's pretty idiotic to focus on 'younger women' for the reasons they cite. and i'm pretty sure a larger percentage of 'older women' (how scientific a phrase) still get breast cancer more than 'younger women'. WOW, DID THAT EVER STRESS ME OUT. valerie __________________ 8/09 - IDC 1.8 cm triple positive, lumpectomy left breast 10/09 began chemo (taxotere & carboplatin) and weekly herceptin. 1/21/10 finished chemo, continued on herceptin every 3 weeks until 10/2010. 2/10 began 7 wks of radiation 6/10 mom dies of primary peritoneal ovarian cancer 8/10 got my last remaining ovary out 10/10 mammogram all clear 3/11 MRI shows 5 'spots' in right breast, largest 1 cm unidentifiable on US needle biopsy proved the largest to be old inflamed cyst -phew! 7/10 switched to Arimidex 8/9 switched to Femara - allergic to arimidex Femara made me lose hair quickly so switched to Aromasin Aromasin made my hair fall out too and the bone pain was too much. back on Tamoxifen 1/2013. blood clot from trains and planes 5/2014 so on coumadin per onco for as long as i am on tamoxifen tamoxifen was supposed to be up with my 5 yrs in may but my boyfriend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer so i am staying on tamoxifen indefinitely because i want some ammo against BC, given the stress. lost my husband in only 10 wks in 2007 to stage 4 esophageal cancer. cancer's screwing with another man i love 2/2016 - 6yrs in remission, off tamoxifen and off coumadin - yay!