[sarah]

I had a mastectomy, first time around. came back almost 5 years later in same breast!!! Since I was then metatastic, I had heavy radiation and after that breathing issues - fibrosis in my lungs due to it and then later a heart artery collapsed in a spot and I now have had angioplasty and a stent put it. (easy operation, fun to watch!!) all the cardiologists said it was due to the radiation and not Herceptin and not colesterol. The collapse was well within the margins of the radiation and not on the left side where a problem would have shown up due to Herceptin. I took Co-enzyme Q10 religiously after reading about it on this site (but everyone has to do their own research and decide - I'm not a doctor) all through Herceptin and still now and my heart test sonogram and/or muga was good.
Here in France they give you Herceptin if you are HER2+ whatever you are - DCIS, nodes or not. I will always wonder if I had had Herceptin back in 1999 if I would have avoided a recurrence but we must never look back and be grateful for the health we have. I asked about Herceptin back then (I wanted and expected to have it) but the stupid oncologist at City of Hope (now a big deal I hear) said it was totally unnecessary in my case!!! She was wrong. I bet she recommends today.
All choices are ours or should be and all are correct for us.
Things become easier once all is decided and treatment is on. Next anxious moment is when it ends and you're waiting to see if it worked. It does and there are always more choices and treatments coming down which are better and easier.
I am doing nothing right now for cancer except annual testsbut I'm 8 years out from the 2nd time.
For my heart, since the angioplasty, I take plavix and another heart drug and crestor every 2 days although colesterol is not a problem for me at all. Thanks for asking.
I'm a great believer in Herceptin but then when I had my recurrence I was sure I was a goner because I knew how aggressive it is and where it was and could easily go and how particularly difficult to see mine was - no tests showed the cancer the second time around! only with surgery and they knew the margins weren't clean and couldn't get clean. So Dr. Slamon is my hero as well as my oncologist here in France who went beyond protocol to save my life.
Have you had a Muga test? Do you know if you already have a problem? Also could they test you more often? Would that help you? Also keep an aspirin with you at all times and if you have chest pain, chew it and then call an ambulance. Unlikely you'll need it but personally everyone should have aspirin handy.
I'm 66 years old. I'm enjoying life. Love every day!!!!
Health and happiness
hugs and love
sarah