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09-18-2008, 11:39 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hilo, Hawaii
Posts: 1,867
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Hair
My hair is a good 6 inches and bushy. Thank God for gel!! The texture is so different from my "normal" hair. I was wondering, do you think the texture of the hair will get back to normal after a while?
With NO gel, my hair looks like a giant black cotton candy. I feel like if I chopped it off, it would make great pillow stuffing because it is so soft.
HarrieCanarie
__________________
*** 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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09-19-2008, 05:22 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 183
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Hey Harrie,
I remember when my hair came back, it was soooo soft, like baby's hair, which is probably what it is since the cells are new growth. I don't remember how long it took to go back to normal, it is a gradual thing, but my hair is like it used to be, even the sporadic gray areas!!
Sounds like you are one of the lucky ones too, everyone told me my hair would most likely come back all gray.
__________________
Anita
er, pr-, Her2+++
Stage 2b, grade 3
negative nodes
4 rounds AC
3 months of weekly taxol
1 yr of Herceptin
Finish Herceptin May 2007
35 rounds of Radiation
Reconstruction completed Dec 2007
Implant replaced due to infection Mar 2008
4 Years NED!!!
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09-19-2008, 06:02 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
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Hey Maryanne!
My hair has been an adventure in itself. It has changed colors at least 4 times! As for texture, it came in first all curly, then wavy, then curly again, and now wavy and soft. Every time I learn to fix it one way, it seems to change.
But I think it's should be set for a while! I'm just doing herceptin and have for 1 1/2 years.
If I stop H in the winter, I guess it will go back to more grey and "whatever"!
Just enjoy whatever appears! I would love to see some video of all of us with all the hair changes we go through!
Best wishes girl, ma
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
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09-19-2008, 06:05 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Morris, IL
Posts: 3,507
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Harrie
If you cut it, send it to me...i could uses some!
__________________
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Hugs & Blessings
Sheila
Diagnosed at age 49.99999 2/21/2002 via Mammography (Calcifications)
Core Biopsy 2/22/02
L. Mastectomy 2/25/2002
Stage 1, 0.7cm IDC, Node Neg from 19 nodes Her2+++ ER PR Neg
6/2003 Reconstruction W/ Tissue Expander, Silicone Implant
9/2003 Stage IV with Mets to Supraclavicular nodes
9/2003 Began Herceptin every 3 weeks
3/2006 Xeloda 2500mg/Herceptin for recurrence to neck nodes
3/2007 Added back the Xeloda with Herceptin for continued mets to nodes
5/2007 Taken Off Xeloda, no longer working
6/14/07 Taxol/Herceptin/Avastin
3/26 - 5/28/08 Taxol Holiday Whopeeeeeeeee
5/29 2008 Back on Taxol w Herceptin q 2 weeks
4/2009 Progression on Taxol & Paralyzed L Vocal Cord from Nodes Pressing on Nerve
5/2009 Begin Rx with Navelbine/Herceptin
11/09 Progression on Navelbine
Fought for and started Tykerb/Herceptin...nodes are melting!!!!!
2/2010 Back to Avastin/Herceptin
5/2010 Switched to Metronomic Chemo with Herceptin...Cytoxan and Methotrexate
Pericardial Window Surgery to Drain Pericardial Effusion
7/2010 Back to walking a mile a day...YEAH!!!!
9/2010 Nodes are back with a vengence in neck
Qualified for TDM-1 EAP
10/6/10 Begin my miracle drug, TDM-1
Mixed response, shrinking internal nodes, progression skin mets after 3 treatments
12/6/10 Started Halaven (Eribulen) /Herceptin excellent results in 2 treatments
2/2011 I CELEBRATE my 9 YEAR MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7/5/11 begin Gemzar /Herceptin for node progression
2/8/2012 Gemzar stopped, Continue Herceptin
2/20/2012 Begin Tomo Radiation to Neck Nodes
2/21/2012 I CELEBRATE 10 YEARS
5/12/2012 BeganTaxotere/ Herceptin is my next miracle for new node progression
6/28/12 Stopped Taxotere due to pregression, Started Perjeta/Herceptin
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09-19-2008, 07:11 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: WA State
Posts: 199
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My hair is just starting to grow in after finishing chemo on July 24. The sides are dark and pretty even growth. But the top is all sparse, grey, and bushy. I'm hoping it begins to grow more on top and fills in soon. Winter is coming and I'd like to not have to cover my head all the time. I have heard it takes time for it to get back to "normal" so I guess it's just a waiting game at this point.
Best wishes to you Harrie on your do!
__________________
Cindy
L/IDC, 1.2 cm, Stage 1, Her2+, ER+/PR+ at age 48
4/15/2008 Lumpectomy + sentinel node biopsy
Margins neg and Nodes neg (2 tested)
MUGA score 55 on 5/6/2008
Treatment starting 05/08/2008:
Chemo 4 cycles, 3 weeks apart with Taxotere & Cytoxan - Chemo - Done 7/24/2008!
Herceptin for 1 year
Radiation starting in 9/2008
MUGA score 61.9 on 9/04/2008
33 Rads with boost - Done 10/13/2008
MUGA score 58 on 12/01/2008
MUGA score 59 on 3/16/2009
Herceptin for 1 year - Done 4/27/2009
MUGA score 64 on 6/22/2009
All scans - NED 6/24/2009
MRI - NED 11/10/2009
All scans - Still NED 8/25/2011
Still NED 2017!
I am calling this my pink journey
Follow my journey into the pink at my blog here
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09-19-2008, 07:57 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: OH
Posts: 385
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Oh Harrie
I remember so well! My lifelong straight hair came back like lamb's wool, or a brillo pad...it took quite a while, but then it came back like my old hair, straight! Today, 5 years out, it is exactly the hair I've always had, including the highlights, (wink, wink). I've always wanted curly hair, now I'm grateful for my natural hair! I have a great head of hair, body, style, etc., but I've never appreciated it more.
I worked with my stylist quite a bit to help it look as good as it could while growing in.
__________________
Diagnosed 4/03/03, age 50
3.5 cm, 0/19 positive nodes
Stage IIA
Her2++, ER & PR++
RB Mastectomy, 4 AC,
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09-19-2008, 08:40 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Southern California
Posts: 900
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My hair came back super curly - like a bad perm from the 80's. It also came back darker before. I didn't have gray before I lost my hair and was afraid that it would come in gray. It grew back so dark, after it was about 3 inches long I asked my stylist to lighten it. That really changed the texture - not for the better! I also used a flat iron to try to straighten it. All of this just damaged my hair even more. Finally after several haircuts (sometimes pretty short) all the goofy stuff was gone and my normal hair came back. It was still very dark so about 6 months ago (for the first time) I had a weave. I really love the way it turned out. I wear my hair shorter and curlier than before but everyone loves it. Just keep trimming off the new fluffy stuff and eventually it should calm down.
Now, even on a 'bad hair day' it is GREAT just to have hair!
__________________
Gerri
Dx: 11/23/05, Lumpectomy 12/12/05
Tumor 2.2 cm, Stage II, Grade 3, Sentinel Node biopsy negative
ER+ (30%) /PR+ (50%), HER2+++
AC X 4 dose dense, Taxol X 4 dose dense
Herceptin started with 2nd Taxol, given weekly until chemo done
then given every 3 weeks for one year ending on March 16, 2007
Radiation 30 treatments
Tamoxifen - 2 yrs (pre-menopausal)
May 2008 - Feb 2012 Femara
Aug 2008 - Feb 2012 Zometa every 6 months
March 2012 - Stop Femara, now Evista for bone strengthening
********** Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault
Last edited by Gerri; 09-19-2008 at 07:46 PM..
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09-19-2008, 12:56 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: I live in Christmas, MI - located on the shores of Lake Superior.
Posts: 606
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My hair has changed several times. My friends got curlier and darker and stayed that way. Another of my friends hair went from reddish brown to almost black and curly and has stayed that way.
__________________
Barb
10/03 Radical Mastectomy 3 cm tumor - 1/17 Nodes Stage II B, Her 2 +++ ER-/PR- 11/03 4 AC 4 Taxol 12/05 Stage IV - Lung met , Bone mets - Carbo, Taxotere, Herceptin 9/06 - 2 cm brain tumor 10/06 - Tumor removal surgery - Herceptin Halted 12/06 gamma knife tumor base.1/07 Navelbine/Herceptin 4/07 Rads to R femur 5/07 Stereotactic - new 2 cm brain tumor 4/07 Start Xeloda 5/07 Tykerb added 7/07 Brain MRI clean 10/07 .055 cm brain met found. 12/07 Stereotactic -1 cm brain tumor Start Tykerb 11/07 Abraxane/Herceptin 5/08 Cisplatin, Gemcitabine/Herceptin 6/08 Stereotactic to 1cm 9/08 Stereotactic repeat (growth). 11/08 Pet Scan Good but new tiny met on L lung/dead Brain surgery (no cancer cells found/scar tissue) 1/09 Chemo restarted 2/09 Pet Scan Bad - R larger very active/active L active lymph nodes both sides of chest MRI- mets slight increase 2/09 Start Doxil/Tykerb Treatment
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09-19-2008, 01:20 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,193
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Hi Harrie
My hair grew back thick and wavy. After awhile, it just changed
back to my kind of hair. I didn't get it cut off, it just switched
back to my straight hair and it is the same old colour.
__________________
PinkGirl
Dx Aug/05 at age 51
2cm. Stage 2A, Grade 3
ER+/PR-
Her2 +++
Sept 7/05 Mastectomy
4 FAC, 4 Taxol, no radiation
1 year of Herceptin
Tamoxifen for approx. 4 months,
Arimidex for 5 years
Prophylactic mastectomy June 22/09
" I yam what I yam." - Popeye
My Photo Album
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09-19-2008, 06:22 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: indianapolis, indiana
Posts: 1,544
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four years later my hair is still not the way it was before. and i've had it cut many times. i just learned to live with it and stop fighting it.
__________________
dxd 9-04, lumpectomy,
st 1, gr 3, er,pr-, her2 +,
2 tac,33 rads,6 cmf
1 yr herceptin,
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09-19-2008, 07:32 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: South Dakota.
Posts: 621
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Still very different
After 5+ years my hair is still MUCH different than my old "normal." My hair used to be very thick and natural curly. The new version is much thinner (it seems like I have about 1/2 as much hair as before treatment) and straight!
After 50 years of thick and curly, the new hair seems so unlike me, but I actually like it better. I'd prefer it to be thicker, but I like the straight and it is much easier to manage.
__________________
Blessings and Peace,
Barbara
DX Oct 02 @ age 52 Stage 2B Grade 3 Mastectomy
"at least" 4.5 cm IDC 1+node ER+61% /PR-
Assiciated Intraductual component with Comedo Necrosis
Her2+ FISH8.6 IHC 2+
5 1/2 CEF Arimidex
Celebrex 400mg daily for 13 months
Prophylactic mastectomy
Estradiol #: 13
PTEN positive, "late" Herceptin (26 months after chemo)
Oct 05: Actonel for osteopenia from Arimidex.
May 08: Replaced Actonel with Zometa . Taking every 6
months.
Accepting the gift of life, I give thanks for it and live it in fullness.
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09-20-2008, 02:25 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Birmingham - United Kingdom
Posts: 18
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Before treatment I had fine hair but lots & lots of it - All dead straight and down to the middle of my back. It's grown back quite quickly and though curly - only at the back - it looks exactly the same. It's currently shoulder length and my hairdresser has commented the only difference is that my hair has become more porous. It takes on colour (highlights) very very quickley...
__________________
Dx 04/09/06 aged 37 (just... by days) at 37 weeks pregnant. Christian delivered 2 days later by CS 06/09/06 healthy (Thank God) at 6lb 14 oz at 37 weeks & 5 days. Lumpectomy 13/09/06 - Left breast - DCIS 16mm, IDC 9mm, Stage 1, Grade 3 HER2 + (FSH), ER-/PR-, 0/14 glands - no vascular invasion.
Oct 06 - Jan 07 Epirubicin
Jan 07 - Apr 07 CMF
May 07 15 rads + 2 boosters
May 07 - Apr 08 Herceptin 3 weekly
Oct 07 1 year Mammo /PET CT - Clear
May 08 - Completed 18 Herceptin
July 08 - PET CT Scan shows "no sinister features and no signs of active disease"
Sept. 08 = 2 yr mammo & Ultrasound - Clear
Mar. 09 = PET CT - Clear
Sept. 09 = 3 yr mammo & Ultrasound - Clear (Ca 15-3 markers remain consistently escalated between 60 & 80!)
Sept. 10 +4 yr mammo & ultrasound - Clear
Aug 11 = PET CT - 5 yrs Clear - NED & celebrating
Aug 12 = mammogram & ultrasound clear....6 years clear
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09-20-2008, 04:15 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,014
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My hair came back very curly and uncontrollable. It still has a wave to it where it was very straight before. It's pretty easy to mess with now...sherryg683
__________________
Sherry
Diagnosed: December , 2005 at age 44
13+ positive lymph nodes
Stage IV , Her2+, 2 small mets to lungsChemo Started: Jan, 2006
4 months Taxotere, Xeloda, Hercepin
NED since April 2006!!
36 Rads to follow with weekly Herceptin indefinately
8 years NED now
Scans every year
Life is not about avoiding the thunderstorms, it's about learning to dance in the rain!
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09-20-2008, 08:56 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 3,142
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Hair
Hi Harrie,
My medium brown hair was thick and very wavy before chemo. It grew back thinner, pure white and very curly. Then it turned brown and wavy again. Now it is brown, a little wavy and mixed with some gray, but that is because of the natural aging process. I think our hair folicles are affected by the chemo and are not sure how to respond for awhile after we finish chemo. Hang in there, go with the flow and do whatever you can to make it presentable during the process. We are very lucky to have hair again. I don't think I want to be bald forever, especially since we live in a warm, sunny climate. We don't need sunburn on our heads, not to mention more possible headaches.
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09-20-2008, 09:12 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 292
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I am very protective of my hair now. Not that I take excellent care of it, but while I love my stylist, I want to run screaming from the room when she has to trim the ends.
This is fresh in my mind, as I just had a cut and color today. See? I don't take excellent care of it--it is very, very blonde.
Which reminds me...I need a new avatar photo. It won't be from today, but newer than "chemo-recovered barbie."
Take care,
Krista
__________________
Krista
Diagnosed 3/29/2007 @ age 34
Stage 1, Node Neg. (SNB), Grade 2, 1.4 cm. IDC
ER/PR 90%+ HER2 +
6 TCH started 5/25/2007, ended after #5 due to steroid "reactions" and neuropathy in feet and hands
BUT--#6 CH w/o Taxotere
Begin Herceptin alone 9/28/2007
30 rads completed 12/19/2007
Finish Herceptin 5/9/2008
Stopped Tamoxifen early--HATED it.
Married 17 years
13-year old son
3 embies on ice (from 1999)
GA, USA
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09-21-2008, 07:55 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Thornhill, Ontario
Canada
Posts: 2,320
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I have been incredibly lucky with my hair - before treatment, it was about 50% grey (which I coloured), very thick, curly/frizzy. After chemo, it initially grew in straight, very dark brown with very little grey - my onc. and the chemo nurses were astounded that I had so little grey.
Growth was slow until I finished chemo, then as many ladies on this board had assured me, the hair would grow in more quickly after I finished Herceptin. I finished Herceptin in May 2008, over the summer it has become a soft curl, still very little grey, much longer, not as thick as before BC, but believe me, I am very happy with it now..
I started using a product called "Glaze" by John Freida in the Hazelnut/Expresso colour - it basically is a no ammonia/peroxide rinse that covers the grey and "brightens" your hair - no roots if you stop using it, just fades. The grey strands actually look like natural highlights with this product - a $10 bottle will last about a month. You can use it if you have less than 25% grey.
all the best
caya
__________________
ER90%+/PR 50%+/HER 2+
1.7 cm and 1.0 cm.
Stage 1, grade 2, Node Negative (16 nodes tested)
MRM Dec.18/06
3 x FEC, 3 x Taxotere
Herceptin - every 3 weeks for a year, finished May 8/08
Tamoxifen - 2 1/2 years
Femara - Jan. 1, 2010 - July 18, 2012
BRCA1/BRCA2 Negative
Dignosed 10/16/06, age 48 , premenopausal
Mild lymphedema diagnosed June 2009 - breast surgeon and lymph. therapist think it's completely reversible - hope so.
Reclast infusion January 2012
Oopherectomy October 2013
15 Years NED!!
Last edited by caya; 09-22-2008 at 12:55 PM..
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09-21-2008, 11:07 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hilo, Hawaii
Posts: 1,867
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Thanks everyone for your responses. Seems the regrowth for everyone is as variable as the types of hair that we all had to begin with.
__________________
*** 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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