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Old 05-02-2013, 06:26 PM   #1
ammebarb
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Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

It took a while to get in to see him, but had my appointment yesterday in Philadelphia. There was good and bad.....The bad is that he revised my prognosis to 70% chance of recurrence (had been told 50% by the genetics testing). Good news is that my most recent liver mri and lung ct were clear. I had gone, hoping to be offered an adjuvant treatment, and he did that. Waiting for insurance company approval, some baseline testing of heart, some labs, and getting a local oncologist on board. Then, perhaps in a month, I should be able to start. Right now, I'm a bit demoralized again, but am trying to hope that the adjuvant will give me the 20% advantage for non recurrence that many in the study achieved. That puts me back to 50%. My sis says to forget the numbers.....they are just numbers. I am trying, and still really appreciating prayers.



















































































































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Old 05-02-2013, 06:33 PM   #2
'lizbeth
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Yes, the numbers can make you discouraged. But you are more than a number! We hope that you are in the lucky 50% and that your new treatment plan is approved asap.

Sending healing prayers
__________________
Diagnosed 2007
Stage IIb Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Pagets, 3 of 15 positive nodes

Traditional Treatment: Mastectomy and Axillary Node Dissection followed by Taxotere, 6 treatments and 1 year of Herceptin, no radiation
Former Chemo Ninja "Takizi Zukuchiri"

Additional treatments:
GP2 vaccine, San Antonio Med Ctr
Prescriptive Exercise for Cancer Patients
ENERGY Study, UCSD La Jolla

Reconstruction: TRAM flap, partial loss, Revision

The content of my posts are meant for informational purposes only. The medical information is intended for general information only and should not be used in any way to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease
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Old 05-02-2013, 07:59 PM   #3
NEDenise
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Barb,
Numbers suck almost as much as cancer!
Let's make a deal...I won't listen to my numbers,, if you won't listen to yours. We're both tough birds...and we can defy those bad numbers!

Thinking of you...sending prayers...and a GIANT homegrown Pennsylvania hug!
Denise
__________________
1/11-needle biopsy
2/11-Lumpectomy/axillary node dissection - Stage 3c, ER/PR-14/17 nodes
3/11 - Post-op staph infection,cellulitis, lymphedema,seroma,ARRRGH!
4/12/11-A/C x 4, then T/H x 4, H only,Q3 weeks
8/26/11 finished Taxol!!!
10/7/11 mastectomy/DIEP recon
11/11 radiation x28
1/12/12 1st CANCER-VERSARY!
1/12 Low EF/Herceptin "Holiday" :(
2/12 EF up - Back on Herceptin, heart meds
4/2/1212 surgery to repair separated incision from DIEP recon
6/8/12 Return to work :)
6/17/12 Fall, shatter wrist,surgery to repair/insert plate :(
7/10/12 last Herceptin
7/23/12 Brain Mets %$&#! 3cm and 1cm
8/10/12 Gamma knife surgery, LOTS of steroids;start H/Tykerb
8/23/12 Back to work
12/20/12 Injure back-3 weeks in wheel chair
1/12/13 2nd CANCER-VERSARY!
1/14/13 herniate disk in back - surgery to repair
1/27/13 Radiation necrosis - edema in brain - back on steroids - but not back to work - off balance, poor cordination in right arm
5/3/13 Start Avastin to shrink necrosis
5/10/13 begin weaning steroids
6/18/13 Brain MRI - Avastin seems to be working!
6/20/13 quarterly CT - chest, abdomen, pelvis - All Clear!
7/5/13 finally off steroids!!
7/7/13 joined the ranks of the CHEMO NINJAS I am now Tekuto Ki Ariku cancer assassin!
7/13/13 Symptoms return - back on steroids
7/26/13 Back on Avastin - try again!
8/26/13 Not ready to return to classroom yet :( But I CAN walk without holding onto things! :)
9/9/13 Brain MRI - fingers crossed
“ Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds you down or polishes you up is for you, and you alone, to decide. ” – Cavett Robert
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Old 05-02-2013, 11:04 PM   #4
Jackie07
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Yes, forget the numbers!

Stephen Jay Gould had a famous quote that 'the median is not the message' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Jay_Gould Statistics are just statistics. We can all learn from him to outlive the 'median' ...

"The Lord bless you and keep you..."
"May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back..."
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Last edited by Jackie07; 05-02-2013 at 11:25 PM..
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Old 05-03-2013, 06:46 AM   #5
norkdo
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Barb: my sister in law was diagnosed with eye cancer and her Canadian oncologist in Montreal was terrible! She did her own research (her husband did it actually) and found that in England there are excellent doctors, particularly one in Liverpool. She phoned his office there. He demanded she send all scan reports to him immediately. He personally phoned her back and told her to come to England asap. She went. He operated. Canada paid for it, inc a part of her stay there. She is great now.
__________________
fall 2008: mammo of rt breast worrisome so am asked to redo mammo and have ultrasound of rt breast.I delay it til january 2009 and the results are "no cancer in rt breast. phew."
found plum sized lump in right breast the day before my dad died: April 17th 2011. saw it in mirror, while i was wearing a top, examining my figure after losing 10 lbs on dr. bernstein diet.
diagnosed may 10 2011

mast/lymphectomy: june 7 2011, 5/20 cancerous nodes. stage 3a before radiation oncologist during our first mtg on july 15th says he found cancer on the lymph node of my breast bone. Now stage 3b.
her2+++, EN-, PN-. Rt brst tumors:3 at onset, 4.5 cm was the big one
chemos: 3fec's followed by 3 taxotere, total of 18 wks chemo. sept: halfway thru chemo the mastectomy scar decides to open and ooze pus. (not healed before chemo) eventually with canasten powder sent by friend in ny (illegal in canada) it heals.
radiations:although scheduled to begin 25 january 2012, I am so terrified by it (rads cause other cancers) I don't start til february, miss a bunch, reschedule them all and finally finish 35 rads mid april. reason for 7 extra atop the 28 scheduled is that when i first met my rads oncologist he said he saw a tumor on the lymph node of my breastbone. extra 7 are special kind of beam used for that lymphnode. rads onc tells me nobody ever took so long to do rads so he cannot speak for effectiveness. trials had been done only on consecutive days so......we'll see.....
10 mos of herceptin started 6 wks into chemo. canadian onc says 10 mos is just as effective as the full yr recommended by dr. slamon......so we'll see..completed july 2012.
Sept 18 2012: reconstruction and 3 drains. fails. i wear antibiotic pouch on my job for two months and have 60 consecutive days visiting a nursing centre where they apply burn victims' silver paper and clean the oozing infection daily. silicone leaks out daily. plastic surgeon in caribbean. emergency dept wont remove "his" work. He finally appears and orders me in into an emergency removal of implant. I make him promise no drains and I get my way. No infection as a result. Chest looks like a map of Brazil. Had a perfectly good left breast on Sept 17th but surgeon wanted to "save another woman an operation" ? so he had crashed two operations together on my left breast, foregoing the intermediary operation where you install an expander. the first surgeon a year earlier had flat out refused to waste five hours on his feet taking both boobs. flat out refusal. between the canadian health system saving money and both these asses, I got screwed. who knows when i can next get enough time off work (i work for myself and have no substitute when my husband is on contract) to get boobs again. arrrgh.


I have a blog where I document this trip and vent.
www.nora'scancerblog.blogspot.com . I stopped the blog before radiation. I think the steroids made me more angry and depressed and i just hated reading it anymore
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Old 05-26-2013, 07:08 PM   #6
NEDenise
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Wink Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Barb...
Haven't seen an "eye update" from you in a while. Did I miss it, or are you remiss in posting news about my good friend?

I'm embarrassed to admit it but I don't think I really understand your treatment.
What are the medicines doing for you?
Is your sight affected by the treatments at all?
How often do you get the injections?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Denise
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Old 05-26-2013, 09:10 PM   #7
Paty
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Prayers going your way dear Barb and hugs too. What Nora mentions sounds great. Lots of Love.

Paty
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Dx. June 30th, 2006 at age 43
Lumpectomy rt breast
2.2 cm tumor, 13 nodes all negative
ER-PR+,her2+++
6 FAC
32 Rads
Dx. Lung fibrosis due to radiation
Ended 1 year herceptin in March, 2008
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Old 05-27-2013, 02:18 AM   #8
Ellie F
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Hi Barb
Just wanted to add to what Norkdo has said. My friends son is under treatment at Liverpool for an ocular tumour. I can only describe his care as excellent! I believe they have private patients so accessing the service should be easy if your insurance will pay. I live some way from Liverpool but if you decided to come here I would be happy to meet you there.
Ellie
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Old 05-27-2013, 10:38 AM   #9
ammebarb
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Thanks so much for your concern, girls. I haven't posted much, because nothing much is happening, while I wait for my insurance to agree to pay for the oral chemo. I will have liver scans every three months and lung CTs every six. If I am approved for the Sutent, it is a six months course of a pill a day, with labs each two weeks, check of heart every two months and check of thyroid periodically too. I have the avastin shot in the eye when I go back to the ocular oncologists, each four months. I may also need another laser procedure on the retina to minimize radiation damage. No local oncologist yet, as I'm waiting for the Philly oncologist to send his notes. It will be necessary to have the local guy on board if and when I start the Sutent. I got new lenses for my glasses about two weeks ago and that helped my failing vision a lot. At some point , it won't be correctible, but I'm glad for how I'm seeing now. State of mind is "iffy"....sometimes I'm hopeful and sometimes it feels like I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.....probably part of this miserable process. I so appreciate your kindness, ladies and would still appreciate your prayers.

Barb A.
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Old 05-27-2013, 01:30 PM   #10
NEDenise
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Barb...
Thanks for the update and the explanation.
You've been in my prayers anyway dear friend...but now I have a better idea what exactly to pray for when I'm lifting you up.

I don't mean to be insensitive, or nosey...and feel free not to respond to this next question...but are the docs saying that eventually you will be blind in that eye...even with treatment? Or is that the 'iffy' part? Having that hang out there in the wind...well, no wonder you're state of mind goes up and down!

So much to deal with! And still hanging tough! You rock!
Sending love across our great state!!
Denise
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Old 05-27-2013, 03:12 PM   #11
norkdo
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

hey Barb, not sure about American health system, but the Canadian one said "no we will not pay! you haven't filled in all the papers, you haven't waited for...whatever..." and she went anyway, and went to the health offices or whatever and they paid! Just saying that if you can contact the Liverpool doctor my sister in law found on the net and email him the reports...type em out or whatever, as Ellie said, this guy (and apparently there are tons like him all over England, who are used to the foot dragging and lollygagging of Canadian and American systems and are clever at writing reports to those who pay for our treatment here on this continent) you'd be a heck of a lot healthier while waiting to find out about getting reimbursed back home.
__________________
fall 2008: mammo of rt breast worrisome so am asked to redo mammo and have ultrasound of rt breast.I delay it til january 2009 and the results are "no cancer in rt breast. phew."
found plum sized lump in right breast the day before my dad died: April 17th 2011. saw it in mirror, while i was wearing a top, examining my figure after losing 10 lbs on dr. bernstein diet.
diagnosed may 10 2011

mast/lymphectomy: june 7 2011, 5/20 cancerous nodes. stage 3a before radiation oncologist during our first mtg on july 15th says he found cancer on the lymph node of my breast bone. Now stage 3b.
her2+++, EN-, PN-. Rt brst tumors:3 at onset, 4.5 cm was the big one
chemos: 3fec's followed by 3 taxotere, total of 18 wks chemo. sept: halfway thru chemo the mastectomy scar decides to open and ooze pus. (not healed before chemo) eventually with canasten powder sent by friend in ny (illegal in canada) it heals.
radiations:although scheduled to begin 25 january 2012, I am so terrified by it (rads cause other cancers) I don't start til february, miss a bunch, reschedule them all and finally finish 35 rads mid april. reason for 7 extra atop the 28 scheduled is that when i first met my rads oncologist he said he saw a tumor on the lymph node of my breastbone. extra 7 are special kind of beam used for that lymphnode. rads onc tells me nobody ever took so long to do rads so he cannot speak for effectiveness. trials had been done only on consecutive days so......we'll see.....
10 mos of herceptin started 6 wks into chemo. canadian onc says 10 mos is just as effective as the full yr recommended by dr. slamon......so we'll see..completed july 2012.
Sept 18 2012: reconstruction and 3 drains. fails. i wear antibiotic pouch on my job for two months and have 60 consecutive days visiting a nursing centre where they apply burn victims' silver paper and clean the oozing infection daily. silicone leaks out daily. plastic surgeon in caribbean. emergency dept wont remove "his" work. He finally appears and orders me in into an emergency removal of implant. I make him promise no drains and I get my way. No infection as a result. Chest looks like a map of Brazil. Had a perfectly good left breast on Sept 17th but surgeon wanted to "save another woman an operation" ? so he had crashed two operations together on my left breast, foregoing the intermediary operation where you install an expander. the first surgeon a year earlier had flat out refused to waste five hours on his feet taking both boobs. flat out refusal. between the canadian health system saving money and both these asses, I got screwed. who knows when i can next get enough time off work (i work for myself and have no substitute when my husband is on contract) to get boobs again. arrrgh.


I have a blog where I document this trip and vent.
www.nora'scancerblog.blogspot.com . I stopped the blog before radiation. I think the steroids made me more angry and depressed and i just hated reading it anymore
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Old 05-27-2013, 03:18 PM   #12
ammebarb
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

I don't mind the questions at all, Denise. The docs say that I will lose central vision in my treated eye at about 18 months from the treatment date, so perhaps another year. I've completely accepted that eventuality. It is the possibility of mets, which go to the liver or lungs that makes me the greatest misery. At the time of treatment, there was a complete discussion about whether to do the plaque radiotherapy or remove my eye, so I accepted early on that I would not keep vision in that eye. There are also conditions which can arise after so much radiation that would still mean removing my eye. Not my wish, but still not the worst....it's the mets that concern me. You are a sweetheart for writing and I appreciate you a huge bunch! Hope things are improving for you and the steroid weaning is going well. Hugs to you, Denise.

Barb A.
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Old 05-27-2013, 03:31 PM   #13
norkdo
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

what about proton treatment? They told my sister in law she would lose her eye but this other treatment, done in Liverpool spared it.
__________________
fall 2008: mammo of rt breast worrisome so am asked to redo mammo and have ultrasound of rt breast.I delay it til january 2009 and the results are "no cancer in rt breast. phew."
found plum sized lump in right breast the day before my dad died: April 17th 2011. saw it in mirror, while i was wearing a top, examining my figure after losing 10 lbs on dr. bernstein diet.
diagnosed may 10 2011

mast/lymphectomy: june 7 2011, 5/20 cancerous nodes. stage 3a before radiation oncologist during our first mtg on july 15th says he found cancer on the lymph node of my breast bone. Now stage 3b.
her2+++, EN-, PN-. Rt brst tumors:3 at onset, 4.5 cm was the big one
chemos: 3fec's followed by 3 taxotere, total of 18 wks chemo. sept: halfway thru chemo the mastectomy scar decides to open and ooze pus. (not healed before chemo) eventually with canasten powder sent by friend in ny (illegal in canada) it heals.
radiations:although scheduled to begin 25 january 2012, I am so terrified by it (rads cause other cancers) I don't start til february, miss a bunch, reschedule them all and finally finish 35 rads mid april. reason for 7 extra atop the 28 scheduled is that when i first met my rads oncologist he said he saw a tumor on the lymph node of my breastbone. extra 7 are special kind of beam used for that lymphnode. rads onc tells me nobody ever took so long to do rads so he cannot speak for effectiveness. trials had been done only on consecutive days so......we'll see.....
10 mos of herceptin started 6 wks into chemo. canadian onc says 10 mos is just as effective as the full yr recommended by dr. slamon......so we'll see..completed july 2012.
Sept 18 2012: reconstruction and 3 drains. fails. i wear antibiotic pouch on my job for two months and have 60 consecutive days visiting a nursing centre where they apply burn victims' silver paper and clean the oozing infection daily. silicone leaks out daily. plastic surgeon in caribbean. emergency dept wont remove "his" work. He finally appears and orders me in into an emergency removal of implant. I make him promise no drains and I get my way. No infection as a result. Chest looks like a map of Brazil. Had a perfectly good left breast on Sept 17th but surgeon wanted to "save another woman an operation" ? so he had crashed two operations together on my left breast, foregoing the intermediary operation where you install an expander. the first surgeon a year earlier had flat out refused to waste five hours on his feet taking both boobs. flat out refusal. between the canadian health system saving money and both these asses, I got screwed. who knows when i can next get enough time off work (i work for myself and have no substitute when my husband is on contract) to get boobs again. arrrgh.


I have a blog where I document this trip and vent.
www.nora'scancerblog.blogspot.com . I stopped the blog before radiation. I think the steroids made me more angry and depressed and i just hated reading it anymore
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Old 05-27-2013, 04:47 PM   #14
ammebarb
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

My docs are among the top in the United States, and they never mentioned proton treatment, although I know it is done in some places here in the U.S. The plaque (brachytherapy) was the choice, a dose of radioactivity delivered over a period of seven days. It is a disk of radioactive material, stitched over the base of the tumor, on the outside of the eyeball. It is then covered by bandage and a lead shield, and then removed. It is said that the treatment is 97% effective in killing the tumor, over a period of time (about two years). Measurements are taken at each check up to be sure the tumor is not growing. The danger is in the prospects of mets. I hope your sister in law continues to do well.

Barb A.
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Old 06-04-2013, 09:48 AM   #15
Soccermom
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Ammebarb,
I think of you often and send vibes for healing strength and peace.
Keep us updated as to when / what treatment is and how you are doing.
Gentle hugs dear one! NO, YOU are not a statistic!!

XOXO Marcia
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Old 06-04-2013, 11:23 AM   #16
suzan w
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Dear Barb, best of luck with the new treatment. And I commend you, and all of our Her2 family, for going the extra mile in finding the best treatments. And for sharing our adventures and misadventures here o n the board. I continue to learn every day new things about my health. I have also learned over the years that the numbers change quite rapidly as new treatments are discovered. When I was first diagnosed in 2005, triple positive breast cancer was 'very rare'(1st oncolosist)invasive lobular is NEVER her2+(ha!), and my odds were grim. Those numbers have done a complete 360!!! Every day we stack the odds in our favor!!! XXOO
__________________
Suzan W.
age 54 at diagnosis
5/05 suspicious mammogram-left breast
5/05 biopsy-invasive lobular carcinoma with LCIS,8mm tumor,stage 1 grade 2, ER+ PR+ Her2+++
6/14/05 bilateral mastectomy, node neg. all scans neg.
Oncotype DX-high risk
8/05-10/05 4 rounds A/C
10/05 -10/06 1 yr. herceptin
arimidex-5 years
2/14/08 started daily self administered injections..FORTEO for severe osteoporosis
7/28/09 BRCA 1 negative BRCA2 POSITIVE
8/17/09 prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy
10/15/10 last FORTEOinjection
RECLAST infusion(ostoeporosis)
6/14/10 5 year cancerversary!
8/2010-18%increase in bone density!
no further treatments
Oncologist says, "Go do the Happy Dance"
I say,"What a long strange trip its been"
'One day at a time'
6-14-2015. 10 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!
7-16 to 9-16. Extensive (and expensive) dental work done to save teeth. Damage from osteoporosis and chemo and long term bisphosphonate use
6-14-16. 11 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
7-20-16 Prolia injection for severe osteoporosis
2 days later, massive hive outbreak. This led to an eventual dx of Chronic Ideopathic Urticaria, an auto-immune disease from HELL.
6-14-17 12 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
still suffering from CIU. 4 hospitilizations in the past year

as of today, 10-31-17 in remission from CIU and still, CANCER FREE!!!
6-14-18 13 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!! NED!!
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Old 06-04-2013, 03:36 PM   #17
Adriana Mangus
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Sending prayers your way. Hopefully you can see the same doctor Nora's sister visited in England. Sounds great!!
__________________
1994 - rt brst, .lump, underarm node dissection,chemo+rad 1.2 cms, Grade 3.
28 nodes neg
Er,Pr, Positive HER2 status unknown
2003- Recur to rt lung.July 16 ( B-Day!)
Her2+++ Er,Pr, Negative
2003 - Aug04--Navelbine + Herceptin
2004- 2007--
NED - Herceptin, only
2007 Feb-April Xeloda added to hereceptin
2007-May Back on Navelbine+Herceptin
2008-Feb-Mar 15 Ses Rad to Rt. Lung
2008- Oc 17 Add Tykerb to Herceptin
2009- June-- Discont Tykerb
2009 July 7--Current Taxol + Herceptin
2009 Dec--Discontinued treatment due to progression. Looking into cyberknife.
2010-Aug Accepted to TDM1, no SE, except liver count went up.
2010-2011 September got kicked out of the trial, due to a small spot found on lung.
2011- 2012 September thru early 2013 on Herceptin
2013- March Bone density shows small spot on 5th rib.
2013 - April 4th appt with onc. will post after discussing course of treatment.
2013-March-April Cyber knife to brain and radiation to rib. Chest --base line before chemo-CT-Scan stable for lung issue. CA2729 Normal.
2013 April Herceptin- TDMI
2013 Sept Herceptin + Perjeta . CA2729 within normal range. Brain and Pet scans October 31st. will post results.
2013 October Brain MRI- mixed response. Will see Onc/rad on Halloween.
2013 October/November Brain-MRI nothing new. Repeat MRI next year in May.

2013 December Continue Herceptin and Perjeta. Stable at the moment.
2014 February Brain MRI -clear!
2014 January Added Taxotere to Perjeta+Herceptin.
2014 March Stopped chemo-chest ct-scan next.

2014- March Scans shows tumor's larger, CA2729 higher. Discontinue Herceptin.
2014 April Perjeta+ Halaven
2014 April CA2729 went down 60 points after one cycle. Cough does not want to go away.
2014 June Continue on Perjeta + Halaven-- no more cough. Stable
2014 June Back on Herceptin + abraxane
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Old 06-10-2013, 01:43 PM   #18
ammebarb
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Finally received the approval for adjuvant oral chemo, Sutent! It's arriving on Thursday. Hope to begin to take it sometime soon. It's an initial six month course of a pill a day and then one can opt to do another six months, if mets havent' appeared in the meantime. Hoping for maximum good effect and few side effects. Thanks for all you love and support for a sister with a different cancer!

Barb A.
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Old 06-10-2013, 03:00 PM   #19
Lien
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

That is great news Barb! I am so glad you can start therapy now. You know, percentages really mean nothing. Either you get mets or you don't. I know of several people who had over 90% risk of recurrence and/or mets (lungcancer, braincancer, breastcancer) who never recurred. We all know that some people even survive mets. You could be in that group. Wouldn't it be nice if we knew in advance? Then we wouldn't worry so much. In a way I think the uncertainty is harder to deal with than the certainty of having mets.

A friend of mine once said: as long as there's no evidence of mets, I will assume that I am not going to get them. That way my time won't be spent fretting over something that may never happen. I thought it was very wise, although I'm not at all sure that I would be able to think that way.

For now, you are hitting those cancercells hard and hopefully they will know that you have this whole army of Her2 supporters fighting them with you. We are a formidable adversary as a group. They'd better run!

Sending hugs and healing vibes, all the way from Europe.

Love

Jacqueline
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Diagnosed age 44, January 2004, 0.7 cm IDC & DCIS. Stage 1, grade 3, ER/PR pos. HER2 pos. clear margins, no nodes. SNB. 35 rads. On Zoladex and Armidex since Dec. 2004. Stopped Zoladex/Arimidex sept 2009 Still taking mistletoe shots (CAM therapy) Doing fine.
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Old 06-10-2013, 05:11 PM   #20
NEDenise
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Re: Met with Ocular Melanoma Oncologist

Barb!
That's great news! Thanks for updating! You're in my prayers everyday anyway...but I'll add the name 'Sutent' in there now too!

sending love and a big hug...
Denise
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1/11-needle biopsy
2/11-Lumpectomy/axillary node dissection - Stage 3c, ER/PR-14/17 nodes
3/11 - Post-op staph infection,cellulitis, lymphedema,seroma,ARRRGH!
4/12/11-A/C x 4, then T/H x 4, H only,Q3 weeks
8/26/11 finished Taxol!!!
10/7/11 mastectomy/DIEP recon
11/11 radiation x28
1/12/12 1st CANCER-VERSARY!
1/12 Low EF/Herceptin "Holiday" :(
2/12 EF up - Back on Herceptin, heart meds
4/2/1212 surgery to repair separated incision from DIEP recon
6/8/12 Return to work :)
6/17/12 Fall, shatter wrist,surgery to repair/insert plate :(
7/10/12 last Herceptin
7/23/12 Brain Mets %$&#! 3cm and 1cm
8/10/12 Gamma knife surgery, LOTS of steroids;start H/Tykerb
8/23/12 Back to work
12/20/12 Injure back-3 weeks in wheel chair
1/12/13 2nd CANCER-VERSARY!
1/14/13 herniate disk in back - surgery to repair
1/27/13 Radiation necrosis - edema in brain - back on steroids - but not back to work - off balance, poor cordination in right arm
5/3/13 Start Avastin to shrink necrosis
5/10/13 begin weaning steroids
6/18/13 Brain MRI - Avastin seems to be working!
6/20/13 quarterly CT - chest, abdomen, pelvis - All Clear!
7/5/13 finally off steroids!!
7/7/13 joined the ranks of the CHEMO NINJAS I am now Tekuto Ki Ariku cancer assassin!
7/13/13 Symptoms return - back on steroids
7/26/13 Back on Avastin - try again!
8/26/13 Not ready to return to classroom yet :( But I CAN walk without holding onto things! :)
9/9/13 Brain MRI - fingers crossed
“ Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds you down or polishes you up is for you, and you alone, to decide. ” – Cavett Robert
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