to lauren

I didn't make it very far through the first page but saw your name kinda popping up all over due to some concerns you have. I looked but I didn't see your post under profiles in courage. If I remember correctly, you have not dealt with mets yet, but perhaps you can still post your story so we are more familiar with your complete diagnosis and experience. Perhaps there are women out there who are in the same position as you and they may benefit from your words.
hope you are well
el

Hi...I know I took up a lot of the oxygen around here yesterday. I was really in a tizzy, feeling overwhelmed by so so so much information on this site that may or may not be of any use to me at all....and I was feeling kind of upset and a bit angry, not at anyone here, but just in general. I wish so much that we were 50 years into the future so that our answers could be known....

I don't want to post in profiles of courage for personal reasons. But the short story is that I was diagnosed two years ago this August, multifocal Stage IIb, two positive nodes out of 18 total, er/pr highly positive, her2 highly positive. I was diagnosed following a series of miscarriages. Just goes to show you what happens with hormones. I was 36 at diagnosis. Already had two young children at the time, ages 3 and 5.

Family history - not compelling for breast cancer but very compelling for adenocarcinomas in general (prostate, ovarian, post-menopausal breast cancer, colon cancer), all on dad's side.

OK, treatment: double mastectomies (my choice), with immediate one-step saline reconstruction (i.e., no expanders), four rounds of A/C at three week intervals (there was no dose dense at the time), four rounds of Taxotere plus Herceptin, two of which were spaced out to weekly intervals and two of which were given at three week intervals (I couldn't tolerate the side effects of the weekly taxotere, but little did I know my hair would fall out again on the three-week taxotere).

I continued Herceptin for another year after completing the Taxotere (I received Herceptin off study). I had six weeks of radiation (my choice, again) during that time. During my radiation, I had my ovaries removed to permanently keep me in menopause (I went into menopause immediately after starting A/C).

Immediately after completing radiation, I began taking Arimidex.

I had liposuction to get rid of the menopausal fat deposits on my flanks and front abdomen, and I still have to have my ports removed from my saline implants and have nipples made.

Other than that, I feel great!

Were you dx with lobular or ductal cancer?

Lauren - was very intrigued by something you mentioned in your post to Eleanor regarding the incidences of cancer on your father's side of the family.

I, too, had no history of any kind of cancer on my mother's side but a strong history of cancer on my father's side--ie, my father (lung cancer), his mother (breast cancer in her early 30s-she lived to be 94), his father (stomach/colon cancer) and now my uncle (liver). Through the years not one doctor ever seemed to be concerned about this but only wanted to hear about my mother's side. Am curious and hopeful that docs will now take into consideration both sides of ones family.

hey lauren,

if you'd like me to send you a bracelet, please e-mail me with your address. These are the adult size and run a bit big on my small wrist and probably yours, too, but I love the LIVESTRONG message and wear it all the time.

take care,

vicki