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12-01-2007, 05:40 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Morris, IL
Posts: 3,507
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Sportin a Port
Well, its in...a long day Thursday..I was unable to get the new Power Port my brother brought from California...my veins were too small...thats about the only thing thats too small on me now! I was in surgery 2 hours...then went up for my 3 treatments, I slept through all of them, then slept the 2 hours home in traffic, then ate and decided to take a little nap....I woke up at 2:30 a.m. and the Decadron decided to kick in....so I read magazines, visually cleaned my house and watched tv....my port is on the right side, so it seems to be more midline to get direct access to the heart without any kinks...makes driving and wearing a seatbelt much easier with it on the right.....the nurses were glad I got the port....the anesthesiologist went through 4 veins trying to start my IV for surgery....
Mimi, I was thinking about you getting PORTED about the same time I was...I can say you get the buzz from the Benedryl and Decadron alot faster with the port!
__________________
"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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12-01-2007, 06:53 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Poland Ohio just a little south of Youngstown.
Posts: 473
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Hi Sheila, glad to hear it's all done! You're gonna be so glad you have it! You're right, you do get the "buzz" a lot quicker this way. My best to you and you're always in my prayers.
Hugs
__________________
Susan
Age: 61
dx: 5/25/06
2 cm/ 0 nodes
Lumpectomy rt breast on 7/26/06
ER/PR- / Her2+++
A/C x 4
finished taxotere 2/07
finished 33 rads
Herceptin finished 12/07/07 Yippee!
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12-01-2007, 08:22 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: We presently live 1 1/2 hrs fr a city. in manitoba canada
Posts: 148
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sheila..not sure if you read my first post but i had the steroid buzz going, i did not enjoy that heightened alertness. up down, walk...talk no talk...sleep no sleep!! it was crazy but the ativan did relieve it. Glad to hear your ok..sorry your new port fr your brother was not used. take care and happy tripping!
suzanne
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12-01-2007, 09:44 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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Sheila,
Congratulatins on getting a port. I don't know how you did it all this time without one. My veins are soooo bad! I had chemo prior to surgery and when I had my surgery they used my port for the anesthesia. Sorry you couldn't get the power port though. And you're right about it being better to have the port on the right side. My first one was on the left and the seat belt always rubbed it. Now I have mine on the right side.
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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12-01-2007, 10:22 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: moved to Lancaster, Pa in June, 2010
Posts: 576
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Glad you got a port, it will make things much easier. I love my port. Yes you do get the benadryl buzz alot faster with a port. Mine is on the right side also. I have never had any trouble with mine. Good luck!
__________________
Debbie in North Carolina
Diag 10/2006-high grade invasive ductal carcinoma- mastectomy L breast
2.5 cm tumor ER/PR pos-Her2+++
4 rounds A/C, 4 rounds Taxol
Herceptin every 3 weeks until Jan. 2008
6/18/07 prophylatic mastectomy R breast
8/2007 started aromasin/stopped arimidex (side effects)
12/07 stopped aromasin due to side effects (now what?)
Finished herceptin 1/8/08
started tamoxifen for 2 years then will switch to femera
allergic to tamoxifen started femera 4/2008
June 20, 2008 portacath removed
Learnig to live life to the fullest!
Stopped Femera due to side effects
July 28, 2008 start trial for breast cancer vaccine
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12-01-2007, 02:19 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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Hi Sheila,
Glad you got your port put in. It must be easier with all the poking and prodding you must go through. I never had a port so don't know anything about them. I pray I never have to know  but if this disease would ever veer it's ugly head again, I would have too as my left arm could not go through all that again. The veins in that arm aren't wonderful after receiving 8 cycles of chemo and 1 year of herceptin.
So, dear lady, glad it's over and life will be a bit easier for you - - - - - at least as far as "vein hunting" goes!!!!!
Love & Peace,
Mary Jo
__________________
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
Dx. 6/24/05 age 45 Right Breast IDC ER/PR. Neg., - Her2+++ RB Mast. - 7/28/05 - 4 cm. tumor Margins clear - 1 microscopic cell 1 sent. node No Vasucular Invasion 4 DD A/C - 4 DD Taxol & Herceptin 1 full year of Herceptin received every 3 weeks 28 rads prophylactic Mast. 3/2/06
17 Years NED
<>< Romans 8:28
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12-01-2007, 04:54 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,756
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Yeah for ports! You will love haveing it Sheila, it makes things so much easier.
<3 Lolly
__________________
Sept.'99 - Dx.Stage IIIB, IDC ER/PR-, HER2+++ by IHC, confirmed '04 by FISH. Left MRM, AC x's 4, Taxol x's 4, 33 Rads, finishing Tx May 2000. Jan.'01 - local/regional recurrence, Stage IV. Herceptin/Navelbine weekly till NED August 2001, then maintenance Herceptin. Right Mast. April 2002. Local/Regional recurrence April '04, Herceptin plus/minus chemo until May '07. Gemzar added from Feb.'07-April '07; Tykerb/Abraxane until August '07, back on Herceptin plus Taxotere and Xeloda Sept. '07. Stopped T/X Nov. '07, stopped Herceptin Dec. '07, started Avastin/Taxol/Carboplatin Dec. '07. Progression in chest skin, stopped TAC March '03, started radiation.
Herceptin has served as the "Backbone" of my treatment strategy for over 6 years, giving me great quality of life. In 2005, I was privileged to participate in the University of Washington/Seattle HER2 Vaccine Trial.
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12-01-2007, 06:02 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Lincoln, Rhode Island
Posts: 371
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I must say Sheila as much as I hated having to have a port it is so much easier. I am glad everything went well. All my best.
__________________
Love and Hope
Karen
IDC
DX 1998 STAGE I ER+/ PR+
AC CHEMO TILL FEB 1999
Tamxofin till 2001
2001 exstensive liver mets and mets to lungs
Started weekly taxol
Jan 2002 found out I was strongly HER2POS+++ started herceptin continued with taxol and herceptin till June 2002 then from June 2002 till Jan 2005 just herceptin and Arimidex
2005 Navelbine herceptin had RFA Then back on taxol with herceptin
April 2006 progression again went on clinical trial with tykrerb/herceptin progressed on the started Xeloda/ herceptin
Feb 2007 started Doxil
August 2007 Taxotere,Carboplatin and Herceptin exstensive mets to liver and pancreas
October 2007 Had to stop Carboplatin due to sever allergic reaction
Jan 2008
Stopped Taxotere due to progression now on Gemzar and Herceptin
March 2008 Starting Carboplatin, Abraxane, and Herceptin.
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12-01-2007, 10:21 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 1,055
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Congrats on port. Tell us more on visual house cleaning. Can I let the cleaning lady go? BB
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12-02-2007, 12:30 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Detroit Metropolitan Area, Michigan
Posts: 592
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Congratulations Sheila!--Yipee--Whooo-Hooo! Hope you're not feeling too unconfortable. No sportin' 'round yet; take it easy and keep it covered till it heals. Yeee Haa!
Jo
I am happy the post surgical pain in the front of my thighs dissappeared today too ---Yeah! Now I can focus on the pain surrounding the new girls! 
__________________
Aug06...Dx Age 50, IDC Left Breast, 6+/16 lymph nodes, Stg 3, ER+/PR+/HER2+
Sep06-Jan07...Mediport. Chemo: AC x 4, T x 4
Dec06-Nov07...Herceptin
Feb12,2007...Surg MRM Left & SM Right, reconstruct w/expanders
Mar07-Jun07...Saline Exp
Jun07...Start Tamoxifen
Jun07-Aug07...Rad x 25
Jun07-Oct07...Persistent fevers-unknown origin
Jun07-Nov07...PT for Severe PMPS & Capsular Contracture
Nov07...Surg Capsulectomy, Gel Implants, PMPS pain gone instantly.
Feb08...NED 1st CANCERVERSARY!!!!!
Feb08...2 months post surgery Caps Cont again :(
Mar08...Stop Tamoxifen. Start Arimidex.
Apr08...Sudden high fever, Hosp ICU 10 days, staph infect, emerg surg, implants removed. Outpt IVantibiotics Daily x 6 weeks
Feb11...NED 5th CANCERVERSARY!!!!!
Feb12...NED 6th CANCERVERSARY!!!!!
Aug12...Spotting. Surg=D&C
Sep12...STAGE IV = RARE BC METS TO UTERUS ILC ER+/PR+/HER2-Negative) (Different BC than originally diagnosed = IDC ER+/PR+/HER2+).
Sep12...Stop Arimidex. Start Afinitor & Aromasin.
Jan13...MRI = no progression no reduction
Apr13...Progression. Stop Afinitor & Aromasin.
Apr13...Start Chemo: Taxol & Carboplatin.
Nov13...Scans & Pelvic 95+% Reduction. Nueropathy>Stop chemo start Fareston.
Jan14...PET scan = no progression stable.
May14...Pelvic > Bleeding & cramps. TMs up.
May14...PET scan = uterine progression :(
May14...Stop Fareston. Start Chemo: Xeloda.
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12-03-2007, 11:00 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 715
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Ports are Us
Someone had to say it....so I will. Glad you are all ported up. Thank goodness my doctor scheduled me for a port before I even knew what hit me. Mine has worked well and I wish the same for you.
Better than a port a potty...okay...I am getting tired.
All the best, Catherine
__________________
Catherine
Found my own lump in the shower
April 2006 at the age of 58
Stage IIB, ER- PR- HER2+++ multi focal tumors, largest 2.3cm
Chemo first: AC/Taxol over 16 weeks
Bilateral mastectomy Sep 06
33 rads after the surgery
1 year of Herceptin completed Dec 07
15 years and no recurrence as of April 2021
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