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Finding someone with similar dx
Hello A friend and breast cancer survivor told me about this discussion board and I thought I'd give it a try. I was dx with stage 1b bc (grade 2, estrogen/progest + and HER@ neg., lymph node a microscopic amount in one node) and now I need to make an important decision. Should I have chemo or not? Got three opinions and…
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oncotype test which is right?
Hi my wife was first diagnosed estrogen positive, had a microscopic show of cancer on a lymph node through an axilla mri [needle biopsy], had a mestectomy, lymph nodes 15 of 15 clear, do not know what happened to the one that showed the small amount of cancer, dr. reduced the amount of chemo to taxotere and gytaxan 4…
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User Error...
Actual dialoge of a former WordPerfect Customer Support employee with a caller: "Ridge Hall computer assistant; may I help you?" "Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect." "What sort of trouble?" "Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away." "Went away?" "They disappeared." "Hmm. So what…
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Our Great State Senator
Barbara Maculsky (sp?) made a statement yesterday that I thought was too good not to pass on. She said that she and all the other females in the Senate felt that with all the cutbacks on mammograms, SBEs, and testing for cervical cancer - just being a woman in the United States is a "pre-existing condition". Just thought…
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Reducing Radiation Treatments
I just want to throw this out there. I was to have 12 weeks of radiation, (every day except weekends) After surgery my doctor said, ask your radiologist if they can double the dose and be finished with radiation in 6 weeks instead of 12. The chemo worked very effectively on me, they took out 20 lymphnodes, and removed the…
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1st visit with oncologist tomorrow -- questions I should ask?
I had surgery on 11/18/09 (lumpectomy, sentinel node biopsy); lymph nodes were negative, but did not get clear margins around the tumor, so surgeon wants to do re-excision/lumpectomy; I have tentatively scheduled this for 12/16. Path report shows Stage 1B, intermediate grade. My mom has had BC and my maternal grandmother…
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Friend recently diagnosed
Hi, I originally checked out ACS for myself, having been diagnosed with colon cancer in June. My reason for writing is about a friend of mine. She just started chemo and I was wondering if there was anything that I could do to help make a difference in her day. My treatment is so different. I live 3000 miles away but we…
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newbie needs pratical advice
I have just been diagnosed with DCIS. Because of a terrible family history I will be having bilateral mastectomies with bilateral sentinal node sampling and placement of tissue expanders. I am waiting for a surgery date. Anyway, I need pratical information. What is most comfortable/pratical to wear post-op?...over-sized…
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Free housecleaning service
I didn't try this myself. I just found it out and I finished chemo on 10 Nov. Hope it helps someone else. Cleaning for a Reason If you know any woman currently undergoing Chemo, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning - 1 time per month for 4 months while she is in…
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2nd Chemo Went Well
I made it through chemo #2 - the port worked great. I'm doing well - starting to get a little headache - been pounding liquids. Will continue to do so! Lori
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Transition from Tamoxifen to Arimidex/ Femara
Hello Ladies, I need your input and help making transition from Tamoxifen to Arimidex/Femara. I had my 6 months check-up yesterday. I did ask my oncologist for CYP2D6 test because I was taking tamoxifen and was never tested. He believed that due to severe side effects, which I have had is good proof for metabolizing…
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I Need the Power of Prayer!
I am having surgery in the morning and needless to say I am terrified! I will be having a Lumpectomy & Sentinal biopsy. At least I hope that's all it will be-won't know until I wake up what exactly happened. I'm trying so hard to keep it together but the anxiety keeps taking over. I do have the utmost faith in my surgeon…
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Just diagnosed with invasive ductal adneocarcinoma
I have had a very busy 2 weeks since discovery of a lump. Now I'm looking for insights, what should I be asking and doing? Is waiting 2 weeks before surgery a long time? any insights will be greatly appreciated. thanks to all who reply.
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~H.E.L.P~
Okay.. I don't know what's going on with me... but I find this to be real frustrating... I'm at work... around 11 o'clock I always eat a piece of beagle and take my Femara... today I have a terrible headache... so I remember taking an Excedrin... but I can't remember if I took my Femara... should I just skip it today or…
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swelling
hello my name is deedee. im a yr out of chemo and rad. just today my left arm started swelling up. im on amiridex
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Pregnancy after breast cancer
Don't everyone yell at me all at once but I am seriously considering trying to conceive. I am now 5 years post chemo. Periods came back irregularly about a year after my last treatment. They're still sporadic but my ovaries are still functioning. My daughter is 8 and was 3 when I was diagnosed. We were blessed to have her…
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Vitamin D, breast health and Femara
I am still here lerking in the shadows... things have been relatively crazy for me lately... lots of problems at work (I think they are trying to get me to quit)...so lots of stress... but I am still here... reading... and keeping track of all my warrior sisters. I just thought I would share some information that I learned…
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Is Bilateral Mastectomy REALLY an Outpatient Procedure?
I'm scheduled for a bilateral mastectomy next Tuesday and just found out that my insurance considers this operation to be an outpatient procedure. Has anyone else had a bilateral done as an outpatient procedure? I am not having reconstruction. Thx! Jane
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Nipples, should I or shouldn't I?
I just read a post from seof about this topic, but I think it's sort of lost in the sea of posts, so I'll ask again. I'm scheduled (on December 29th) to have my bilateral post-DIEP 'tune up' which will consist of reducing the breast on the non-radiated side to the size of the breast on the radiated side. My doctor said…
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why can't I move on
Veteran cancer warriors, give me advice. Dx in June, DCIS lumpectomy surgery in July, multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy in early September, began tamoxifen early November. I'm done. But I keep researching things online for hours a day: side effects of tamoxifen, recurrance rates for DCIS, etc. My husband would…
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Hot Flashes
Just curious, how long will these hot flashes continue? I'm in chemo now and will start Tamoxifen in a few weeks. Will they continue throughout the 5 year Tamoxifen usage or will they diminish in time? Thanks, Pitt
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DEXMETHASON--A QUICK QUESTION
I'M HAVING THIRD CHEMO TOMORROW----AND WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE 2 DEXMETHASON TABLETS THIS MORNING AND TWO THIS EVENING BEFORE BEDTIME, BUT I FORGOT THIS MORNING AND DIDN'T TAKE THEM UNTIL 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON------HAS ANYONE DONE THIS BEFORE, SHOULD I STILL TAKE THE TWO THIS EVENING AND THEN 2 MORE IN THE MORNING???
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Doing great!
Thanks to all your prayers, I came through surgery real well. I was back in my room by noon,and they were giving me lunch. I was out of the hospital the next morning. I see the surgeon again on Tuesday and will get the pathology report. Again, keep me in your prayers. I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are…
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One more time
I am going to try again to post something. Lately my posts have not been staying on the board, but we will see. Here's my issue: In March I am going to have stage 2 of reconstruction after bilateral DIEP procedure. Doc wants to do surgery to create nipples after that, but I am not sure I want to do that. Long ago I read…
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Lumps on and near collar bone
Mom, stage 4 breast cancer with mets to chest wall since 2006, has discovered two new lumps. One on her collar bone, and a larger, sometimes painful one just underneath it. She is quite worried about them. A CT scan is scheduled for Dec. 14th. Has anyone else had these lumps on or near their collar bone??? She had a…
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OLDEST
JUST WONDERING WHO MIGHT BE THE OLDEST LADY HERE WHO HAS HAD RECONSTRUCTION----I WILL BE 68 IN A MONTH AND SOMETIMES WONDER IF IT IS WORTH ANOTHER SURGERY NEXT YEAR AND THIS UNCOMFORTABLE TISSUE EXPANDER???? MAYBE AT MY AGE, I SHOULD HAVE JUST STAYED FLAT....MY PLACTIC SURGEON SAID THE OLDEST LADY HE EVER DID…
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??Christmas spirit???
I can't begin to think about Christmas. I was diagnosed with bc 1 week ago and my surgery is the 15th (bilateral mastectomies with lymth node sampling and expanders placed). That means I have 2 weeks to do everything (I plan to scale back considerably). I can't even think about it--no thoughts about what gifts to give or…
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Temperature after taxol
I 'survived" AC without a temp, now after each treatment of taxol I get a low grade temp 100 -101. two days after the treatment, first time daughter was sick and I had the H1N1 next two times no one is sick. has lasted until night before next treatment, no temp two days then comes back, I dont feel well achy scratchy…
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day 5 , diarhea
I have felt pretty good till today, my bones were sore from the neulesta shot (about 2 1/2 days) but today ..... cramps in my tummy and diarhea.... I have had 1 round of chemo (doxcitacel and herceptin) any suggesstions...... Thanks everyone Lisa
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Waiting for call back from Surgeon's office
Short history - Sat. morn I woke up with swelling along the incision line (5+ weeks post - (last drain out 9 days prior) under arm (not in arm but along body). No heat, no fever, no pain (but then there's not a lot of 'feeling' in the area anymore), 2 different 'feeling' to the area - some felt like a pocket of fluid and…