Stage IV metastatic breast cancer

meima

This is my first post. I have been following this site for a couple of months now, but don't seem to find many metastatic survivors out there.
I'm trying so hard to find some encouragement and hope. It's been a year and a half since my diagnosis and I just want to reach out to someone who is going through this also. Your messages are so inspiring and full of hope. If anyone is stage IV and still alive and kicking, I'd love to hear from you.

survivor51

Hey Meima,
My prayers are with you. I know that I have talked with some that are Stage IV in the Chat Room. When it is up and running, try checking into the Chatroom 1 nightly and the breast chat is room2 on Tue at 9EST. Angela

KathiM

I just participated in a fashion show thru the Komen people. There were 9 of us bc survivors...one was stage 4, dx when she was 28. She is now 32 and in remission. BEAUTIFUL gal...I'll see if I can get the video...you can see her pic on www.thinkproducts.com. This company was started by a former runway model who knew this 28-year-old and contributes to Komen...I believe the video is there, as well...

Hugs, Kathi

Unknown

Meima, welcome to the site. Hopefully the chat rooms will be up again soon and you will be able to meet others in your same situation. Congrats on your survival. Stay strong and remember that the mind is a very powerful force. I am also a BC survivor. I look forward to chatting with you soon. Hugs and prayers, Eileen

3cbrca

Hi
I'm not stage IV but I'm Stage IIIC - I had 23 lymph nodes as large as 10mm with extracapsular and extranodal involvement - micrometastatic disease and have had everything they could possible do. I keep waiting for one of those "micros" to land somewhere. It's been about a year and half for me as well. So while I'm not an old-timer I share your journey and your search for encouragement from someone who has survived my prognosis. I have met with a surgeon who has performed reconstruction on a few Stage IV patients, but I can't make up my mind about whether to go ahead.Keep on showing up. Hopefully we'll hear from someone.
S

RE

Hello Meima,

I am a 3x breast cancer survivor, I was dx as a metastatic stage IV 8 years ago. My most recent bout with cancer came on the other breast which I choose to have removed. It was caught early with no lymph node involvement. The first 10 years ago had gotten through the nodes. The second (stage IV) cancer surfaced above the breast in the chest wall and muscle. I am doing well and enjoy life immensely. In addition to my story my mother was a stage iv metastatic who lived with cancer for 27 years. During that time she had a very productive and happy life. THere is hope out there! I hope to meet you in the chat room when it comes back. My best to you and lots of hugs!

Rena

jagged

I am stage IV. I started with breast cancer. Less then a year after treatment, I had a CUPs (cancer of unknown primary) tumor wrapped around my esophagus. Now more CUPs tumors in my lungs.

The first two treatments included chemotherapy and this scrambled my brain so badly, I am still unscrambling. This third time, I requested a drug that would not scramble my brains so bad. I figure, I may have to live with this for quite a while, so go for some quality of life. My Doctor is very optimistic that this cancer will go into remission.

One day I went in for the chemotherapy and there was a woman there that was upbeat and outgoing. She looked wonderful. I overheard her say she had been coming for treatment seven years! For me, this was so optimistic to hear.

Best case, this could be me in seven years. I am still physically fit and go to the gym regularly (during prior treatments, this was so hard to keep up). I have started a raw food diet. Some foods just scare me, like beef with hormone and nitraits.

Hopefully, the gym and raw food help, because I am not the best patient. My Doctor makes recommendations. I deside what I can live with.

Layla123

metastatic breast cancer since 2013

I am hoping to connect to others in same situation. I have been in remission for a long time now but I am always scared in the back of my mind waiting for it to come back. I had mets to lymph nodes in my chest on diagnosis one was drained, had a mastectomy, radiation and chemo. that was all with the 2nd opinion doctor. The first doctor that did the initial diagnosis was not going to do anything but chemo he said it wouldn't make a difference in my case of being stage 4. I've had a history of major depression most of my life and struggle with that mor since my diagnosis even though I'm in remission. I seem to handel stress less well than before the cancer but the brain fog has been slowly clearing up that I think came with the chemo just in this last year.

anniemshe

Metastatic breast cancer 2017

Yes thank you ladies especially Rena. I've been very tired recently and a lack of appetite and my mind has been doing it's usual crazy thing of bringing thoughts of the cancer reoccurring and it's troubling but when i read about you warriors and how you are staying positive and pushing through I feel uplifted knowing it's possible that I too can go on. I guess I need to keep focusing on the good and be grateful that I still  have a good quality of life. People that I come across - eg the nurse in the hospital told me she would have never guessed I was a stage 4 metastatic cancer patient!! Many friends too have commented on my general welllbeing. God is Good and we draw strength from our beliefs and for me - the support from family and friends have really helped me. Stay strong and prayers to all of us! 

gmamac

I was diagnosed with stage 4 MBC last January after battling stage 3 in 2013 with chemo, radiation, and a double mastectomy. I took anastrozole for five years, as prescribed, and thought I had beat it. I am now on Ibrance and back on anastrozole and they are slowing the progression a bit. Scary business this...do not know what else to say about it. I hope you can do whatever you need to do to stay as positive as you can most days; you know how important attitude is to recovery and this **** disease is not going to take me down without a fight. I, too, believe my faith is a huge factor in my survival along with complete trust in my oncologist and treatment team. I have a loving family with a son, grandchildren, and a new great granddaughter, as well as several long-term friendships, but cancer, pain, depression, disability, and death just aren't topics they can handle. It is not difficult for me to act as if most of the time, but it is important to be able to be completely honest occasionally. Bless you on your recovery...by the way my name is Gayle and I am 71 and still kicking.