Stage IIB grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma with lympnode involvment

mschaben
mschaben Member Posts: 87
in Breast Cancer #1

Hi my name is Mary.  I havent been on this site since my moms battle with brain cancer ended in 2004.  I am 39 years old and married with five children.  I was recently diagnosed on Nov 14 with invasive stage IIB grade 3 ductal carcinoma breast cancer.  I had a bilateral masectomy on Dec 4th.  I will be starting chemo in a few weeks after I am healed from surgery.  I will be going through 17 chemo treatments followed by five weeks radiation and possible hormone therapy also.  I am going on week 3 and still have too much drainage to remove drains.  I had lymphnodes involved as well and they removed fifteen out of my right arm so it is still pretty sore.  I was just wanting to be able to communicate with someone in similar situation.  I am very scared but try to be strong for my family.  Any response would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you

 

Mary

Comments

  • cati0314
    cati0314 Member Posts: 203
    #2
    Welcome

    Hi Mary,  Sorry you had to join our group but welcoming you.  I have stage IIB, grade 3, ER- PR+ HER2-, BRCA1 positive.  Had bilateral with clear margins and no lymph node involvement. I had neoadjuvent chemo to shrink tumor and slow down progression of any cells in my body.  Then surgery, then radiation.  I am on arimidex for estrogen block.  Had hysterectomy as I carry the gene mutation.  They will target your particular cancer.  Much has been learned in the treatment of cancer.  I wish you the best!

  • button2
    button2 Member Posts: 421
    #3
    Welcome Mary

    I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I, too, had Stage 2B with 9 lymph nodes positive (May 2012), one with 2cm tumor. I did neoadjuvant to shrink the main tumor (5 cm) and then radical mastectomy, chemo again, radiation, target therapy (Herceptin) for a year and a half and hormone therapy for 5 or maybe up to 10 years. I am doing really well now and I'm sure you will too. This coming year will be unpleasant for you at the beginning, but with perseverance, you will get thru this like I did. You found a wonderful group of ladies to help you, here on this site, for every step of the way. Please don't hesitate to send me a message if you need any support. I wish you joy for this holiday season, Hugs, Anna

  • GlowMore
    GlowMore Member Posts: 789 Member
    #4
    Hi Mary

    What a lovely name you have Mary... a Blessed name actually.  

    I'm so sorry you are having to go thru all the awful things that must be done in order stop the cancer and in order to begin the healing process.  If you click our pictures you will be linked to our home pages and most of us have filled out that home page with our respective details.   ALL of us here know what you are going thru, and many have probably had the same surgery even.  We too share your Fear, but i recommend letting FEAR go as quickly as you can because it paralyzes the mind.   You are in the right place & we send you encouragement and love.  Many of us have survived for a very long time and you can as well.  Prayers for Each Day and Night coming your way.  Glo   

  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #5
    cati0314 said:

    Welcome

    Hi Mary,  Sorry you had to join our group but welcoming you.  I have stage IIB, grade 3, ER- PR+ HER2-, BRCA1 positive.  Had bilateral with clear margins and no lymph node involvement. I had neoadjuvent chemo to shrink tumor and slow down progression of any cells in my body.  Then surgery, then radiation.  I am on arimidex for estrogen block.  Had hysterectomy as I carry the gene mutation.  They will target your particular cancer.  Much has been learned in the treatment of cancer.  I wish you the best!

    welcome Mary
    First off, Hope you can enjoy the holday's, Not alwas so easy, bt I know I get caght up n the spirit with our family and friends, and for a while forget about being sick!
    It does get better, just a couple of hills and montains to cross first. This is not an easy trip, bit the kind that really lets you know how strong you are once you get there. Seems like you wont reach thed, yet before you know it, you are moving on and wondering how the hell you fid it! Or I did the fisrt time thru.
    1. You are at a very supportive site, great men and women.
    2. It is ok not to alwas be strong for everyone else!
    3. Some people dont know what to say (both friends and strangers), so they may (and do), say some really off, sometimes hurtful things. Some dont even know they are hurting you (others are mean, so ignore them).
    4. You will get so much unsolicited advice, because they have all been thru medical school and realy do know more than the doctor.
    5. You learn quickly who your friends are.
    After years if this, I don't get hurt feelings too often , I do have to turn and cough because I am dying laghing.
    Then I remind myself that most people are really caring, they just dont always know how to show it.
    At this point, I am thankful for all the new wonderful people who have come into my life because of this disease and know how really blessed I qm!
    Hugs and Happy Holidays,
    Carol
  • mschaben
    mschaben Member Posts: 87
    #6
    button2 said:

    Welcome Mary

    I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I, too, had Stage 2B with 9 lymph nodes positive (May 2012), one with 2cm tumor. I did neoadjuvant to shrink the main tumor (5 cm) and then radical mastectomy, chemo again, radiation, target therapy (Herceptin) for a year and a half and hormone therapy for 5 or maybe up to 10 years. I am doing really well now and I'm sure you will too. This coming year will be unpleasant for you at the beginning, but with perseverance, you will get thru this like I did. You found a wonderful group of ladies to help you, here on this site, for every step of the way. Please don't hesitate to send me a message if you need any support. I wish you joy for this holiday season, Hugs, Anna

    Drain tubes

    Thank you for the support.  I was wondering if u had reconstruction at all and also how long your drains were in.  I still have drains and it's week four.  I still had to much drainage Friday to take them out.  Hoping tomorrow (Monday). Has anyone had an issue with the incision site of drains start hurting and pulling..  I am also very nervous about how bad it's going to hurt to remove them..

  • nanacin
    nanacin Member Posts: 9
    #7
    HI Mary,
    I also have stage 3

    HI Mary,

    I also have stage 3 IDC with lymph npde involvement. I had surgery in Nov(lumpectomy and lymph node removed) and have had 3 chemo treatments with many side effects unfortunately. I am also a type 1 diabetic of 46 years. They had to cancel my last treatment two weeks ago due to issues I am having with my skin. I have 12 treatments left and start again today. After that I will be having 30 rounds of radiation. I am 63 years old. I lost my daughter 5 1/2 years ago to liver cancer and am now raising my grandaughter who is 15 1/2. At first I was devastated with my diagnosis and petrified to have my grandaughter and husband watch this again. It took me a while emotionally to accept this situation and I still have bad days but I am taking the attitude that I have Emily to raise and I will beat this. I joined a local support group and we meet every two weeks. That has helped me a lot to just be around other people who have gone thru this. I have found that cancer is a lonely disease. Even close friends stop calling after a while because they think we are different now and they just don't know what to say. I have only been on this site a few times but wouldf love to keep in contact with you and support you in any way I can. Take care and remember to breath deep and get through one day at a time.

    Cindy

  • mschaben
    mschaben Member Posts: 87
    #8
    Update

    I got drains out todAy. 25 on left 35 on right .. Drain removal wasn't bad but I worry about fluid accumulating. They expanded me a bit so there is a place for fluid to go.  port and chemo is scheduled for next Tuesday.  Does anyone have any comments about getting a port in..  

     

    Mary

  • GlowMore
    GlowMore Member Posts: 789 Member
    #9
    mschaben said:

    Update

    I got drains out todAy. 25 on left 35 on right .. Drain removal wasn't bad but I worry about fluid accumulating. They expanded me a bit so there is a place for fluid to go.  port and chemo is scheduled for next Tuesday.  Does anyone have any comments about getting a port in..  

     

    Mary

    I had a Port

    But...my port was a long, long time ago and it was a surgery to place it and I had to heal before I could get chemo back then in 2002...........  Please let us know how it goes when you get yours next Tuesday and have your Chemo the same day.  I imagine they have improved the procedure so much that it is not going to be bad at all....and actually even back in 2002 for me it was done as Out Patient Surgery.  It was fairly simple for me and I had no problems.  A port is a great help for the Chemo Infusions.  Sending you Prayers for Strength and Courage.   xxoo  Glo

  • Puffin2014
    Puffin2014 Member Posts: 531 Member
    #10
    mschaben said:

    Update

    I got drains out todAy. 25 on left 35 on right .. Drain removal wasn't bad but I worry about fluid accumulating. They expanded me a bit so there is a place for fluid to go.  port and chemo is scheduled for next Tuesday.  Does anyone have any comments about getting a port in..  

     

    Mary

    port placement

    I had my port placed as an outpatient in the morning and went to a reunion that afternoon, just took some ibuprofen. They used my port the next day for chemo.The area was tender enough for several days that I couldn't lay on that side to sleep

    Make sure you get a prescription for the numbing cream for your port, it works great. You put a glob of cream on the skin over the port about 1 - 1 1/2 hours before they're going to poke the needle into the port to access it, tape a small square of plastic wrap over the glob to keep it in place and to protect your clothes. I've never had a painful poke and I know many ladies who did without the cream.

  • cattlemom01
    cattlemom01 Member Posts: 3
    #11
    Breast Cancer - IIB Diagnosis

    Hi Mary! I was also diagnosed with breast cancer on December 5, 2014, which is also my youngest daughters birthday.  It was very difficult but when I first got the call I thought its only breast cancer I will just have the surgery and be done.  I had no idea it had spread to my lymph nodes and it was that aggresive of a form.  I am also IIB and I believe grade three.  I started chemo on December 16.  My Oncologist said we would not cure the cancer unless we shrunk the masses first.  I have six chemo treatments, one every three weeks and then surgery.  I will also do radiation but we are not sure at this stage how long I will have to do radiation.  The standard is five weeks every day but he is thinking maybe less.  I also had my port put in the day before chemo.  It was not hard at all.  I was out of the outpatient in about 2 1/2 hours.  I also have the cream to put on which helps so you dont feel the pokes each time you have chemo.   The biggest problem I have is eating.  I dont have much nausea just acid stomach and diarrhea which is controlled if I stay faithful with my pills but I cannot eat a thing right now and still trying to research.  I hope you have better luck than me.  Good luck with your treatment!! I wish you all the luck in the world!! I am hoping that I will be up and running for the summer show cattle season as our kids travel a three state area showing cattle and this is the enjoyment of my life.  Keep us posted on your treatment.

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