What’s next

Hello @jaaaygeeee, I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma about 5 months ago. I had surgery about 3 weeks after my diagnosis and 5 weeks of radiation. I was scared, mad, and overwhelmed. Take everything one day at a time. If you need to, cry, scream, throw things. It's ok. You will have a team of doctors to help you on your journey. Talk to someone about how you're feeling. I did go into a little depression but the thought of my kids living without me kept me together.

You've got this!

Hello @jaaaygeeee, I was diagnosed with stage 2 HER2+ left breast cancer May of 2022. And it also traveled to my lymph nodes under my left armpits. I had to have chemo for a year. I also had 5 weeks of radiation. That was better than chemo. But before that My brother passed away in January and In February of 2022 my mother passed away. I felt so alone. I didn't think that I would make it through this seeing that I was only 42 without my best friend when being diagnosed. I had a double mastectomy in October of 2022. August 3rd of this year 2023 I had my second surgery. It's called Diep flap reconstruction surgery. It's almost been a year since I've been cancer free. I know you will be okay. It's scary, It's hard going through this. Especially if you are not around anyone that is going through the same thing that you are going through. No one really understand the things that we go through. I did seek out a grief counselor and she helped me. You will get through this.

Getting that first diagnosis of breast cancer is scary. I was extremely anxious. Once you talk to the doctors you will have more info as to the kind of cancer and staging. I personally didn’t know there were so many types of breast cancer. Something I wish I still didn’t know lol. Anyway once I started my treatment the anxiety was a little less. I have read that is the same for a lot of people. I was diagnosed invasive ductal carcinoma triple negative stage 1 in July 2022. I did 5 months of chemo, August to January 2023. Lumpectomy in February and radiation ended in April 2023. I went to multiple Doctors in the beginning and had multiple biopsies before we started treatment. Hang in there. You got this.

Hi @Ange_peterson I was just diagnosed with ER/PR negative and HER2 3+ Stage 2 in mid August. My Oncologist has proposed using Taxotere chemo plus targeted drugs Herceptin and Perjeta to go after HER2. 6 cycles over 18 weeks. Followed by surgery, then more HER2 treatment. Can I ask which drugs you had, and if the chemo was really bad? I have some cardio/BP issues and these drugs are cardiotoxic. Thanks for any insights.

Hi RocDocVic,

I had those same drugs. And yes I want to say it wasn't until my 4th treatment that I started feeling fatigue. My legs felt like I had cement bricks attached to them. I felt so bad. I couldn't eat, my food tasted like metal. Some food or anything I drank burned like I put hot sauce on everything. The only thing that I could eat was peanut butter and jelly. I finished my 6th round in September of last year and had surgery in October of last year. As soon as surgery was over the surgeon said that all they had to remove was the markings they placed when I had my biopsy. And when they sent my tissue to the pathology lab they said that there was no sign of cancer. I still had to do trigger point therapy and radiation all at the same time. Trigger point chemo wasn't that bad. After about 3 months of finishing my first 6 sessions of chemo things started to get better. I also had left axillary lymph nodes . I believe I had 3 nodes under my arm. You got this!!!! You will want to give up but DON"T. Keep going !! Oh yeah I also got the neulasta shot the day after chemo for the first 6 sessions. If you are not getting that shot ask your oncologist about it. The shot is to rebuild your white blood cells.

Oh believe me I did all of that. I had the mammograms, ultrasound, PET Scan MRI, X-rays. I have never been to the doctor so much from May of 2022 until now. I have seen the doctor more times this past year than my whole life. And I am past 40. My cancer was spreading. I had a small tumor in my left tonsil and in my esophagus. I did chemo then surgery, radiation and chemo at the same time. sometimes on the same day. I also would have radiation at 9:30 am and appointment with another doctor at 10:30 chemo at 11:30 then have to make sure I'm home when my youngest son gets out of school, then maybe have another doctor appointment at 4:30. I asked all the questions that I needed to so that I would know what my next steps are. But after this last surgery I asked what the next steps are and the nurse kind of dismissed my question. I really didn't like that, but I do know that it is up to the surgeon to let me know the next steps. I am going to address that situation. From the start of my treatment until now I have been satisfied. I Left unhappy with my follow up appointments with the surgery team. I called the emergency line i3 weeks after surgery to ask if the discomfort was a sign of healing or should I be alarmed and no no one from my surgery team called to check up on me to see if I was okay. Please hold every one accountable if they make you feel less than you are.

You are going to have more than a 30 Minute pity party. I still shed tears and wonder why It was me that had to go through this. And without my mother with me. I'm Cancer free and still can't believe I had Breast cancer. And then I laugh and say why not me? I have always been a giver. Now I can give back and it makes a difference in another person's life. And yes my mother was a true rock star. She was my best friend now that I am grown.

How bad was diarreah? Manageable or severe. I've had food poisoning where I had non stop plus occasional vomiting on top of it for 5 days. Doctor put me on Gatorade and Protein drink, plus rice and clear broth. Wondering if I need a few adult diapers for accidents. I have a bathroom very close by to bedroom and living room area. I have little confidence in my current team for monitoring my heart issues. No full time monitoring device that can be easily worn at least for 1-2 weeks from day of chemo. Only remove for quick showers. I just ordered a cardio wrist band too. Tracks heart beat, rate, blood pressure and O2.

Just like them never contacting me about previous EKG results with flags for previous arm surgery in mid June. I had to research results from MyCharts on Google and then contact known Twitter Doctor. He couldn't believe it. He said I should have been referred to cardio ASAP. Classic, yet Kansas University is now a NIC designated Cancer Center. ARGH