Her-2 pos.

pkay · February 2002

Hi again. Sorry for the mess up. I didn't mean to hit submit so quick! I am new to this site. I have read so many of the messages, but I have never had the guts to write any. Hi Tara! I was dx with bc last summer. It is invasive due to lymphnode involvement. I had 1/24 pos. I am Her-2 positive also. I am finishing up chemo this month and having radiation for 6 weeks following. I am 40 yrs. old and a nursing student. Was suppose to graduate this May, but as you all know, I will have to graduate next year. Anyway, being Her-2 pos. really concerns me for recurrance. Are there any survivors out there that are Her-2 pos. with a lot of years under their belt? Is that a crazy question or what? I am fearful of being Her-2 pos. for some reason. I am almost afraid to check back for responses. Good news only please! Just kidding. Thank ya'll for your time.
Pkay

24242 · February 2002

Glad you wrote Pkay,
Fear seems to be our constant companion. There are many survivors out there who have had worse forms of cancer and have done well. I think all we can do try and always move forward and improve our lives the best ways that we can. I have had many struggles with this but continue to reach the one goal, continued quality for my life. What ever that maybe. I hope we will have the pleasure in seeing you around here more.
Be good to yourself.
You will have to tell me too what influence the internet has had on you through your fight??
Be good to yourself, hope to see you again soon.
Tara

jmears · February 2002

Hi Pkay
My pathology report said I was Her2/neu Strongly Positive. I have the understanding from my oncologist that determining Her2 +/- is one of the newer discoveries in diagnosing BC. Because of being Her2 positive I went through a more aggressive chemotherapy program (4 Adriamycin/Cytoxin & 4 Taxotere). I had no positive lymph nodes which is usually an indicator for chemo. I only had a lumpectomy so I had 7 weeks of radiation. My fear got really strong when I was finished the chemo and radiation. I wanted to do more ... I obsessed over a recurrance but to worry about it was wasting my life ... and if it does come back, so many new treatments will be available ... Herceptin is one. So ... easier said than done ...but try not to worry about something that will probably never happen. Good luck with nursing school ... that is so wonderful ... I thought about going back to school to be an Oncology nurse ... but I'm a computer analyst, 44 years old, and I'd have to start from the beginning ... and did I mention I'm lazy. Be happy ... don't worry! Jamie

ktinkey · February 2002

Hi Pkay and welcome. I am a survivor of a recurrence. My second bout with BC was 3 years ago and HER-2 testing was not even available then, that is how new it is. My last bout was Stage IV and I am doing well and am very healthy. It is scary to have a recurrence, but it is still not the end of the world. There are many of us out there who have beaten the odds. Focus on your healing. Take care of yourself and take each day as it comes. Soon the treatment will be behind you and you can start living your life again. It takes time, so don't get frustrated with yourself. It's so great you are in nursing school. We need more nurses, especially ones who can relate. You are not alone and we are all pulling for you.

God Bless,
Kathy

pamtriggs · February 2002

Hi Pkay
I know you are worried about being Her2/neu + but many are & many don't know as testing for it is still not routine especially her in NZ where I live. For a survivor who is strongly her2/neu+ try looking at Rosa (Tiger). She has lived long past the date given by her first oncologist & she is stage IV with liver mets. I am a 20+ survivor with stage IV lung & bone mets currently undergoing 6 cycles of Taxotere after 6 cycles of Adriamycin & more radiation than I care to think about. Just remember that to get survival odds a lot of people have to have lived past the odds to get the average median figure & just determine that you are going to be one of them. According to the odds I should have departed many years ago & I'm still here alive & kicking. So forget about odds & get on with living. Why die hundreds of time over from fear when there is a life to live out there. Get out there & live it. Good luck & lots of love & hugs
Pam from New Zealand.

sueholm · February 2002

If it is any consolation to you they do not even test for Her-2positive or negative in Canada because it is considered so insignificant at this point in time. Another difference in Canada is that our radiation treatments lasts 3 weeks, not six. I asked my doc about this....we get the same dose, but over a shorter period as it is manageable for patients, takes less time for patients, is as effective, and because in Canada radiation technicians don't get paid per treatment like they do in the States! Who would have thunk! Oh, and Canadian survival rates are just as good as US survival rates...Is that enough good news for today!? Glad to see you here...keep coming back and keeping posting questions...Love susan (lobular invasive cancer with one node of 3 cancerous)

momof2 · February 2002

Hi Pkay! I was diagnosed last April at the age of 24 and I am strongly HER2/neu positive. I went through 4 treatments of A/C and now am in the middle of 52 treatments of herceptin. I too worry about a recurrance. It is so scary, but I've decided not to let it run my life. I may have had cancer, but it doesn't have me. I had 1 of 13 nodes positive. It's been almost a year for me and my life has changed tremendously. You can make it through and if there ever is a reoccurance, you will make it through itjust like you did this time. Feel free to e-mail me any time you want. Take care of yourself! My e-mail address is cmlamm@netins.net.

Carrie

shirlann · February 2002

Hi, Pkay, I am 3 years post BC and doing fine. I was so glad I was Her2 negative until my oncologist told me that was bad! He said with her2 pos they had lots of treatments but none for me! I was not happy, so don't worry about it, it is good news. Love & prayers, Shirlann

nocarb1 · March 2002

I was diaognosed in sept.2001 with invasive ductual, 2.2 node neg, er/pr pos and her-2 pos. I would love to talk to anyone that is her-2 pos about the treatments they are getting and about herceptin. My doc gave me extra AC in hopes to beat this but now we are deciding herceptin as a preventive as well. Any one would would like to talk to me, my email addy is nocarb1@yahoo.com

Her-2 pos.

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