I feel that time has dragged along between diagnosis/treatment

Only because you asked sooo nicely
1/21 mammogram
1/27 met the surgeon and needle biopsy
1/29 met surgeon again and diagnosed with ductal breast cancer of right breast
2/1 PET, CT, & MRI
2/3 met surgeon again 2nd MRI left breast ultra sound
2/5 met surgeon again left breast needle biopsy
2/9 met surgeon
2/10 surgery right breast mastectomy
2/11 released from hospital
2/16 follow up with surgeon
2/22 follow up with surgeon
2/26 port placed
3/1 met hematology oncologist (chemo)
3/3 echogram before chemo
3/5 1st chemo TAC
3/8 follow-up with surgeon
3/18 follow-up with hematology oncologist (blood draw)
3/26 2nd chemo
4/16 3rd chemo
5/5 4th chemo
5/26 5th chemo
6/18 6th chemo
7/2 CT scan for radiation therapy
.....and at present things seem stalled awaiting the planning based upon the 7/2 CT scan

Just when I felt like the momentum was really rolling

Rague said:

A lot depends on the type of BC
Some types are more aggressive than others and necessitate hitting them quick and hard.

In my case (Inflammatory Breast Cancer) it had gotten huge within a month and had involved nodes.

Aug 6 - Saw my PA in morning and had mammogram, sonogram and biopsies in the afternoon
Aug 7 - Got results of biopsies - positive
Aug 10 - Saw surgeon
Aug 11 Bone Scan
Aug 18 - Mix up in scheduling and saw Rads Dr instead of Chemo Dr
Aug 19 - Saw Chemo Dr.
Aug 21 - PET and MRI
Aug 24 - EKG/EEG
Aug 25 - Port in
Aug 26 - Started A/C (4 doses 2 weeks apart)
Sept 14 - ENT - biopsy of area along jaw bone that showed something 'off' but was negative
Oct 21 - Right Mod Rad. Mastectomy
Nov 12 - Started 12 weekly Taxol
Jan 28 - CT Scan
Feb 4 - Started 25 rads
Feb 11 - Started Femara
I don't remember the date but after Rads, my PA wanted a bone scan to be sure the back pain I was having was from the known arthritis and not something else going on.
What that translates to is 19 days after DX I started first batch of chemo, 2 weeks after last infusion I had surgery, 3 weeks after surgery, I started 2nd batch of chemo and a week after the last of that I started Rads and a week after I started Rads I started Femara.


I have a mammogram scheduled for Aug 8 and appointments with Chemo and Rads on Aug 30.

Susan

I am smiling at this posting .. like Rague it's going on 1 year
for me .. all started with lump in breast -- while on vacation last June -- my lump grew and my left breast started to hurt while wearing any type of bra. Mammo - asap after arriving home .. Gyno recommended a general surgeon, not breast cancer special to perfom core biospy and or lumpectomy.

Lumpectomy 8-10
Path report and new that I had breast cancer 8-14
2nd opinion, interviewed and located breast cancer treatment center -
St. Joseph's in Orange, California
Port installation - 8-31
MRI, CAT scan .. various heart testing 8-31 thru 9-3
Chemo - 18 weeks straight stared 9-6
chemo completed on (just about killed me) on 12-18
Herceptin continued until 9-6-2010
bi-laterial mactmy with expanders 1-12-10
emergency surgery - right expander infected due to staph infection
hospitalized for 5 days
replaced right expander 5-22 or 25th ... risky .. I pushed for this surgery due
to my cobra insurance will run out soon.
My exchange surgery is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. this morning .. 4.:43 a.m. out here in California

Vicki Sam

Wow!
I am impressed with the well-organized list of dates all of you have kept up with. My experience has been similar to all of yours, but I would really have to research to get the specific timeline. Here's a brief summary of my experience:

Jan/Feb. 2007, self exam = nothing unusual. April 2007 = felt like boiled egg on outer quadrant of breast under Right arm. I knew it was cancer and knew I wanted double mastectomy, but went to local Dr. to get referral for mammogram, then Sonongram, CT scan, biopsy, Official diagnosis in May 2007,Start seeing Oncologist, get options...I think it was about 2 months before Chemo started. I did bilat. mastectomy Dec. 2007, then let that heal up, then more chemo, radiation, herceptin while that healed up. Summer 2009 = reconstruction with several months to heal from complications. Currently done with treatments, cancer free (as far as anyone can tell)enjoying "the new me", and the first summer in 3 years without surgery or Drs.

To answer the question about whether it is taking longer than it should: a)always address your fears with your Dr. b)I think it is very common for the process to take a long time c)I think it is very common for survivors and their loved ones to get frustrated and impatient with the process d)I think 2 years of treatment is worth it if it means more time to enjoy life and the people in it.


Keep on keeping on...it will all pass in time. seof

Hi Jean
Wow... mine was really compared to yours. I can't believe it was almost
2 months from your diagnosis to your Lumpectomy. Mine was a little
over a week.

I was diagnosed 11/17/09, Lumpectomy was on 11/23 no clear margins,
so second surgery on 11/27
I can't quiet recall the date for my port but then in January I started chemo
right away.

Mine was really fast - boom, boom, BOOOM!

That's why after finding out more, I went back and had mastectomy.

Ayse

MNLynn said:

I actually feel like things
I actually feel like things went pretty fast for me - except for one unexpected turn of events and, then, just waiting for a couple of the reports . . .

12/16/09 - Regular mammo
12/30/09 - went back for diagnostic mammo
1/6/10 - got ltr from clinic - need follow-up
1/12/10 - appt with surgeon - not feeling good about him, so went to a different facility
1/21/10 - exam, ultrasound and US guided biopsy (at my new, wonderful breast center)
1/28/10 - appt with surgeon
2/3/10 - Mastectomy & SLNB
2/17/10 - ALND scheduled, but postponed - infection in arm (the unexpected turn of events)
2/26/10 - ALND
3/10/10 - appt with med onc - Oncotype Dx test arranged
3/16/10 - appt with rad onc
3/24/10 - results from Oncotype - no chemo
3/31/10 - DEXA scan (before staring on Arimidex)
4/1/10 - CAT scan & simulation for radiation
4/6/10 - started rads - 27 treatments

Waiting for results from the ALND surgery & the Oncotype Dx test were the longest times . . . stressful!!

I also live in an area where we get a lot of snow (Minnesota), and we were very lucky that the weather didn't keep us from getting to any of my appts or surgeries!

Hope things are going well with your treatments!

♥ Lynn ♥

seof ... first summer in 3 years with doctors ..
Gee - who would of guessed this would be the case, when you started ...

I think we are all right there with you .. feeling the same pain, and at times frustration. When its it all going to be all over with?


Vicki Sam

So Similiar
The same thing happen to me...
Gyn found lump during routine exam
Lumpectomy...My margins are not clear...

MNLynn said:

finding an oncologist. . .
Jean, I was kind of surprised to hear that you needed to find an oncologist yourself. Have others of you had to do that on your own?

The clinic I went to had a special "breast clinic" where I had my mammo and biopsy done. After my diagnosis, I was set up with a nurse coordinator who set up appointments for ALL my doctors for me - my surgeon, rad onc, med onc. I was very thankful for that - since I felt like I was incapable of trying to do any of that on my own while trying to deal with a bc dx! I saw my rad onc before surgery (& after) and saw my med onc asap after surgery (when I was able to get up & around).

After I met with my surgeon the first time, I had to make a decision to have a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. I remember telling my nurse coordinator that it was probably the only decision I HAD to make on my own - everything else was being taken care of for me. I am very thankful for that!

Sometimes it seems like things go kind of slow, and then I look back and wonder how all these things have happened in my life in less than half a year - things that have forever changed my life.

Wishing you well on your journey. . .

♥ Lynn ♥

Jean, I felt like things
Jean, I felt like things dragged on forever with me and became so frustrated it was hard to focus on anything else other than bc. I noticed my nipple had inverted last Aug., went for a mammogram 2 weeks later, then biopsies, ultrasounds, and by Sept 10, 2009 I was dxed with breast cancer, met with my surgeon and she wanted to reduce the 3 tumors before I had a masectomy. Met with my onc and was put on Femara, which did reduce the tumors somewhat. Was supposed to have surgery in Feb. but was found to have 2 blocked heart arteries, and had to have rotoblation and balloon angioplasty to clear one enough to have my surgery. Finally I had my masectomy on April 15, 2010, started chemo on May 6, and still have 2 more treatments to finish 12 weeks of chemo. After I finish the chemo in August, it will be almost 1 year since I knew I had a problem. Sometime in August, I will start 30 radiation treatments and should finish those up by fall. So it will be well over a year by the time this is over with, and then comes more mammograms, ultrasounds, etc. to see if it has all helped. Yes, it has dragged on longer than I thought it would but you do what you have to do to battle the beast. I think you have done pretty well in your five months to get as far as you have. Just take heart that much has been accomplished in your journey, you are stronger than you realize, and you will get thru the rest of your treatment and it will go faster than you think. Take care of yourself, get plenty of rest, drink lots of water and eat right. Focus on what its going to be like when you cross the finish line. We'll be waiting for you.