Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Discussions relating to primary breast cancer and treatment. Also for those recently diagnosed, and for those concerned about possible symptoms of breast cancer.
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Janette
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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby Janette » Sun Dec 04, 2016 10:47 pm

Hi MO
Great to hear how you are doing, still lots of medical stuff going on. I find it amazing that you are still having that seroma drained. I hope next year is so much better for you. :hugs:
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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby Mighty Oak » Sun Dec 04, 2016 8:35 pm

Hi Jezza and girls,
I'm doing really well and can now look ahead instead of being caught in the tumble drier that is bc. The last week has been really hectic with med appointments. Several visits to the dentist to have a crown placed and scale + clean....ouch!! Not sure if my mouth or hip pocket hurts the most, lol.

Had my usual three weekly round of Herceptin. My onc has increased my heart meds and I'm to have another gated blood pool test before my next round to check on heart function. Luckily I'm not suffering with dizziness which can be a side effect. I've been on vitamin d for 4 years but he thinks I need to increase the dose of that too. The Letrozole doesn't appear to be causing me any issues at the moment, so I'll keep my fingers crossed with that one.

Saw my ophthalmologist because of deteriorating vision since chemo. I only got new glasses at the beginning of the year and wasn't happy about getting new ones, but.....vision was the same. I was only suffering from dry eyes. They didn't feel dry so I was unaware of it. He gave me some sample eye drops but said that blinking more would fix the problem. A combination of the chemo drying my eyes and reading (without blinking) were the culprits. I just assumed dry eyes would feel tired or gritty!!!

Last appointment for the week was with the hand surgeon to look at my ingrown fingernail. Good news on that front. He thinks it will be ok as the pain and redness has subsided. I had been soaking my finger in betadine and wearing bandaids to stop any infection till it grew out a little more, and it looks like it's worked. All my nails are breaking quite low down so it's becoming a chore to keep them from ripping. Lots of nail hardener being used.

Tomorrow I have a follow up appointment with my radio onc which I think will be my final one. Tuesday I'm hoping to get into see my breast care nurse to have my seroma drained again. Oh yes ladies, it's still around. I feel like a leaky tap.

I've got my referral to an exercise physio but im not going to set an appointment until January. Starting afresh and all that!!

2016 has been a challenge for me and my family, but we made it. They gave me love, my medical team gave me their expertise, and this forum gave me support and advice. I'm one lucky girl.....

Love to all,
Mo xxx


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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby jezza » Sat Dec 03, 2016 5:36 pm

Hey MO....how are you going with the new med combo? Hope you're doing ok.

jezza xx
Dx Jan. 1992 9mm Grade 3 IDC node neg. LB mast. Prophylactic RB mast. 6 months later. No chemo. No rads. Saline implants. 22 years NED. (No Evidence of Disease)

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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby chrismelb » Fri Dec 02, 2016 4:08 pm

"post poison slash and burn", love it!!!
Dx 9/03 EBC
5/12 ABC bones-Herceptin,Tamox&Zometa
8/12 Liver mets-Abraxane,Herceptin&Zometa
6/13 Xeloda/Tykerb Xgeva
11/14 TDM1 Xgeva
1/15 Rads to tumour in head
2/16 Whole brain rads lepto. mets, continue TDM1
8/16. Navelbine, Herceptin
1/17 Neratanib Xeloda & Herceptin.

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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby Mighty Oak » Wed Nov 16, 2016 10:06 pm

Thanks ladies for letting me know of your experiences with Letrazole. How long after starting the meds did you notice any side effects?

Schoolteacher, the MUGA test is also known as a Gated Blood Pool test; you may remember it by that name. My onc said that the damage to the heart is reversible once Herceptin treatment has concluded. I just hope I can complete the course before my heart function drops too much!

Hugs,
Mo xxx


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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby schoolteacher » Wed Nov 16, 2016 8:27 pm

I had scans on my heart as I had Herceptin, different scan (I can't remember what it was called) I was lucky. No obvious effects.
It's awful when the treatment for one disease makes you sicker :(

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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby ruth1 » Tue Nov 15, 2016 7:34 am

Mo, I am on Letrazole - almost 3 years now - it took quite a while for my body to get used to it so the se's were difficult at the start. Everyone is different and I seem to be particularly sensitive to drugs. Hers hoping 2017 is a cracker year for all of us!!
Dx IDC 2cm grade 3 ER/PR pos. DCIS grade 3, fam hist metastatic BC. Bi lat mastectomy, FEC x 4, surgical revision pending. AI x 5 yrs Femara

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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby Janette » Mon Nov 14, 2016 3:18 pm

Hi MO,
You've really been through the mill. I dearly hope your heart repairs itself and causes no further concern and the Letrazole is kind to you. I hope next year is a better year for you. :hugs:
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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby Mighty Oak » Mon Nov 14, 2016 11:11 am

Judyb, schoolteacher and Tracey,
Thanks girls for your input. Gaining back some stamina is my goal. My daughter had her baby shower at my house yesterday. She arranged everything; food, decorations, moving of furniture and clean up....So why am I so pooped? I literally did nothing.
I put off my new heart medication and anti estrogen till after the weekend, so I will begin those today. I'm concerned about side effects especially starting both together, but my onc prescribed them together so I guess it's ok. He mentioned a dry cough and light headedness from the heart meds and sore bones from letrazole as my most likely se's.

Hugs to all,
MO xxxx


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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby Tracey Gibney » Sun Nov 13, 2016 6:51 pm

Mighty Oak it is good to have most of your treatment behind you. I have had similar side effects from all the aromatase inhibitors. I have experienced hot flushes and sore stiff joints. In the morning or after sitting for awhile I hobble around like an old lady but once I get going I am fine. There is now quite a lot of good research showing that being a healthy weight and exercising is important in helping to avoid metastasis. Nobody really knows why some women progress and others don't but gentle exercise and health weight is good for everyone
EBC 94 aged 34. Mastectomy CMF, tamoxifen. Mets 07 brachial plexus, supra clavicular node, sternum. Treated with AI's Rads x3 Ooph 09. 2014 met to chest wall,surg, rads. 12/14 Multiple bone mets, rt axillary nodes further recurrence chest wall. Failed on Faslodex. 8/15 Ibrance

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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby schoolteacher » Sat Nov 12, 2016 9:42 pm

What a year.. you have come through it with a new year ahead to,look forward to. :clap:
The exercise physiologist is a good move. My daughter is a qualified exercise physiologist. She has shown me research on exercise and it's positive effect in reducing cancer recurrence and improving fatigue. It can only help. :hugs:

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Re: Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby JudyB » Fri Nov 11, 2016 9:30 pm

Hi MO, glad to see you moving on and the fatigue will get better especially once you start your exercising. I cried when I got my prosthesis, I was so happy with how it looked. I only had the one boob removed so although I was happy to wander around braless at home it really wasn't feasible when going out. It's great too that you can choose whatever size you are most comfortable with
DX Sep 09, LB mast with axillary diss. Grd 2 Ductal Carc. 50mm diam. Margins clear. 1/13 nodes. OR+ PR+, HER2- . FEC x 3, Taxotere x 3, RADS x 30, Tamoxifen, DIEP reconstruction April 2011, Femara 2013, Oophorectomy 2013.

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Post Poison, Slash and Burn

Postby Mighty Oak » Fri Nov 11, 2016 6:41 pm

Hi girls,

Well here we are towards the end of 2016 and what a year it's been. All the 'heavy' treatment is over and done. I remember how I felt in January when I was introduced to the world of bc. How scared I was after the biopsies, waiting for staging etc. and within two weeks of diagnosis beginning chemo treatment. What a whirlwind time that was! Here I am now, finishing the year with a new 'normal'.

My fatigue is ever present but I'm hoping that resolves itself over time. Radiation wasn't too onerous and I only had sore, red skin for a couple of days. My radiation nurse dressed the skin with Solugel and mepilex dressings for a few days then it was back to slathering on the sorbolene cream. My skin held up amazingly. I was expecting it to be harder particularly having fair, sensitive skin. Just goes to show, you never can tell.

I had my usual three weekly Herceptin infusion on Wednesday which will continue through to April/May next year. As I'm on Herceptin I need to have a MUGA heart scan every 3 months to check heart function; unfortunately it's dropped by 14% since the last scan. My onc has prescribed medication and wants another MUGA scan after my next Herceptin infusion in three weeks. Depending on results I may need to see a heart specialist and take a break from the treatment for a while to allow the heart to repair itself.

As a second primary cancer was discovered upon final pathology, I now also need to take Letrazole for 5-10 years. I am expecting some side effects but hope I can tolerate them fairly well. Time will tell there. I've got plans this weekend so will start new meds on Monday. Any tips, ladies, on what se's to expect and how to combat them?

On Wednesday I got my two new prostheses and two very comfortable pocket bras. I am thrilled with my new pert boobies. Down from a 20dd to an 18b. I call them my 'going out' boobs because I do enjoy the freedom of not wearing a bra at home! As I've stated before, I don't feel disfigured following the surgery, and while I was being fitted the sales lady commented on how lovely and neat my scar was.

I will make an appointment with my gp soon to get some advice on seeing an exercise physiologist. I'm approaching it from a medical viewpoint. If the exercise physiologist 'prescribes' a program I will be more likely to follow their instructions than if I were to go it alone. It's now my duty to look after this body that my medical team fought so hard to rid of cancer.

Sorry about the long post. Hope I haven't bored you all. Lol.

Cheers everyone,
MO xxx



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