Maxine
Comments
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Sorry to hear of your secondary cancer Maxine, I am sure we would all like to hear a bit more about your story. How was it detected? What was your initial diagnosis? Did you have mastectomy? If you were at the five year mark, had you finished hormone treatment?
Sorry to ask all of this, but you may be able to help one other on this site. It is also very beneficial to vent and put your story out there.
Would love to hold you and give you a big squeze.
Blossom
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Sorry to hear of your secondary cancer Maxine, I am sure we would all like to hear a bit more about your story. How was it detected? What was your initial diagnosis? Did you have mastectomy? If you were at the five year mark, had you finished hormone treatment?
Sorry to ask all of this, but you may be able to help one other on this site. It is also very beneficial to vent and put your story out there.
Would love to hold you and give you a big squeze.
Blossom
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Hi Maxine,
Sorry to hear about your secondary cancer. I know what it is like to hear the news that our secondary breast cancer can hopefully be kept stable and not cured. I know alot of us girls are here to support you.
I had breast cancer 14 years ago before it returned and after that time I never thought that it would ever return. I consider my self to be lucky to have gone all thoes years cancer free.
I now have mets in the spine, skull, neck ,and pelvis. I have had chemo for 6 months,radiation treatment & now on Xeloda tablets which is keeping the cancer stable. I think with time you cope . I try to enjoy each day doing thing i like to do. Enjoy ever moment with friends & family.
You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.
We are her to support you.
love Wendy 67
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Hi Maxine,
If you could let us know a few more details such as Blosssom29 suggested and you will be surprised that most of us have or have had exactly the same thoughts, fears and challenges that you do.
Unfortunately secondary breast cancer is a whole different ball game than early breast cancer.
This site is excellent as it Aussie ladies who are on it and from my experience in reading American websites, we have a better medical system.
I've had secondaries for nearly 4.5 years and I still have questions!0 -
Hi Maxine,
If you could let us know a few more details such as Blosssom29 suggested and you will be surprised that most of us have or have had exactly the same thoughts, fears and challenges that you do.
Unfortunately secondary breast cancer is a whole different ball game than early breast cancer.
This site is excellent as it Aussie ladies who are on it and from my experience in reading American websites, we have a better medical system.
I've had secondaries for nearly 4.5 years and I still have questions!0 -
Hi Maxine,
Getting that secondary diagnosis is an awful shock. I had reached 10 years following mastectomy, chemo, radiotherapy and Tamoxifen. Thought I was free and clear. Mets in my spine necessitated immediate surgery followed by 10 treatments of radiotherapy, Tamoxifen again for 6 yrs. I got on with life, went back to work and made the most of each day. My next diagnosis 6 years late was in my liver followed by a variety of chemo treatments. I have now been on regular chemo for 4 years and although at times the tiredness limits me, I have been able to do most things I want to do.
My journey is now 21 years long and learning to live with the diagnosis of secondaries took a long time but I have discovered talents that I never knew I had and embracing those together with the support of my husband and family and very close friends has helped me to come to terms with it.
Hang in there, look for things that will help to take your mind off the diagnosis and gradually you will learn to cope with it.
All the best, lots of hugs and good thoughts go your way.
Maggie
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Hi Maxine,
Getting that secondary diagnosis is an awful shock. I had reached 10 years following mastectomy, chemo, radiotherapy and Tamoxifen. Thought I was free and clear. Mets in my spine necessitated immediate surgery followed by 10 treatments of radiotherapy, Tamoxifen again for 6 yrs. I got on with life, went back to work and made the most of each day. My next diagnosis 6 years late was in my liver followed by a variety of chemo treatments. I have now been on regular chemo for 4 years and although at times the tiredness limits me, I have been able to do most things I want to do.
My journey is now 21 years long and learning to live with the diagnosis of secondaries took a long time but I have discovered talents that I never knew I had and embracing those together with the support of my husband and family and very close friends has helped me to come to terms with it.
Hang in there, look for things that will help to take your mind off the diagnosis and gradually you will learn to cope with it.
All the best, lots of hugs and good thoughts go your way.
Maggie
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Did the radiation get rid of the mets in your spine?
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thanks for the comments makes me feel that I'm not alone and it gives me the strength to continue when some of you ladies are still hanging in there hope you are all well and we can all deal with this.0
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Hello,
Well done you. I have been on this journey of secondary BC for five years, but was originally diagnosed in 2002 with a very small cancer and had five good years after chemo, radiation, and two ops. So all up going on for 12 years. I am just beside myself with every new diagnosis
and my mind goes to lots of dark places. Have melt downs when least expect but most of the time I'm on top of it, with help from family and friends. My latest diagnosis has showed that I have another bone lesion, I have lesions in my spine, shoulder, hip, and ribs also in my lungs, latest one is in my arm, a real nuisance as I love to knit. The afinitor I was taking has stopped working. I will be having five doses of radiation and will start chemo next week. I will be taking Xeloda. What chemo are you on at the moment? I wish you all the best and think you are fantastic.
Cheers from Annette0 -
Re the mets in my spine: L3 was just about ready to collapse due to the tumour, necessitating the urgency for surgery. L2, L3, L4 were fused together with a bar and screws and bone graft to shore up the almost collapsed L3. The radiotherapy was amazing for the pain and now 10 years later there has been no further spread in my bones. I have little discomfort in the area but if some activity causes a little discomfort some heat helps and for this I have an electric pad that I use, I rarely need painkillers.
My biggest concern now is my liver but chemo so far is keeping it under control. I didn't mention the wonderful support group I am involved in where our group meets once a week via teleconferencing or in the room for 1 1/4 hours. Women throughout Queensland with metastatic breast cancer are eligible to join. This is so helpful being able share our knowledge and experiences in this group as well as the camaraderie we share and has also been a huge part of my/our coping skills.
Love and hugs,
Maggie
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I'm also travelling along with nets in my sternum. So far so good... And 21/2 years on, I absolutely love hearing the stories of hope that th is group shares. Good luck. I use qigong, classical homeopathy and acupuncture. As well as femara. Go for it.0
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I'm also travelling along with nets in my sternum. So far so good... And 21/2 years on, I absolutely love hearing the stories of hope that th is group shares. Good luck. I use qigong, classical homeopathy and acupuncture. As well as femara. Go for it.0
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Annette, sorry I didn't answer your question about which chemo I'm on at present. I began with ER - Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide which I had originally back in 1993. This time in 2010 ER made me quite ill so it was stopped. Next was Abraxane which I had for a while but also made me ill - Navelbine followed - same result. Referred to another Onc who prescribed Carboplatin - finally something that was really good, virtually no side-effects, lots of motivation and energy. After 2 years on this it stopped working so I had it in combination with Gemzar - not good. Now am on CMF, an old combination around for about 20 years but is making a bit of a comeback and have now had 4 cycles - yet to find out if it's working.
We're all different and some women have little or no side-effects but the good thing is that there are lots of chemo drugs out there and more coming, so if one doesn't suit just keeping trying.
Re the dark thoughts that we all have - for me it took time to be able push these thoughts away and my solution 3 years ago was to buy a laptop and I began writing anything: not a novel, a bit late in my life for that but my life story - and many other topics - I have 3 blogs - I find writing a wonderful distraction and keeps those thoughts at bay. Not everyone wants to do that but it helped me and kept my mind focused and absorbed on other things besides my diagnosis.
Maggie xx
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I'm a little confused with how to reply to you as there was no option of me replying to you from your words. Hopefully you'll be able to read this. I've only been on this BCNA site for a very short time so still learning on how to use it.
Yes it does come as an awful shock to get a secondary diagnosis but from experience I've found the best thing is to go with the flow and deal with you feelings as they arise. I tried to push my meltdown, down for a week and it jumped up and bit me on the bum at the worse time. There is so much help and support out there, you don't have to deal with it on your own. I've had some people say to me "so how long do you have" and after I get over the shock that they actually did say this, I really want to say "well you just watch out for that bus" that could get any one of us at any time. You do have to toughen up, so to speak. I used to be a mouse until I had my second diagnosis, six years ago in August. Not any more. Maxine, you're not on your own and I have found this site fantastic. Theres so many people that have a kind word to offer, you take care and I'm sending you big warm hugs of support. Cheers from Annette0
