Guest guest Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Is there life after BC? Every little pain that's new, reoccurence or mets is the first thing I think of. I was diagnosed Nov05 with IDC, Stage 2B, 3 out of 11 nodes pos. er/pr+ HER- I had a lumpectomy, breast reduction, chemo and radiation. I finished treatment the first part of Oct.06 and now take Tamoxifen. Does the fear ever go away? There's so many women that don't make it past the 2yr mark before a reoccurence or most commonly, Mets. I'm not obsessive about it but it does cross my mind. I've changed so much in my attitude and outlook on life. I thought when I finished treatment I'd feel like dancing in the street with happiness. Not so. Now, instead of being under my onc's supervision I feel like I'm working without a net here. Kinda lost & scared. Depression has set in but I'm taking meds for that and anxiety. Does anyone else feel this way or is it just me? I don't think so there's got to be others of you out there that feel like me. I think I'm more scared now of it coming back than I was when going through treatment. Anybody have a response to this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 You do tend to worry more about the cancer returning in the first few years. But it DOES get better. If you have something bothering you for more than a week straight its always best to contact your onc. It been over 16 yrs for me. I was Stage II, 1 one bad node out of 23. I had 6 mo of chemo, no radiation or reconstruction. Hugs nne Breast Cancer Patients Soul Mates for Life http://www.geocities.com/chucky5741/breastcancerpatients.html BreastCancerStories.com http://www.breastcancerstories.com/content/view/433/161/ Angel Feather Loomer www.angelfeatherloomer.blogspot.com Check out my other ornaments at www.geocities.com/chucky5741/bcornament.html Lots of info and gifts at: www.cancerclub.com Life After Breast Cancer Is there life after BC? Every little pain that's new, reoccurence or mets is the first thing I think of. I was diagnosed Nov05 with IDC, Stage 2B, 3 out of 11 nodes pos. er/pr+ HER- I had a lumpectomy, breast reduction, chemo and radiation. I finished treatment the first part of Oct.06 and now take Tamoxifen. Does the fear ever go away? There's so many women that don't make it past the 2yr mark before a reoccurence or most commonly, Mets. I'm not obsessive about it but it does cross my mind. I've changed so much in my attitude and outlook on life. I thought when I finished treatment I'd feel like dancing in the street with happiness. Not so. Now, instead of being under my onc's supervision I feel like I'm working without a net here. Kinda lost & scared. Depression has set in but I'm taking meds for that and anxiety. Does anyone else feel this way or is it just me? I don't think so there's got to be others of you out there that feel like me. I think I'm more scared now of it coming back than I was when going through treatment. Anybody have a response to this? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.412 / Virus Database: 268.18.4/702 - Release Date: 2/25/2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I hear ya! I'm almost exactly one year out of my diagnosis and your comment about being " without a net " is very much the way I feel. I don't have any advice to give (wish I did as I'm in the same boat) but I wanted to share with you that my feelings were the same. I'm glad to hear from the " long-term survivors " that this feeling will get better with time. Ellen > > Is there life after BC? Every little pain that's new, reoccurence or > mets is the first thing I think of. I was diagnosed Nov05 with IDC, > Stage 2B, 3 out of 11 nodes pos. er/pr+ HER- I had a lumpectomy, > breast reduction, chemo and radiation. I finished treatment the first > part of Oct.06 and now take Tamoxifen. Does the fear ever go away? > There's so many women that don't make it past the 2yr mark before a > reoccurence or most commonly, Mets. I'm not obsessive about it but it > does cross my mind. I've changed so much in my attitude and outlook on > life. I thought when I finished treatment I'd feel like dancing in the > street with happiness. Not so. Now, instead of being under my onc's > supervision I feel like I'm working without a net here. Kinda lost & > scared. Depression has set in but I'm taking meds for that and anxiety. > Does anyone else feel this way or is it just me? I don't think so > there's got to be others of you out there that feel like me. I think > I'm more scared now of it coming back than I was when going through > treatment. Anybody have a response to this? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Yes, there is life after BC; I think a lot of it depends on your attitude, your doctors and nurses and any kind of a support group. For me, it's not really fear, but it's something that really never goes away because you go to sleep with it and wake up with it and deal with it every day. I've found though that attitude has a lot to do with how you feel (not the pain of course) but with how you deal with it on a day to day basis. It can be a very lonely disease, and I've learned a lot from doing research, reading these e-mails and responding to some of them so that you can applaud the successes and cry with the not so successful - I've read some incredible e-mails here and applaud everyone who is going through this awful experience. It's important to surround yourself with positive people either with family or going to support groups and I've been fortunate enough to have an oncologist and nurses that are great. Please don't feel lonely because there are a lot of us out here with a lot stories, suggestions for help and just plain listening. I was diagnosed in 2002 and am still fighting this. e-mail me if you want to talk some more and take care! Ellen in Alameda, California -------------- Original message -------------- Is there life after BC? Every little pain that's new, reoccurence or mets is the first thing I think of. I was diagnosed Nov05 with IDC, Stage 2B, 3 out of 11 nodes pos. er/pr+ HER- I had a lumpectomy, breast reduction, chemo and radiation. I finished treatment the first part of Oct.06 and now take Tamoxifen. Does the fear ever go away? There's so many women that don't make it past the 2yr mark before a reoccurence or most commonly, Mets. I'm not obsessive about it but it does cross my mind. I've changed so much in my attitude and outlook on life. I thought when I finished treatment I'd feel like dancing in the street with happiness. Not so. Now, instead of being under my onc's supervision I feel like I'm working without a net here. Kinda lost & scared. Depression has set in but I'm taking meds for that and anxiety. Does anyone else feel this way or is it just me? I don't think so there's got to be others of you out there that feel like me. I think I'm more scared now of it coming back than I was when going through treatment. Anybody have a response to this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 cheri , hi - i think maybe i talked to you briefly in the chat room . i'm a little over a year out . stage 3 ,er/pr +, on tamoxifen. i went thru the anger and depression also. i still worry about it returning and try not to freak out anytime i have a new pain somewhere , I know it'll get easier , hang in there and welcome to the group. sheri --------------------------------- Any questions? Get answers on any topic at Yahoo! Answers. Try it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Hi Cheri, I'm living proof that there is life after BC. I'm working on my 22nd year. I had infiltrating ductal carcinoma. That's what the report said. We didn't have any of the 'tests' as they have today, so I can't tell you those results. I asked for a bilateral even though the other breast was healthy. The surgeons 'panel' all 14 of them from all over the country said no the rules said it wasn't done when the second breast was healthy. So I had the one mastectomy. That 'rule' was changed just 1 1/2 years after the first mast. Then 3 1/2 years after the first mast the cancer mirrored itself in the other breast with an entirely new cancer. I didn't have any edema either time. That was the big worry then. There were no other markers done. The first mastectomy took 3 weeks before I was back at work, the second took about a week and a half because I knew what to expect and to start my 'walking the spider' in the afternoon after surgery. Back then hormone therapy of any kind was experimental as was most chemo. But they weren't done on patients with no node involvement anyway. Both times there was no node involvement. Back in olden times if there was no node involvement, they did nothing and sent you on your way to have a good life! I had a bone scan and bloodwork every 3 months the first year. Then every 6 months the next 2 years. Then the final 2 years only once a year. After that it has been just bloodwork once a year. After 10 years the oncologist said they say goodbye and have a full life. I feel more comfortable at least having yearly bloodwork, so he said my regular endo could do the bloodwork and he'll read it. So I've had the bloodwork yearly since. Thinking about it does get better and I know that because for a few years now the docs office had to call and remind me it's time for the bloodwork. Other than that, it hasn't stopped my body from getting old! LOL But on a good note, I've been having one full, busy life. I am here to see my first grandson born. He's now 6 months old. I know this won't help, because the only decision I had to make was when have the mast. You see I had lost my Mom to bc 20 years earlier, so asap was what I wanted. The first time was 3 days from dx to mast. The second time it was 2 days. I send you and all the others my prayers, blessings and positive thoughts! -- Angel (A.K.A. Mari) mfgershman@... Please click each day to help others, IT'S FREE! http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CTDSites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Shery i am in your way, beginning tamoxifen 2 weeks ago, still taking medication for anxiety, i don't wanted but, is helping me those days. I understand you, all the treatment is to reduce the risk of have it back, but our mind id do crazy about it, just pray and try to have a normal life, i am trying too, i know is hard but, do we have a better option? All mu positive energies, Anggy. --------------------------------- Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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