To my horror I’ve discovered today that I have breast cancer again (on my MX side). I only finished treatment in March 2010 (lumpectomy, right MX, 8 x FEC & Rads) I’m 35 single and have no children.
I’m having a body scan next week to determine whether there is any further spread, I’m convinced its in my bones as I have been suffering with a stiff neck for some time and even though I mentioned this on more than one occassion to my consultant & BCN it didn’t appear to concern them.
To say I’m terrified is an understatement, I feel like I’m putting my parents & family/friends through hell again. I don’t know if I have the fight in me to go through the whole process once more so soon.
The Onc mentioned Abraxane to start as soon as possible-does anyone have any experience of this, I of course will assume its similar to FEC? My consultant is on holiday but the Onc said she will probably want me to start Chemo firstly even if additional surgery is required (I was hoping for my reconstruction before Xmas) assume they will remove my other breast at some point too.
Can anyone clarify if this is classed as a new primary diagnosis or a recurrence or will that be determined by my body scan and if it shows anything else??
My head is in pieces, don’t even know how I’m going to get through the weekennd.
I’m sorry I have no experience of the questions you’re asking but just wanted to send a cyber hug. You got through this once, I’m so sorry you are facing this trauma all over again.
Thinking of you
Maggyxx
Hi Poppet75,
I am so sorry that this has happened to you… I have no advice re recurrence etc but I did have abraxane chemotherapy.
Unfortunately there is very little info about it (I posted here but no-one had experience of it).
What I can tell you is that it is from the Tax family of chemo’s, it is very new and very effective. In the UK it is primarily given to women with secondaries - because of the cost involved I expect. I was given it as I had a bad reaction to docetaxol and was fortunate enough to have health insurance. I believe that it costs 5 times as much as other chemo’s.
The side effects are much less than with tax or FEC (for me anyway). It is given by drip and only takes 30 minutes!!
Again I am so sorry to read your post.
Best wishes
Marguerite
I have no experience of this either, just wanted say sorry this has happened. I have heard of Abraxane. I think it is one of the Taxanes, like taxotere. I hope you get your scans quickly. Sending you a hug. Debx
I am sorry to read that you are having such a difficult time, in addition to the support you have here please feel free to call our helpline for a listening ear on 0808 800 6000, the line is open again in the morning from 9am to 2pm and on weekdays 9-5.
BCC has written some information about types of recurrence which may be useful for you to read, you can do so via this link:
Hi there really sorry to hear about your recurrence especially so soon after finishing treatment. Have u developed another lump or other type of recurrence. Sounds similar to my experience- I finished chemo June + had recurrence in my skin straight away. So far scan have been clear thankfully hopefully yours will be too.
Are you triple negative? Just that you never mentioned hormone treatments etc + it seems us triple neg ladies often have problems more quickly than hormone positive ladies.
Thinking of you all the very best with whatever treatment lies ahead
tina x
Thanks for your comments and info. I’m obviously pleased to hear the Abraxane is effective and the SE’s are manageable. I know it sounds trivial but losing my hair again is too much to bear, just getting used to having it back.
I found 2 small lumps close to my armpit under my collarbone MX side approx the size of a grain of rice this coupled with my stiff neck (which I’ve had for some time but put down to after affects of Chemo & Rads) prompted to me to go to the breast clinic-ironically I was there just 2 weeks ago for my check up and they didn’t find anything of concern…how wrong they were!! In addition I’ve now noticed 2 very small ‘spots’ close to my MX scar so think its probably skin mets, the onc pointed them out but they were so small I hadn’t noticed them. I guess the body scan will confirm this next week.
No I didn’t have any hormone treatment is it common for recurrence for those of us who didn’t have it?
Yes hormone negative cancers are more likely to recurr especially early on. Tends to be more aggressive but more importantly, we can’t have wonder drugs like tamoxifen to help protect us. I knew I was high risk just never expected to have probs so bloody fast.
If skin mets are your only problem then ct scans won’t pick them up as they are too small + near the surface (punch biopsy will tell u either way)- Lymph node involvement etc would be. Fingers crossed it’s treatable- maybe surgery is an option whilst the skin mets are very early stage. My surgery hasn’t proved effective but they spread quickly and were misdiagnosed for several weeks
hopefully you will get clear scan results + won’t wait too long for results (anxiety isn’t the word!). You will feel better once a treatment plan is in place.
Keep in touch
love tina x
What I do to get scan results asap is to hound your bcn. That is what I do coz the wait on scans is horrific- I’ve had to get Valium for times like that! My bcn harrasses the radiology dept to rush tge scan reports for me but I have a fab relationship with the bcn team so they don’t mind me stalking them lol! I have my bcn’s at the ready for next week!
What was ur original dx then? I had 39mm triple neg tumour, just one node involved, no vascular invasion, grade 3. Removed with clear margins so prognosis was pretty good. Didn’t have rads originally so I have that option now at least.
Just shows how noone can accurately predict the outcome when it comes to bc.
I’ve got another ct scan on Monday myself so we can hold virtual hand during the anxious wait! Feel free to pm me too.
Take care xx
Just wanted to offer to hold your hand through this weekend.
How truly awful for you and so soon after the end of your original treatment.
The waiting is just HELL!!!
I’m around through the weekend so will look out for your posts.
In order to stop losing it… I had to keep myself distracted by doing tiny activities for just 10/15 minutes before wandering around the house dreading the future… It is hard but if you keep posting we can look out for you and give you some support.
Take the very best of care tonight and I hope you manage to sleep a little… I’m afraid I used tablets to help me sleep then. You do need some rest from all those thoughts buzzing around your head.
i know we have spoken about this on FB but just wanted to send you a hug.
keeping my fingers crossed for your scans and hope that it remains manageable… i am triple negative too for my 2nd cancer and i think with us TNBC girls recurrence is always a worry… but glad you have had it seen to and fingers crossed its not sneaked off any further.
Thanks everyone. I live alone and last night I fell to pieces. I have a friend who lives in Dubai and he was so worried about me after speaking to me he rang my mum and told her to come stay with me. My mum and dad cope the best they can but haven’t handled the situation well and I don’t want to upset them. My mum doesn’t hold up well in a crisis and my dad finds it difficult to express emotion (were not a very close family) and keeps saying everything will be fine, when in fact I fear the worst.
I got through it once and hope I can do it again but I feel like I’m back at the bottom of the mountain looking all the way up when last week I was peering down from the top. Silly analogy I know.
Re Chemo, has anyone experience of the PICC lines, they struggled last time with finding veins (for bloods and Chemo), just to help myself this time round I wondered if they would consider giving me one?
May try and go for a walk later, some air may help.
oh poppet it must be so hard living alone at a time like this, thank god you have a good friend there in dubai looking out for you. A walk today sounds a great idea, i also find a hot powerful shower can shift some feelings along sometimes. I am not sure where you are in the country, but i know there are support groups for younger women. I am under the christie at manchester and there is one there. The Lavender trust bit of this site has a list of younget women support groups. It may help to access it and have friends in your area who know exactly what you are dealing with. And dont forget the helpline on here, and even though you probably think this sounds mad, dont forget the samaritans if you are alone and upset through the small hours. They dont just stop people jumping off bridges, they help people like us too.
Hi
I was borderline re veins and type of chemo for having a picc line and decided to try with needles first. Had 2 lots of FEC and had swollen hand and bruises from taking bloods so changed and had a picc line put in when bloods were due just before 3rd FEC. They had to use the ultrasound machine to fnd a vein but I wish i had had this fitted from the beginning. You are given a cover for it when showering and have to have it flushed once a week but it was so much easier having the chemo. No time spent finding a vein and it takes half the time to give you the chemo. My hospital is so close, 5 mins drive that I go to the chemo unit to have it flushed which gives me the chance to ask any questions I have, no matter how minor but you can have this done by local gp or district nurses. After the first few days I don’t really notice it as the line is covered by a tubigrip bandage (mine goes from midupper arm to just below elbow) and if going out I wear something with long sleeves to cover it up.
Hope this answers some questions
Sending you big hugs
Ali.
x
Really sorry to hear ur struggling to come to terms with the news but it’s hardly surprising all things considered. I will check my pm’s and send u a message now.
Thinking of you- chin up
tina xx
Hope you managed to get out for your walk today but the weather was just so dreary wasn’t it?
I can never get out of the house when I feel low so well done for trying.
I hope today was bearable. I too, know how hard it is coping with this on your own, especially if you don’t feel close to your family.
I was in the same situation! It was 7 months after dx that I found this site and it has been such a support since…
I really hope you can keep posting if you wish to or phone the helpline for more personal support. It’s just such a pity it’s not available at night or throughout the weekend.
especially so soon after finishing treatment. Have u developed another lump or other type of recurrence. Sounds similar to my experience- I finished chemo June + had recurrence in my skin straight away. So far scan have been clear thankfully hopefully yours will be too.