lung mets and tamoxifen
lung mets and tamoxifen I wondered if any of you have experience of being diagnosed with lung mets at the same time as primary diagnosis-this has just hapenned to me, and I have been prescribed tamoxifen only at the moment.
I know that lots of you are living well with lung mets, but at the moment feel completely unreal and frightened. I have no symptoms at the moment, and am finding it hard to adjust to the news.
Look forward to your replies.
Best wishes,
india1
For India Hi India - my consultant is pretty certain that I have lung mets - dx with bc on 22nd March and surgery cancelled when ‘something’ appeared on chest x-ray. I had a PET scan last week and getting the results this week. So far no treatment - but I gather that chemo is my next step…
I am in the same boat as you - I still can’t even feel the breast lump and I certainly don’t feel like I have anything wrong with my lungs - this is such a wicked disease…It makes me down most of the time and I find it impossible to think of anything else. However, as I have young children, I have to soldier on, but I really want to get treatment under way.
I will keep you posted - when are you next seeing the consultant?
LOL
Heather
x
Hi
I’m so sorry that you have been diagnosed as having secondaries at the same time as a primary. Although I know you’ve posted on the younger women’s forum you’re off to join us here, if I were you I would continue to use both parts of the forum. I and many others do and that way you get more people answering questions as some people never look in the secondary forum but they might be able to help you with certain questions.
I am hormone neg so struggle with the options available to hormone positive women. it seems very individualised. Some women in your position are given chemo staright away and others are given hormone treatment only and then reviewed to see if it is necessary for chemo. I suppose it dpends what symptoms you have, grade and stage etc.
My children were nearly 5 and 8 when I was diagnosed and they quickly got used to me being bald. They preferred me with a blad head or with scarves. They and myself hated the wigs. I explained what part of me was poorly and what was happening and they did accept that. My youngest does struggle emotionally at school but the junior school he starts in september are better suited to coping with children with emotional needs. Honesty is the best policy but in terms they understand.
I was not initially diagnosed with lung mets but as I was breathless at the time, I think they were there. Various scans did not detect them until Sept 06.
It is a frightening disease but as you say many women live a long time and are well with lung mets so focus on them and not people like myself who have been peculiarly afflicted with a very aggressive type of cancer.
I hope all goes well and write down questions so that next time you see your onc you can ask any issues that you have.
Keep in touch
Kate
thanks Thanks Kate and Heather for responding. I’ve also read the other posts about lung mets, and have found them really useful.
Today is my first day without family around-little boy’s off to nursery, and I’ve decided to be proactive, and have popped into the local cancer support centre to book an aromatherapy session, so am feeling quite proud of myself.
I’ve found that if I let myself have a good cry at some point in the day, then I am usually ok for the rest of it-but I am finding myself being meaner than usual to my partner which I need to stop.
Heather, I’m waiting to hear at the moment whether they are going to biopsy my lung, and am due to see the oncologist at the end of next week. When do you get your PET scan results?
india x
For India Hi India - due to the position of the larger nodule on my lung, a biopsy was not possible as it is just behind my rib - hence the PET scan. Results this Thursday. As much as I am trying to prepare myself for the fact that I have mets, I know that I will be devastated to have it confirmed. I just hope the scan hasn’t picked up anything else.
Like you, I have a little cry each day - it is a big shock to the system and I don’t think we should hold back.
Well done for getting down to the support centre and booking an aromatherapy session. Some days I am good and other days I do nothing buy watch rubbish on the TV. I am always low just before I see the consultant - I am sure it is fuelled by apprehension. In many ways it will be good to get some treatment under way. Since the suspected mets were found, I have not been back to work as I felt an emotional wreck, but that leaves lots of thinking time…
Please let me know how you get on with the hormone treatment - Iwill keep you posted with my treatment - I am sure we will end up having the same series of treatments even if they are in different orders.
A friend of mine has told me about a counselling session for children - yours may be too young, but mine are 6 and 8. They are aking questions about how old I was when my mum died and other strange things - so I may think about putting them on the course.
Keep in touch India -
Much love
Heather
x
for Heather Hi Heather.
I’ll be thinking about you on Thursday. I’m still waiting to hear when my biopsy will be,-still in limbo.
Re kids-my little boys not quite 3 and doesn’t seem to have picked up on anything yet. I do know that quite a few hospices now have childrens workers to support kids whose family are facing a life threatening conditions. I’m in the strange position of being a palliative care nurse, so know quite a lot about local services-didn’t think I’d have to be using them quite yet!
Let me know how you get on.
India x
Chronic Cough History: My Mum had a mastectomy on left breast Nov 1981 and then had radiotherapy. She was clear of cancer for 23 years. In Nov 2004 she had a flu jab (lot no 1120A Belgrivac 0004/5W/GT) and within a week was referred to hospital with fluid on the left lung. In Nov 2004 she was omitted to Derriford Hospital and was told the breast cancer had re-appeared after 23 years of being clear. She was diagnosed with cells under her mastectomy scar causing leaking of lymph glands to her lung. Due to holes in the lung lining she has had both lungs talcum powdered to her rib cage to stop further fluid build up. After 4 months of intravenous chemo followed by taking Arimidex and taking Warfarin for a lung clot she regained her health. In Dec 2006 she developed a slight cough and chest crackling. She was given antibiotics by GP which did not get rid of the cough. In Jan 2007 GP prescribed a Linctus for the cough. The Linctus caused severe constipation so went back to GP. GP advised her to contact a herbalist for an alternative as he said other medicine had Codeine which he could not give her. Feb 2007 she noticed small pea shape lumps appearing under her skin. GP prescribed Fluxlocitlin tablets. The Arimidex tablets were stopped as several small pea sized tumors were now appearing. She was told that the Arimidex had stopped working. Feb 2007 she started a 3 week course of Xeloda (Capecitabine). Soon after she had to go back into hospital as her Warfarin reading had gone dangerously high causing her blood to be too thin (count of 10). In Mar 2007 she received another course of Xeloda but again had to go back into hospital as it caused her Warfarin reading to go too high (count of 8.5). On this occasion she had to have 4 bags of Plasma to thicken up her blood. Apr 2007 she was taken off Xeloda and put on Exemestane. 30/04/07 she has started her second course of Exemestane and regularly uses dry oxygen for shortness of breath. The dry oxygen causing her throat to be very sore and Nebulizer Atomizer and breathing exercise programme is being arranged.
Since mid Dec 2006 her cough has got worse, causing shortness of breath - simply going to the loo exhausts her. She has a poor quality of life because of this cough and it is now causing her to have problems sleeping. It would be nice to hear if anyone else has been through a similar experience and if anyone can suggest medication to stop or ease her cough. She will hopefully be getting the Nebulizer Atomizer soon which might help. My step father wanted me to share her story with you to see if there were others out there experiencing what my Mum has and anyone can suggest relief for her coughing.
Thank you,
Sue
Dear Sue I started a new thread with your post ‘Chronic cough’ as I feel it will be easier to see by other users, I hope you don’t mind. I am sorry to read that you and your family are having such a difficult time at the moment as your Mum is so ill and would like to suggest that you may find it helpful to contact our freephone confidential helpline on 0808 800 6000 for further support, information and expert advice. The helpline is open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-2pm.
Kind regards
Forum Host
Breast Cancer Care
lung mets and tamoxifen Hi India
I am pretty new to this forum as well all quite horrible isn’t it and quite mind blowing!! - I was diagonised with mets to lungs and liver in January 07 (having gone 7 years clear from primary dx) but as soon as I was diagonised I was put on chemo - 3 fridays on 1 friday off with taxol and herceptin - also prescribed zolodex and fermura (similar to tamoxifen) stops/blocks estrogen. I guess as they know my original cancer was ER+PR+ and HER2++++ they cracked on but have no fear once they know what they are dealing with you they will give you the right combination of drugs to kill those nasty cells off.
I am like you have good moments and bad have 2 children 7 and 11 - the chemo is pretty tiring but apart from that the side effects are not too bad and there is a lot of medication to combat them.
hang on in there
Janiexx