Hi all,
Haven’t posted on this thread before but am curious about this idea of remission and how we all cope. My recent ct scan shows that my liver tumours are shrinking so I consider myself ‘stable’. I am however fully aware that if I came off the drugs, the cancer would be on the march again pretty soon. Whatever words we use to describe our situation, I am very aware that this is only a phase (hopefully a long one!) and that the cancer has not gone away. How we all manage to cope and have the strength (I don’t like to be called brave because that implies that I have a choice)to be good partners, parents, friends to our loved ones and not become completely self absorbed is beyond me. I know I have bad days when noone should be around me but on the whole I can still laugh and fool around.
Take care
Louise
Hi…Louise great to hear your scan news!
Here’s to stable, remission, good news and effective treatments.
Dictionary.com have this as their definition of the remission word when used in a medical context.
- Medicine/Medical. a. a temporary or permanent decrease or subsidence of manifestations of a disease.
b. a period during which such a decrease or subsidence occurs: The patient’s leukemia was in remission.
I have asked if I am technically in remission and have been told I am. I hope everyone is having a good day, a better day today…xx
Hi ladies,
I don’t mind my thread being hijacked - when I saw all the replies, I was pleased that so many of you took it as an opportunity to start posting again. And to be honest from my point of view it is good to hear of so many of you living well & for so long. Not so good about the sore botties though!So please don’t move the thread!
I guess what I’d like to know is how long will I stay with no disease? But no-one can know the answer to that one. What is the longest, so far? Nothing like a little competition ladies!
Hiya,
I think Dawnhc might be one of the ‘longest-runner’ contenders. I’m sure there are others - the figure 11 years sticks in my mind from somebody…
As for bidets, we had moved into a house with one when I had my third child - it was brilliant for that post-natal period, so i know what you mean. Also excellent for washing dirty feet. Sadly don’t have one in this house.
I loved Celeste’s comment “because one day, one of the chemo’s will get you in the bum - that is for sure.” I think I will make that my phrase of the week!
Love to all
Jacquie xx
PS 2beans - I’m glad you’re happy with this post. I have to say it gives you a nice warm feeling when one of your posts takes off and just runs and runs.
Not sure if I can take the ‘prize’ for that one Jacksy. Although I was diagnosed 20 years ago I had a lot of recurrences before secondaries in 2002. I suppose it depends what 2beans is asking. Since dx for secondaries I had 2 lots of chemos, then in 2004 discovered it was all her2+ so have only been on herceptin & bisphos. since then. To date havent been hit by a bum chemo 
- and believe me I have been through a lot of them. Thanks 2beans for so generously sharing your thread.
dawnhc
Hello again 2beans. I knew, met, a lady who reached 10 years and that was despite not finding any treatment really effective. There also used to be a lady who featured on the old Bristol Cancer site, now called Pennybrohn, who had been living cancer free for 15 years after her initial breast cancer and lung mets diagnosis. When I read your initial post I tried to find the info again but was unable to locate it. I don’t know if you clicked on the BBC news link I posted here a few pages back but I always find it a really inspiring read.
There are these accounts from Australia too.
bcna.org.au/images/stories/pdf/messages_advanced_cancer.pdf
Take Care…xx
hi 2beans and everybody else. I was quietly confident that I was going to join the stable/remission club when I got my scan results yesterday. Apart from nerve pain caused by shingles I have been doing really well. I’m afraid I got some really unexpected news. it seems my breast and bones are continuing to heal but since my last scan in October which was clear I have grown a 5cm tumour in my liver. Will teach me not to be so cocky in the future.
Wierd thing is I have no symptoms at all. Onc says she cant feel anything by physical examination so no swelling. my liver function tests and tumour markers are completely normal so my blood tests dont help me diagnostically.
So now I am in for chemo starting 5 March.
Am glad to say I do have a bidet so I will be prepared for however the chemo is going to bite me in the bum region. Have been told my wee will turn red which will be interesting. At least its the right colour for a liverpool and celtic crusaders fan.
Just goes to show with this thing you should always expect the unexpected.
Sorry this has turned into such a long post but I am not prepared to give up my membership of the remission club just yet. ONC says chemo I am having has a 70% chance of being successful. thats pretty good odds I reckon.
Am having EC. thats FEC without the F. she did say why I’m not having the F but in true gormless fashion I have forgotten what she said.
Anyway hope all you lovely ladies are feeling and doing well.
love Julie x
I’m sorry to hear your news Julie, it must have come as quite a shock after feeling so well. The 70% your Onc quoted sounds good to me too.
I hope the EC goes well and it’s not a bidet chemo…and I really hope it knocks back the blasted bc and you join the remission club after it. It’s good news your breast and bones are continuing to heal…Take Care…x.x.x
Hi Julie, really sorry to hear the news about your liver mets but the good thing is your onc sounds very on the ball and optimistic that the chemo will have a good effect. I had EC for my bone mets last year because Tamoxifen wasn’t working and it worked wonders on shrinking my primary tumour to almost nothing and keeping the bones stable. I don’t have experience of liver mets but hope the EC works wonders on yours. The red wee only lasts for a few hours after the infusion by the way!
Take care
Lesley x
Hi Julie,
Sorry to hear your news. Heres hoping for EC!!!
Julie xxx
Hi,
I was diagnosed in Nov 2000. Had surgery, chemo, rads & tamoxifen at time and no reoccurence. Am I classed as in remission?
Kim x
Hi Julie,
Sorry to hear your news. Hope treatment all goes well for you
Kim x
Hi Julie,
Sorry to hear your news but I really hope the chemo attacks the tumour as it’s supposed to. It just shows how fragile this"remission status" is. when my secondaries were diagnosed my bloods and tumour markers were fine too and I felt normal so it’s just so random.
Keep posting - I know that my last scan showed nothing but that was 4 months ago now so know only too well that things could be happening without me being aware which is why I’m grabbing life with both hands at the moment.
Keep us posted as to how you’re doing and I do hope you don’t get too nasty side-effects. I had FEC in 2003 and it was the tiredness that was my worst side-effect and barely had any sickness so I hope you do ok.
Best wishes x
Hi Julie,
Sorry to hear your news, its a real blow especially when you feel well. I was diagnosed with liver mets back in June 09. They were aparently quite extensive but I had no symptoms either. The only reason they were found was because of a brain cyst giving me headaches which turned out to be my breast cancer back. I was also found to have bone and lung mets and still to this day don’t have any symptoms from those despite being very athletic. The good news is that there is lots that can be done and my liver has responded to chemo and letrazole. I had FEC back in 2001 with my priamary diagnosis and I admit it was hardwork - isn’t all chemo, but it was mainly fatigue made worse by streoids keeping me awake. good luck and plan some nice things in the next few weeks before you get started.
Louise
Hi Julie
I’m very sorry to hear that you have to have chemo to blast that little ugger in your liver. I had FEC back in 2008 when my recurrence and bone mets were found. Again no symptoms whatsoever before hand and only a routine mammo showed up the recurrence. FEC with or without the F is do-able and there’s loads of threads on here about side effects and what to expect. I’d just say listen to your body it will tell you what it wants you to do. I agree with Anne that this ‘stable’ bit is all very precarious and I also grab any opportunity to enjoy myself! Hopefully you will feel well enough during chemo to do the same (I had more good days than bad)
Nicky x
Hi Julie
I am going to send you a personal message.
Lots of love Sue xx
Belinda, thanks for the Australian link - that is exactly the sort of thing that I meant. I was quietly pleased to note that the stories are from the beginning of the noughties - so with the advancements in treatment over the last decade, we can all hope for even longer!
Any more positive stories / experiences out there?
Julie - I am so sorry to hear your news, I cannot imagine how you must be feeling right now. I sincerely hope that all goes well with the treatment - please keep us posted on your progress.
Hi Julie - sorry to hear that and hope that ec sorts it out - my biggest liver tumour is 8cm - but there are multiples there so they only measure the biggest - i think yours mighrt respond well- 70% sounds great to me , jayne
Hi Julie - what a bugger this disease is - it’s particularly terrible when you are feeling really well, because that just takes away the confidence we have in our bodies. to let us know such things. I’ve done FEC and I remember the red pee - much better than the normal colour really - as someone else has said it’s doable, but rough like all of them really.
Take care Julie