Hi
I had my BC diagnosis on 22nd October 2012 (IDC, grade 3, ER neg, PR neg, HER2 positive) ) and got a positive pregnancy test te next day. I;m currently nearly 7 weeks pregnant and I had a WLE and axillary clearance on Tuesday this week. Waiting for my results and oncologist appointment to find out about treatment. I know I’ll need radiotherapy after baby is born and chemo probably in 2nd and 3rd trimester but am a little concerned on the wait from surgery till the start of chemo. I’m lucky to have a one year old and this is my last chance (due to the treatment and my age, 42) to have anoher baby so I want to continue with it. Would love to hear from anyone else going through this or has been though it and checks this board once in a while
xx
Hi Tiathetory
You have had the best and worst of times within 24 hours. Sorry you find yourself on this forum but welcome and hope you can find some support here.
I was 30 weeks pregnant when dx so although a completely different trimester I did have a time lapse between surgery and start of treatment. I had my surgery at 30 weeks and then baby was to be induced - they tried at 35 weeks but baby was staying put so they tried again and at 36 weeks and 6 days baby was born. I then started chemo two weeks later. So, from surgery to chemo there was a 9 week gap. My onc (oncologist - not sure if you are up on the terminology yet but you will be) told me from the point of surgery he would give me a 12 week window and at that point I would HAVE to start chemo. So I just scraped in at 9 weeks.
There are ladies going through chemo whilst pregnant at the same time on this forum at the moment so hopefully you can support each other.
Some of the mums who have been through a bc dx whilst pregnant have gone on to have healthy babies but they don’t always have the time now to post, they are busy with their families and want to move on but they do pop in from time to time but you may not always get a reply straight away.
I was dx in 2006 and was Grade 3 and also Her2+ My little baby is now 6! Keep posting when you can. Love xxxxx
Thanks Swissmiss
Great to have your response and hear that all went well. I saw your response to another post recently and just wondered whether FEC-T was given to you without any questions. My main oncologist is suggesing I only do 6 x FEC but then a second opinion I has suggested 3 x FEC and 3 x Taxotere. I’ve read that Taxotere is potentially harmful to the baby and so was wondering how you/your team arrived at the decision re drugs - had they prescribed that regime before to someone pregnant?
Thanks again xxxx
Hi Tiathetorty
No, I didn’t have any chemo whilst pregnant so can’t answer that question - sorry. FEC is normally given if you are node negative. TAX is only included if you are node positive. I had micromets (small clusters of cells in a node) and my onc said that most oncs would just give FEC but he was going to err on the side of caution and give me TAX too.
I have posted below a link to jane72 who I think from memory did have TAX whilst pregnant. If you type in jane72 and click on search all of Jane’s posts will come up. The link below in particular deals with Jane having chemo through her pregnancy I’m sure. There are definitely a few others who had chemo whilst pregnant too so you may want to have a good trawl through all the posts in this category.
http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/community/forums/anyone-starting-chemotherapy-julyaugust
You may want to check with your onc/obstetrician whether they have dealt with anyone in this situation before. Many hospitals haven’t - it is still rare to be dx whilst pregnant. You can always ask for a referral to a hospital who have dealt with ladies in this position. You really do need your onc/obst to work together with you so you must have confidence in them.
Best wishes. xxx
Have sent you a private message Tiathetorty. X
Hi Tia, sorry to hear about your diagnosis, breast cancer is total cr&p and hugely unfair, especially when it’s supposed to be a lovely time in your life.
I remember chatting to Jane a lot on the forums during our treatment, and as swissmiss says she was pregnant. I think they may have split her treatment and given her fec before the birth and tax after the birth.
I have set up a facebook group for younger ladies with a bc diagnosis. There are a couple of pregnant ladies, plus ladies with tiny babies, and even a lady with a 7 year old who had chemo whilst pregnant. There are over 100 of us chatting away now. You would be very welcome to join us, and swissmiss we would love to have you too with your experience and supportive posts. Are you in touch with Jane? If so please say hi from me because I think about her and her girls a lot.
I hope you get some questions answered soon Tia. Is your medical team experienced with pregnant bc patients because if not I think a second opinion may be handy, I seem to recollect that Jane may have got one early on in her diagnosis.
All the very best
Vickie
Xxx
Hi Tia,
I have put for you below the link to BCC’s publication regarding being pregnant whilst diagnosed with BC, I hope you find it helpful. Also our helpline staff are just a free phone call away if you need someone away from the family to talk to. 0808 800 6000.
I hope this helps. Take care,
Jo, Facilitator
Hi Vickie
I’m not in contact with Jane but I think she does pop onto the forum very occasionally. It would be good to catch up and see how she is doing. I think about her too.
Thank you for the invite to join your Facebook group - I’m not on Facebook though so wouldn’t be able to join you - but I do pop in here from time to time and more regularly when I know someone needs some support. Can PM you with my e-mail address if you would be interested. What a good idea though - being able to chat to someone in a similar situation can literally be a lifeline and as you say it isn’t just about being pregnant, its about fertility before or after pregnancy, dealing with young children, so much more. Have any of the ladies in your group used this forum for support in the past?
Hope things are going well for you and I have seen your name posting recently on the forum. Best wishes. xxx
Hi Tia,
I’m in my 2nd Trimester now at 22 weeks. I was diagnosed with BC the day of my 12 week scan. I had a left Mx.
I have started a FEC-T regime. I’m having the second FEC this week (3 in total) and then 3 x T.
The hospital staff had an interdepartmental discussion about me (enough to make you paranoid 
). There was an article in the Lancet about pregnancy and chemo, so I think my chemo has been based around that. Also the obstetrician has been getting a look in and has had her say on the chemo.
Chemo is being timed to the pregnancy and after the last set of chemo I should have 3 weeks before baby is due.
After baby is born I will have ANC, radiotherapy and herceptin (as am HER2+).
I’m on the facebook group as well.
Hope you are doing okay. Being diagnosed with bc is one thing add a pregnancy to that and it can be a bit of an emotional minefield.
Thinking of you.
Maria xx
Hi Maria
Thank you for posting…I was going to add a post to your topic but you beat me to it!! Today has been great getting to know some people.
I chickened out at the last minute re mx going for a lumpectomy instead and I so hope that I don’t have to have surgery again. I have a one year old and it’s difficult picking her up (also had an ANC) and so I can’t imagine what it’s like with a mx. How’s it going? I probably will have a bilateral mx at some point in the future.
Mine is also grade 3 and HER2 positive so it sounds like I may have the same treatment as you (my results are on Monday). I’m currently considering referral to another hospital, unsure what to do at the moment but I would prefer to be under the care of a team who have dealt with all this before.
Bubba is definitely a silver lining round that cloud! and something to so look forward to but at the same time, so much worry!! I think it’s only natural to worry throughout pregnancy. Once they come out you still worry and then I’m told you still worry when they’re 20! Oh joy!!
Thinking of you too
Alisonx
Hi Alison,
It was difficult with the Mx, but keeping going with the exercises definitely helped. I have to wait for the ANC now. 1 out of 4 lymph nodes removed had malignancy in it. Damn that lymph node.
You definitely have to be with a team you feel comfortable with. Pregnancy with BC is quite rare by the sound of things - I’m known as the pregnant lady in the department (sigh). My oncologist has only across another 3 women in his career. You need a good team though, because I don’t know about you but I hate getting the ‘wow, you’re an interesting case.’ I’ve got a haematologist involved and we’re not exactly sure why - neither is the oncologist.
I’ve definitely had high and low days (I’m sure I will have a few more). Focusing on baby is really important but I will also pass you some advice that my midwife gave: Remember by looking after yourself, you are looking after baby to. So if you do have a low chemo day and feel you haven’t focused on baby, you have by looking after yourself if that makes sense. How are you finding all this with a one year old?
If you’ve got any questions, please feel free to ask. Will try and answer.
Maria xx
Hi Alison and Maria
Thought I would post a link for you from a former forum user ChristineMH who was a mine of information about HER2+. Christine had not long given birth when she was dx. Really miss her from the forums but happy for her that she is getting on with life.
breastcancercare.org.uk/community/forums/8-years-last-septemb…
Best wishes. Love xxx
Hi there, i am also pregnant i am 20 weeks. I was diagnosed on Monday with bc and have to meet with the consultants on Tuesday. They haven’t told mr my results only that i will need surgery, chemo and my lymph tested positive. I really am not coping too well at mo as i am so scared of what they will say to me on Tuesday as i don’t know what type or grade i have or how many lymph are infected. I have a 2 year old and i am trying to stay stong for her but really do keep having emotional breakdowns just thinking the worst. I do get comfort out of everyones positive posts though and hoping as soon as they can do surgery and start some treatment i will feel more positive. I also have my next scan for baby on Wednesday but have not even got to enjoy being pregnant as i am soooo scared. Not sure when they will do surgery i guess i will find out Tuesday but i do hope its soon as the longer my boob is there i keep worrying what else it is doing to me!!!
Really nice to seesuch supportive people on here xxx
Hi Tia,
I was also pregnant (almost 20 weeks) when I found out about my diagnostic. This was in April and now I am a happy mother of a baby girl - she is almost 4 months now. I also have a 4 years old boy.
I wanted to tell you about my treatment - I had 4 round of AC during pregnancy, then I delivered (with a period of 3 weeks between the last chemo and delivery), and then I was about to have 4 rounds of Taxol. Everything went smoothly, but unfortunatelly chemo didn’t work for me and before the 4th round of Taxol we decided to have mastectomy.
I was grade 2 and ER+/PR+ which might me a cause for this lack of response to chemotherapy. This is not your case since grade 3 is supposed to respond good to chemo. With no hormones receptors, pregnancy will not influence the tumour, but only the treatment.As far as I know, Taxol is not recommended in pregnancy (it may pass the placenta) and therefore having 6 round of FEC might be a better solution, then delivery and then all the other parts of the treatment.
I would like to also join that FB club, if this is possible.
Wish you all the best,
Oana