I have breast cancer but also secondary cancers of the spine, bones, liver and lungs. Having breast cancer was a shock in itself as I had no idea, despite checking myself that anything was wrong. Then to learn that there were secondary ones was a bitter blow.
I did not understand when told how it had happened. No one in my family had had cancer so why me, but there was no getting away from it, the tumours had made their home and were not going to budge regardless of any eviction order. They had their own idea and were staying put.
3 years on and my main secondary cancer is my bone cancer. My skeleton is like an estate, houses everywhere down my whole spine, in my pelvis, chest, clavicle and shoulder. But thanks to treatment, and regular bone infusions, the cancer is static. I pray it stays that way. My other secondary tumours in my liver and lungs are static as well so fingers crossed they stay as they are too. I am in constant pain from the laminectomy they had to do when diagnosed and get very tired. I take a cocktail of drugs every day, along with my cancer drug. I even had invasive chemo earlier this year but it was doing more harm than good so I was taken off it and put back on the cancer drug. My immune system is shot and I have to be careful of catching infections. It will be sods law that I die of a cold rather than my cancer x Thank you for listenting.
Below I have put you the link to one of BCC’s publications that I hope you will find helpful. You might also find it helpful to join our Secondary Live Chat which runs each Tuesday evening between 8.30pm and 9.30pm, the regular users are a wonderful support to each other and understand others thoughts and feelings when managing a secondary diagnosis. I will also put you the link below and hope you come and join us.
Cookie,so sorry to hear your journey. Unfortunately there is nothing you could have done. I too have SBC in bones,lungs and liver.
What treatment are you on now?
You will get lots of support and advice on here so please feel free to ask us anything we are a very friendly bunch. We tend to hang out on bone mets thread regardless of where mets are.
We will always listen so please feel free to ask us anything and we are great at giving cyber hugs too.
I’m sending you a massive hug ,Helen xxxxxx
Hi cookie. I have lung mets dx in may this year. Was on Capecitabine from july but scan last week showed it had stopped working as the 2 tumours had grown considerably…by 20-30% in just 2 months!
Starting docetaxel now on friday for 3 cycles.
Good luck with your treatment too.
Sending love and hugs (((( ))))
Bevlaar xxxx
Hi Cookie17, it’s so much to cope with isn’t it (I have bone mets since 2006, liver mets since 2009, lungs not affected, currently on capecitabine for 2nd time!)
Hope you don’t mind my asking… what’s a laminectomy?
Hi Cookie17, we all know exactly how you feel. At the moment i have local recurrence in skin but who knows what else is in store. Currently on dotaxol and capecitabine…no idea what will happen after that as i’ve been told its incurable but i cant stay on the medication?? I take great strength and courage from people like yourself. Many hugs x
x Thank you for listenting.