Bone cancer

Hi Cindy

welcome to the forum but sorry you need to be here.  I had kidney cancer which spread to my spine and pelvis.  I lost two vertebrae and had them replaced with bars and a cage and have been on pazopanib for around 18 months now which is keeping my tumours stable with no signs of progression.  Hopefully then can get you settled on something that will do the same for you 

Welcome to our group getting treatment plans takes time which is frustrating when you just want to get on with it but they will sort you out xx

Hi Cindy, I have advanced breast cancer with metastases in bones, incl hip, liver and lung. I was told that 4.5 years ago and have had various treatments since. It is a scarey time for you, but as others will tell you in this group - we often outlive any prognosis. In fact I have never asked for prognosis, as it seems to me that it only puts a cloud over you. I am not unrealistic, and the time will come when I do need to know, but that is not yet, and while there are treatment options, it is not now.

xx

Thank you for responding to me.  You have given me hope.  

Since you started your treatment have you had the opportunity to go on holiday, or has it been a constant flow of treatments?

Ownedbystaffies have you had breast surgery yet?  Only I have by told I need to show that I am responding to treatment before they do anything else?

Cindy xxx

Hi Cindy sorry to hear your situation, you will get good support on this site cos we're all in the same boat. Welcome and remember there are lots of treatments and hopefully you'll get your surgery. Once you get your treatment plan it will become a new norm. Keep posting xxx

Hi Cindy, I had breast surgery, chemo and radiotherapy in 2003 when I first was diagnosed with primary breast cancer. I then had 14 years clear till it reccurred as advanced breast cancer. ( you can see from peoples' profiles if you click on their name, the details they have chosen to put up) So, once I was advised it was now treatable but incurable, the plans became chemo to hold progression. I have had 4 different treatments so far, most of which have helped reduce, or stabilise the tumours. I have no pain from the bone cancer in my hip, apart from odd discomforts from sitting too long, but that could be age. Same for liver and lung. We all go into panic mode when we are told, and if this is your first diagnosis, it is hard to hear it is incurable. But please do hold on to the "treatable" bit. The breast surgeon is presumably working on the basis that the treatment plan will involve chemo to try and shrink tumours, and he/she will then decide if surgery is necessary and what advantages it might bring. It will take you a while to get your head around it, but ask here and on the advanced breast cancer forum and you will get responses.

I know that waiting is a nightmare, and we all tend to think that every day the monster is growing, but much of that fear is unwarranted; growth is slower than you think, and it will have been developing unseen possibly for years or months. 

xx

Hi Cindy, realised I had not answered your question about holidays etc. Depending on your treatment plan it is possible to go on holiday - and you can ask for odd breaks in treatment  to allow you a week or two away without having to cope with and side effects. I was on iv chemo and took a two week break from it to allow me to go to La Palma in 2019. Breaks in Uk easier becuase of insurance issues, but plenty of people do go abroad.

Hi Cindy,

Just wanted to welcome you as I'd missed your post after it had popped over the front page. My cancer is different to yours, but we all go through the same anxieties and stresses. You'll find lots of good advice here from those who have been on the path longer. It's hard at first not to feel completely overloaded by it all. This will pass once you've got your treatment plan worked out. Keep letting us know how things are going and if you want to have a rant or let go of all those pent up feelings, then come on here and let rip. Sending you big hugs and positive thoughts.   Rainie x