Feel like the only one in my position

Hi IamLyn

I'm sorry to hear about your breast cancer diagnosis and it must have been a great shock to discover, at the same time, that it had already spread to your bones. Although I've not been in that position I can well imagine how difficult it must be for you to come to terms with your diagnosis. However, there are lots of people who are living with an incurable but treatable prognosis.

I noticed that you have also posted this in the secondary breast cancer group and hopefully someone in that group will be along to offer their advice. You may not have had any replies from this group as it's quieter and/or nobody in this group has had the same experience as you.

I'm hoping that you saw the reply from one of the cancer nurses to the question you posed a couple of months ago as she gave plenty of useful links on how to cope with your diagnosis, etc. If you didn't see it then clicking here will take you there.

Wishing you all the best

x

Hi iamLyn

i know its been awhile since you posted this so hopefully you get notifications and will see my post. 

You are not alone. I am newly diagnosed beginning of September with a few bone mets and after many tests to find the primary have been told it's lobula BC. No lumps, etc only showed up after nipple biopsy. Which should have been diagnosed 3 years ago when I first had nipple problems and MAmmagram did not show anything. Even MAmmagram in March this year and one 2 weeks ago did not show anything.

i have my first meeting with oncologist tomorrow to discus options/treatment plan. It seems that people are been offered different treatments for same condition, so I am confused.

Hopefully you are doing fine and things are looking up for you.

kind regards

Hi Razzy,

Thank you for your kind reply.

I hope your meeting went well with the Oncologist what treatment have they offered you ?

I am on Palbociclib and Leterzole with monthly bone juice infusions. Have had once scan since treatment and has shown as stable.

My next scan is in two weeks so I know that I will start to get scanxiety the week before.

I agree that there seems to be so many different treatment plans it makes you question your own.

I have read your profile, you must be so mad they did not pick this up 3 years ago and it must be hard.  Its madness and such a shock. I was sucker punched for a while when I was told.

Mine was picked up at routine mammogram (50). I was not feeling unwell or anything  and am still feeling the same (hope to stay this way for a while. I work full time and find this keep me somewhat normal and is a distraction.

There is a lot of support on this site from people who really know what you are going through. Also fellow member has tried to start a thread on the secondaries group Positive stories only which is worth a read.

Please let me know how you got on and are getting on.

Hugs from a fellow traveller

Hi IamLyn

Went better than expected today. Very nervous this morning nearly threw up in car. Hospital 45 minutes from my house luckily in future will be receiving treatment at my local hospital 5 minutes away. 

Oncologist lovely, explained everything. Told me I was not going anywhere for a long time which was a relief.

I started on letrozole today, will then be starting on palbociclib and Denosumab in 10-14 working days. I have a dentist appointment tomorrow to check teeth. Will be monitored monthly. He said there are lots of different treatments if one fails we move onto the next.

im not in pain at the moment which has I find strange so no radiotherapy yet.

My back is very unstable and  they think it is worse than the bone scan showed. I am not allowed to bend or lift anything. 

I too feel fine and am working full time and will continue to do so. 

What is the bone juice you are on?

kind regards

Hi

Firstly glad to hear the appointment went ok.

I appear to be on the same treatment as you.  I was started on Letresole straight away.  After shaky start on Ribociclib (I only managed one cycle and then had to wait 7 weeks for my bloods to go back to normal) was switch to Palbociclib,.  I started on the medium dose for one cycle then as I was doing well they increased by dose.  so am on 125mg take one a day for 3 weeks one week break.  I also had to have dental work done before being put on the chemo tablets.

My card for bone juice shows it to be Alendronic Acid but nurse called its something else but I am going to query the bone juice with her to find out what it actually is. I have been told I have osteoporosis in the area were they think cancer spots are so that's something else for me to query.  

I have not been offered Mascetomy/Radiotherapy or chemo IV.  You are right it is so confusing that people are on different treatments.

Would say knock on wood at the moment I am not have too much sickness or trouble

How funny is this to be completed as hubby is just dishing up dinner lol 

So after a nice dinner ....

Since I have been on Palbo (Palbociclib) my bloods have held at the higher dose so now have blood once a month (rather than weekly) which is taken on my weeks break the day before I have bone juice and pick up the next lot of chemo.

I do ache for a couple of days after bone juice but nothing to troubling. 

My next scan is middle of October so I know I will be anxious the week leading up to it.  Also need to work out if I want the results before I go away or when I return.  Am going abroad for a couple of weeks November time so am in a quandary as to if I want the results or not.

Please let me know how you are getting on with treatment and how you are.  You can always send me a private message if you need to I will get back to you.  I don't always spot the posts right away I am not very techno savy but am learning.

There are a lot of people in our position and I hope that by also reading their stories it give you some comfort and positivity.  I am still very much at the beginning of this and am learning all the time not just about this crappy condition but myself as person.

Cyber hugs to you

Lyn

Sounds like you have the right combo of treatment Lyn. I also was waiting for results before I went abroad this year but they hadn’t come through on time, it didn’t bother me at all once I had the sun in my face and the wind in my hair and I had the best time!!! I didn’t ache at all, completely pain free! 

I will now get my results tomorrow and back in the chemo so hoping for good news, I feel great and don’t have any new pain so fingers crossed xx 

much love jo x 

Hi Jo

So nice to read you had a wonderful holiday.

I am looking forward to getting the sun on my face for sure and a bit of Caribbean winter sunshine it is hopefully going to be truly wonderful break for me.

Fingers crossed for your results tomorrow I truly hope they are favourable

Please let me know how you get on

much love to you

Lyn

x 

Hi , here is the link to the positive stories mentioned by IamLyn. She is a self-confessed technophobe, hence my interruption!

  community.macmillan.org.uk/.../positive-secondary-breast-cancer-stories

Hi 

I have an appointment for Monday at local oncology department so hopefully start other treatments then. When I got the call they remembered me from when I used to take my late husband and father. Been dentist today everything fine.

Had a nice visit from palliative nurse. It sounds as if they look after cancer patients really well, I will be able to even get a same day appointment at GP surgery If I need one. Usually need to wait 3/4 weeks. She seemed surprised that I want to carry on working. She looked at by bone scan results and said my back is very unstable and I need to be very careful. 

Good news is that they are trying to organise support sessions for anyone with our cancer aparantly there a few people in the area all different ages and even some young ones like me she said. I'm 54 have not been called young for a long time. I must admit I do look young for my age.

Are you going anywhere nice on holiday?

I usually go away on my own but won't be able to do that anymore. This time last year I just had came back from Spain. I bought an annual insurance policy which needs renewed don't know whether to renew or not. I save 10% if renew.

Fingers crossed for your next scan.

Hugs to you too

Joanne