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Share a Positive Story

Printed From: TNBC Foundation
Category: TNBC Forums
Forum Name: TNBC Talk
Forum Description: A place to chat
URL: http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=13459
Printed Date: Mar 28 2024 at 6:22am
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Topic: Share a Positive Story
Posted By: HopefulToday
Subject: Share a Positive Story
Date Posted: Dec 17 2018 at 2:45am
I have not been on this board for quite some time as I've needed to live my life and not think about cancer everyday. 

I found comfort here often when I was diagnosed and for this I want to thank everyone who moderates and those who post. 

I have the most exciting news and I wanted to share it.  I'll give you the short version but if anyone wants more information, I'll be happy to share. 

In Nov of 2016 I got the call we all dread. Yes it's cancer and it's TNBC.  It took me until June of 2017 to decide I HAD TO do chemo. I saw 6 oncologists with various approaches. Let's just say some very BIG names and some SMALLER names.

In the end I went with a Dr in Seattle, WA who is not part of a big group. He has been practicing for close to 30 years and does Metronomic Chemo.  After finding out the cancer had spread to my lymph glands I couldn't wait any longer and did the chemo. 

I had a double mastectomy after chemo and no radiation.  I finished the chemo 12 weeks after starting it in June of 2017. In October of 2017 I started hoping for the best. 

It's  14 months later and I just had CAT scans and a bone scan and I have NO EVIDENCE of Cancer or Metastatic Disease as of today December 12, 2018.

My Dr treated me with the first course of chemo being Metronomic Chemotherapy and I have continued weekly shots of another drug ever since chemo ended.  I'll gladly pass on my Dr's name should anyone want it. 

I 100% believe I have a very good chance of the cancer staying away. I owe my life to my Dr. I'm BRCA positive and he treated me as such. 

Please find a Dr you believe in, who can give you their history of treating TNBC.  Leave no stone unturned. I'm happy to give the facts of my case to anyone who is interested. 






Replies:
Posted By: Sunny70s
Date Posted: Dec 22 2018 at 9:55pm
Thanks for your story.  It's important to have a good doctor and a healthy hospital. I ended up being diagnosed 9 months later than I should have been, after lump became very obvious and had spread to a couple nodes.  This was because my first hospital was going broke and I'm sure they pressured doctors NOT to give medicare patients tests that were unnecessary so my doctor just said NO! when I said I thought I needed one, without even asking why. Being in denial, I just didn't push it til found the oddly placed lump 5 months later.

The current hospital also is heavily reliant on medicare and medicaid patients so I think the doctors must get a lot of pressure to keep the patients in the chemo and radiation programs just to have enough income to keep the program afloat!  Unfortunately, unless we straighten out the medical system, this kind of rationing will take more of a toll in the future!

I can't see any other reason my doctor would consistently LIE to me about things I easily can verify later.  Including how many chemo sessions I'd get, how how bad my side-effects were, and other things I just forget now.  I do feel, however, she sincerely feels heavy duty chemo/radiation is the best option. However, I feel stressors on her that are not only her medical concerns.

I also feel other doctors who diagnosed one bad side effect and KNEW it was chemo were VERY reluctant to say so - or put it in writing! One just kept nodding when I'd asked questions about chemo being the cause, but volunteered little info. The other put my reason for coming "nosebleed" (a minor issue I didn't even mention) when it was earache!

So this makes me feel like maybe I should get a second opinion from another oncologist at another nearby hospital which I already know has more financial support and is more supportive of supplemental holistic alternatives.




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DX/7/11/18 IDC, Right, 3.3 cm, Stage IIb, Grade 3, 18 nodes, Er-/PR-/HER2- Had surgery; Five of 8 chemo sessions done then quit. Probably will do radiation.


Posted By: Sunny70s
Date Posted: Dec 22 2018 at 10:01pm
I just read this story today. Pretty up, despite her situation.

UK media seems to have more positive stories about women with TNBC, as I see in my google alerts on the topic.  (I get so many news items about which companies are making money investing in new TNBC drugs, I had to refine search to "cause" and "treatment". Hope that works!)

Just the intro copied below.  Her mix of additional therapies interesting, though she doesn't list supplements. See article for rest of her story.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-6468431/Author-Kate-Figes-wouldnt-stay-alive.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-6468431/Author-Kate-Figes-wouldnt-stay-alive.html

A diagnosis in September 2016 of stage IV triple negative breast cancer – the most aggressive and difficult breast cancer to treat – changed everything. In just a few minutes I went from being a 59-year-old woman with years ahead of her to sitting on death row.

The shock faded slowly into grief, and then the determination to do everything possible to beat the cancer back took over. Alongside the year of oral chemotherapy I’d been prescribed by my oncologist, I researched and undertook numerous ‘anti-cancer’ activities (listed below)...


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DX/7/11/18 IDC, Right, 3.3 cm, Stage IIb, Grade 3, 18 nodes, Er-/PR-/HER2- Had surgery; Five of 8 chemo sessions done then quit. Probably will do radiation.



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