Up dates on my BC

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Dear all,

I apologize to you all that I have not visited the forum for some time now. 

I am surprised that a lot of new members joined in the past few months and I use this ocasion to welcome them all. Just wanted to up date on my cancer condition all the wonderful women and men on this forum who have helped me and were 'there' when I needed most!

I remind you shortly about my cancer history, I had been diagnosed in October 2009 with right breast triple negative infiltrating ductal carcinoma grade 3, 3.1cm multifocal malignacy (2 tumors one of 1,1cm and the other of 1,8cm close to each other), and had chemoterapy prior to surgery for four months (AC x 4 plus Taxol x 4 on dose dense), after which end February I had a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction with tissue expanders in preparation for silicone implants. The expansion (infiltration with saline) took few months, and after that in mid May I started radioterapy for 3 weeks just to the right side. I am also BRCA1 positive therefore double mastectomy was necessary. 

My oncologist had adviced to remove ovaries, however not as an emergency measure, and therefore I am under surveillance now - In April I had an ultrasound scan of the ovaries and everything was all right, plus I had been checked for CA125, CEA and HE4 twice this year starting April - of which results were fine. 

In few days I am planned for the exhange of expanders to permanent silicone implants surgery with the same medical surgeon who did my double mastectomy. He recommended to replace the expanders with Allergan Natrelle anatomical silicone cohesive gel implants. He is a breast surgeon, however not a plastic surgeon himself, but did such reconstruction work in UK.  

Apart from the usual symtoms I had during the chemo and after, my main complication for the time being seems to be join pain (my hand and leg fingers and knees are hurting every morning when I wake up, and also sometimes during the day I feel quit bad with my knees). A bone density scan BDS has been done in March and everything seemed to be normal then. I was told by my onc that the cause of such symtoms are the pre-mature induced (by Chemo) menopause, as my periods did not come back.  However, I suspected that I have arthritis.  The onc did not give any follow up medication, because it seems I am not eligible for hormone terapy or anything else due to my triple negative condition. 

Is that the case?! Women whoes cancers are Triple Negative get only chemoterapy and then, nothing else?

I am not taking any medication, apart from multi-vitamins plus Calcium and D3 fortified 400iU twice a day.

Let me know of your thoughts. Also, if I can be of any help to any of you, let me know too.
Love,
Laura 

dx 10/2009 @41 TNBC IDC grade 3, stage II, 3,1cm lumps, BRCA1+, affected lymph nodes@PET, start 10/2009 to 01/2010 Chemo AC x 4 plus Taxol x 4 dose dense, 02/2010 dbl mastectomy with right axilliary disection 12 nodes, immediate reconstruction, 05-06/ 2010 3 weeks rads on right side, 08/2010 planned for implants replacement