I saw my Oncologist on Tuesday and talked with him about what the Radiation Oncologist had told me about recommending more chemo. Apparently he had "spoken out of his expertise" and I will NOT need anymore chemo. My oncologist said that if the chemo didn't work the first time, it won't work a second time either. A different kind of chemo will not make a difference. As I've stated before, my kind of cancer is highly estrogen + and highly Her2 +, which means the cancer is being driven by either the estrogen or the Her2. Since the chemo didn't work, this suggests that my cancer is driven by the estrogen. Therefore, the drug Tamoxifen will prevent any further growth of breast cancer cells. I was under the impression that I wouldn't start Tamoxifen until ALL my treatment was complete (May 2014), but he said I could start it as soon as my chemo was done, so he went ahead and wrote the prescription for me. I'm really nervous about taking it, and therefore haven't started it yet. It's sitting in a drawer in my bathroom. I have heard that it gives you hot flashes which, let's face it ladies, are NO FUN! I have had these already throughout my treatments and I am not looking forward to them coming back. However, what scares me the most is the risk of uterine cancer. I mean do I really need to trade one cancer in for another??? I shared my concerns with my nurse and she said that of all her patients, she's only known of 1 who developed uterine cancer while on the drug. And IF I were to get it, it would be years down the road, like 10+ years. She said the risk is low, but as always I must way the risks, and she said the benefits out way the risks for this drug. She said that if I were her daughter, she would tell me to take it. So, I'll take it, but I'm not looking forward to it, especially since I have to take it for the next 5-10 years of my life!
Today, I had another appointment with my Plastic Surgeon. As of right now, I am not happy with the way my breasts are looking. I don't think it has anything to do with the handy work of the surgeon, it's just the way the expanders are filling out, the pockets that were created after the tissue was removed, and the scar tissue that is developing. My right breast is lower and "plumper", and my surgeon says bigger (although I swear it's smaller). But todays' appointment reassured me. The surgeon said that during my next surgery he will be able to lift up the lower breast, which will make them look more even and IF needed he can later make a tissue deposit from my belly to the breast to fill in any differences. I think I am at the size I want to be right now, so I scheduled the date for my next surgery...December 6th. Now, I just need to decide if I want gel or saline implants. To my surprise, the Plastic Surgeon said today that over 50% of his patients have chosen to go with gel implants. My next follow-up with him is on Nov. 11th and I think a decision will be made then.
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