Good news and bad with my metastatic breast cancer

Hello again.  Maybe I should add "avoid consultations with the oncologist on Friday 13th" to remind me about today but I'm not particularly superstitious which is just as well as I was born on the 13th.  I had a CT scan in early December and the only thing that troubled the consultant was that one lymph node was suspicious in that it seemed slightly larger.  But it may simply be how the CT scan was done, the angle of the scan.  So as a precaution, I had another scan as soon as possible which was last Friday.  Back today, yes that lymph node is actually fine, but the scan now shows small tumours in the liver.  So now we know the paclitaxel chemo I have been receiving has kept most of the cancer at bay but it hasn't been able to keep the lymph nodes in the liver area from getting bigger or prevented it from spreading in this area.  I was advised to go on to GEM/Carbo now, in preference to choosing eribulin.  This latter drug will be shortly withdrawn by NHS so it is the last opportunity to go for it without private funding.  Obviously I want to give myself the best chance I can, so after discussing pro's and con's I've gone for the GEM/Carbo option.  I just hope I've made the best decision, but won't really know till the next scan in 9 weeks time.  It's all very scary but I'm keeping positive thoughts and everything crossed.  Also I just cannot believe how aggressive this cancer is.

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    Hi Gill ..... Wow thats good news!  I only had one session - willl they do the same tumour twice or different ones in the second procedure?  Are you on facebook? - I am not but I am sure Davek will send you his link so he can forward you my email or tel no if you want to chat more abt nanoknife.  Its such a shame that the moderators here cant do that for us - they have both our email addresses and even more of a shame that private messaging hasnt been reinstated!!!  Moan haha!!   x

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    Max

    i do have a Facebook account though I am not a big fan. I wish there was PM again for this site!!! 

    A little update though - various tests yesterday including liver MRI - results are that I have seven tumours, largest is 3.4cm. This may mean microwave ablation for the first session which will take place later today.  Just want these cuckoos in the nest out of the way!

     

     

  • Hi Boatgirl,

    Sorry I missed Max's reference to me in the earlier posts. 
    Just give me a hint as to your name and location and I'll message you on Fab.

    Isn't life difficult without PM? lol

     

    Cheers

    Dave 

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    Hi Gill - just wishing you all the very best for the procedure today, I hope it all goes well and you recover quickly. I am off to London in the morning for chemo on Friday but will hopefully be able to log on at some point so will keep an eye on your thread to see if you have posted. Thinking of you x

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    I have emailed the moderators and asked them to send you my email address - maybe if you do the same they will be able to help.  Lets hope so x

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     Hi Davek 

    I've had s tussle with fab and have added location Bedford so you hopefully can find me from my first name as below surname is 3 letters. Fingers crossed!

    Gill

     

     

     

     

  • Ok I've done that too also tried to set up via Davek so some way or another hopefully we'll get there!

  • Hope you are feeling ok gill. Just to say that if you do manage to email me, I can't access my account til later on Saturday as I am in london having chemo and don't know my passwords etc - silly me!  I do hope things went well x

  • Hi Max I had a minor delay in having surgery because there was a problem with my blood test results so I actually went down to theatre on Wed lunchtime. It was decided that microwave ablation would be better this time round. The tumours were well defined so good margins were easy to make and the three largest tumours have been zapped. I was brought round quickly afterwards and could only feel a bit of discomfort, no real pain. I was in overnight last night and they kept up observations throughout, every couple of hours. I was offered paracetamol but frankly didn't feel I was in pain so didn't have it. No stitches - there are a couple of surface scratches so small I had trouble finding them - my cats have dug deeper! I'm feeling fine, later today I'm seeing by usual oncologist and  I'm girding my loins to seek explanations, and to get ready to bail out.

    I hope your chemo goes well. Still not able to make direct contact yet but hopefully that will be in place soon.  Big hugs. Gill

     

  • Hi Dave - no reply yet from the moderators.  I've added my voice to the private messaging thread started by Max.  I also think I've found you on fab so I haven't done a friend request but have sent a message possibly to some unsuspecting other Dave.  But I did think the dog photo was the clincher as it is on this site and also on fab!!!

    Gill