Can cancer come back if you are in remission almost 3 yrs

fiddler

Hi @Neeser
Gosh - triple negative breast cancer. That's what I had. For a long time after treatment we look over our shoulders, wondering if the cancer is catching up to us again. Some of us worry for a long time.

Most people don't understand triple negative breast cancer. It isn't like ANY of the other breast cancers. It acts differently. Just so you know, triple negative rarely comes back in the same breast. Most often it comes back in the lungs, liver and brain. It can also come back in the other breast. It's a weird kind of aggressive cancer. Coming back in the bones is not unheard of, but it's not usual.

But because of how aggressive it is, please, please, please get it checked out immediately and finish treatment to the end!

They didn't take any of my lymph nodes, but I understand that when they take lymph nodes, you cannot EVER have blood pressure or a blood draw from the arm on the same side as the nodes they took out because they'll cause problems in the arm, like what you're going through now with your arm.

You need someone to sort it out with - find the energy to call your cancer center and get a referral to a support group. The cancer center or the hospital it's attached to will have a social worker and maybe a group counseling session where everyone can talk about their feelings.

You've come this far ... you're a fighter and very brave. Keep it up! Blessings on you ....

fiddler

@Neeser
Just one other thing, about energy. You won't have it for a while. Started to get it back at 3 yrs after treatment, but I'm not 100% 8 yrs after diagnosis. On a good day I'm 80%.

BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF !!!!!!

legaljen1969

@fiddler. Thank you for the reminder to be gentle with self. We forget how much it can take out of us to have surgeries or treatments. I start to get mad at myself for things and then I realize I am not even a year out from surgery yet. I have made a lot of progress, but when I hit a wall on occasion- I just have to remind myself that I can and will try to overcome that hurdle but maybe "not today."

MLT

Remember, it's ok to take a day off, take a nap, read a book, watch the birds.. Whatever makes you feel better.
Yes, fiddler, you are right about TNBC. Mine is in bone and liver. Not alot of research for us, but it is improving.

BuckeyeShelby

NED for over 7 years. Had surgery this summer and they found endometrial cancer cells in the tissue excised. Didn't have to go back on chemo -- estrogen blocker instead that seems to be working. Only been on it since November -- surgery was in June.

Carool

@Neeser, just checking in to see how you’re doing.