Barron

I'm very close to finishing year two. No surgery. Breast cancer had spread to vertebrae and throughout lungs by the time it was found. Normal checkups, but I was taking Embrel for rheumatoid arthritis which lowers your immunity. Chemo for just two months at first. The tumors in lungs and perhaps in bones were growing so I switched to femara pills. I've been on that for over a year and a half. Stable and a pretty normal life. Pain, but I don't know how much of that is from arthritis and how much is from bone cancer, femara, or xgeeva. Probably mostly arthritis judging from how I remember I felt years ago. But now I take pain pills and that helps. I volunteer some, take care of a household and my teenage son, do things I enjoy. More purposeful in choosing activities, very interested in the after-life. Curious and eager, which many consider odd.

Barron, i just realized you are (infiltrating) ductal; i am lobular invasive. i am so wanting to talk with someone who has exactly what I have re breast cancer. I am assuming yours is not metastatic. No surgery for me either.

Hello - you had posted a response that acupuncture got your taste back after you had lost it form Tamoxifen. I too, started taking Tamoxifen and have lost almost all taste and smell. I have used acupuncture in the past so I am curious as to where did they put the needles in?

Hi Barron, I am stage IV also. Currently getting Taxotere and Cytoxan. I am curious what chemo drug you are on. Is it IV or oral? How often do you take it? I am thinking of opting out of radiation if they want to give it to me. I don't know, we'll see I guess. Good to see people out there living for years and years with stage IV. Thanks.

I'm so encouraged by how well you're doing! Femara worked for you a long time! I didn't have breast surgery either because it had already spread throughout the lungs and vertebrae and arm bone. Now it's been nearly a year since I was diagnosed and it was a good year. Tonight I have a lot of pain in my arm because I did a lot more housework than usual. I've got to remember to leave those floors alone!

Hi Barron, I was wondering where in Virginia Culpeper is. I have been to Luray Caverns which I think is in Va. Also I visited friends in Berryville, between Winchester and Leesburg. It is so beautiful there, like a picture postcard every where you look. I am in the Northeast. The leaves are changing here, very pretty.
Hope you are well. I am stage IV BC and it is reassuring to know you are have survives many, many years.

Is your cancer resistant to hormone therapy mine is.. Mine isnt...In sept I was dx with stage 4 and currently doing chemo again. It spread to my sternum, I see you have been doing this for six years. I pray that i make it that long I try to stay positive and eat healthy ,,, I havent asked how long my outlook is and if i did they wouldn't tell me. I am very scared but I wont stop fighting

hello im early stage breast cancer caught it real early but it mets in bones its small but im stage 4 right at the bat im on hormone therapy armitex

Welcome. Thank you for registering. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1) Find other people like you. You can do this by clicking on "see more" in the "People Most Like You" box to the right.

2) Go to our Questions page to see what's been posted, ask a question or give some advice. Here is a link to our most popular questions: http://bit.ly/MfN45w

3) Complete your journey profile to share your experience. You can do this by clicking on "Add Experience" in the box next to your picture above.

4) Don't forget to upload a picture!

Thank you for being here and sharing your story. If you have any questions, please check out our FAQ or contact us.

Best,
Team WhatNext

Hi Barron: I'm a survivor of stage iiib in2002. I now have stage iv metastatic breat cancer to blood, lymph and skin. I too started Zelods this week. I'