Hi I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago this Friday and I have only had scans and MRI but no follow up appointment. Time is dragging and I am in pain. Is anyone else experiencing pain so bad you feel you can’t help but cry? I am triple negative but don’t know what stage, though everyone in my family wants to know. I am feeling really well otherwise and healthy, I have also stopped eating anything that’s not healthy, 0 alcohol and 0 sugar diet… etc.
My appointment is Friday - with my oncology doctor. I am nervous.
also has anyone had any second opinions on their scans and treatment plan? My health insurance is happy to cover my treatment so I don’t know if we should go privately or stay on NHS. I love NHS
Hi Sofia2204
So sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis which makes you a member of this community that we would all have preferred not to have needed to join. Saying that, you will find the most wonderful ladies here who will give you the benefit of their experiences, their hints and tips at getting though this. You just need to ask any questions you are wondering about and you will get lots of responses.
The stage you are at is one of the worst, as you have partial information [enough to scare anyone], but don't yet have your treatment plan. When you have seen your oncologist on Friday, hopefully you will have more information and will know the plan going forward. What we do know, we can deal with. It is the not knowing that is agony.
I am so glad that you are feeling well in yourself. Even although you are having pain, this will make a big difference for you. Some of the ladies here have other longstanding conditions to deal with and the BC is just another thing on top.
Regarding the pain, have you tried the kind of painkiller that you would normally take for a headache? I don't normally like to take over-the-counter meds. However, recently I had quite bad radiation burns after RT, due to having large boobs. It did not occur to me to take paracetamol and ibuprofen for a surface pain until the hospital recommended them. For something so simple and accessible, they worked a treat. I used them 4hrly for 2 days and this made all the difference for me and something similar [which fits with your medical history, DON'T take if these can cause issues for you] might tide you over until your Friday appointment. Actually I felt a bit stupid for not having thought to try them myself. However, this is a new path that we are walking and we have to take each day as it comes and do the best steps that we can.
With respect to private care, I think that you should talk to your oncology and surgical team about this. A decision might depend which part of the country you live in. I am in the West of Scotland and we have an amazing world-ranked NHS Regional Centre of Excellence in the Beatson Cancer Clinic.
I have read up the recent medical literature on the type of BC I have, and the treatments. I know that I could not have had better care and treatment than the NHS is giving me anywhere else in the world. In spite of the Covid situation, I have not had any delays in NHS appointments, imaging, surgery, radio therapy or chemotherapy getting started and am now at the stage of the boob and lymph nodes being cancer free and being given an array of treatments which will help to stop it coming back.
If you are in an area where there are delays for surgery and private is quicker, then maybe consider it for just the surgery. In the NHS cancer treatment centres it is a Multi Disciplinary Team [MDT] made up of oncologists, surgeons, specialist pharmacists, histologist etc who together arrive at the best treatment plan for each of us, based on all the facts about our individual cancer. Personally, I would only be wanting to be treated in a facility which had a full cancer-based MDT and who were adhering to international consensus on evidence based practice.
We are all different and must listen to what the doctors etc say, but in the end come to the decisions on treatments which are best for us.
I wish you and your family all the best for the days ahead. Don't be afraid to ask far and wide for support , including on here. Talking everything through helps 
Wallydug
All fantastic advice from Wallydug which I mirror. I am being treated at Wycombe hospital primarily on the nhs and I honestly can say I can’t fault my treatment there, they’ve been incredibly speedy and caring. Lots of ladies on here are complaining about treatment and delays from around the West Midlands if that helps. At one stage I thought I might be covered on bupa and was told that the advantages were that I could have a portacath fitted rather than a picc line and I could have chemo at home rather than in hospital were the main highlights. I don’t know about others but actually I feel happier not turning my home into my hospital if you know what I mean and I enjoy the support for the nurses and camaraderie from the other patients but I am a very sociable chatty person and not being able to work atm (I work in a school) I enjoy the interaction. That said I live 20 mins from the hospital and have good support for lifts so my situation there is good. Anyway Bupa declined to fund so I had no choice but I think I was leaning towards nhs anyhow because of all of the above.
This bit when you don’t know what you’re dealing with fully is a horrible and have the occasional treat 
you’ll need them trust me!! don’t be hard on yourself, none of us caused this to happen to us, keep in touch, I’ve found the support and advice here invaluable, good luck on Friday x
Hi Sofia2204
Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. Cancer is very treatable these day. It's horrible having to wait for a treatment plan but once you know what that plan is things start to get better.
I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer last year and after having 8 cycles of chemo, surgery and radiotherapy I'm now cancer free.
Wishing you the best of luck with your appointment on Friday.
Best wishes
Daisy53
