I wasn’t expecting that - worst news

So sorry to hear this and I know it's a cliche but you will get through it. I've done the surgery recon chem radiotherapy etc. Ots all doable. Theres lots of help along the way to whatever is thrown at you in terms of side effects etc. I know it's not the  news anyone would have wanted to hear but once you have a treatment plan in place you will hit the ground running and smash it. Have tears throw things scream and shout so what you  need to do. We are all in this together and we will help you any way we can even it's just to bend our ear. Take care xxxx

1. Hi Harleybear,

Sorry to hear your news, it's a horrible shock I know...I also have triple negative breast cancer, my tumor was 4cm and I couldn't believe I hadn't felt it ! .... just like you I wanted it taken away immediately. I am halfway through Chemotherapy, my tumor is shrinking ...TNBC tumors often respond well to Chemo so that's why they give Chemo first to reduce tumor size and better long term outcome. You haven't been given a death sentence, although I felt just the same at the start.  Trust me when I say that when your treatment starts you will feel better, because you know something is being done to rid you of this awful disease that none of asked for or deserve. The MRI scan is a part of the process, so they can get an accurate measurement of the tumour.  I dreaded having it,  as it's all so frightening but it wasn't as bad as I imagined....I was told to expect 9 months of treatment, it gets easier, I promise....please ask if you want to know anything at all. 

Mylesy.x 

Harleybear 

This news will take some time to process . Prognosis I'm sure will be good lots of women on here with triple negative. I so can understand you want the bloody thing out but the new tailored treatment suggests that Chemo first is the way to go stop the cancer now right in its tracks ! Chemo frightens me mine starts next week but we need to remember its our friend it will hunt down and kill all the cancer cells . it will keep circulating in your blood shrinking the tumor as it goes along like a nuclear submarine it will cause a carnage to the  cancer cells that have set up home in our bodies. Let the chemotherapy shrink it down so surgery will be easier and as soon as surgery over you will be pretty much done! 

Thinking about you its a hard day but you now have a plan so its all on the way up from here 

Take care 

Jayne x 

Hi Harleybear

Sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. 

I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer just over a year ago. I had chemo first and the chemo shrunk my tumours by a big margin. The lump in my breast was 16mm when I started treatment and by the time I was halfway through my treatment it had shrunk to just 3mm and the tumour under my armpit had disappeared altogether. I am now in remission after also having surgery and radiotherapy.

Your medical team will do everything in their power to make sure you get better.

Wishing you the best of luck with your treatment when you start it.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Thank you for sharing, I’ve taken so much from your reply HarleyBear. I’ve been so worried myself too about chemo and trying to wrap my head around why not straight to surgery as EC chemo has been so hard for me. But I’ve got through and now building up my confidence for the next 12 weeks of Carbo/Taxol which I’m dreading if the side effects are like EC. I know everyone’s journey is different but I’ve taken inspiration from your post. 3weeks ago I was also told I’m BRAC1 positive which hasn’t helped but having met my oncologist and breast surgeon I feel more at ease that I should focus on the current treatment and then work through future implications of BRAC1. 

Good to read your tumour is shrinking. I’m a bit further behind you but hoping things are going in the right direction.

How is your onco regardingnTN? Negative? Upbeat? I felel it’s all a bit doom and gloom….

Himalaya

I feel so ill .  Have aches and pains everywhere , feel lightheaded . Is this the cancer am I riddled with it ? It all feels so unreal.   I am even thinking I don’t want the treatment as don’t want to spend what’s left of my life now , feeling awful because of the chemo .   Sorry to be so negative you are all amazing .   I just don’t think I can take any more .  I have had the year from hell and now this . There have been tubes that I truly didn’t want to be here .  Feels like I am getting what I asked for .  I just can’t do this . X

Been where you are and I'm not far away from it. 

You always give such good advice on here I'm sorry you are down . Can you see your medical team and get some reassurance that it's not spread or if it has that treatment can  address this? Please stay strong  we need your wise words X 

Thinking about you  Jayne x

Hi HarleyBear,

sorry to read your post and you’re feeling this down. I have had some dark days but got through knowing that many before have walked this journey and got through the other side.  Like you I was hoping that chemo wasn’t part of the journey but when I was diagnosed with TN IDC it meant chemo first, I’ve taken solace in that I am getting the hardest part of the treatment plan out the way first. I’ve gone through 3 cycles of EC and my tumour was 22mm when I started and is now 9mm in 8weeks. Hope this helps a little x 

Hi little Bear

I'm also really sad to hear what you have been told. It must be truly devastating for you. Please try to understand that if you kind of project yourself into the future, which I know is hard, you will be glad that your medical team have done a deeper biopsy - you would not want to be here in say 2 years time and wonder why they didn't bother when they could have done. An MRI is again, a tool used to diagnose and check spread. You need to have this done and it truly doesn't hurt. Your team need to investigate fully what your cancer is so that they and you can fight it best. I used to sit for hours in the bath just before appts which always brought further bad news wanting my cancer removed - wanted to tear it out. It takes time but it will get removed. Trust your team and your surgeon. They will do their best to care for you.