Triple Negative diagnosis

Hi and a very warm welcome to the online community

I'm very sorry to read that you've recently been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. Although I didn't have the same type of cancer as you I can remember how worried I felt when first told.

You might like to join the posters in this thread as they are also newly diagnosed.

When you have a minute, it would be really useful if you could pop something about your journey so far into your profile as it really helps others when answering or looking for someone with a similar diagnosis. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.

Thank you - I will do

Hello Cloud123,

I have triple negative , and I know how you feel. Hitting a brick wall comes to mind maybe! It is treatable and it sounds as if they have caught it early. You will have got your treatment plan now. As you think it through, write down any questions that come to mind, even if you think they are silly - they are not. My tumour was bigger and hid itself for a while, but I'm going down my road. You may, no, will wobble on your journey and that is ok. Come and have a shout on here. I think of myself as a Weeble - Weebles wobble but they don't fall down! You'll stand up eventually. I don't come and have a look everyday, so I joined the breast cancer group too. It's a lot busier. I wish you all the best. You'll get there. Hug hug, xx

Thanks Floss b - I like the Weeble analogy!  I feel exactly like that, sort of adrift - most of the time I'm fairly steady and then out of the blue the wobble starts.  I wont get my treatment plan until next Friday, but am assuming it will be chemo to start.  I'm curious how your tumour hid itself?  Hugs to you too!!x

Lol!!! I was told my cancer had been growing over the last ten years. I have had regular screening mammograms over the last ten year and even one last year. It didn't show in any of them!!! So it was hiding!! Grrrr!

Dear flossb

Same here-my mammogram in Dec showed  nothing but I found the lump in March. They tell me now that I have 'dense breasts' and thats why it doesn't find the tumours-but this has never been mentioned before. I wish it had as I would then have examined my breasts more carefully. Its only that the lump hurt that made me find it.

I had a lumpectomy, then 5 days radiotherapy. I said no to chemo as I know from my husband's chemo for prostate cancer how hard it can be and then it killed him as he developed pulmonary fibrosis from the docetaxl. He died 2018.

I think I will also refuse zoeldronic acid as it adds only a small percentage to survival rates and can make you very sick and damage your jaw and teeth. Oncology are phoning me about it soon.

Hello Vibraphone,

I'm sorry that you have had a very hard and emotional few years. Sending you lots of hugs.

We put such faith in the technology. I have warned my friends not to rely on the screening, to get to know their breasts and not be afraid to go to their GP if things don't feel right in any way. Like you it was the pain that made me go. Not there one minute and then the next intense. I have asked to look with the Dr at the past mammograms. Whether I get that opportunity we will see.

It is such a hard road to travel with choices along the way. I can understand why you didn't want the chemo. I am about to start my second round and at first I refused. However, the Dr agreed to give me a moderate dose and if I want to stop after the first I can. He will not judge me. I know he plans on Ibandronic Acid for me but we'll discuss that after Christmas.

I'll wobble like a Weeble but it isn't going to knock me down flat!!!

Hugs and Take care. xxx

Hi Cloud123

I've recently been diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast cancer too, I found a lump at the start of September and after a visit to the GP, referral for mammogram, ultrasound and biopsies, I was diagnosed on 2nd October. I have stage 2 as it is in my lymph too and am starting my treatment with chemotherapy.

I've never had any health issues before and felt like I'd hit a brick wall when all this happened, it was just 3 weeks before my daughter's wedding. Luckily we managed to have the wedding before my chemo starts.

I hope you are doing okay

Hi Hollythecat

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis - I think that I was in a state of shock for a couple of weeks as looking back it feels all very surreal.  I had my lumpectomy three weeks ago and had confirmation that they had got clear 8mm margins and the lymph nodes that they removed were clear. The histology is a Grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma, just under 20mm.  I didnt have a lump that could be felt, it was just picked up on a routine mammogram.  I'm waiting to see the Oncologist on Monday but I am certain that they will want me to have chemo - it seems routine where its a Triple Negative diagnosis?  I am really struggling with it - I feel fine at the moment, I've been working for the last couple of weeks and life feels pretty normal (Covid aside!).  It seems wrong that I am now going to subject my body to a real battering when I don't feel ill and they tell me that everything was taken away in the surgery.  The way I feel at the moment I will take some convincing that chemo is the way to go!

When will you start the chemo?  Will you have surgery afterwards?  I hope you are feeling reasonably ok, it is such a shock and a real rollercoast of emotions.  I'm glad you managed to have your daughters wedding - at least you will have lots of recent happy memories to keep you going!

Please let me know how you get on with the chemo - good luck!

Hi Cloud123

Thank you for your reply, looks like you've had a challenging time. Like you, I was really struggling when I was told my treatment would start with chemotherapy. I've never been ill before and am still finding it hard to get my head around battering my fit body so that I can get over this. I asked about surgery first but was told that this way is best for me as it will shrink the lump and minimise the amount of lymph that needs to be removed.

I was very fearful but started the chemotherapy last Thursday, and am having weekly sessions for 12 weeks with one drug every week and a second one every 3rd week. I am now on day 3 and am not feeling too bad, although I am taking a lot of drugs to combat the side-effects. I've never taken more than paracetamol and ibuprofen in my life so this is hard.

The nurses at the hospital are truly amazing and took me through everything really slowly last week. They are so caring and I feel I can be open with all my fears with them, this is really helping.

Let me know what happens next for you, good luck