Diagnosed with triple negative grade 3 breast cancer yesterday

Hi Uzma, sorry I'm not really able to give you any advice as I'm seeking the same.

I was diagnosed yesterday with the same as you, but just one breast and the lymph nodes also triple negative. 

I'm waiting for a cat scan next week to see if the cancer has travelled anywhere else.

From my conversation with the surgeon yesterday it seems they are going to just blast it with everything they've got.

Chemo first, then surgery & radiotherapy after.

It doesn't feel real at the moment.

I wish you all the best with your treatment & hopefully we'll both make it through x

Hi ladies,  sorry you have a tnbc diagnosis, it is such a shock!. Once you get a treatment plan in place and the 1st chemo out the way it does get easier I think because you feel more in control. I finished chemo in Sep and now after surgery just started radio.

I dreaded chemo but it was easier than I expected and had minimal side effects. You will be given pre meds and anti sickness tablets to take home. Drink loads of water it really helps. I had weekly pacitaxol for 12 weeks with carbo and pembro (immunotherapy) every 3rd week. Then 4 cycles of EC every 3 weeks and still continuing pembro for a year.

I was still able to work through out but that was from home as normally work in a big office so  was recommended due to low immune system.

Take each day and week at a time. I found focusing on one treatment at a time really helped and was surprised the time went by quite quickly.

Good luck with your journey, you got this xx

Thanks for the reply. It's really good to get some input from someone who's already going through treatment.

I'm hoping to continue working, as I'm self employed ,but a little worried that I'll struggle as my job is pretty physically demanding. How does chemo make you feel? I've not been told what concoctions they'll be treating me with yet.

Xxx

I actually felt pretty ok after treatment and could do everything normally. I would take the anti sickness tablets for a couple of days or whenever I needed. They say take them sooner rather than later, I was never sick. I did pick up a chest infection I have no idea where from and needed iv antibiotics for 2 days.

I tried to get out and walk for 30 mins each day and drank so much water. Don't push yourself too much too soon and see how you feel. I'm not sure if I'd be able to have done a more physical job or not. i lost my taste on the 2nd chemo but otherwise could still function normally. I also found work a great distraction and it really helped me get through it xxx

There are several different types of TNBC and they may do tests to find out whether an immunotherapy drug is likely to add benefit alongside chemo. Having said that, the mainstay chemo regime seems to be EC followed by Paclitaxel possibly with Carboplatin. If they are using immunotherapy they may swap the order round depending on the protocol for the immunotherapy (like Bha’s experience with Pembrolizumab immunotherapy above). 

There are long lists of side effects for each treatment. It doesn’t mean you will necessarily experience them all, or have them all the time. Stay hydrated, rest when you need to and keep a symptom diary so you can be prepared on subsequent cycles.

Hello Bsnow,

I hope you're doing as well as you can at the moment, I'm going through a million scans right now just so low in energy. Thank you for reaching out to me please keep in touch sending you all my love and prayers x

Thanks for this Bha, so reassuring to hear this as I'm terrified right now. I guess it doesn't help I lost my mum to cancer and will be going back to the same ward for treatment.

Thank you for this really reassuring post though. I find all this waiting around and in my case unclear scans and then more scans has sent my anxiety through the roof!

I'm so glad your chemo went well, can I ask what surgery you had? I hope you fly through the rest of treatment x

Thank you for this it's super helpful to know, I have my oncology appointment on Monday I guess I'll know more them, I am hoping that I can have the immunotherapy as it sounds promising even if it may come with more side effects

I can definitely relate to the low energy. It's all very consuming & overwhelming. 

I have my cat scan on Saturday. Hopefully this will be my final diagnostic test. I really just want to get on in with treatment now & get well. 

We just have to take 1 day at a time and try to stay positive.

Sending love and prayers back to you ️

Hi Bha, 

I have just started my second cycle, I have the same treatment plan as you. The chemo hasn't been as bad as I thought. My hair was falling out at the end of the first cycle so I  went for the shave.

I have found the chemo makes me really tired so I am not working at the moment, as you said keeping fluids up really helps. 

I thank you for your advice.