Just diagnosed

Hi there

So sorry you find yourself here. The early days of diagnosis can be a bit a whirlwind and are plagued with uncertainty and anxiety.

I'm 46 and was diagnosed with grade 3 TNBC in November, currently at stage 1. I had a lumpectomy, also known as a wide local excision (WLE), with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in December and am expecting results next week.

I absolutely understand the fear of it spreading and even have aches, pains, lumps and bumps that predate me finding the breast lump that I worry are connected! I mentioned this to my consultant and she said, "yes, you will think everything is something for at least the next 10 years, even if it's affecting your big toe!" So I'm guessing she's heard this a lot. 

A tip I received was to record any new symptoms as a reminder in your phone and set it to go off in two weeks time, then bring them up with your team if they're still there or are any worse when the reminder goes off. This enables you to sort of park it for a bit without obsessing, although it can take a bit of practice!

I found, and a lot of others have shared, feeling a lot calmer once treatment has begun, as it gives you back some control over what is happening so I hope things start to settle for you soon.

And congratulations on your wedding! x