I’m a stage 3 triple negative survivor 3 years but the after effects & after care in the uk feels overwhelming I’m terrified of recurrence seen so many friends I met at chemotherapy sessions pass away ️
Hi TripleNegativeSurvivor I know what you mean. I had stage 3 lobular breast cancer in 2013 and for many years I was scared it was going to come back. I think it does get easier as time goes by, but it is hard. I am glad of the aftercare we have in the UK it is like a safety net. Good luck and hope it gets easier for you.
I am so sorry to hear how you feel. I think that this fear is something that anyone who has had a cancer diagnosis has to learn to live with, without letting it dominate our lives. As Leelaloo says, it does get easier with time.
I was diagnosed with stage 1 Pure Mucinous Breast Cancer in 2010 and was told that I was lucky, as this is one of the less aggressive types and was unlikely to return. I had a Lumpectomy, followed by Tamoxifen. Within 6 months I found a lump in my other breast, which turned out to be pre-cancerous. Within less than a year I was diagnosed with a second cancer in the original breast. This time I had a double Mastectomy, followed by Letrazole for 6½ years. I had previously lost my mum to secondary breast cancer, which had spread to her brain, bones, liver and lungs and I was absolutely terrified that I would be condemned to the same fate,
Fortunately, I found that both of our experiences were totally different, as diagnosis, treatment and after care have all advanced tremendously in the intervening years.
Cancer is individual to each person who has it, no two people react in the same way. Sadly, we do lose some people along the way, but we also have people who have been diagnosed with a short prognosis, who live for many years past this.
Have you attended Breast Cancer Now's "Moving Forward" Course? I found this very helpful in boosting my more positive side – and this is what we need to be a cancer survivor. We are advised not to look for the negatives in life, but to look for the positives. So far, I've survived for 16 years longer than I first expected and I feel so grateful for the after care that is available to us in the UK and I hope that you will soon feel like this too.
