this morning I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. It still hasn’t really sunk in and doesn’t feel real. I’m waiting for an MRI and then chemo for 4 months or so. Is there anyone who can relate to how I feel at the moment?
Hi bumble-bee, sorry you have found yourself here. I’m not triple negative but I am grade 3 and young like you (I’m 35). I start chemo on Thursday. I had an mri just before surgery, it gives an extra clear view of both breasts and surrounding tissue, younger women apparently have denser breast tissue so it’s just to make sure they haven’t missed anything xx
everything is still sinking in for me so I find myself asking people the same questions over and over again because I’m just not retaining any info very well at the moment! I’m just a little worried about the mri in case they find even more going on in there or that it’s spread somewhere further. The advice I got from the breast clinic was to focus on the here and now and not the “what ifs” but it’s so hard not to let your mind wander all over the place. How are you feeling about your first chemo session? Xx
Totally understand, I felt exactly the same about the mri I was sure they would find something else and it would be much worse than they originally thought. The doctor told me it was only about 1 in 10 people that they would find something else on their mri and even then it was often something benign like a cyst. And this should be the last hurdle before u start treatment so you should start to feel a bit better after this. Have they given you an idea of stage yet? I feel ok actually, I’ve kind of accepted it now, ready to get on with it I suppose but it definitely sucks, I don’t want to lose my hair. I’m going to try the cold cap but not holding out much hope xx
I am also 60, have triple negative breast cancer and was tested for the Braca gene! Not sure why they told you you were too old. I'd definitely question that. Thankfully my test came back negative on the genetics, but that means they couldn't give me an answer as to why I got the cancer in the first place unfortunately.
I too am triple-negative, Grade 3. You probably heard right re the once every 3 weeks for 4 months. The frequency of chemo will depend on the drug used. Paclitaxel is weekly, but Docetaxel and Carbo are every 3 weeks. So if you're on the Docetaxel/Carbo regime, then it will be every 3 weeks. I started chemo back in October and, like you, also had an MRI prior to starting treatment. This was to check and confirm size and location of the lump so at the end of treatment they have measurements to compare. I moved on to EC after 3 Docetaxel/Carbo treatments. Speaking to other ladies on here, this seems to be a fairly common combination. I didn't bother with the cold cap in the end. I did try it, and it was fine, but it added an extra 45 mins prior to treatment starting and 30 mins after treatment finishing to the treatment session, and given that the Docetaxel/Carbo combination already took over 2 hours, I didn't want to extend my time any further. I did have to have the Docetaxel infused over 1 hour instead of the normal 30 minutes though, as I had a slight reaction to it in the beginning and they found that a slower infusion helped alleviate those symptoms. I also had Pembro (immunotherapy) every 6 weeks in combination with my chemo. So as you can imagine, every 6 weeks my treatment was taking over 4 hours! Definitely wear something comfortable - elasticated waist and layers. You may feel warm when you first start (you know how hot hospitals can be lol) but when you've been sitting still for an hour or so, you can start to feel chilly. Also take a book or something to read/do. Unless you're like me and are too nosey and prefer to people watch lol. I was lucky that the nursing staff were amazing and very upbeat so every session passed pretty quickly and often with a bit of a laugh and joke at some point. Also take plenty to drink and maybe a few snacks. We were offered drinks and snacks during each session, but I don't know if every hospital offers the same.
I have recently had a repeat MRI and am happy to say that I am now clear (I was diagnosed August 2023, started chemo October 2023 and finished in March 2024). I am having an operation on Wednesday to remove some residual tissue to ensure a clear margin, but it will be a lumpectomy and they are able to preserve the breast as the chemo did such a good job. I will then have 15 sessions of radiotherapy to help sterilise the area. I will also continue immunotherapy for a further 6 months after the op, but it should be a lot easier on the body than the chemo/immuno combination.
Good luck with it all. I hope your treatment was as successful as mine. I just hope mine doesn't make a comeback in the future!
Here if you have any questions or just want a chat.
I can’t thank you enough for all this info, it genuinely lifted my spirits a little for the first time since my diagnosis. Really pleased you’re doing well now and that you have the all clear, you must be so relieved! I’ve been told today that my chemo may begin in the next 2 weeks ish so I’m feeling a bit anxious about it but also trying to see it as the life saving treatment that it is. My kids and I have been looking at head gear and wigs this evening and they’re loving being involved! thank you again for sharing your experience, I’m sure many others will read it and take comfort from it as I have xx
