Hi there ladies im Donna AKA Doona ) I've had surgery, margins were all clear,results are: invasive ductal carcinoma 20mm,basoloid features histology grade3/3 focal adjacent high grade DCIS 1mm triple negative. Cant work out if its good or bad. Start chemo in a week, similiar to some of you ladies FEC for 3 cycles then Docetaxel for a further 3, followed by radiotherapy Any advice, tips smiles would be good at this stage.

Hi Donna and welcome to BCNA. You have definitely come to the right place and will find comfort and encouragement here. I was diagnosed on 5/11/2013 with invasive ductal carcinoma 32mm lesion. On 20/11/2013 had right mastectomy and axillary clearance with 8/23 nodes positive. I too am triple negative. I have come out the other side of the treatment tunnel. I had the same treatment regimen as you are going to have and finished late June this year. When I look back on it now it is hard to remember how it was, a bit like child birth. It is the emotional scars that remain and which I am working on, with the help of a counsellor, to complete the healing process of this unfortunate journey. What I can tell you and you are going to hear it a lot is that "it is doable". I found that the sooner I accepted what was going on I was in a better position be kind to myself and just take one day at a time. Learning to say "no" and to putting my needs first was paramount in my recovery. My saving grace was having a hobby - for me it was and is photography. I felt I still had a purpose and found enjoyment in this. Also, keeping in touch with my work colleagues and friends and listening to where they were at in their lives. I didn't allow myself to become too isolated. I was lucky I didn't have too many side affects but did have one stay in hospital due to trouble with my pic line. Everyone's journey is different but similar at the same time. It helps too if you make just one friend who is going through the same thing as you are. My friend, I met at the Look Good Feel Better Program and it turned out she lives in the same suburb as me. We met almost every week for coffee and a debrief. We have now both finished treatment and still try to catch up every two or three weeks. Please stay away from Dr Google as it will do your head in. If you find anxiety becoming a problem seek help, it is all hard enough without spiralling into depression. Your hospital will have psycholgists on hand to help you. I walk and have done throughout most of my treatment for 45 mins daily. This helps with fatigue and anxiety. When the weather is warm, I swim. Now I am back to lifting weights to build my muscle strength. I eat for nutrition not for taste, take vitamin D supplement and asprin. Not even three months post treatment and I am feeling pretty good again now, although a get tired quickly but after a rest I am back into things again. I don't spend much time worrying about the Triple Negative diagnosis anymore and just concentrate on looking after myself physically, mentally, emotionall and spiritually. You are going to find your first chemo treatment anticlimatic. Of course right now, you are feeling anxious and scared. I worked myself up into a frenzie. Try to remember that "anticipation is worse than participation" and this will apply again when you start Docetaxel and Radiation treatment. Stay connected to this site and ask as many questions as you need to. There are many women here who will have great advice for you. Big hugs from me to you Donna - you will get through this and like me and many others you will come out the other side and ready to reclaim your life. Love Joy xx

Hi, I am pretty new to all this so not perhaps so good for advice, but another shoulder to lean on anyway. I am halfway through chemo round one, Taxol weekly and carboplatin every three weeks for 12 weeks. I frequently see people on here advising to avoid Google - I have spent a lot of time on the Internet and personally find some of the blogs here much more frightening than anything I have come across there. I think the trick is to be aware of personal stories vs medical articles, and that study results are influenced by many factors, including the size, and parameters of the study. Here and in other support groups I find I have to remind myself that people who do well don't always keep posting, so sometimes the stories seem weighted towards those in crisis. When diagnosed with TNBC that was scary for me. Having said that the responses I have read here have all been kind and compassionate, those who have gone before us have much to share with us. The beauty of a forum such as this is that some people will feel as you do about all this, others will provide food for thought from a totally different outlook. At halfway mark I am feeling tired of being a pincushion and thinking of a PICC line over a port as even my great veins are struggling with the abuse of weekly chemo and blood work. My humble opinion is that ports are just a different type of poke. Give me a long line. Whether TNBC is good or bad, my opinion is it's just the less understood sibling. It sounds like a lot of research is being directed towards it, and although our diagnoses are now, we are still positioned to benefit from that research down the road. And really, that's comforting!

Welcome to a group you probably don't wont to be in! I'm two and half years from diagnosis and yes it's doable . All I can say is take care of yourself and get on here and ask you are sure to get a answer. I've got a good support group in my State of Tassie so join one if you can. Amazing how different you feel when talking to another pink lady . So all the best Deb xxxx

Looking for advice, tips and smiles

31 Replies

doona
Member
11 years ago
im so sorry to hear this ,i hope today goes well and the outcome is better than you are anticipating xxx
Lis
Member
11 years ago
Oh Alex I know what you are saying. It is the 3rd time I have been diagnosed with cancer 10-15 years apart. I think it is todays illness. I also like to use google and have found my doctors likes it when I challenge them

You sounds like a strong lady who can handle a rough child birth - What ever the doctor tells you on Monday you will be strong-- your foodie freind wlll make sure of that. I wish you all the best and please stay in touch.

Lis xxx
Lis
Member
11 years ago
Hi Donna

So nice to finaly hear from other women who have been diagnosed with Trible Negative BC.

My cancer was

Agressive invasive ductal carcinoma grade 3

40mm plus satelite of 10 mm

Right mastectomy

chemo 3 Fec and 3 Docetaxel

5 weeks of Radiology.

I was diagnosed in late July 2013. While in treatment I learned to take one day at the time. Right from the start I desided to walk for 1/2 hour each day. Some of the days were a struggle. As Joy also mentioned it is the emotional scars that needs a bit of work. I enrolled myself in courses to distract my minde. This week I had a left mastectomy, as a precaution due to my history. I am lucky I have a husband who takes good care of me. I have, apart from study, also enrolled myself in bushwalking and kayaking. I have promised myself i want to have fun so I aim for that as much as I can.
LizSav
Member
11 years ago
Hi Donna

Welcome to our group.

I have a similar situation to yours. I was diagnosed with TNBC in May this year. I had the lump removed and 1 out of 15 lymph nodes removed had cancer.

Chemotherapy is also similar with 4 rounds of AC and 12 of taxol. I now have 5 taxol treatments to go and can finally see the light at the end of the chemo tunnel. I found the first AC treatment gave me the most grief in terms of nausea. For the subsequent AC treatments, I made sure I took 2 Pramin (Maxolon) tablets about 3 hours after chemo had been completed and that seemed to do the trick for warding off nausea. One of the nurses gave me this advice at my 2nd session and I am so glad she did. I haven't yet had any bad side effects from the taxol.

Once chemo is finished and after a break of about 4 weeks, I will start radiotherapy for 6 weeks.

For me, the very first chemo session was scary becausue of the unknown so I can understand how you may be feeling. My motto was 'one step at a time' and I set small goals, e.g. get through the first 4 AC sessions, halfway through taxol and now it's only 5 to go!

I've also called on advice from my breast care nurse when I've been feeling low. I'm also seeing a counsellor at the hospital where I am having the treatment. I find being on my own sometimes makes me feel a bit sad and I am guilty of doing a lot of 'googling' which may get me down at times but then I remind myself of all the wonderful people who have been supporting me and my beautiful grandson who was born 2 months ago.

I wish you the best of luck. Take care.

Liz
doona
Member
11 years ago
thankyou ladies for sharing your journeys ,i really appreciate it . xx
doona
Member
11 years ago
thankyou ladies for sharing your journeys ,i really appreciate it . xx
dmed
Member
11 years ago
Welcome to a group you probably don't wont to be in! I'm two and half years from diagnosis and yes it's doable . All I can say is take care of yourself and get on here and ask you are sure to get a answer. I've got a good support group in my State of Tassie so join one if you can. Amazing how different you feel when talking to another pink lady . So all the best Deb xxxx
dmed
Member
11 years ago
Welcome to a group you probably don't wont to be in! I'm two and half years from diagnosis and yes it's doable . All I can say is take care of yourself and get on here and ask you are sure to get a answer. I've got a good support group in my State of Tassie so join one if you can. Amazing how different you feel when talking to another pink lady . So all the best Deb xxxx
dmed
Member
11 years ago
Welcome to a group you probably don't wont to be in! I'm two and half years from diagnosis and yes it's doable . All I can say is take care of yourself and get on here and ask you are sure to get a answer. I've got a good support group in my State of Tassie so join one if you can. Amazing how different you feel when talking to another pink lady . So all the best Deb xxxx
Lillightonthele
Member
11 years ago
Hi, I am pretty new to all this so not perhaps so good for advice, but another shoulder to lean on anyway. I am halfway through chemo round one, Taxol weekly and carboplatin every three weeks for 12 weeks. I frequently see people on here advising to avoid Google - I have spent a lot of time on the Internet and personally find some of the blogs here much more frightening than anything I have come across there. I think the trick is to be aware of personal stories vs medical articles, and that study results are influenced by many factors, including the size, and parameters of the study. Here and in other support groups I find I have to remind myself that people who do well don't always keep posting, so sometimes the stories seem weighted towards those in crisis. When diagnosed with TNBC that was scary for me. Having said that the responses I have read here have all been kind and compassionate, those who have gone before us have much to share with us. The beauty of a forum such as this is that some people will feel as you do about all this, others will provide food for thought from a totally different outlook. At halfway mark I am feeling tired of being a pincushion and thinking of a PICC line over a port as even my great veins are struggling with the abuse of weekly chemo and blood work. My humble opinion is that ports are just a different type of poke. Give me a long line. Whether TNBC is good or bad, my opinion is it's just the less understood sibling. It sounds like a lot of research is being directed towards it, and although our diagnoses are now, we are still positioned to benefit from that research down the road. And really, that's comforting!

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Looking for advice, tips and smiles

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