Triple Negative Breast Cancer/Grade 3

Hey Sue, I am still finding it difficult to navigate around this site, I've only now come across what you had written to my comment on your blog. Re docetaxol, I had some pretty traumatic mouth issues which still makes me shiver when I think about it. No matter how much I rinsed my mouth out, I kept developing oral thrush which they treated with nilstat. It completely freaked me out and I felt dirty, which was silly because it was nothing I was doing. Then when my taste buds disappeared, I developed some sort of psychological problem. Even though I knew what I was eating, because I could not taste it, I imagined all sorts of terrible things were in my mouth! A psychologist helped me through that. One funny story though, I was in the emergency department on night and they gave me dinner, I struggled but managed to eat it, then my husband asked where the sugar was for my cup of tea, I pointed to it and he said that was the salt! I had eaten meat and veges with sugar sprinkled all over it:) The doctor remarked 'you're not kidding about the taste buds, are you?' Anyway, that was me. Some of the ladies on here had no trouble with Docetaxol. Let me know how you go, big hugs to you,

Hazel xx

Hi Sue,

Im 33 and was diagnosed with triple negative grade 3 in my right breast one month ago.     I had lumpectomy surgery two weeks ago and am in the process of going through fertility treatment to freeze eggs (just in case chemo has any effect on my reproductive system).    I am due to start chemo early May.   Chemo will consist of two components - Dore Dense AC fortnightly for six months and Taxane - Pacitaxel weekly for twelve weeks.   I too am really anxious about chemo but I keep reminding myself that its not forever and once I get through it ill be a stonger and better version of myself.   Feel free to contact me if you would like to keep in touch and share experiences.  (FYI - I also am having issues trying to join the triple negative group!!!)   All the best xo

Hi Sue

I did not have TNBC but had the same chemo as you are contemplating. 3 x FEC and then 3 x Docetaxel over 18 weeks. We are all different with how the body reacts to these drugs but I also believe that there are some things that seem to help most people cope. 

FEC for me was basically one week of feeling like I had the flu, and then a week where I felt ok but knew to be careful because my immune system was at its lowest, then a week of feeling completely normal. I made a point of having a little reward weekend away during this week each time. It helped myself, my family and my friends to cope and know that I was going to be ok.

I had a friend of a friend who was 3 months ahead of me with chemo and so I did a lot of things that she recommended. I also got lots of great advice on here. There are lots of medications to help with side effects as the other ladies have said. Just let your doctor know about EVERYTHING and then they usually have something to help.

I also found it helped to take charge when my hair started to fall out. My hubby shaved it while my 19 year old daughter took photos! We laughed and cried but then got out lots of cute little hats for me to try out. I had a 'fringe' that I could wear under a hat, a couple of cheap synthetic wigs which were ok if I was going out for dinner or something, but most of the time I lived in little hats as it was mostly winter when I had chemo.

I also found it helped me cope both physically and mentally to go for a walk every day that I could. Docetaxel was a bit harder because I developed an infection and this took a lot of my energy.

But I made it through, my body recovered, my hair grew back and I feel very, very well. It will be 2 years in May this year and life is great again now and I know that I have done everything I could to get rid of the Cancer. That is a reassuring feeling. Keep in touch. Deanne xxx

Hi Sue, I was diagnosed with TNBC grade 3 in my right breast at Christmas time,  I choose to have a Bilateral Mastectomy which I had on 13th January this year and also had the expanders put in on the same day as surgery. I have chose to have the chemo (AC2+ taxol, Part 1 - every 3 weeks for 3 months and then Part 2 - taxol every week for 12weeks) there was just something inside my head telling me that that was what I am meant to do. I have had 2 chemo treatments and my 3rd is this coming Thursday. On both occasions I have been sick with nausea and headache for 12days out of the 21days and have struggled to feel I can continue but I just keep digging hard and finding strength from I don't know where sometimes to get me through it but I heard some people do not suffer from nausea.  I do not need radiation so for me I feel the chemo will take any remaining cancer out of my body to keep me here for many years to come. I started to loose my long hair about 13days after my first treatment so on the 14th day my husband cut it all off with the clippers, I first cried but then tried to make it a fun thing I bought a bottle of bubbly and before we started we made a toast to out with the old to welcome the good new things that are to come and we videoed it too. I have some nice turbans and scarves and also add nice brooches to them to dress them up and change looks. I also have a wig but it is too hot to wear at the moment. Sorry if I am rambling on but I just knew deep inside what I had to do for me even though my mum and husband did not want me to have chemo. You too will know yourself what you need to do for you. Take care and I wish you all the best. Nicole xx

Hi Sue, I am not triple negative, so on that score I'm not much help, sorry. I had a lumpectomy in Oct 13,followed by 3 treatments of FEC and 3 of Docetaxol. One treatment every 21 days. I breezed through FEC, lost my hair on day 14 after the first treatment. Docetaxol knocked me around me a bit, but we are all so different and react differently to side effects. I followed that with 6 weeks of radiation which was much easier than chemo. Wishing you all the best, it's so hard to make decisions, isn't it? Take care,

Hazel xx 

Thanks Michelle I have done that still trying to work it out, but thank you again for your help.

Cheers Sue xo