triple negative

lrm1,

welcome to the group- so sorry you are here, but glad you found us.

First of all, triple neg is NOT all bad.  That is why your onc did not say anything

HER2+ tumors are very agressive.  Yes, they can treat with Herceptin, but it is better to be negative in the first place so congrats on that.

I am approaching my 3 year anniversary which is a really big number for triple negs.  We tend to have reoccurance within the first 3 years and then chances drop substantially, where as ER/PR+ tend to reoccur within 5 years.  After 5 years, the numbers all even out for triple negs and any positives

 So look at the positive- we can breath a bit easier a bit earlier.  The tough part is no treatment after chemo/rads.

I was triple negative, BRCA2+- and 1 sentinal node +- had double mastectomy (One side prophylactic) and oopherectomy.  As I said- almost 3 years and I plan to be around for a long time!! 

You are aggressive in your treatment which is great- it will be complete before you know it and you will be here encouraging others!

We all pay it forward.

Good luck- and smile!

Susan 

lrm1, I too was happy to hear the positive, your tumor is responding so well to chemotherapy. 

Hello Dear....glad that you found us.  We are all here to support you.  In September I will be a one year survivor!  Had lumpectomy, dose dense AC and T followed by 31 rads.  I know it's scary.  I still feel scared soemtimes.  Just keeping reaching out as best you can for love and support.   I will pray for your healing...body, mind and spirit!!

Thanks for the reply, I know what you mean about the wig being uncomfortable.  I'm just at the shopping stage. I do work out in the public so a wig may be necessary.  I LOVE your attitude, keep it up........................

1. to wig or not to wig....I bought a $400 "hair prosthesis" and wore it ONCE!  I hated the wig - itchy, not and goody looking. I went "commando' most of the time and it never bothered me.  I went to work bald and shopping bald and to church and the movies and every other place...bald.

as to what is "right" for others...each of us has to find her own "right"

My friends bought me a $200 wig, I bought one (my friend said that hers stretched out ... and so did mine).  One I called a "houchie mama" wig and I wore it when I needed to have fun .... people's reactions were so funny.  The other one looked like my regular hair.  I wound up wearing hats more than wigs.  I, too, work out in the public.  Actually, I am a chaplain for a hospice.  I was worried about my patients being concerned for me when the focus was to be on them.  Well, it turns out that it opened up a whole new avenue of ministering to them.

 I did not wearing wigs much ... the wind had a tendency to blow them off ) .... The American Cancer Society ... if they have an office near you ... have wigs available and some scarves for free.  Also, my rad onc gave me a free one as well.  So, I had a nice assortment of wigs. 

I loved wearing hats ... Target has some cute ones ... and the American Society has a website that you can visit and order from.

Blessings,

k

KPolasek,

I'm so glad that you could use your bc journey reach other's in need. What a greet foot note to your journey.

Blessings to you, 

Flalady

I ordered a wig from headcovers.com and found a nice one that was under $100.00.  What about  eyebrows?  They have several options, but have wondered if anyone has tried them.  They have lots of scarves and hats too.  So is there not a standard protocol for TN that has been recommended by the American Cancer Association?  I have my initial meeting with my Oncologist on Sept 2 and want to have as much information as possible regarding treatment for TN with my grade/stage/etc... 

I am signed up through our outpatient medicine dept to attend an evening of 'Look Good, Feel Good" Do you lose all of your facial hair? Or for that matter, body hair?

Donna

I bought at kit at sephora in the mall (you can also get it online) by a company called anastasia, it was expensive, but worth it, actually looked like I had eyebrows, it comes with stencils, a brush, a compact with 2 colors of powder and some other stuff too

Also, I attended a Look Good, Feel Better session, it was a lot of fun, but the best trick I learned by far is that even when you don't have any eyebrows you can see, there is some hair there. The woman took a brown mascara, wiped off most of the mascara with a tissue, and the kind of stroked the brush along where my eyebrows should be - voila! instant eyebrows!

Hi everyone    my name is Sharon I am just about 45 and I am from New Zealand  I am/was triple negative and it is now 4 1/2 years snce my op   - i dont think here in nz we get as mant technical results in our path reports but i had a 3cm tumour that was grade 3 and had 1 node positive - I had a full mastectomy  folowed by chemo  and then 5 weeks radiotherapy  - I definitely went bald with chemo :-)  but decided to just get around bald - people were great  luckily for me had an easy time of both chemo and raditherapy only blistering at the very end - anyway as i said am 4 1/2 years on working fourty hours a week at a very active job and feel middleaged and have menopause but apart from that things are good   slight rib pain caused through the radiation i recieved ( not that they told me at the time that bone degradation can be a side effect of radiation) as far as i am concerened a small price to pay :-) anyway just wanted to say hi and hope that the more of us that survive and tell our stories can encourage those that have just been diagnosed  thanks for the chance to join in  

SUSAN,     re stats on recurrence, etc. (within 3 years for triple neg.) ....I think that to quote/believe these figures may be a deterrent/negative situation  -- for patients/doctors re the  correct observation/surveillance of a previous breast cancer site--whether it was a lumpectomy or masectomy!!  ... Mine recurred 11 1/2 years on a masectomy site.  Quicker detection should be a goal!  (with physical examination/knowledge and certain scans)   Breast cancer cells also attach to lymph nodes and they don't know enough in this area!!