Just diagnosed and still in shock

Hey there - I wanted to take a minute to welcome you but let you know how sorry I am that you have to be here.  This is a wonderful place but also a place nobody wants to have to be.

 I was a candidate for hormonal treatment but at the recommendation of the docs at MD Anderson elected to try chemo first hoping the more agressive approach might yield a better outcome.  So far I have had 4 chemo treatments and have been very lucky so far and have had minimal side effects.  They have very good drugs to help with the nausea issues and while I have some nausea and am very tired for a few days after treament I have never actually thrown up and am getting through it.  Granted it isn't a pleasant thing to have to go through but it is doable.

Once you get through the initial diagnosis part of this nightmare and come up with a treatment plan you will find yourself starting to feel a little better emotionally.

I wish you the best possible outcome and please keep us posted.

Welcome

Triple Negative is ER-/PR- and Her2 negative..there is alot of information about that

but first are you sure of your ER/PR status?? At any rate, I know you are trying to

get a PHD in breast cancer in a couple of weeks, and it is a frustrating time. You

have alot of information on this site info part...discussions are good too...I see you are

in S. Cal also...where are you going for treatment? Just for what it is worth, how about

a second opinion just to help you ...I did...

JoLynn - For at least 48 hrs after my initial diagnosis I did practically nothing but sit and tremble. I'm not too sure about the triple negative, and wouldn't want to tell you the wrong thing. I sat down with my breast surgeon and he explained my pathology report in detail. At that time I was still in bad shock. Then I sat down with my radiologist and he went through it all again and he drew a lot of pictures that were helpful. Slowly it started sinking in more and I've been reading a lot here on BCO. You are in the right place to find answers to your questions. It will definitely get better as you are probably in the worst phase of shock right now. Take care and keep taking a lot of deep breaths, also drink a lot of water. All the best to you!!!!

Hi JoLynn...There is a website called Living Beyond Breast Cancer, lbbc.org that has a free download called The Guide to Understanding Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.  It's very informative and worth checking out.  If you decide to give it a try..look under LBBC Publications, under the heading Learn More..then under Books and Brochures and scroll down and you'll find it. I'm sorry you had to find us, but it will get better once you have a treatment plan.

I don't know if you are aware new members get 5 posts a day until you reach I think it's 25.  You can send  Private Messages.  Best wishes.

I am overwhelmed at all the information that is out there AND mostly by all the wonderful people on this site willing to give support and advice. I love this website and the fact they have a Discussion Forum! We're all in a Sisterhood that we really did not want to be.......but here we are and "Hello" to all of you!

I, like you JoLynn, joined this month, but was diagnosed in May. I too am Grade 3, just finding that out yesterday. I am disappointed that my surgeon did not go over the Pathology Report with me....but I do think he intentially left that for the Medical Oncologist since he/she is the one I will be discussing my treatment. The surgeon did tell me I was Stage 1a at the appointment two days after surgery, but that was all I knew until yesterday..

Speaking of treatment....right now I am waiting for an appointment and have NO IDEA what lies ahead. I was going to have the 5-day targeted MammoSite Radiation, but the surgeon had to cut out more tissue than he had first thought, leaving the surgery site too close to the surface of the skin. So, no Mammosite. I feel certain I'll still go through Radiation..........but wonder about Chemo. I am most anxious to have my first discussion with the Medical Oncologist. I wonder how long I will wait before I hear about my first appointment.