Triple Negative- anything positive?

Congrats Michele - big milestone! Thanks for posting. 

my oncologist told me that I am at a much greater risk of dying in a car accident caused by my newly-driving 16 yr old than I am of getting mets.  :P

I will be three years out in May. I am going to yearly scans,and feel reasonably well. I still have tingling in toes from chemo. When can I relax a little about mets? I had a clean scan in dec 2011 but have to wait another year to get another one. I try to control my fear, but sometimes it just consumes me. My doctor says its post traumatic stress syndrome. any thoughts? what is the best thing to do to try to prevent a reoccurrance?

Kelly, I am in Southington. I've just been diagnosed with triple neg as well. I'm quite scared too.

Clowngirl, Check out the thread for "Calling All TNS", a thread for triple negative women. It is very active and there are several newcomers just this week. Lots of ladies who have been where you are.

Chemo is very effective for triple negative (TN) There are a number of possibilities for chemo, depending on you cancer center and oncologist.

 Kristy (aka Huskerkkc)

Clowngirl, just look at my post 26 year survivor, hope it helps I was also stage 2 triple negative as well. A 2 a diagnosis sounds pretty good to me...hope my post helps. BTW read threw the whole thing, not as bad as you think.

Thank you, Noni. I did read your profile and it brought me great comfort. I have a daughter and two grand daughters and must to genetic testing. So scared for them now. 

You've given me some hope however on a day that I was losing home.

And Kelley, Thank you for your support. I may be leaning a bit on you.

Hugs. 

Hi girls, I am BRCA 2+ and was diagnosed TN. I was so scared in the beginning my mother had survived breast cancer twice . She is BRCA 1+ and all the women in my family have been tested as well 2 have the gene but have never gotten cancer one of them is 69yrs old. We were told you can have the gene but it does not mean you will get cancer. I have a 10 yr old daughter and I have chose not to worry about it until we have to worry about it. They said until she is 18 and decides on her own we couldn't have her tested. I also found out that if your BRCA 1 your children will be BRCA 1... sooo I found out the BRCA 2 comes from my dad's side.

I wanted to add that we just recently found out from old records my mother was TN on her last diagnoses in 1987... back than they did not know much about all the ER PR HER2 NU stuff... she had her breast removed both times and she never had chemo or rads she has never had a problem since. NED all the way... When I found out I had cancer I had a BMX just to be safe I did decide to to chemo and a year after the BMX I had an ooph just to be safe. Everything the Dr. has told me is that TN responds well to chemo. My oncologist will not do unnecessary scans he said he will only do them if we think there is something really wrong. The radiation is not good for us. Getting through chemo is tough and there were times I thought I wouldn't be able to do it....but today 14 months later I feel pretty good, I work out , I have hair and I have really nice boobs The only thing left is nipples and at this time I really don't care about them. 

I am here for whoever wants to talk.

Tracie

I am doing awesome.... except for the chemo brain LOL... I was a really good multi tasker and now I can't find my way out of the bathroom.

When do you have your surgery? When you find out what kind chemo you are having I can enlighten you on that  My chemo was AC than Taxotere. They were both pure hell but I made it out of the chemo haze (sorta)

I had BMX 1st than Chemo and no rads... I have a strong background for cancer and I am BRCA 2+ so I decided to remove  both. I didn't want to go through all the issues of leaving a breast on and going through it again. is your tumor large? I don't want to sound negative or scare you but from my experience with my family only taking one breast off it came back to the other. I have read through a lot of these threads and I have seen a lot of women who only did one breast or lumpectomy  it seems to come back ... not always but sometimes. You have to look really think about what you want and ask a lot of questions.

Oh the prozac will help. And yes there is Chemo for you... You are going to be fine, and when it is all over and you are done chemo , surgery etc... you will begin to feel normal again. Today I feel great I have hair , boobs and I have lost the weight I put on. The BMX is life changing but I felt great once they were off.... Please don't scare yourself and you should stop reading... Once you have the surgery take it one day at a time. Ask questions and just stay calm. I took atavan during the day (still do sometimes) and ambian at night you take and do what ever you need to  to get through this. I am sending you my # if you need me call me day or night and I mean it. You are not alone.

Hugs

Tracie

Thank you CharB22 and Tracie.   I have had an upset tummy every since I was diagnosed. I can't eat without feeling nauseous. I do have some pills for this but it's not doing much. The ativan seems to calm it down a bit but I have to double up the dose. Any suggestions? Has anyone had chronic upset stomach?

I've been feeling the same way, Clown Girl.  It has been getting better, and it helps to eat a little bit every few hours.  I got my port in today.  My arm is a little sore but, otherwise, I feel fine.  The anesthesia was great. I had some cool dreams and I'm still feeling relaxed.  I start chemo on Wednesday, and I'm not looking forward to it, but I'll get through it, and so will you.