just diagnosed

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Farfalla6
Farfalla6 Member Posts: 105
edited March 2019 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Just found out today after a month of waiting (from first abnormal mammo) that I have triple negative cancer, and bigger than I thought, 1.4 cm. Trying not to freak out and failing.


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  • Beaverntx
    Beaverntx Member Posts: 3,183
    edited March 2019

    Farfalla, It's OK to freak out for a bit. I believe that for most of us some freaking out, or crying, or whatever emotional release we need and use is helpful. Then we can move on to developing a treatment plan. More freaking out may be needed along the way! After the initial shock, the biggest struggle for me was getting back into my own rhythms when I no longer had so many appointments every week.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited March 2019

    ((((((Farfalla6))))) we're here for you. Slow, deep breathes, and one step at a time.


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  • beep7bop
    beep7bop Member Posts: 130
    edited March 2019

    well I have moved to the just diagnosed IDC

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  • beep7bop
    beep7bop Member Posts: 130
    edited March 2019

    I got call about hour ago from my breast cancer doctor/surgeon. she didn't have all of the test back but she said looks likr grade 1 and 2  staging still has to be done and she would know more tomorrow when I come in for my appt. 

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  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 3,085
    edited March 2019

    Farfalla,

    (Are you a butterfly in Italian?)

    I am neeeearly done with treatment for a whopping 3.8 cm TNBC tumor AND a huge 3 cm lymph node as well. My chemo worked like gangbusters. They both died and melted and there was no cancer in me upon lumpectomy, just some sad defeated scar tissue. I am just finishing up w radiation now (required, since I had a lumpectomy). TNBC is a scary diagnosis but it is a very killable cancer too. Throw everything at it. Be aggressive. If you can stamp it out now you have a great chance of not being bothered by it again, which is not the case in a lot of hormone positive, less virulent cancers. Have hope and courage! You caught it very early and it is a beatable disease!

    Come on over to the "Calling all TNs" forum... you will find a lot of us there. I'm sorry you are here, but glad you found the right place for support.

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  • PiperKay
    PiperKay Member Posts: 173
    edited March 2019

    Beep7bop,

    When I was first diagnosed just before Thanksgiving last year, I was told I had invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Had never heard that term before. When I got the full pathology report in late November, I was told it was triple negative (TNBC or TN). Had never heard that term before either. Since then, I have learned SO MUCH about this disease! I find it very helpful to concentrate on getting info on the TN aspect because that's where you will find courses of treatments, side effects, possible outcomes, etc. that are much more likely to be relevant to you than those related to the so-called hormone receptor positive (another term I'd never heard of) types of breast cancer. You will be learning an awful lot in the next few weeks and months just like me!

    And people will come out of the woodwork to help you any way they can. A professional acquaintance who is also triple negative (I recently found out) has given me great advice and has even given me a bunch of awesome head scarves that she swears by! A dear co-worker has cooked me several gallons (it seems!) of soup and pasta sauce, frozen them and brought them to work for me where I keep them in the freezer until I take them home as needed. Another friend drove two hours in morning Atlanta rush hour to be with me all day for one of my chemo treatments. And the treatment center doesn't even let visitors in the treatment room more than 5 minutes at a time, so she had to spend most of the day in the waiting room before taking me out to a lovely lunch. And let's not forget my angel of a sister who's given me her precious time, her stylist to shave my head - twice!, and two stuffed "spirit animals," a monkey and turtle to accompany me on this journey. And last but not least, my husband, who at 15 years older than me was expecting to be the one who would need to be the caretaker. Has has been awesome!

    So try not to forget to look around and see the good things in your life. You may see some you've never noticed before.

    Face this thing head on, make a plan, and allow yourself to feel the entire range of emotions that is coming your way!

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  • Deb65
    Deb65 Member Posts: 11
    edited March 2019

    I was also just diagnosed with TNBC. Wrapping my head around it seems impossable. Biopsy tested 1 lymphnoid and it was positive for cancer. 2.2 cm mass. I am so afraid and am having a very hard time. I will fight this with everything I have and wont give up but my fear is that it has spread if it was in a lymphnoid.

    I am so amazed by everyone's stories and strength here and I thank you all for sharing as Iit really helps. Looks like chemo for 16 weeks and then most likely surgery.

    Bless all of you wonderful people.

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