33 and Triple Negative Diagnosis

[Emmajo89]

Hi all. My name is Emma and I’m 33 (34, next week). I found a small lump in my breast at the end of June 23. I had just recovered from a major laparoscopy and was planning on starting a family.

I was diagnosed with early stage triple negative grade 2/3 - they didn’t give an actual stage. 3cm lump.

I rushed through fertility treatment and the next day I started immunotherapy (Pembro and paclitaxel/carbo) on the 17th August.

I had severe nausea from this none of the tablets seemed to help and stomach issues as I came on my period really heavy and was still taking anti blood clot injections from the fertility side. I also had a bit of neuropathy and psychologically I’ve had a lot of tears.

Ladies I’m terrified, next two weeks were meant to be just paclitaxel but the first was cancelled due to high liver enzymes and the next due to immuno rash (on steroids to clear) oncologist didn’t want to give chemo until it’s clear. Due to see him for follow up around 13th Sept about continuing and he mentioned if my body couldn’t cope with chemo I could have surgery first.
I said I was worried about missing these two chemos but he said the first treatment will be in my body around 3.5 weeks doing its job. He seems focussed on making sure I can have the immuno & chemos every 3 weeks and not to worry about the weeks between if my body cannot cope. Is it natural I’m worried I’m not getting the best treatment. He is a fantastic oncologist but I have so many worries a. Not being cured b. Reoccurrence 3. It becoming metastatic 4. I really want immuno but equally scared of side effects from this honestly ladies I feel lost and hopeless and keep seeing stories of people who didn’t get through or people having more sessions than me.

[Shi]

Emma Jo sorry you find yourself on here. You are in the hurricane that is treatments it’s a lot to process and things change throughout your treatments plan as it’s tailored specifically for you do use the someone like me option on bcn if you can and also ask the nurse others will be along in this thread and do think about joining the younger women thread too as good mood that helped me was surviving triple negative breast cancer by Patricia prijatel it’s not for everyone but it helped me, she is a 2 x tnbc survivor others will be on the thread with help for your questions too. Shi xx

[Coddfish]

Hopefully the chemo side effects can be reduced and managed through a combination of perhaps reducing the dose and adding the right supporting drugs. The list of potential side effects on the Pembrolizumab info sheets is very scary, but I was told it is generally well tolerated by people. (I am on pembrolizumab plus NAB-Paclitaxel for metastatic TNBC). If it’s any consolation I got a rash after my third infusion of Pembrolizumab, it was treated with betamethasone cream. I have had 2 infusions since, both without issue.