Hi mishy 
???
Shi xx
Bullie rule, thanks for sharing this ??Shi xx
Firstly, read this rockuptocancer.weebly.com (I was on same chemo regime)
Secondly I was EXACTLY the same as you re work (I nearly had myself DEMENTED trying to make the right decision) - and all I can say is thinking about it so early in my journey, wasn’t the right time - I’m 18 months on and look at it and feel completely differently now - I’ve realise (for me) I need to go back (reduced hours) and see how I feel - if it’s not working for me then I’ll be taking a career break or trying something new
Hello everyone I’m new to this forum I hope you’re all okay. I am looking for any reassurance? Here is my situation… i was diagnosed with tnbc, early stage I had just turned 29 yrs old, was told it’s grade 3 so had the ability to spread to the lymph nodes although it hadn’t as I found it so early - the tumour was only 18x9mm very small. I’ve had to have chemo 6 rounds of EC-T and get my results of my final MRI next week to confirm how much it’s shrunk, it can’t be felt anymore, which is good and then I have my lumpectomy in 2 weeks followed by radiotherapy. My doctors are confident everything is going according to plan.
But now the chemo is over I am worrying that I’m not safe anymore as apart from radiotherapy there’s no further treatments and I just have to hope and believe it wont come back. The problem is I’ve done soooo much research online to the point where I’ve scared myself and feel I have to be in control and do so many things such as changing my lifestyle, diet, take supplements, detox, get rid of stress and so on but I actually feel more stressed thinking and worrying about all this. ?
Please help! Xxxx
Great read Claire very honest its probably good to get it all down in words our journeys are all very similar and probably very different too, thanks for sharing yours very pleased to hear that everything is going great for you now and loving the new hair ?
Jennifer welcome, i was surgery 1st then chemo and rads i had cancer in node and vascular invasion as well as tumor the Internet is a scary place when you start googling stuff i was told by my onc that chemo works really well on TNBC as its aggressive in nature and chemo is better for faster growing cells, im sure you will be fine i know we haven’t got the other drugs to fall back in but your team will look after you if you had any worries or concerns you would be seen very quickly i hooe this helps a little im finished treatment completely in Jan, now just waiting on my results from 1st mammo and feeling alot more confident xx
Hi Jennifer,
It looks like you are in the best position you can be & there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be absolutely fine.
It does take some time for the mind to settle & google can make the anxiety gremlins flare again.
Loads of us have made some lifestyle changes after a bc diagnosis, so do what you’re comfortable with & try not to overthink it all.
Sending hugs
ann x
Claire Thanks for sharing your story you beautiful amazing lady ???your writing reminds me of the beautiful Emma hannigan who had to join the stars but continues to inspire and sparkle her magic jennifer ???a great book that’s helped me is Patricia prijatel’s book surviving triple negative breast cancer. Keep focused, keep positive, keep ???and Oh and ??? And and ??? ???Shi xx
Hi Jennifer,
I was in a very similar situation to you SIXTEEN years ago! 31 years old, aggressive but small triple neg tumour that hadn’t quite made it to the lymph but had started to head that way. Anyway, I’ve been fine ever since! Tho I well remember the fear, and especially how weird it felt to finish treatment (lumpectomy, chemo & radio) and feel like there was nothing else holding me up. I think that’s normal & it does shift, just as the whole fear thing slowly does as more time passes. And sounds like you’re doing great with all the nutrition, supplements, reducing stress etc., something I too embraced as I figured it can’t do any harm & may well do a lot of good.
Best of luck
Bel xxx
Jennifer just to add your in a very good place in terms of how things are treatment these days is very good and lots of the stuff on Internet is quited dated and usually not relavent only listen to your team, mine were very pleased with my outcome and as the others have said you will begin to feel better about everything in there are lots of success stories just look at bel!!! As our lovely cc Shi has said keep focussed and stay strong ??
Hi ladies I have another question… I’ve asked my nurse when should I expect my periods to return after chemotherapy as they have now stopped and she said it’s likely they will because of my age, but I could go into early menopause and chemotherapy could have caused infertility. Please could you tell me what are your personal experiences with this? And is there anything I can do to help it happen as I just want to be healthy again.
Thank you xx
Sorry girls to keep bombarding you all with questions…
My op is on Friday, it’s a lumpectomy. I’m more nervous about the lead up than the actual surgery, apparently they have to inject this dye behind my nipple whilst having a mammogram, with no local anesthetic, I’m so nervous about this it’s going to really hurt. Mammograms are uncomfortable enough without a needle going into your breast. That’s then followed by another needle into the lump.
Im going to talk to doctor tomorrow but can any of you tell me about it, am I over reacting does it really hurt? xx
Hi Jennifer,
My treatment structure was a bit different to yours as I had lumpectomy, chemo, then straight into radiotherapy. I don’t recall experiencing joint pain, but by the end of all that treatment I was exhausted and also pretty low in my mood. I think that’s quite normal, and I seem to recall it took a few months for all that to pass. Remember, you’ve been through something massive - on every level, emotional and physical - so it will take time to come back to your norm. And everyone will be a bit different. So be patient, and trust you can return to feeling as good, if not better than before. Since having bc I’ve looked after my health even better than I did before & these days I reckon I’m actually physically stronger & in better health than I was before.
With the periods, I was told it would be pretty unlikely that I’d permanently lose them at 31 & go into menopause. I think mine came back a few months later, but again everyone’s different. I’ve heard acupuncture can be helpful with that.
Bel x
Hi Jennifer glad i could help my treatment was op chemo rads too, a little different to yiu but the injection doesn’t hurt in boob jyst a little stingy, and the wle was fine what was most uncomfortable for me was where the nodes were removed from aa for aches after chemo i had joint pain during chemoi had fec 2 doxetaxol and 2 abraxane although i also have an inflammatory arthritis im 47 so bit older than you so my joints might have improved by now without it! lm sure yiurs will improve over time as you are young periods again thats a tricky one mine haven’t returned yet but again my age is probably alot to do with it mune stopped after 1st chemo yours def could come back as its still early days fir you your onc should discuss fertility with you maybe you could make an appointment to chat about it, good luck with your surgery and keep positive you have yearly mammos for 20 years which is fantastic and im sure your team will be able to answer any concerns you may have in between
We are all in similar situations but the best thing for anyone to hear is positive stories about after treatment ends which are inspiring to us all xxx
Sorry about the typos im blind as a bat!
Hi Jennifer, even though my bloods showed that I’d gone through the menopause last year, my periods returned just over 7 months after the last chemo xx
Bel, I’m so happy to read your post. Fantastic news xx
I was older than you, 41 when the bloods showed that, about April last year. I’d finished chemo in the January. Then out of the blue at the end of July, they came back with a vengeance!!! No warning like I used to get, & very regular which they never used to be xx
Thanks Bel, you’ve exactly described how I feel… for example I was so active before, including exercising most days of the week and I honestly thought when chemo was done, after a few weeks I’d be back to doing a bit of walking at least because one of my big hobbies is hiking but I can’t even do a bit of housework without getting out of breath and my joints especially my ankles are so sore. The only thing that helps me at the moment is rest usually on my sun lounger lol. So yeah I know it’s going to take much more time than I expected. I thought I’d be back at work mid August but now I realise that’s just not going to happen. Xx
It does take time, you do long for your old carefree life. To make plans without thinking ‘I might have a hospital appointment that day’. The side effects from chemo will fade, you’ll gradually get stronger I promise. Enjoy that sun lounger 
Xx
Bel regarding periods and hormones - yes I am in the UK and I will ask my nurse tomorrow because I do think they should be doing these tests. I already have a child and I did freeze 10 eggs before chemo, so I’m not concerned about the fertility part really as I do still have the option with the eggs. For me it’s more about getting my hormones balanced because before my periods stopped - even when I first started chemo I was no where near as anxious as I have been lately, so I do think it’s linked along with losing my hair and everything like that has affected my self esteem as well x
Unicorngirlmummy — yes you’re right it’s going to take much more time than I expected however I don’t mind being off work ? all of this has made me slow down which is what I needed to be honest.
At least your periods returning shows you that your body is trying to work as it should do xxx