Hi there - just want to get this down. 2016 I was diagnosed with right breast ER+ ductal cancer, had lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radio. 2021 diagnosed new primary in left breast lobular ER+, mastectomy, diep recon, chemo and radio. Now 2026 I have been diagnosed with recurrence lobular left side and it’s now TNBC. I’m absolutely devastated. I’m waiting for chemo to start again Docetaxel and carboplatin. I’m just shell-shocked and this time I’m just pushing all my loved ones and friends away - I just want to be on my own. I feel like punching people hearing all “oh we’re so sorry”. I know I’m being unreasonable but I can’t seem to help it.
10 Likes
@teddy23 theres not much I can say that will help but we are here for you, if you need to talk.x
3 Likes
Teddy, I don’t find your response unreasonable at all. I can feel your anger which must be visceral. You have been dealt a croc and it just seems to keep coming. The only ‘advice’ I can give is don’t push people away because you will need your friends and family to help you get through this awful time - and you ARE going to get through it.
When people say they are ‘so sorry’ they really do mean it, however much of a platitude it may sound. I have spent the past five years in cancer treatment, but when a dear friend was diagnosed with TNBC at the beginning of the year, I found myself searching for the right words. It is almost more difficult than dealing with ones own diagnosis.
Nothing on your scale but I was diagnosed during Covid and met with an NHS who basically told me to go away and die and I ended up having to pay for all my treatment. I am extremely angry that the money I had to spend on my retirement has gone but…. What I found helped was to keep a blog which allowed me to get all my anger out and, believe it or not, some of it even turned in to humour.
Your current hand is terrible and there is no rhyme or reason for it but you will survive. Try writing it down, it does help. My thoughts are with you.
5 Likes
I’m sorry from another lady with TNBC recurrence. I get how you are able to isolate, and why. My advice would be, do the opposite. Join a group, join a league of something or join a prayer group if you are a believer. Don’t isolate. Don’t over eat and get your WARRIOR attitude back and beat this girl. I’m twice with TNBC, 16 CHEMOS and a double mastectomy to include both areolas in 2013. That was plenty, getting the lifetime maximun of AC chemo regimen to kill that.
13 years later pops up a large mass on top of my implants where I felt it immediately. More chemos x 2 different ones Platinol and Taxotere. Immunotherapy is the KEY for us TNBC gals. It will eradicate the memory of its path to return to the mastectomy incision area. Same side as prior cancer and in the pectoral muscle. Thankful it’s isolated and not metastasized. Attitude to beat this is everything. Because TNBC is a different ball game now, it’s not going to win if we FIGHT LIKE A WARRIOR and change our mindset. Good luck with your treatments and would love to chat if you need anything. 
3 Likes
TNBC isn’t all the same. Immunotherapy (Pembrolizumab to us Brits, Keytruda in the USA) is only offered to people with cancers that might respond to it. It’s a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor and it only stands a chance of working on tumours that have the PD-L1 protein. PD-1 binds to PD-L1 and ‘hides’ the cancer from the immune system. I understand about 40% of TNBC cancers are PD-L1 positive. If @teddy23 hasn’t been offered it, it’s likely because it’s not helpful for her situation.
Hi @teddy23
It’s absolutely reasonable to react the way you have to a third diagnosis. It must feel like some sort of never ending nightmare. Wishing you all the best with your treatment.