← Return to Triple Negative Breast Cancer: What treatments are you having?
DiscussionTriple Negative Breast Cancer: What treatments are you having?
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Sep 6 11:41am | Replies (244)Comment receiving replies
Replies to "I was diagnosed with TNBC in November 2019, stage 1b, 1.7 cm and no lymph node..."
I was diagnosed TN in September 2021, had a double mastectomy the following month, and have not had regrets about my decision. At some point I may try some kind of minimal padded-bra type thing but so far I have not done anything like that nor felt the need. It takes a little while to adjust to the change in how my clothes fit; I was not shapely before the surgery, so most of the adaptation has just been in my own mind. I was 68 at the time of diagnosis, and I'm 71 now. I wanted to avoid multiple surgeries, and I like being able to know that everything I see and feel is actually my own body; I feel more aware of my own condition and health with nothing external in the way. The good thing about TN is avoiding so many complicated decisions and side-effects of the treatments for the positive-types of breast cancer. The negative thing is that there's a big empty space where you are on your own to stay distracted and avoid thinking of that higher chance of a return cancer in those first several years.
Frankly, I didn't want to do multiple breast surgeries of ANY kind, either multiple lumpectomies, mastectomies, or the multi-step, drawn out reconstruction processes I heard about. If my life is to be shortened by this disease--and I hope it's not--I want to spend as little of it as possible anticipating or recuperating from surgery. I'm sure you will be fine, and will be comfortable with your decision once you have settled on your own priorities going forward!!