Triple Negative Breast Cancer Support

I cant' answer what those spots might be of course, but I have much the same situation. I will have a CT can Sept 1. These spots have been noted in my right lung (breast cancer was in right breast) since I was diagnosed. They have not changed as yet. My doctor is not too concerned,but keeps checking them, which I am thankful for. I understand your concern. It sounds like you are living a healthy lifestyle with all your exercise. I need to improve in that area. I have quite a bit of neuropathy from the Taxol. It affects fingers and toes. Did you have that problem too? One thing that has helped me when I can't fall asleep is to listen to a CD that I got through a suggestion of my doctor. It is from a place called tranceformations.com, I believe. Dr Steve Gurgevich. He has a soothing voice. He has several different themes. The one I got was when I was going through chemo and it was self hypnosis for chemo patients. I still listen to it if I need to even though I finished chemo months ago. I just listen to it in bed and I never make it to the end without falling asleep. Another thing that I have found to help is deep breathing. If you do yoga, you might have some idea what I'm talking about. Take slow breaths in and fill up your lungs clear down into your stomach area. Hold . And then slowly release. Try to increase the timing of the inhale, hold, and then try to increase the timing of the exhale. Repeat this at least four times. Don't make it stressful, just do it at your own pace. Yoga is really a great class to take and I highly recommend it. It may also help with your anxiety issues. When is your next CT scan? This board doesn't seem to be very active. I hope you get this as I see its been a month since you wrote in. Let me know how you are doing. I will keep you in my prayers.

Sue

Hi Sue, Thank you for your response to CarolTN. It came on a night I needed something, anything to give me a thread to hold on to. I was diagnosed with TNBC in March. I had 8 rounds of chemo, the Taxol leaving behind neuropathy also. It was like needles & pins the first round & was given Gabapenton (sp?) which brought it down to a frost bite feeling. It has receded to my finger tips now & the balls of my feet & toes. I am worried that it will not go away because the last 30 years I have worked construction & am a heavy equipment operator. That means I need to have the feeling in my hands & feet to do my job well; i.e.run cranes, back hoes etc. I will be 60 this year & too old & tired to start over. I was a stage IIIA, & they did a bi-lateral with 17 lymph-nodes removed in a skin salvage. That means until my reconstruction I look like an old Bloodhound. I can't seem to be able to sleep when I should, stay awake when I need to, or rest but for short periods of time. I have these electrical spasms sparking off in my chest to where I could fall to me knees if it didn't make me so defiantly mad when they happen. Under my right arm & the underside of the bicep where the lymph-nodes were taken at first was like someone sered me with a blow torch has now come down to a crawly numbness that I have to massage to tame it. I am BRAC1 positive, so I just had ovary surgery through an old scar where they had to remove a lot of scar tissue & adhesions to even get to it. I am not recovering as well as I like & it is now all getting to me. I am sorry if I am seeming to whine here, but I lost my daughter to cancer in1995, she was 15. I said from the beginning, I win no matter the end result here. If I make it through I stay with the ones here I love. If the cancer wins I get to leave & see my daughter's face again; so I can't loose - the question is how long am I going to ride this Bronco & how rough is the ride going to get before I get off. The physicalness of this challenge kept me so busy I just robotically did what was expected of me & now all is sinking in & with these constant irritation controlling my life, my mental state is eroding rapidly. I do have a CD I forgot about & will try that because all the pills aren't working any more. Have work in such a physical field I haven't done yoga but some kind of simple work out might help. Thank you for posting - I know it wasn't intended for me but who knew 5 months later you helped me in knowing there are a few more threads I can try to grab for!!

Thank You, from Lenny

My son has a sleep disorder and acupunture really helped him. He also takes 5HTP and GABA both from health food stores and both natural with no side effects that I am aware of. It puts him out totally. Stress has alot to do with bc as a whole and it sounds like you are stressed. As someone who also has triple negative it is a rough ride. You don't mention diet which I personally feel is extremely important with triple negative. I was so strict when I was going thru treatment and did to get back to that place again with my diet. I am 1 1/2 years out and so far am doing good. Yoga and meditation may help you become mentally strong and to try to destress from all of this. I feel bc survivors will be going thru this throughout the rest of our lives but the idea is not to focus on it but remain as positive as can be. Here is hoping that everything turns out just great on your scans. Hopefully this new year will be a better one for all of us.