Dealing With Uncertainty
When frequent doctors’ visits come to an end, you may worry about every new ache or pain. Feeling unsure about whether your treatment worked can make you feel helpless or scared. Since there’s no long-term treatment for triple-negative breast cancer, you may worry you aren’t doing anything to protect yourself. Questions about cancer coming back or becoming metastatic
may distract you.
Here are some ways to help you feel more in control of your health:
- Pay attention to your body. You know your body better than anyone.
- Go to regular follow-up visits with your doctor.
- Exercise and eat well.
- If you have a new pain that persists and lasts longer than two weeks, bring it to your doctor’s attention. If your doctor doesn’t listen, get a second opinion.
- Remind yourself you did all you could to treat the cancer.
Despite everything you do to protect yourself, you may struggle with your emotions. You have a right to your feelings. You have been through a trauma, and you are dealing with the possibility that cancer could return. Talk with your providers before treatment ends about the cause of your emotions as you look ahead.
More In Triple-Negative
- Recently Diagnosed
- Your emotional concerns
- Your Medical Needs
- What Is Breast Cancer?
- Who Gets Breast Cancer?
- Your Medical Team
- How Cancer Is Staged
- Your Treatment Options
- Genetic Testing
- Tests You May Have
- Your Pathology Report
- Wellness & body image
- Lifestyle and Practical Matters
- Your Voices
- LBBC Resources
- In Treatment
- Your Medical Needs
- Your Treatment Options
- Surgery
- Available Schedules of Radiation Therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Common Regimens
- Hormonal Therapy
- Importance of Menopausal Status
- Partial Breast Radiation
- Radiation Therapy
- Targeted Therapies for Hormone-Positive Breast Cancer
- Targeted Therapy
- Targeted Therapy for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
- Types of Chemotherapy
- Types of Hormonal Therapy
- What Is Hormonal Therapy
- Whole Breast Radiation
- Treatment Side Effects
- Treating Lymphedema
- Bone Loss
- Bone Pain
- Chemobrain
- Depression and Anxiety
- Hair Loss
- Hand-Foot Syndrome
- Insomnia and Fatigue
- Lymphedema
- Lymphedema Risk
- Managing Insomnia and Fatigue
- Menopausal Symptoms
- Mouth Sores
- Nail and Skin Changes
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Neuropathy
- Neutropenia
- Pain
- Secondary Cancers
- Sexual Side Effects
- What are the Treatments for Insomnia and Fatigue?
- Your Treatment Options
- Your Emotional Concerns
- Lifestyle and Practical Matters
- Your Voices
- LBBC Resources
- Your Medical Needs
- Living With a History of Breast Cancer
- Your Medical Needs
- Survivorship Care Plans
- Genetic Counseling
- When to Have Follow-Up Visits
- Genetics and Family Risk
- Genetic Test Results and What They Mean
- Genetic Testing
- Genetic Testing and Your Relationships
- Sharing Your Genetic Test Results At Work
- Sharing Your Genetic Test Results With Family
- Signs Breast Cancer May Be BRCA-Related
- Your Emotional Concerns
- Lifestyle and Practical Matters
- Your Voices
- LBBC Resources
- Your Medical Needs
- Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Your Medical Needs
- Coping With Your Diagnosis
- Understanding Metastatic Breast Cancer
- Second Opinions and MBC
- Your Treatment Options
- Treatment Side Effects
- Bone Health and MBC
- Bone Pain and MBC
- Depression and Anxiety and MBC
- Hair Loss and MBC
- Hand-Foot Syndrome and MBC
- Insomnia and Fatigue and MBC
- Menopausal Symptoms and MBC
- Mouth Sores and MBC
- Nail and Skin Changes and MBC
- Nausea and Vomiting and MBC
- Neuropathy and MBC
- Neutropenia and MBC
- Pain and MBC
- Your Emotional Concerns
- Lifestyle and Practical Matters
- Hear My Voice Program
- Your Voices
- LBBC Resources
- Your Medical Needs
- A Young Woman
- Your Medical Needs
- The Basics: Breast Cancer and Young Women
- Breast Reconstruction
- Ovarian Suppression
- Ovarian Ablation
- Early Menopause
- Bone Health
- Genetics and Family Risk
- Sex and Intimacy
- Fertility and Future Pregnancy
- Getting Pregnant
- Pregnant With Breast Cancer
- Breastfeeding After Treatment
- Treatments and Research
- Side Effects
- Clinical Trials
- Your Emotional Concerns
- Lifestyle and Practical Matters
- Let's Talk About It Video Series
- Young Advocate Program
- Your Voices
- More Resources For You
- Get Connected with YWI
- Your Medical Needs
- Diagnosed With Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer
- Diagnosed With HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
- Diagnosed With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- LGBT With Breast Cancer
- Black
- A Man Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
- A Caregiver
- A Healthcare Provider