NEED OPINION PLEASE

unknown said:

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No one knows for sure....
but husbands oncologist stopped him at 11. Said that if 11 hadn't done it; the #12 isn't gonna make a difference. Husbands blood count was low, and that played in to the decision. We have the utmost confidence in the dr. and felt that what he said made sense.

We were contemplating taking grandson to MN for a vacation at the time; and due to the low blood count dr. suggested waiting a week for the last tx. When he realized we had made plans and this would throw a wrench in our plans; he said "well let's call this enough" and then went on to explain. And husband was stage III. So far, so good. NED at this point.

These decisions are not easy to make; but I hope that you feel confident enough to make that decision based on your body and your drs. opinion.
Sandy

PhillieG said:

Tough Call Laureen
I think you have to ask yourself that IF it came back (which I hope it doesn't) would you beat yourself up for not taking that last treatment.

I feel that if I did 11 and had 12 to do that I would do the last one unless it was totally intolerable. I know that when it gets so the end of treatment is in sight that it is hard to go those last times.
Best wishes to you
-phil

I think Phil has a very very
I think Phil has a very very valid question.

I was on weekly chemo from April 2009 February 2010. I had a very good response to chemo, had my share of side effects and other issues due to ileostomy. My onc said all along I would probably be on chemo a year and will have been on all cc chemos until they didn't work any more. Sprinkled in that year were several hospitilizations, infections, blockages etc that forced some multi-week breaks from chemo.
I used to panic that wasn't on my regiment because I was having such sucess shrinking the mets in my liver.

I then had a liver resection this March and resumed chemo in april. It was suggested a 3 to 6 month post surgery chemo "just in case". I just stopped chemo after 2 months, about 4 more rounds. I felt ready to let go of the crutch of chemo and just start living again.

My long rambling point is: My onc has never been emphatic about the number of rounds of chemo that are the magic number. She even stated that there is little research and accepted standards for stage 4 folks as I was, with major mets to liver. I think she just picked the right cocktail for me (5FU, erbitux, ironotcean) from the beginning and I responded.

Phil said it best. What's your gut feel? Everyon'es threshold is different. Maybe you just want a few week break and then do the last one?

good luck wiht your decision.....((hugs))

Peggy

Laureen -
Re:
"my doc but he said nobody knows whether 6, 8, 11 or 12 tx is enough"

And:
"my body is telling me ENOUGH ALREADY"

What makes the fear of cancer so much worse, are comments
that can cause you to doubt your own intuition and instincts.

We were born with the basic instincts of survival, just like any
other living thing, why doubt those instincts?

The idea that you should continue something, regardless of your instincts,
or even of your doctor telling you....... for the sole reason that:

"you won't want to look back and wish you did"

Is a horrendous excuse to do anything that you feel should not be done.

I get sick reading about so, so many of us here, that have gone
the full monty with chemo and radiation, and having so much damage
from the side effects, only to have cancer return to kill them. But that's
the nature of this insidious disease.

How many will "look back" and wish that chemo and radiation
were refused, rather than accepted as treatment; to not have been
made to be so weak from treatments that their own body was unable
to fight what had to be fought?

Both chemo and radiation -can- do wonders, and they both can
also do irreparable harm. Knowing when to start, is as valuable
as knowing when to stop.

Know thyself; Trust in yourself to make decisions that will be
best for you. Don't allow fear to drive you and instead, allow your
own sense of self-preservation to be your guide.

For those that feel that one can be "blessed from above", should
know that we all have been blessed with common sense and survival
instincts. They came with the body we're in; it was a B.O.G.O. at the
time of purchase. Trust in it, don't doubt it, and don't allow anyone
to convince you otherwise.

There are pharmaceuticals withdrawn from sale after years of use,
due to the lack of oversight and truth regarding safety at the time
they were allowed to market the stuff. Many of those pharmaceuticals,
like Vioxx, have caused death.

My wife was convinced by her RA specialists, long before we knew
that there was other than western medicine to turn to, that those drugs
were safe. My wife's ruptured cerebral hemorrhage was a direct
result of taking Vioxx.

Her intuition was screaming at her not to take it, but her doctors
convinced her otherwise: "It is the only cure", and "you don't want to
suffer the consequences of not taking it, and wishing you did".
She will forever wish she didn't.

I can't say this often enough...... Don't allow fear to drive you into
doing things you "feel" aren't right.

If whatever you're doing: chemo, TCM, juicing, etc., isn't doing
you well, do not be afraid to change paths.

If you feel what you're doing is making you too sick to fight,
it probably isn't too good an idea to continue.

And far &^%^$ sakes...... when the doctor you are trusting
is agreeing with you, maybe that doc should be listened to.

These boards are great for peer advice, but some here put
every ounce of their belief in one medical practice. That's
fine to do, IF it is working for them. But to continue with
that belief if it begins to fail them, is not a good thing to do.

I may favor TCM, but if I find it failing me, I -will- do something else.

Blind allegiance in other's opinions could cost you your life.
We have to know when to stop; we have to have the courage to
trust our own instincts; to listen to our own body.

Don't listen to -me-; listen to -you-.


Stay well.

John

Got thru 7
of the folfox. I come here everyday and read everything and appreciate all opinions and post only once in awhile because at this moment I feel blessed to be Ok and so many have been thru so much. I feel like folfox could have killed me, it didn't because my doctors stopped it at 7. I too felt I had to get to thru 12 and tried, but onc. said no more. I had always told them I don't want to die from chemo, but so far the chemo has been my biggest issue. They cut the cancer out as best they could and it may be lurking or traveling, but the chemo has done a number on me. But, if it comes back I'll probably try something chemical again. I know John thinks I am crazy and I wish I had his strength and conviction and maybe when decision have to be made, I'll say enough, I think about this daily. After surgery I felt normal, after chemo, I have never been normal, but I am alive and this is a personal decision we all have to make. I hate to post because sometimes I feel negative and I should be positive because I am still here and breathing, but bottom line the onc should help with decision, they have the info on you and we just have to trust their judgement once we go that route. Everyone has to believe their choice is right and I might not be normal after chemo, but I am alive and future decisions I will live with also. Someday cancer maybe a chronic disease, right now they are working on it. Trust yourself and your onc.for making a decision. Sorry I sound like such a pansy. Pat

a break
Maybe you just need a chemo vacation (as my husband's oncologist calls it), that helped my husband - gave him a small two week vacation to give his body a chance to heal, when he went back he was better and able to handle it better. Just a thought!