Another soul seeking advice and/or guidance regarding whether or not to do chemo.
I am incredibly torn and scared. I wake up thinking about chemo and I go to sleep thinking about chemo. My heart is telling me not to do it. I will need to take Tamoxifen for 5 years and I am at peace with that. I think that it is also worth mentioning that I was completely at peace with the decision to have a bilateral mastectomy. When it comes to chemo I do not have that same clear feeling.
Thank you for reading this and any thoughts that you can share would be so much appreciated.
With deepest gratitude.
Comments
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I'm sure you'll find your
I'm sure you'll find your path. For me, I opted for bilateral mastectomy when I was told I could just do a lumpectomy. I had an Onco DX score of 18, in the 'gray' area, and opted to do the chemotherapy. I am now on a Tamoxifen regimen. I agonized over each decision, but felt so much better once I made up my mind. I know you'll be the same. Best of luck.
Chickadee0 -
It's tough..
Glad you found us but not the reason....this is a great group of women!
Making the decision to do or not do chemo is tough....a decision that you and your oncologist have to make together....what type of bc do you have? This may be the reason your onco wants you to have chemo.....some types of bc are far more aggressive than others...
We all know the first fear of chemo...but it's very doable...chemo has come a long way over the years..I'm on my third go round with chemo due to a recurrence in my lymph nodes even though they were clean when I had my lumpectomy 3 years ago..won't go into all the details...
Personally, I would ask exactly why, to your onc why she is recommending you have chemo...ask tons of questions...she obviously has a good reason...sounds like she wants to give you the best chance of not having a recurrence....
I have said and believe that the scariest part of chemo is walking in the door for the first infusion..
I wish you the very best in making your decision....Please keep us posted...we care
Hug, Nancy0 -
Second opinion
Have you considered getting a second opinion? My oncologist wanted me to have chemo and didn't even tell me about the oncotype DX. I found out about it on my own and asked my breast surgeon if I could have it done. This was while being prepped for my mastectomy after having a lumpectomy. My margins weren't clear. I also had a small tumor on 1 lymph node. When I went back to my oncologist after having the oncotype test, she said I didn't need chemo. My score was 9. My breast surgeon explained that my cancer, stage 2, grade 1, ER + PR + HER- was slow growing and chemo wouldn't have done me any good because chemo attacks fast growing cells. I wanted to do everything I needed to do to get rid of the cancer, but not something that would have been more harmful than good. If my score had been in the "gray" area, I would have had chemo. Like the others said, each person's cancer is different and you need to ask your doctors why they make the decisions they do. I wish I did more of that earlier.
Good luck. I hope the best for you.0 -
Chemo
I would do the Chemo. I was told that the chemo kills anything that might be left behind after surgery. I had cancer in my left Breast and 3 lymphnodes taken out. the surgeon was sure he got it all but I stll had to have chemo and radiatio. I have a family history of cancer.too.Now I'm cancer free. I take Tamoxifen now for 5 years. Good luck0 -
Welcome...
Hi sweet pink,
I'm very sorry you joined the group but glad you found us for support. You've come to the right place!
I, like you, had a small tumor, stage 2, Estrogen +, clean nodes, at age 32 was dx with ductal (sp?) carcinoma. I did lumpectomy (should have done mastectomy, but this will come, by choice), chemo, harvested eggs before chemo, took radiation (with boosters) and now taking tamoxifen. What a year! But I have no regrets. And here's why: I don't want to look back and wonder if I had done enough. I wanted to use all the tools that were been offered to me to have the highest chance of survival. Nothing is guaranteed but I felt better knowing I did all I could. I could have done more, like remove my ovaries and breasts. But I will handle this after I'm 100% healed from treatments as it takes some time for you to find your "new normal". This decision you're inquiring about is very personal. Only you, in your heart, should decide what's best for your life, your future.
Chemo is not as bad as you might think. Everyone is different. Plus we will be here to guide you through the entire process. Ladies here are SUPER GREAT and they really care. Please don't be scared. The unknown is always the scariest part, but you'll do what's best for you. And you'll do great!
I'm not sure what your pathology report says, but I took the chemo for two reasons: (1) grade 3 cell and (2) lymphvascular invasion (although my nodes were clear) and also my age! I was young when dx and as you may or may not know, cancer tends to be more aggressive on younger people. So i didn't want to risk it. No regrets.
Although these treatments may seem like they'll go on 4ever, they won't. You'll be done before you know it. Plus you'll have us to cheer you up whenever the sun doesn't shine.
You're never alone. Have faith. And seek within your heart for the right answer.
Sending you a big hug. Please keep us posted.0 -
Thank you, Chickadee. Once IChickadee1955 said:I'm sure you'll find your
I'm sure you'll find your path. For me, I opted for bilateral mastectomy when I was told I could just do a lumpectomy. I had an Onco DX score of 18, in the 'gray' area, and opted to do the chemotherapy. I am now on a Tamoxifen regimen. I agonized over each decision, but felt so much better once I made up my mind. I know you'll be the same. Best of luck.
Chickadee
Thank you, Chickadee. Once I make the final decision I will bless it and move forward. My intention is to give myself until Monday and then make a commitment either way.
I appreciate your thoughts and wish you peace and continued health!0 -
I appreciate you sharing soMAJW said:It's tough..
Glad you found us but not the reason....this is a great group of women!
Making the decision to do or not do chemo is tough....a decision that you and your oncologist have to make together....what type of bc do you have? This may be the reason your onco wants you to have chemo.....some types of bc are far more aggressive than others...
We all know the first fear of chemo...but it's very doable...chemo has come a long way over the years..I'm on my third go round with chemo due to a recurrence in my lymph nodes even though they were clean when I had my lumpectomy 3 years ago..won't go into all the details...
Personally, I would ask exactly why, to your onc why she is recommending you have chemo...ask tons of questions...she obviously has a good reason...sounds like she wants to give you the best chance of not having a recurrence....
I have said and believe that the scariest part of chemo is walking in the door for the first infusion..
I wish you the very best in making your decision....Please keep us posted...we care
Hug, Nancy
I appreciate you sharing so openly, Nancy. My bc is (was) ER positive, stage 2 grade 2. No lymph node involvement. I think that my onc is really taking my age into consideration. I was 47 at time of diagnosis, but just turned 48. My oncotype score is low and it really is up to me whether or not I do chemo. My surgeon had told me that I would need to do a lot of soul searching because I am in the middle area of sorts. I'm giving myself until Monday to decide and then I will move forward with courage.
Blessings and continued health to you!0 -
Thank you for your thoughtsdebsweb18 said:Second opinion
Have you considered getting a second opinion? My oncologist wanted me to have chemo and didn't even tell me about the oncotype DX. I found out about it on my own and asked my breast surgeon if I could have it done. This was while being prepped for my mastectomy after having a lumpectomy. My margins weren't clear. I also had a small tumor on 1 lymph node. When I went back to my oncologist after having the oncotype test, she said I didn't need chemo. My score was 9. My breast surgeon explained that my cancer, stage 2, grade 1, ER + PR + HER- was slow growing and chemo wouldn't have done me any good because chemo attacks fast growing cells. I wanted to do everything I needed to do to get rid of the cancer, but not something that would have been more harmful than good. If my score had been in the "gray" area, I would have had chemo. Like the others said, each person's cancer is different and you need to ask your doctors why they make the decisions they do. I wish I did more of that earlier.
Good luck. I hope the best for you.
Thank you for your thoughts and for sharing your experience. I definitely have a few more things to clarify with my onc. My breast surgeon was the first to put it out there that I was going to have a lot to think about because I am not leaning heavily in either direction. I'm pretty much in the middle. I was told that my cells are slow growing but that there may be some fast growing cells that they can't detect. I already had the bilateral mastectomy and they removed 8 lymph nodes that ended up being clear. My low oncotype score is what has caused me to pause before making my final decision.
Good luck and continued health to you!0 -
Peanutcat...love that! Thankpeanutcat said:Chemo
I would do the Chemo. I was told that the chemo kills anything that might be left behind after surgery. I had cancer in my left Breast and 3 lymphnodes taken out. the surgeon was sure he got it all but I stll had to have chemo and radiatio. I have a family history of cancer.too.Now I'm cancer free. I take Tamoxifen now for 5 years. Good luck
Peanutcat...love that! Thank you for your honesty. One thing that has been made very clear is that chemo is the only thing that will kill anything that was missed. There are no guarantees here, oy!
So happy that you are cancer free! Continued health and happiness to you!0 -
I am so grateful to you forLoveBabyJesus said:Welcome...
Hi sweet pink,
I'm very sorry you joined the group but glad you found us for support. You've come to the right place!
I, like you, had a small tumor, stage 2, Estrogen +, clean nodes, at age 32 was dx with ductal (sp?) carcinoma. I did lumpectomy (should have done mastectomy, but this will come, by choice), chemo, harvested eggs before chemo, took radiation (with boosters) and now taking tamoxifen. What a year! But I have no regrets. And here's why: I don't want to look back and wonder if I had done enough. I wanted to use all the tools that were been offered to me to have the highest chance of survival. Nothing is guaranteed but I felt better knowing I did all I could. I could have done more, like remove my ovaries and breasts. But I will handle this after I'm 100% healed from treatments as it takes some time for you to find your "new normal". This decision you're inquiring about is very personal. Only you, in your heart, should decide what's best for your life, your future.
Chemo is not as bad as you might think. Everyone is different. Plus we will be here to guide you through the entire process. Ladies here are SUPER GREAT and they really care. Please don't be scared. The unknown is always the scariest part, but you'll do what's best for you. And you'll do great!
I'm not sure what your pathology report says, but I took the chemo for two reasons: (1) grade 3 cell and (2) lymphvascular invasion (although my nodes were clear) and also my age! I was young when dx and as you may or may not know, cancer tends to be more aggressive on younger people. So i didn't want to risk it. No regrets.
Although these treatments may seem like they'll go on 4ever, they won't. You'll be done before you know it. Plus you'll have us to cheer you up whenever the sun doesn't shine.
You're never alone. Have faith. And seek within your heart for the right answer.
Sending you a big hug. Please keep us posted.
I am so grateful to you for sharing this with me. I can't even imagine what you went through at 32! So very young and brave. Reading your post has given me much to think about and I so appreciate your openess. I am truly grateful to have found this safe, supportive space for sharing, asking questions and learning more about this process. It's amazing how much has happened in just 3 months!
Giving myself the weekend to do more soul searching and then I must make a decision, bless it and move forward.
Hugs and continued health to you!0 -
chemo confusion
Hi: I was diagnosed in 2010 and did go thru chemo, as well as radiation and mastec... and am now on tamaxofin, as well as herceptin for 1 year. I was most afraid of the chemo having chemicals put into my body. Fortunately it turned out not near as bad as I imagined. Because of all the anti nausia drugs that you are given prior to chemo, it really helps you to not get sick. All I knew is I was doing everything I could do to get rid of whatever might be in my body, cancer cells are so small and easily missed. I just wanted to make sure. I know it's a hard decision, I actually had started it at one place, had the needle in my arm -- and then told them to stop! I was not ready. Got another opinion and started a month later. Turned out well so far and I feel good inside that I did all that I could do. Good luck to you in whatever decision you make.0 -
It is your choice as tothuryb said:Peanutcat...love that! Thank
Peanutcat...love that! Thank you for your honesty. One thing that has been made very clear is that chemo is the only thing that will kill anything that was missed. There are no guarantees here, oy!
So happy that you are cancer free! Continued health and happiness to you!
It is your choice as to whether or not you do chemo. Just take all of your doctor's advice, think long and hard about it and do what is best for you and what your gut tells you.
I had a lumpectomy, followed by rads, no chemo. My onco didn't think I needed chemo as my sentinal node was clean and my breast surgeon got clean margins. All of my doctors said that chemo was not necessary.
However, when they do that computer evaluation, the adjuvant thing, I can't remember the whole name of it, it said that with chemo, it would add like 2%. Needless to say, even 2% was not worth it to me, seeing how no one said I even needed it. And, this was a computer program set up to tell you this stuff.
Good luck to you in whatever you do! We're here for you!
Hugs, Leeza0 -
I personally would have
I personally would have taken chemo, had I been given the choice. My doctor told me at diagnosis that regardless of stage or grade, being 34 there was no question that I would have to have chemo. I had a 2 cm lump with no node involvement in one breast and chose to have bilateral mastectomies. After finding out im BRCA2+ (or maybe BRCA1, im living proof of chemobrain, i can't remember which one it was without going through my paperwork and looking it up) - i chose to have a complete hysterectomy since the genetics indicated a strong chance for uterine and/or ovarian cancer. I chose to fight very offensively because I don't ever want to go through this again - or put my family through it. I'd rather look back at this journey 30 years from now and think - "wow im glad i fought with all i had" than have it come back with regret. Chemo wasn't that bad. I mean, it sucked, I was bald, and i was tired and sore all the time, but I never once threw up, and my family and friends rallied around and helped me so much to get my kids and house taken care of. I say it wasn't a roadblock in my life, just a short, sometimes uncomfortable, but necessary one. Kind of like having to go to the bathroom in a port-a-potty. You don't want to be there, and it's not pleasant, but everything comes out in the end and when you're done you can get back to things!
Good luck with your decision.
Heather0 -
Just wishing you good luckthuryb said:Thank you, Chickadee. Once I
Thank you, Chickadee. Once I make the final decision I will bless it and move forward. My intention is to give myself until Monday and then make a commitment either way.
I appreciate your thoughts and wish you peace and continued health!
Just wishing you good luck as to whether you have chemo or not. It is your choice and I know you will make the right one.
♥ Kristin ♥0
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