Is it working? (Recap of Lost Posts, Topic Created by Ribbons on Dec 09, 2018)

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This recap includes posts that were lost during CSN's data outage from 10/29/18 to 1/30/19.

Ribbons

Dec 09, 2018 - 2:12 pm

This is for the ladies that had a hysterectomy and the cancer was confined to the uterus. No evidence of spreading anywhere. But since mine was clear cell, we all decided I would have chemo and probably  brachytherapy after that. I will have my third round, of 6 total, of Carbo/taxol this coming Friday. People have asked me if the chemo is working? All I can say is it is doing something beause I have lost most of my hair. How do I know if it is working if I technically did not have cancer after the surgery? I am fine with my decision to have chemo, but I feel like a few people don't understand why I'm having it if I don't know if it is working?

 

Northwoodsgirl

Dec 09, 2018 - 2:44 pm

Yes

Great question and one I was never asked. I would respond that chemo and radiation are done to minimize the risk of having any remaining uterine cancer cells that may not have been evident at diagnosis and surgery.

Also I never tell anyone that I have been “cured “of cancer. I tell people that there is no evidence of disease ( NED). My doctor didn’ t do CT scans as part of my post treatment surveillance but rather just monitored symptoms such as bleeding, pain etc.

So my thought is “I have no reason to think the chemo and or radiation isn’ t working “. 

Lori

 

Ribbons

Dec 09, 2018 - 2:49 pm

Yes

Thank you.

 

MAbound

Dec 09, 2018 - 2:55 pm

Certainty is a Myth

I get it. We're through with surgery and people want to think we're all better now. That is their need and not really our reality.

We may look better and seem like we are better, but the reality is that the fear and anxiety of a recurrence stays with us. Not every waking moment, but that part of a cancer diagnosis is really hard to get rid of. That's why we all do everything asked of us and then some so we can at least live our lives between follow-up appointments and sleep at night with the hope that all's well.

Thank God that your clear cell was caught early and you and your doctor's are making sure to get any stray cells, if there are any, with chemo. Tell those who don't understand that yours was the kind of cancer you throw the kitchen sink at to make sure it's gone.

 

EZLiving66

Dec 09, 2018 - 5:55 pm

I'm in the same boat as you.

I'm in the same boat as you. My surgeon thought he got it "all." The chemo was strictly preventative. There's no way to tell if it worked or the surgeon truly did get it all and you would not have needed chemo/radiation at all. I only made it through three of six chemos. My theory is that chemo dosage is based on weight but I'm one of those people who is very sensitive to medication - I break an Oxycoden into four pieces but the bottle says "take two every four hours or as needed." If I took two, you could probably pull all my teeth and I wouldn't even know it. One-quarter usually does the trick. I think I was given a serious overdose of chemo and that's why I had the awful reaction I did. But then I think, if that chemo resulted in losing my finger and toenails, causing severe neuropathy, etc. maybe it really did kill any cancer cells that were floating around just waiting for their opportunity. Or, maybe the Metformin has done that job. I probably will never know. 

Love,

Eldri

 

Double Whammy

Dec 09, 2018 - 7:16 pm

Gotta put in my 2 cents

The term "the doctor got it all" depends on what type of cancer and we all know that no one knows for sure anyway.  I had the "good" kind and needed no treatment other than surgery and checks for 5 years.  I used to hate it when a friend would say "what's he looking for, there's nothing up there anymore".  Like I enjoyed the checks.  I simply did what I was told by someone who knows a whole lot more than me.  Both of us believed nothing would be found but we both knew that sometimes there just is in spite of it all.  Same with breast cancer.  "Oh so and so had it YEARS ago and they got it all".  All depends.  Just lost a dear, dear friend who was diagnosed before me and was completely cancer free for 10.5 years.  Breast cancer is sneaky.  Doesn't matter if you've had chemo or not, but mosto f the time with early stage disease, it DOES work.  Did mine?  I dunno.  I'm fine.  Maybe I didn't even "need" it!    My son (age only 48) is scheduled for surgery for prostate cancer and everyone assures me that he'll be just fine even tho his grandfather died from prostate cancer (I don't know the details), his father has it, and so does his first cousin.  Seems to be a family thing.  I do believe he'll be just fine, and I also know he will be facing some potential side effects which are not a good thing for such a young man!!!  So I'm with you Ribbons, some people just don't get it!!  And the only way you know if it is working is if it doesn't and then you know, it didn't.   We can only say that the odds are in our favor and that we have done everything we could.

Suzanne 

 

CheeseQueen57

Dec 09, 2018 - 7:44 pm

Prayers for your son

Your son will be in my prayers. Such a young man. 

 

Ribbons

Dec 09, 2018 - 8:08 pm

Yes

thank you

 

NoTimeForCancer

Dec 10, 2018 - 7:08 am

Suzanne, so good to hear from

Suzanne, so good to hear from you and I appreciate you sharing new about your son.  He certainly is in my prayers for a speedy recovery and minimal side effects.  

 

janaes

Dec 09, 2018 - 8:55 pm

That really is a good

That really is a good question. I told people it was for prevetative reasons. When i thought about it it was because my cancer was an agressive cancer and wanted to feel i did every thing posible for it to not come back. I did have stage 2. That does give me some hope it wont come back but its true you really never know.

 

LisaPizza

Dec 10, 2018 - 2:35 am

I also had chemo only for

I also had chemo only for preventative reasons. That does really confuse people. I also got asked a lot if the chemo was working and had to try to explain that there was no way to really know. 

 

Soup52

Dec 12, 2018 - 8:21 am

My cancer was clear cell also

My cancer was clear cell also and agressive so treated aggressively. My docwould just day I got everything I could see. I think people who have t had cancer don’t get it. My husband has been treated for prostate cancer and my girls often ask if treatment worked and is it gone. Well psa is good but we don’t know for sure just like us... we always think of reoccurance , but try not to dwell on it.