Can one live with cancer without treatment?

carmi604
carmi604 Member Posts: 4
in Ovarian Cancer #1
I was diagnosed 3.5 ys ago, went through debulking and several rounds of chemo. Tolerated well the first two but caved in at Doxil and cut it short. Then had one year of feeling fine, but they found some small methastising and put me on Tamoxifen. This was so bad - not just nausea but everything else in the catalogue - my onc.told me to stop. Now I am fine once more, going for a CT and then for consultation.
The problem is this. Seemingly every medication makes me sick, but when untreated I feel great. Of course I'd try all to get cured, but my onc. said cure was not on the list at all, it's incurable, the are only try to extend my life at good quality. However - if every med makes me sick and robs the quality of life, should I go on with them, suffering and not getting cured anyway? Is a life with no quality worth the added years? Has anybody survived long with no treatment?

Comments

  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #2
    I don't have an answer for
    I don't have an answer for you. I just want to say that it is possible that you have a problem clearing the drugs out of your body. If I were you, I would have a conversation with the oncologist about going with half strength chemo. You might tolerate a lower dose & still benefit. Ovarian cancer seems to love to hook up with the intestines & cause bowel obstructions. So painful!

    Everyone is different; if you haven't tried gemcitabine, you might want to give that one a try & if it gives you a lot of side effects, maybe a lowered dose would work.

    Best wishes to you.
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #3
    Integrative treatments
    My body does not detox Taxol well. So when I was in treatment, I felt miserable throughout. I incorporated integrative treatments, however, which helped reduce the effects. It also strengthened my immune system and augmented the chemo treatment. Naturopaths and integrative doctors have a number of tools for addressing not only the treatment, but the cancer itself. Perhaps such a practitioner could treat you with something to reduce the cancer. I know a woman who was well on her way to a fourth experience with chemo, as her CA-125 was climbing. She started a product called Iscador, and in 3 months her CA-125 dropped by 32 points and her CT was clear.
  • granpatty
    granpatty Member Posts: 38
    #4
    Hello carmi604
    Check this website cancerfightingstrategies.com...there is a lot of information that can help you...I survived thanks to alternative treatment, and so far no sign of cancer, so maybe you can just give it a try...Good luck

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