Refusing cancer treatment

EIO
EIO Member Posts: 8
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi

Has anyone turned down treatment for oral cancer or had the treatment and decided they wish they had not interested in hearing the views of anyone as oral cancer is a nasty treatment with horrible side effects

Comments

  • earlyquit
    earlyquit Member Posts: 3
    #2
    All I can tell you is this...mine was tongue cancer. I've had six surgeries. Yes, it was hell. Yes, I'm glad I went through it...because the alternative was a dirt nap. You can get through it. There is a beautiful life on the other side of cancer. Suck it up and do it. You will never experience life like you do once you've been through it all. It's a different world. Yea, it hurts. Yea, it's a bite to go through it. Yea, you'll be miserable for a while. So what. It's all a life experience. We're all scared. We're all alone with it. But we're all together, too. Get back to me if you want to. I've been through the mill, and I'm telling you it's not a choice. Do it. I'll help get you through it if you need it. I've survived it for nine years. I've been terminal four times. Talk to me.
  • deborahm
    deborahm Member Posts: 2
    #3
    my husband had 6 weeks of chemo and radiation for a tumour in his mouth(cancer of the tonsils) He was of off work for 6 months but has now returned and is cancer free, He doesnlt have any saliva glads now and we are finding things that he ccan no longer eat (no bread/popatoes for now). There is still some difficulty in eating but that and his taste is still imoroving. He lost 30 lbs but was never very sick and continued to drive himself to his treatment.
  • behrns
    behrns Member Posts: 2
    #4
    I am strongly considering some treatment refusal, I can live without a cheek, but I don't want the whole radical neck dissection.
  • jbk127
    jbk127 Member Posts: 4
    #5
    Well it is certainly your decision to make but have you really considered the alternatives.My tumor was such that it pressed against a nerve and I was in constant pain for almost a year while going through chemo and radiation.When my surgeon said he would totally remove my tongue I was naturally against the idea but given the alternative I agreed to the procedure.Now 1 1/2 yrs later I am pain and tumor free and although I cannot speak or eat normally(I have a permanent stomach tube)I would not change any of the decisions I made regarding the treatment.Perhaps watching three family members die slow painful deaths had a lot to do with my decision but it is still one thing I don't regret making.To show how rapidly cancers can grow...I had 2 MRI's in Jan. and April 03 which were negative and In June 03 the tumor had grown so large I was unable to swallow.If you are able to eliminate the cancer before it has a chance to grow and spread the surgery can be much less invasive.Please consider all the facts before you say no.

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