To do Chemo or not to do??

Daddyslittlegirl
Daddyslittlegirl Member Posts: 11
edited March 2014 in Stomach Cancer #1
My father who is 86 has been diagnosed with Cancer in his bile duct/pancreas. He is not a surgery candidate because he has had heart problems and currently uses a pacemaker. He is also pretty weak as is and the docs told him he would run too much risk to do the surgery.

He has decided to do a weekly session of chemo for 3 weeks and then rest the 4th week. This cycle will continue until the dr sees a change in the tumor.

I have always heard that chemo destroys a person even quicker than the cancer on it's own. I see how frail he is already and it terrifies me to even think of him getting any weaker. I went with him to the dr appointment and asked about him becoming more weak. The dr said that this type of chemo would not even make him loose hair!? He said that he should see no symptoms at all? How can this be? I just don't trust the medical field like I once did.

Please...if anyone has any suggestions or stories (good or bad)...I would really appreciate it! My dad wants to fight but I know that if he was going to fight this Cancer and shorten his life by doing so, he would rather live a longer life with it!

I greatly appreciate it!

Thanks!

Comments

  • trish07
    trish07 Member Posts: 138
    #2
    No Symptoms???
    I can understand the no hair loss. Not all chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss. My husband has been on Xeloda, one dose of Avastin [severe reaction], and Oxaliplatin [5 rounds]...although I have heard others say that they had hairloss or thinning while on these same drugs my husband has had neither.

    He most certainly has had side effects from all of these...I must say that I am a bit perplexed that the Dr. said he should not have any side effects. You did not mention the name of the drug that they were going to administer.

    My husbands chemo treatments are pallative, meaning to hopefully extend his life and to possibly help keep the cancer at bay for quality of life, there is no cure, his cancer is very rare. He is currently taking a break from chemo [which the Dr. does from time to time] so that he has times that he can do things and not be so constantly tired. Ask the Dr. his reasons for chemo...my husband would only have survived a few months without it...due to chemo he is still here after 2 years of diagnosis.

    When you see the Dr. be point blank with your questions and concerns and remain addament about getting straight answers.


    Take Care, Trish
  • giovy777
    giovy777 Member Posts: 4
    #3
    I'm sure the ladies husband
    I'm sure the ladies husband is not 86. At the age of your dad the one thing you are going to regret is see him die little by little with quemo. In your case I would give him cats claw that reinforces his immune system (which is what attacks bad illnesses in your body in first place) then graviola which kills cancer there youtube videos for it too. Give him fruits and vegetables salads, avoid meat of any kind, instead give him vitamin and protein supplements but not too often.
    Please if you do these things keep me updated of your dad's health, it's important for me to know.
    BEST REGARDS.

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