Tempted to quit half way through my chemo.

CessnaFlyer
CessnaFlyer Member Posts: 110
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I’m on the Roswell Park regimen, in which 5-FU and the leucovorin are given once a week for 6 weeks in a row every 8 weeks and then repeated for a total of four cycles for a total of 32 weeks. To be honest, I’m tempted to quit now, since I have Stage IIA and I’m only doing this as insurance against the cancer coming back and have been feeling pretty lousy lately. Have any of you had this chemo regimen and did you quite early, or did you go all the way
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Comments

  • just4Brooks
    just4Brooks Member Posts: 980 Member
    #2
    Why do anything half way?
    That's all I got to say


    Life is funny sometimes
    Brooks
  • khl8
    khl8 Member Posts: 807
    #3
    Don't quit
    There is a reason that the doctor's came up with this type of insurance plan. This is yourlife, it is not like declining to purchase an extended warranty on your tv, and then the tv takes a crap and you are angry you did not take the extra plan. YOu can always buy anouther tv, but you only have one life!
    There are no do-overs.
    Kathy
  • christinecarl
    christinecarl Member Posts: 544 Member
    #4
    do not stop
    I am sorry that you are feeling crappy but I doubt you are a quitter. You are tougher than chemo and cancer. I know you can do this.
  • lizzydavis
    lizzydavis Member Posts: 893
    #5
    christinecarl said:

    do not stop
    I am sorry that you are feeling crappy but I doubt you are a quitter. You are tougher than chemo and cancer. I know you can do this.

    I say give it all you've got and don't be sorry you didn't ...
    I say give it all you've got and don't be sorry later that you didn't do it.
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #6
    lizzydavis said:

    I say give it all you've got and don't be sorry you didn't ...
    I say give it all you've got and don't be sorry later that you didn't do it.

    We actually made someone mad .....
    in here before when asked this question. Maybe it was how he asked or maybe it was that we wished that we had that option. In any event, in my opinion if you quit and it was to happen to come back then the question "what if" comes up, if you finish and it comes back , you did all you could. Mop up chemo is just that mop up all the cells that might have gotten away..

    Let me ask you a question...If you think its worth maybe quitting halfway through it think of this , your cancer started out as just a single little cell...does that make it appear a little different to you now ? It did me, and also I had that option and was thinking about taking that route, but when I looked at my children, that made my mind up. We owe it to our loved ones to do everything we can to prevent them and ourselves from having to go through this nightmare ever again, even if it does create a little discomfort for us......Love and hope, Buzzard
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #7
    Finish!
    I was diagnosed at Stage 1 and didn't have chemo. My oncologist and I discussed it, and if he had recommended it, I would have. I just don't think you should take any chances.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • thready
    thready Member Posts: 474
    #8
    Want to Quit
    I understand your desire to stop. I go to the Dr's office and see all these really sick people. They have so many other issues than mope up chemo to deal with. I even ask myself why am I hear. I am IIIB, first scans were all clear after surgery, but yet I have to do chemo.

    Well, I took another look around that chemo room. I sure hope all my efforts keep me and my family from having to deal with more. So after some really hard talks with myself I decided to keep going. I have a good chance at conquering this thing, I owe that to myself, my family and to all those people in the infusion room who are battleing so much more. It is not just about how bad I feel, and I do feel bad!

    Do not quit!
    Jan
  • lizzydavis
    lizzydavis Member Posts: 893
    #9
    thready said:

    Want to Quit
    I understand your desire to stop. I go to the Dr's office and see all these really sick people. They have so many other issues than mope up chemo to deal with. I even ask myself why am I hear. I am IIIB, first scans were all clear after surgery, but yet I have to do chemo.

    Well, I took another look around that chemo room. I sure hope all my efforts keep me and my family from having to deal with more. So after some really hard talks with myself I decided to keep going. I have a good chance at conquering this thing, I owe that to myself, my family and to all those people in the infusion room who are battleing so much more. It is not just about how bad I feel, and I do feel bad!

    Do not quit!
    Jan

    My friend passed away at 54 years old.
    To get me through the terrible chemo, I kept remembering my college friend who passed away at the age of 54. The cancer had already spread to her liver, lungs, back and legs. It was too late for her but not for you!
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #10
    Ask Yourself This...
    Can you deal with the "What if's?"
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #11
    PhillieG said:

    Ask Yourself This...
    Can you deal with the "What if's?"

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • grandma2selena
    grandma2selena Member Posts: 199
    #12
    Don't Stop
    I felt this way half way through my treatments, oh heck let's just stop this insanity now! I didn't, and please don't you! You won't feel this way forever, take it one day at a time and you will get through it and be glad you did!
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #13
    grandma2selena said:

    Don't Stop
    I felt this way half way through my treatments, oh heck let's just stop this insanity now! I didn't, and please don't you! You won't feel this way forever, take it one day at a time and you will get through it and be glad you did!

    No.....
    Don't stop, a bit of inconvenience now, it's worth your life.....one foot in front of the other.
  • CessnaFlyer
    CessnaFlyer Member Posts: 110
    #14
    PhillieG said:

    Ask Yourself This...
    Can you deal with the "What if's?"

    Thanks everyone
    Thanks Phil and everyone else. I gave a lot of thought to your question "Can you deal with the what ifs?" I would feel awful if it came back and I had quit. I owe it to my wife and my Cessna 172 to keep going. Besides, when I was in high school I was always encouraging my dates to go all the way, and so I should do the same. (Sorry for the last sentence, but I find that when I joke I feel better.)
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #15
    Cessna, I don't ever
    Cessna, I don't ever remember reading about 5 FU being given that way. So you have tx once a week for six weeks and then have OFF 8 weeks? I had FOLFOX every two weeks for 12 tx's. 24 weeks (oh except for time off for gall bladder surgery).

    Glad to hear you're going to stick it to them, I mean stick to it! Keep on flying high!
  • khl8
    khl8 Member Posts: 807
    #16
    CessnaFlyer said:

    Thanks everyone
    Thanks Phil and everyone else. I gave a lot of thought to your question "Can you deal with the what ifs?" I would feel awful if it came back and I had quit. I owe it to my wife and my Cessna 172 to keep going. Besides, when I was in high school I was always encouraging my dates to go all the way, and so I should do the same. (Sorry for the last sentence, but I find that when I joke I feel better.)

    Good for you!
    And good for your sense of humor! Keep it up!
    Kathy
  • CessnaFlyer
    CessnaFlyer Member Posts: 110
    #17
    dianetavegia said:

    Cessna, I don't ever
    Cessna, I don't ever remember reading about 5 FU being given that way. So you have tx once a week for six weeks and then have OFF 8 weeks? I had FOLFOX every two weeks for 12 tx's. 24 weeks (oh except for time off for gall bladder surgery).

    Glad to hear you're going to stick it to them, I mean stick to it! Keep on flying high!

    It's called the Roswell Park regimen
    It's 4-cycles and each cyle is 8-weeks long. For 6-week I get Chemo one a week. Then they stop for the next two weeks, and that completes an 8-week cycle. They do this for a total of 4-cycles, or 32 weeks. I don't get the Folfox. Just the 5-Fu and Leucovorin. If you Google Roswell Park regimena you can find a lot of articles on it. It's my understanding that it was the Chemo treatement used for 40-years until the more aggressive FOLFOX treatment was introduced about ten years ago. I guess for Stage IIA my doctor didn't feel I had to be as agressive and so opted for the Roswell Park regimen. I will try and take your advice of continuing to stick it to them, but I think I better check with my wife first. :)
  • P_I_T_A
    P_I_T_A Member Posts: 133
    #18
    I'm halfway as well...
    I've wondered what the heck I'm doing too. I was NED pre-treatment CAT scan. I had my aunt pass away from BC 2 weeks before I started. Now I just do it more for her than myself and wont quit for anything. I was awful sick today, but tomorrow I'll be better. Dig down deep, find your source of comfort, whatever it may be, and ride it out! All of us here are stronger than we think we are!

    -DJ
  • lcarper2
    lcarper2 Member Posts: 635 Member
    #19
    P_I_T_A said:

    I'm halfway as well...
    I've wondered what the heck I'm doing too. I was NED pre-treatment CAT scan. I had my aunt pass away from BC 2 weeks before I started. Now I just do it more for her than myself and wont quit for anything. I was awful sick today, but tomorrow I'll be better. Dig down deep, find your source of comfort, whatever it may be, and ride it out! All of us here are stronger than we think we are!

    -DJ

    1/2 way
    I to was ned after the surgery and 5 weeks left on chemo I am sick all the time I tell everyone I have good days and bad days and days that just suck and most of them just suck but I am not going to let the cc monster win I will finish to the end at 62 what else do I have to do but throw up and sit on the pot...
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #20
    CessnaFlyer said:

    Thanks everyone
    Thanks Phil and everyone else. I gave a lot of thought to your question "Can you deal with the what ifs?" I would feel awful if it came back and I had quit. I owe it to my wife and my Cessna 172 to keep going. Besides, when I was in high school I was always encouraging my dates to go all the way, and so I should do the same. (Sorry for the last sentence, but I find that when I joke I feel better.)

    I hear you
    Buzz asked the big "What if" question first but it's something that in many ways has helped me to make decisions as far as treatment goes. As far as I see it, it' simple. Sort of like Clint as Dirty Harry.
    I know what you're thinking — "Did did the surgeon kill six tumors or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda lost track myself. But, being this is CANCER, one of the most powerful diseases in the world and would blow your sphincter clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, CessnaFlyer?

    LOVED your joke about high school dating.
    Funny (and helpful) way to look at it. Why do you think I post the way I do? One has to find humor or irony in life and in death.

    We should adopt a new phrase:
    "Chemo, so easy a caveman can do it"
    -phil
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #21
    P_I_T_A said:

    I'm halfway as well...
    I've wondered what the heck I'm doing too. I was NED pre-treatment CAT scan. I had my aunt pass away from BC 2 weeks before I started. Now I just do it more for her than myself and wont quit for anything. I was awful sick today, but tomorrow I'll be better. Dig down deep, find your source of comfort, whatever it may be, and ride it out! All of us here are stronger than we think we are!

    -DJ

    Life
    It's full of "what ifs?". This is one of the few that we have a lot of control over and is possible one of the most important ones there is.
    Glad to hear you're sticking with it DJ
    -p

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