to chemo or not to chemo, A second opinion for me.

youngnana
youngnana Member Posts: 41
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Just checking in. Went to my 1st Oncologist visit, and wasnt pleased with his manner, Felt like he was trying to sell me a car!! His suggestion of treatment was nothing like what I had discussed with my surgeon when we discussed the path report. He basically feels that anyone who has cancer, of any type should have chemo. I understand that the cancer cells can slip through the nodes without detection, but I feel I need to weigh the possible damage from the chemo, to the additional 3% that could benefit from the treatment. I have to admit I have an extreme fear of chemo. I know many people go through it just fine, and a very small percentage of people have life threatening reactions to it. But, I personally only know 2 people who have gone through chemo, my sister in law, and my father, both went septic with their 1st chemos, and were in intensive care, in comas for a month. It was truly frightening. I know I will go for the hormone therapy, and am considering the genetic test, just not sure what I would do if the score came back high, do I want to know? There is just enough doubt, that I am not sleeping well. I am anxious to see a new oncologist, and am hoping he will calm my fears.
Thanks for listening, you are all such a blessing to me.
Karen

Comments

  • sweetvickid
    sweetvickid Member Posts: 459 Member
    #2
    my opinion and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee.
    my opinion and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee. With that said I can't understand why anyone would not have chemo. Anything that ups my chances is worth it. I am a triple negative with invasive poorly differentiated ductal carcenoma. I know a lot of women who have done chemo and continued to work. Unfortunately for me having a very aggressive cancer I have taken megadoses of chemo and luckily don't have a job because I wouldn't be able to work. Haven't been truly sick but it has zapped my strenth and made me feel really yucky.

    You have to find an oncologist that you trust. Mine I do and we have discussed and decided together what my treatment would be. He has been very good about explaining why he wanted to do a certain treatment. We went over pros and cons including side effects.
  • TawnyS
    TawnyS Member Posts: 144 Member
    #3
    Ultimately it is your
    Ultimately it is your choice, but I agree that I wouldn't pass up chemo knowing that could up my chances in survival and possibly never getting cancer again. First you should have full confidence in your oncologist. If you don't you'll never feel 100% in what he/she is saying. My group of doctors...breast surgeon, oncologist, plastic surgeon and GYN (because I had a hysterectomy too) do round table discussions on all their patients so all the docs are on the same page and you don't have to tell one that the other one said whatever. I would highly suggest looking into another doctor if he seems like a car salesman to you. It is your life and don't feel bad about leaving him. I am so sorry to hear about the horrible experience your family and you have had with chemo. I hope that you can find a good doc and I wish you all the best in your decision. Keep us posted. :)
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #4
    Karen, the decision is
    Karen, the decision is totally yours and one you have to live with. My question on the bad experience with chemo with your dad and sister-in-law is, when did they have it? I know that there have been great strides made in minimizing the nasty side effects. Today, you would be given a variety of pre-meds prior to the infusion. I'm not sure what chemo cocktail you would be given but mine was taxotere/cytoxan and I tolerated it very well. Find yourself an oncologist that you feel comfortable with and then get their recommendation and make your decision. It's a tough one but one only you can make. Good luck and keep us updated on your decision.
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #5
    MyTurnNow said:

    Karen, the decision is
    Karen, the decision is totally yours and one you have to live with. My question on the bad experience with chemo with your dad and sister-in-law is, when did they have it? I know that there have been great strides made in minimizing the nasty side effects. Today, you would be given a variety of pre-meds prior to the infusion. I'm not sure what chemo cocktail you would be given but mine was taxotere/cytoxan and I tolerated it very well. Find yourself an oncologist that you feel comfortable with and then get their recommendation and make your decision. It's a tough one but one only you can make. Good luck and keep us updated on your decision.

    Like the others said, the
    Like the others said, the decision if yours to make. I hope you find an oncologist that you like and trust. That is so important. Good luck!
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #6
    My mom didn't do well on
    My mom didn't do well on chemo also but it partly was her age (82) and partly because she was undernourished. For this reason I was afraid of chemo also but I was only 52 at the time I was diagnosed and in much better condition. I got really sick but did lots better than my mom. So I would ask how much chemo will help you and decide based on that. It's really up to you. I had no choice because my tumors were large and in the nodes.
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #7
    Marcia527 said:

    My mom didn't do well on
    My mom didn't do well on chemo also but it partly was her age (82) and partly because she was undernourished. For this reason I was afraid of chemo also but I was only 52 at the time I was diagnosed and in much better condition. I got really sick but did lots better than my mom. So I would ask how much chemo will help you and decide based on that. It's really up to you. I had no choice because my tumors were large and in the nodes.

    I didn't have chemo, but, it
    I didn't have chemo, but, it seems that so many on here that did, have found so many new medicines to help them to get thru it. I know it is tough, but, hopefully your oncologist would stay on top of any side effects that you might have and give you something to help with them. Make the best choice for you! Luck to you!


    Sue :)
  • youngnana
    youngnana Member Posts: 41
    #8
    Ritzy said:

    I didn't have chemo, but, it
    I didn't have chemo, but, it seems that so many on here that did, have found so many new medicines to help them to get thru it. I know it is tough, but, hopefully your oncologist would stay on top of any side effects that you might have and give you something to help with them. Make the best choice for you! Luck to you!


    Sue :)

    Thanks so much everyone. My
    Thanks so much everyone. My 2nd opinion today, the oncologist was wonderful. He completly explained the path report in detail and how tumors work, their differences. Mine was .08mm, IBS, stage 1, grade 1. ER+, PR-, no nodes, all margins clear. He recommended we get the gene testing, and felt that would confirm his recommendation for no additional treatment, only because the PR- can sometimes sneak in a more aggressive cancer. I was so comfortable with everything he told me. It all made total sense. He said the tumor was very small, and hopes there is enough to allow the testing. I should know the results in a couple of weeks. I have found that every cancer, every person is special and unique. The decisions that we are forced to make depend on the trust we feel for our care providers. I am so blessed to finally feel at peace with my new doctor, friend. If something comes back, and he recommends chemo, I'll do it because I trust him.
    Thanks, and prayer to all for condinued strength, and comfort.
    Karen
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #9
    youngnana said:

    Thanks so much everyone. My
    Thanks so much everyone. My 2nd opinion today, the oncologist was wonderful. He completly explained the path report in detail and how tumors work, their differences. Mine was .08mm, IBS, stage 1, grade 1. ER+, PR-, no nodes, all margins clear. He recommended we get the gene testing, and felt that would confirm his recommendation for no additional treatment, only because the PR- can sometimes sneak in a more aggressive cancer. I was so comfortable with everything he told me. It all made total sense. He said the tumor was very small, and hopes there is enough to allow the testing. I should know the results in a couple of weeks. I have found that every cancer, every person is special and unique. The decisions that we are forced to make depend on the trust we feel for our care providers. I am so blessed to finally feel at peace with my new doctor, friend. If something comes back, and he recommends chemo, I'll do it because I trust him.
    Thanks, and prayer to all for condinued strength, and comfort.
    Karen

    So happy that you liked this
    So happy that you liked this oncologist. That is so important to your treatment! Praying you don't need chemo, but, if you do, you will get thru it! Praying for you!
  • KayNYC
    KayNYC Member Posts: 495 Member
    #10
    my oncologist appt next Thurs.
    I go to my first Oncology visit next Thurs. I am on pins and needles in spite of my surgeon's assurances that chemo will not be necessary. I have been hearing so many others with similar Breast Ca diagnoses being told that chemo will be necessary. I,like you, am very uncomfortable with the chemo recommendation. Guess I will just have to wait to hear the doc's recs and make my best informed decision. Good luck to you in your decision making.
  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member
    #11
    KayNYC said:

    my oncologist appt next Thurs.
    I go to my first Oncology visit next Thurs. I am on pins and needles in spite of my surgeon's assurances that chemo will not be necessary. I have been hearing so many others with similar Breast Ca diagnoses being told that chemo will be necessary. I,like you, am very uncomfortable with the chemo recommendation. Guess I will just have to wait to hear the doc's recs and make my best informed decision. Good luck to you in your decision making.

    from one nana to another ...
    I agree with the others who say you need to find an oncologist you feel comfortable with. However ... having said that ... I will add that my SURGEON also told me that after the lumpectomy I would only need radiation and oral medication. However ... after seeing the oncologist after surgery I was told I needed chemo. I almost ran out of the room ... but I'd taken a friend with me and thank goodness her brain kicked into gear and she started asking the oncologist questions. During that time ... I sort of got myself calmed down and was at least slightly coherent and tried to listen as he talked. The reason for the chemo was the pathology report. That's why we have a "team" of doctors. The surgeon goes in and removes the bad stuff. The medical oncologist is more like a scientist/chemist ... and he/she studies the results of all the tests run on us ... and the "stuff" the surgeon removed. From all of that the oncologist comes up with our own special "menu" for treatment. They have the training to translate test results into treatment plans. It took me awhile before I realized that was why I had a "team" of doctors ... all with their own specialties. It was like I wouldn't have wanted my surgeon to do the radiation. I needed a radiation oncologist on my "team." They all have their own areas of expertise and I learned to trust them ... and learned that what my surgeon had told me about what type of treatment he thought I needed ... was using the knowledge he had at the time ... but the oncologist ended up with a LOT more information regarding my condition ... and if he said I needed chemo ... I wasn't going to say "no." Altough ... I will say ... that I am a real chicken ... and I'm not sure I could have gotten through it all with a port. The person who invented the port is a genius! I love my port!

    big hugs.
    teena
  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    #12
    youngnana said:

    Thanks so much everyone. My
    Thanks so much everyone. My 2nd opinion today, the oncologist was wonderful. He completly explained the path report in detail and how tumors work, their differences. Mine was .08mm, IBS, stage 1, grade 1. ER+, PR-, no nodes, all margins clear. He recommended we get the gene testing, and felt that would confirm his recommendation for no additional treatment, only because the PR- can sometimes sneak in a more aggressive cancer. I was so comfortable with everything he told me. It all made total sense. He said the tumor was very small, and hopes there is enough to allow the testing. I should know the results in a couple of weeks. I have found that every cancer, every person is special and unique. The decisions that we are forced to make depend on the trust we feel for our care providers. I am so blessed to finally feel at peace with my new doctor, friend. If something comes back, and he recommends chemo, I'll do it because I trust him.
    Thanks, and prayer to all for condinued strength, and comfort.
    Karen

    IBC?
    HI karen,

    I'm glad you found an oncologist you are comfortable with. Your stats look good, but I have a question. Do you have inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) or invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC)? Inflammatory is a particularly aggressive form of the disease and may benefit quite a bit from chemo. Of course, I'm not your oncologist, just asking. Glad you're getting the testing done -- is that the oncotype and/or BRCA genetic testing? Let us know how it goes.

    Mimi

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