chemo or not ..update!!!

SweetSue · April 2003

I'm 99% sure I'm opting for AC chemo, even though neg nodes,er-positive,stage 2.
I'm still confused..I had a double mastectomy, what are the chances of getting breast cancer again? The chemo and Tamoxifen target breast area.Am I being too aggressive in my treatment? Are both really needed? Doctor thinks so. Doctor gave me all kinds of percentages, but when I left his office..I thought did all the women in the studies have double mastectomies? I know I'll ask him next time I see him...before chemo starts. I still have my drainage tubes..won't even start chemo for at least 3 weeks.I do have appt. for 2nd opinion. Thanks to all who responded.

sevey · April 2003

Hey there,
I 100 percent sure you should do what your Dr thinks is best. There are very valid reasons for this. I had a double myself, and opted not to listen after all the previous meds and treatments. So I think it is safe to say that he knows what he is doing. Just a thought. I will continue to pray for you and I know you will do the right thing.
God Bless You
Cathy

sassysally · April 2003

do chemo you wont regret it. Better to cover all bases and do all that you can . Better Safe than sorry later. Keep us updated

bunnie · April 2003

Hi i agree with everyone i would do the chemo if doc thinks it is for the best.they usally have there reasons for wanting us too do things.I almost opt not to do chemo but know i only have two left and iam glad i didn it if it icreases my chances of not getting it again then iam all for it.We are all with you on whatever you decide i wish you luck on your recovery.

squeeboo · April 2003

If I were you, I'd do the chemo and tamoxifen.
If you're otherwise healthy and strong, be as aggressive as possible. Chemo sucks, but then it's over and you move on with your life and you won't have the worry at the back of your mind that maybe you should have done more.

kathybto · April 2003

You must do chemo, do all you can to make sure it won,t come back.

joycey · April 2003

If you have very aggressive cancer then I would opt for chemo. Chemo increases your chace of survival by only a couple of percentage points if your cancer is not aggressive. The more aggressive the more the percentage points add up.
The reason to be careful about chemo, it also can cause cetain other cancers later. such as adriamycin can in 10 years cause a certain kind of lieukemia. After all it is a poison. I had chemo but I also had very aggressive cancer. I would not have had it otherwise. Seek a second opinion. I wish the best for you.

joycey · April 2003

If you have very aggressive cancer then I would opt for chemo. Chemo increases your chance of survival by only a couple of percentage points if your cancer is not aggressive. The more aggressive the more the percentage points add up.
The reason to be careful about chemo, it also can cause cetain other cancers later. such as adriamycin can in 10 years cause a certain kind of lieukemia. After all it is a poison. I had chemo but I also had very aggressive cancer. I would not have had it otherwise. Seek a second opinion. I wish the best for you.

txmom · April 2003

Hi , I am doing chemo now and doctor wants to do tomoxifen........i will not do the tomoxifen. I believe tomoxifen will cause more harm than good. I have suffered alot with the chemo and will do test soon to see how much damage is permanent. Just research...i have 3 types of cancer in one breast. I have hade to really look things up and read alot to decide what to do...there are some natural things to help stop cancer as well..I am not a nut or anthing like that but looking for the best ways to get healthy and stay there...I am 40 with 4 kids. Oldest is 9

vwathome · April 2003

Hey, I know how you feel -- both boobs are gone, so why am I having chemo? As I mentioned in my last post to you, I went for three opinions, and the answer from all three (two private oncologists and Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center) where all the same: To make sure it's all gone. Small cells can migrate and cause cancer in other parts of your body. They still call that breast cancer, because that was the initial cause.

I won't lie -- chemo and radiation sucked big time, and I am having some not-to-pleasant side effects from tamoxifen, like weight gain and being on an emotional roller-coaster (my sister calls it the Waaah Factor -- I start to cry at the drop of a hat) but you know what? The whole time, I just kept on telling myself, "I am killing cancer cells." I still do tell myself that, whenever I pop a tamoxifen. To me, it's part of doing everything I can to lick this. I just had my one-year-out-of-treatment check-up, and all is looking good, and I will do everything I can to keep it that way.

Hang in there, sweetie, you will get through the chemo and the radiation, and will rejoice in the invention of elastic waists on pants. It's a few months out of your life, to help you have many more years. Good luck, and remember that there are people you don't even know quietly rooting for you.

Dodi · April 2003

Dear Sweet onion,
Getting a breast cancer diagnosis was the scariest thing I have ever encountered. I, as a young girl saw my grandmother die of cancer, and remember hearing my older siblings talking about how it was actually the chemo that killed her. When faced with the decision as to have chemo or not, I had called my older sister who is an RN. She told me that if it was her, and they offered to ignite a bomb off inside her to get rid of it she would do it.So I did it. I was so afraid, and even more so when i saw how the nurses handled this drug. I think I cried everytime I had a treatment. I was surprised at how well they are able to treat the side effects. I really was never very sick. The worst part of it all was losing my hair. I had real long hair, and had decided to get it cut short before it started falling out, thinking that would make it easier...Well, it didn't. I still cried. But I finished my last chemo treatment 6 months ago, and my hair is already 3-4 inches long, and very curly! Never had curly hair before. I am soo glad that I opted to fight this with everything I could. I have no regrets. Should it ever come back, it will because it did, and not because I didn't do everything I could to stop it. My best to you. You will be fine.

cici1961 · April 2003

Hey there,

I just had my first round of Chemo yesterday after having a masectomy on my right side. The lymph nodes were negative but my doctor recommended Chemo as a precaution so that if any cancer cells did slip out, the Chemo should kill them. I agreed wholeheartedly. I would rather go through Chemo and hopefully never have to go through this again. I figured my doctor knew more than I did. I am not looking forward to losing my hair, but it will be worth it in the end.

Good luck, my thoughts are with you!

chemo or not ..update!!!

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