Hard Question that I am having.I was diagnosed with IDC stage 2 ER-PR- and HER2+VE. Mastectomy done a week after diagnosis clear surgical margins. Cancer lump was 2.5cm with 1.5cm surrrounding DCIS. No radiation prescribed. 3. lympn nodes taken were clear. CT and PET scans clear.My chemo cycle one and two went fine. I was on Taxocete and cyclophosphamide and antibody Herceptin. On third cycle I developed a horrible rash on day 8 which was itchy and I almost thought I was going to die. I was also constantly feeling warm when I am sleeping at night even with air con on. I am contemplating quitting the last chemo. I feel really awful trying to 'destroy' my immune system just because I have been prescribed this protocol for me. I know the chemo is preventative treatment but I feel like I am doing my body such injustice pumping it with toxins and causing it be in an compromised state especially between day 7-12. My oncologist kind of left the choice to me saying the standard is 4.Other than chemo, I am feeling well and eating very well and I feel that my body can do better with a nutritional diet to help my immune system, than chemo!Just wondering if anyone out there have been through my stage? And what did you choose to do?Thanks.

The standard may be four (that's what I had) but if you body cannot cope and you know it then 3 may be enough for you. Lots of vitamin C and D3 and juice up anything red, blue or black in fruit and vegs and it will help you.

Thanks hun! I found that I am eating so well and my recent radical change in my diet (organic and raw diet with carbo/meat cuts) and lifestyle have really made me feel so well and here and I am going through chemo and wrecking my body all over again. I told my oncologist that I am happy to continue with Herceptin for the rest of the year but probably no more chemo.

I'm hearing you, @auOrei. It's a very difficult decision to make and I totally sympathise with your feelings that your treatment is destroying your chances of recovering. I wasn't brave enough to go against the wishes of my family--I went through all this 10 years ago so knew (or thought I knew) what I was in for--so went ahead with the chemo. And finished it, even though I really should have pulled out after three rounds. I now feel like shit, and wish I'd kept my mouth shut and never mentioned it was an option but at least I won't have to hear how about how I had opportunities that I didn't take. It's a very personal decision and topic. I'd never advise anyone to totally refuse treatment having seen what has happened to some women who adopted an alternative approach to their disease. There is absolutely no way of knowing either way whether those sorts of choices truly affected their outcomes. It is your call in the end. It's not uncommon for chemo to be curtailed because the patient can't tolerate it.

What did your Oncologist say about that rash? Ive not seen that happen before, and certainly something to think about. So hard, I was perfectly healthy before Chemo and it pretty much destroyed me physically, although different I did 4 FEC 8 Taxol. It really comes down to you personally and it is just the one. As you say you are feeling healthy and happy with how you are eating and thats whats important how you feel. I do everything in moderation, though dont really drink much anymore, Chemo killed that lol, but I dont deny myself anything :) this horrid thing certainly doesnt discriminate uuugh!!! the fittest, healthiest or not, so frustrating! xo

The rash is quite common with the taxol based drugs. Or good friend and faithful chemo companion, Claratyne, is often prescribed to help with that. I had it the first round, pre claratyne, but only had minimal skin reactions for the last three.

Has Anyone Given Up on Chemo? | BCNA Online Network

27 Replies

au0rei
Member
9 years ago

primek said:

Just think how much better you will feel in just a few weeks. And it's done. Congratulations.

Thanks sweetheart :)

The last cycle I had the rash on day 8.

My onco says if I got them I probably would again.

Today is day 9 and I am so far good. Praying that I will not!!! xxx
primek
Member
9 years ago
Just think how much better you will feel in just a few weeks. And it's done. Congratulations.
Afraser
Member
9 years ago
Good for you - gardening is wonderful, I am not the world's most successful gardener (purple thumbs!), but putting in plants is an act of faith. And that's what we all need - faith in ourselves, in out medical team and in our ability to rise above. Even when we find it hard to get out of bed at first. Best wishes but I think you're on a good track.
au0rei
Member
9 years ago
Hi all, I want to thank you for all your input recently when I posed such a difficult question.

So I finally decided to finish the chemo race by completing the fourth one yesterday. It was such a struggle to decide I drifted from yes to no and no to yes every day last week. Finally last Friday morning, had a really good chat with hubby who was so good to speak some logic into me and helped me decide that I would. Yes i was very scared of the rash that would come back but I would also feel incomplete (as my brother called it) if I quit at no 3.

So here's praying that I do fine this cycle and no rash will find me.

Can't help but feel tired more esp at the third week of cycle three. The tiredness can just set upon me out of the blue at the dining table and it happened again at lunch today. This morning I was good and was able to even get out into the garden to plant some bulbs with my son.

Right after chemo yesterday I had really bad fluid retention (esp with three drugs pumped in). Legs like lead and I think an elephant can run faster than me lol. But it's all gone now with pee marathon overnight. Lots of water intake helped as well.

Thanks lovelies for all your replies here. xxx
primek
Member
9 years ago
Also I just wanted to add you can often read others stories or previous blogs by clicking on their names and going to their wall. So if wondering how somebodies chemo journey has gone its a good way to read about it. Not everybody blogs but just comments though. Just thought you might find this helpful. I know it helped me to read back and see it tough at the beginning but see recovery after. Kath x
melclarity
Member
9 years ago
@Afraser I couldnt agree more with how you put it.

@au0rei how you feel is so incredibly normal. I had fights with my Oncologist, I was adamant I didnt want Chemo as I was healthy it just didnt make sense to me. It absolutely has been a hard road back but I have to agree, Chemo isnt going to help everyone, as it depends on their diagnosis and particularly how early it is caught. Ive lost people regardless. But it is all we have at hand that does save lives, until there is something better I was never going to gamble as my Oncologist said by not doing it. As I said Im hugely Spiritual and into lots of things, but this does not replace the medical profession in any form, its needed and its imperative. Eating well and exercising are fantastic too as long as you enjoy it and feel good, but it doesnt discriminate no matter what you do. So feel good, be true to you. Hugs Melinda xo
Afraser
Member
9 years ago
Hi @auOrei
Chemo is very daunting for lots of people, so only a super confident person or someone rather silly doesn't have doubts and worries. However, it's easily (and often) said that chemo has made people worse. There is no doubt that many people with cancer (like me) felt perfectly well and felt a lot worse while having chemo - that's to be expected, it is very tough medicine indeed and no-one pretends it isn't. I nearly packed in my last Taxol doses because of damage to nerves. What stopped me was finding another lump! It was OK, not cancer related. But it clarified my thinking wonderfully.
We've all heard terrible reports about chemo, websites are full of them, but proof of these claims is a bit thinner on the ground. Chemo can't help everyone, irrespective of the type or extent of their cancer, but your oncologist thinks it will help you. Many people here are absolute proof of years of continued productive life that may never have happened without chemo. Surgery is pretty tough on the body too, but not removing the cancer is a lot worse. Healing is sometimes not as gentle as the word sounds. If you are certain of what you want to do, follow your feelings. But if you have doubts, perhaps listen to your oncologist. Best wishes.
au0rei
Member
9 years ago
Thanks Melinda, I really appreciate your input. It was hard for me to even come to the forum with all these questions. I struggled with even starting chemo. It's so hard to believe that chemo is the way to go when I hurt my body with toxic stuff. I struggled with going for each chemo, even though I felt well for three of them, although hospitalized in first cycle due to a low grade fever cos of sore throat, and rash break out in cycle 3. I know it has saved patients but it has also wrecked patients and made them worse, so it is so so hard. I decided to do chemo cos my family think my chances are good, and my oncologist presented all the statistics if I do not do. I do not know if I AM JUST BEING A COWARD NOT WANTING TO GO!

I havent done any alternative therapies but I definitely have changed my lifestyle - reduce stress, lots rest, diet all these which I feel are the factors which caused the cancer. Taking a closer look at my body's needs. Was a crazy year in 2016. I know there is no guarantee to anything at all but I make sure I do my best to my knowledge.

My oncologist left to me to decide, but he sounds like he is preferring me to do the last one, as he says if it's palliative direction, he would be less stringent on the rounds. He says it's curative for me.

Maybe i should just stop being a whim!

melclarity said:

@au0rei I think youve done really well, I know its playing on your mind that 1 infusion, will it make any difference if you do it or not?? this is where your Oncologist can only give his professional opinion but gee they wont tell you what to do as they can't. Makes it so hard!! Only you know what really sits with you.

I wanted to say too, not sure if you were thinking out loud of alternative things. I love Alternative Therapies, Im actually a Reiki Master of 17yrs and successful/gifted. I cannot STRESS enough to anyone all therapies are fantastic to help alleviate symptoms, work through issues BUT they are USED IN CONJUNCTION with MEDICINE. Ive done this journey 6yrs and a recurrence, I was so against having to do Chemo and I cant even tell you the way it which it destroyed me...BUT I know I had to do it, this is the only treatment available. I have no regrets. Cannot stress enough, do what is right for you, what really sits good with you. None of us know the outcome of any of it right or wrong, we only can trust we make the absolute best decisions for ourselves in any given moment. Thats peace. Hugs Melinda xo
melclarity
Member
9 years ago
@au0rei I think youve done really well, I know its playing on your mind that 1 infusion, will it make any difference if you do it or not?? this is where your Oncologist can only give his professional opinion but gee they wont tell you what to do as they can't. Makes it so hard!! Only you know what really sits with you.

I wanted to say too, not sure if you were thinking out loud of alternative things. I love Alternative Therapies, Im actually a Reiki Master of 17yrs and successful/gifted. I cannot STRESS enough to anyone all therapies are fantastic to help alleviate symptoms, work through issues BUT they are USED IN CONJUNCTION with MEDICINE. Ive done this journey 6yrs and a recurrence, I was so against having to do Chemo and I cant even tell you the way it which it destroyed me...BUT I know I had to do it, this is the only treatment available. I have no regrets. Cannot stress enough, do what is right for you, what really sits good with you. None of us know the outcome of any of it right or wrong, we only can trust we make the absolute best decisions for ourselves in any given moment. Thats peace. Hugs Melinda xo
au0rei
Member
9 years ago

Tracey B said:

My cancer was level 2B, and I was advised by my oncologist that my risk was too high for recurrence to stop, with 5 lymph nodes positive. That was my alternative, so all I could do was keep going and just live with the rashes and peeling.

Thanks hun. All the best wishes for you. xx