Has Anyone Given Up on Chemo?

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.