Yesterday night I have decided to forego chemo. Strong feeling of self preservation, slept great, no crying in the morning.

Surgery was confronting, radiotherapy was tiring, chemo was manageable. We are all clients and consumers of a product. You are an individual, but also a number in the medical system. Not having chemo is a reasonable choice, but be prepared to have an increased chance of cancer coming back If you go down that route. It’s all about managing risk. Ultimately it’s your life, your choice. All the best.

I'm not a 'lamb' and I am metastatic. I actually cried when I was made to take a week off from chemo due to illness. 'Why?' you may ask because it's one of the things keeping me alive and healthy so that I can raise my kids.

Hey @Kagisha. It's a big decision, isn't it? I've had two rounds of chemo a decade apart. The first time I just went with the flow, the second time, that was really hard. The statistics are not that encouraging ( for me about 7% difference in survival over ten years) but our culture, friends and family push us towards doing everything we can. If you are well informed and comfortable with your decision, I totally understand why you are taking the path you are. Making a decision is very stressful, hopefully now you can move on. Sometimes all we really have is our gut instinct. Mxx

It's absolutely your right to make this choice. I don't know, nor is it my business, why you have made this decision. My only tuppenceworth to this discussion is that whether treatment is individualised or not, reactions to chemo are very individual. Some people have a horrible time, some very little problem. Some have awful side affects, some have none. I had little trouble at the time, and a few manageable side effects after. One option is always to try it and stop if it's unacceptable. Best wishes.

Hi there @Kagisha ...your body, your life, your choice. I do wonder, however about your statement above that your impression is that all sorts of women, with all sorts of different breast cancer are all getting the same regime of chemo and that that didn't make sense to you. I'm not an oncologist, but my understanding is that, bottom line, all breast cancers originate in the breasts and are normal cells which have for some or other reason not copied themselves correctly and so have become abnormal, and that then having done this, grow abnormally and spread to other parts of the body. These facts are common to all forms of bc, so at the root of it all, although there are many forms there are also many commonalities too. Paracetemol is taken for pain...all sorts of pain with different causes. You don't have one commonly used pain pill for headache, one for toothache, one for a sprained wrist, one for this and one for that. The root symptom for these ailments is pain, and for most, paracetemol would help ease that pain. I belong to a group where there was a member who was horrified at the idea of chemo..it didn't make sense to her that she was being advised to take a treatment which would affect her immune system, when she had personally done her research (read that as I googled it), and was of the opinion that her immune system needed to be strong and that her own body would deal with any stray cells which had escaped surgery by itself if it was strong and healthy. She was not going to join the group of bald headed women shuffling in and out of her oncologist's rooms thank you..she was (metaphorically speaking) going to eat kale and hop on the treadmill. She now has stage 4 and is terrified for her life. I am not saying that if you follow your chosen path, that you are putting your life at risk, because there are no guarantees in this shitfest, but for me the question I asked myself was this. If I refused, and things subsequently went pear shaped, would I have regrets? Would I say to myself that perhaps I would not then be in the position that I would be in with mets? Would I be proud of the fact that cancer be buggered, I still had my hair? Or would I be beating myself up with the knowledge that there were no two bites of the apple here...if things go badly, you can't push the rewind button and make different choices before it is too late. If you are happy with your decision, fine, I just sincerely hope that you are just as happy with the outcome.

Decided not having chemo | BCNA Online Network

primek
Member
7 years ago
Perhaps @htav could introduce herself in a new discussion rather than continue on this thread. :)
Zoffiel
Member
7 years ago
@iserbrown is pretty good at the links too :)
Sister
Member
7 years ago
@soldiercrab may be too busy having a wonderful (warm) time in Darwin but I'm sure she'll get back here eventually! Welcome @htav
kmakm
Member
7 years ago
@htav Welcome to the forum. Sorry that you find yourself here, but I hope you find it as helpful and supportive place as I have. We're all good for cry, a vent, and a laugh, and the hive mind is an amazing resource! @SoldierCrab will be along shortly I'm sure with some useful links. K xox
June1952
Member
7 years ago
Hello @Kagisha
You have opened a can of worms, eh ? We all know ladies who have, and have not, had chemo and ladies who are still with us, or not, as a result of their decision. Some ladies go through it and still get a recurrence, others don't have chemo and never get caught again. No rationale to this whole BC thing.
As long as you feel you are making the decision for YOU and that you have no regrets in the future then it is the right thing - for you.
Not all ladies are a fan of the dreaded chemo but still go with it for reasons other than their own. Many feel pressured by family, friends or the medicos and others feel strong enough to resist.
Thinking of you as you work your way towards your decision (and you may yet change your mind, that is still OK).
Best wishes
Summer <3
Kiwi_Angel
Member
7 years ago
From my experience and discussions on this site it is my understanding and belief that everyones case is treated as individual - many people with breast cancer are receiving a completely different treatment regime to me. I believe in everyones right to choose you just have to be fully aware of all the potential consequences of any decisions that you make.
htav
Member
7 years ago
Interesting reading for someone who was told yesterday that Chemo was being recommended as part of my treatment. I wanted to come home and 'sleep on it' before making any decisions. I've chatted to a few friends who have undergone chemo. I think I've come to the conclusion that I don't want to take 'the risk' of not having chemo, and have regrets down the track. I respect each persons' individual decision as it's our body, our decision! I am a first timer on this site and I know I'll be on regularly to read all the chat.
AllyJay
Member
7 years ago
Hi there @Kagisha ...your body, your life, your choice. I do wonder, however about your statement above that your impression is that all sorts of women, with all sorts of different breast cancer are all getting the same regime of chemo and that that didn't make sense to you. I'm not an oncologist, but my understanding is that, bottom line, all breast cancers originate in the breasts and are normal cells which have for some or other reason not copied themselves correctly and so have become abnormal, and that then having done this, grow abnormally and spread to other parts of the body. These facts are common to all forms of bc, so at the root of it all, although there are many forms there are also many commonalities too. Paracetemol is taken for pain...all sorts of pain with different causes. You don't have one commonly used pain pill for headache, one for toothache, one for a sprained wrist, one for this and one for that. The root symptom for these ailments is pain, and for most, paracetemol would help ease that pain. I belong to a group where there was a member who was horrified at the idea of chemo..it didn't make sense to her that she was being advised to take a treatment which would affect her immune system, when she had personally done her research (read that as I googled it), and was of the opinion that her immune system needed to be strong and that her own body would deal with any stray cells which had escaped surgery by itself if it was strong and healthy. She was not going to join the group of bald headed women shuffling in and out of her oncologist's rooms thank you..she was (metaphorically speaking) going to eat kale and hop on the treadmill. She now has stage 4 and is terrified for her life. I am not saying that if you follow your chosen path, that you are putting your life at risk, because there are no guarantees in this shitfest, but for me the question I asked myself was this. If I refused, and things subsequently went pear shaped, would I have regrets? Would I say to myself that perhaps I would not then be in the position that I would be in with mets? Would I be proud of the fact that cancer be buggered, I still had my hair? Or would I be beating myself up with the knowledge that there were no two bites of the apple here...if things go badly, you can't push the rewind button and make different choices before it is too late. If you are happy with your decision, fine, I just sincerely hope that you are just as happy with the outcome.
Anonymous
7 years ago
The user and all related content has been deleted.
Anonymous
7 years ago
Surgery was confronting, radiotherapy was tiring, chemo was manageable. We are all clients and consumers of a product. You are an individual, but also a number in the medical system. Not having chemo is a reasonable choice, but be prepared to have an increased chance of cancer coming back If you go down that route. It’s all about managing risk. Ultimately it’s your life, your choice. All the best.