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T-Bird's avatar
T-Bird
Member
11 years ago

Initial consult with Oncologist

When my oncologist was going through the online decision making tool for chemotherapy (has anyone else done this?) and then wrote down the list of chemo side effects, with their combating medications, I wanted to get up and run out of the door to somewhere faraway. Somewhere safe and out of mind to pretend like it wasn't all really happening. 

But all I could do was cry, it was so overwhelming. I thought I had prepared myself for the outcome that I would most likely need chemo. I had even decided on cold capping and made an appointment the following weekend to have my eyebrows cosmetically tattooed. But just hearing the side effects from mouth ulcers, aches and pains, constipation followed by diarrohea, puffiness, nausea, pins/needles, hair loss and making sure my temperature does not exceed 38 degrees as it's life threatening and need to go straight to hospital, brought tears to my eyes.

So 25 March did not exactly bring good news but is at least only 4 sessions every 3 weeks, so 3 months in total. It's afterwards that's complicated, the hormone therapy that I'll need to take for 5-10 years. I can't take the one that is usually prescribed (Tamoxifen) as it causes blood clots and due to my previous blood disorder, it's not advisable. So I need to find out more info on this one (Zoladex), something to do with menopause and a monthly injection at a bargain $350/month for the next 5-10 years to make me pre-menopausal after the 5-10 years...hmmm

I spent the rest of that day and all of the next feeling pretty low but I only allow myself to feel like that for a short time. It's reasonable to feel down and disappointed but in the end it doesn't help me to feel better or achieve any goals. I think of a saying my husband told me "Worrying is like riding a rocking horse, it keeps you busy but gets you nowhere".  

After a couple of days to take it all in, do some research and decide to talk more with my Oncologist, I can put things into perspective and realise that a 90.9% chance of being alive and without cancer in 10 years, as long as I have the combined therapy, is better odds against 62.1% without any treatment. I've just to sort out the hormone therapy.

  • Deanne's avatar
    Deanne
    Member
    11 years ago
    Hi T-Bird, I also found it very helpful to go through the on-line decision making tool. The statistics for my situation were even more compelling, changing my disease-free survival at 10 years from just 33% to 81% with Chemo and Hormone treatment. I think it really helped me to have a good attitude towards each treatment and I became focussed on how to help myself cope as best as possible rather than spending too long wishing I didn't have to go through it all. Sounds like this is the direction you are heading too. It is awful and scarey but you do get through it and life can be very, very good again. The support on here can really help too. Take care and I hope that everything goes as well as it can for you. Deanne xxx
  • Robyn_W's avatar
    Robyn_W
    Member
    11 years ago

    Hi :) It really is frightening in those early days.I remember going to a chemo information session at the hospital,and afterwards rushing out to buy a REALLY expensive thermometer,so I would be able to tell if my temp started to rise!! I had 4 rounds of docetaxel chemo and my temp NEVER  went above normal!!!The mouth ulcers hardly happened for me,but I made sure I used Biotene mouthwash and toothpaste ' obsessively' throughout each day!! Everyone reacts differently,and I am sure that you will find that things will not be as bad as you are expecting them to be.Stay in touch on here,as it really helps with general support  .Cheers xoxRobyn