My first question here...
This discussion was created from comments split from: No 'kitchen sink' or 'throwing everything at it' for me.
Forum Discussion
Hi @LibbyA
I was 67 when diagnosed but apart from a bit of high blood pressure, I was pretty healthy. I did everything recommended - mastectomy, chemo, herceptin, letrozole. So far so good - no evidence of disease, no energy issues, mental health is good, worked through treatment. But - heaven forfend - would I do it again? I have lymphoedema, completely manageable but if the right breast had to go too and lymph nodes were involved, could I manage two lymphoedemic arms? I developed an arrythmia - mixed views as to what caused it but no susceptibility before chemo - so I would have to consider the impact of another bout of chemo. I am not sure if my bone density will hold out for 10 years of letrozole, may stop earlier. My feet were affected and still are by chemo. A second bout could limit my mobility. Main thing is to get an honest appraisal of the impact of treatment on your existing conditions. Then consider what you are prepared to try. If the effects are too severe, you can stop. And know what you are not prepared to try. There are good stats to show that treatment is worth doing but there are also no guarantees. No matter how good your medical team, you are the captain of your own ship and you decide on the voyage route. Cancer is just a very impertinent reminder of that fact. Best wishes.
I was 67 when diagnosed but apart from a bit of high blood pressure, I was pretty healthy. I did everything recommended - mastectomy, chemo, herceptin, letrozole. So far so good - no evidence of disease, no energy issues, mental health is good, worked through treatment. But - heaven forfend - would I do it again? I have lymphoedema, completely manageable but if the right breast had to go too and lymph nodes were involved, could I manage two lymphoedemic arms? I developed an arrythmia - mixed views as to what caused it but no susceptibility before chemo - so I would have to consider the impact of another bout of chemo. I am not sure if my bone density will hold out for 10 years of letrozole, may stop earlier. My feet were affected and still are by chemo. A second bout could limit my mobility. Main thing is to get an honest appraisal of the impact of treatment on your existing conditions. Then consider what you are prepared to try. If the effects are too severe, you can stop. And know what you are not prepared to try. There are good stats to show that treatment is worth doing but there are also no guarantees. No matter how good your medical team, you are the captain of your own ship and you decide on the voyage route. Cancer is just a very impertinent reminder of that fact. Best wishes.