Chemotherapy

I hope you don't mind @AllyJay but I was talking to a friend today who told me that a neighbour has been diagnosed with breast cancer and refuses to think about chemo because she doesn't want to lose her hair and she doesn't like doctors.  I told my friend about your story and said that I would email it to her.

So very true, @Sister

Thanks @lrb_03 That's the one I was thinking of.  I couldn't find it last night on my phone so came looking this morning. @AllyJay posted it around the time the need for decisions hit me and I found it clarified my situation very well. 5% or 10% doesn't seem much unless you really want to be in that group.

I agree with the analogy from @AllyJay and that’s exactly how I felt. And what  @Sister said is a good opinion too I think. For me it was shitty but doable does that make sense love ?  Keep us posted how you go. Whatever you decide you will have support either way. Big hug. Margie xx

My tumour was just under 1 cm, but path showed HER 2 +, so the oncologist advised throwing everything at it. 6 rounds Taxotere/Carboplatin/Herceptin and 30 rounds radiation.  I figured I should give myself every possibility of surviving.
5 years on now, all good, fingers crossed.
Chemo wasn't fun, but if you focus on the life you plan to have once you get through this you will find it easier to take.
Good luck, keep on keepin on

@AllyJay, I think I found it, so I copied and pasted to here. I always liked this, too

 Purely on the statistical side, for me, when faced with the same decision as you now are, I looked at it from different angles. One of the scenarios for me was this. I was in a room with 1000 women who were told that they had been diagnosed with my type and grade of breast cancer.  We were all told to have such and such surgery, which  we did. We were then taken back to that same dreaded room and given a card with a number. Then 830 numbers were read out, and those women were  allowed to leave the room  and go next door  for a celebratory cup of tea and slice of cake....considered cured  (10 years). The other 170 shocked women looked at each other with dread. Just then the compere said...."Oh sorry, I  forgot, I have another 70 numbers to draw, that is the women who had additional chemo, they can pick up their bags and join the  others". If, perchance I was one  of the 100 left behind to the future of stage four, would I  wish that I might  have been one of the other 70, or would I go "Que Sera  Sera..." and accept it? For me the answer was "Fuck no" bring it all on, and if  the wheels still fall off, at least I would have given it my best shot, and not have been left with the perhaps..." Each of us has to weigh it all up, make our decisions and then go forward. As Afraser says, having started chemo, you can always stop. But it doesn't work the other way. Best of luck.

@Sister , I think the women in the room analogy was by myself. It was in the To chemo or not to chemo post in December 2017. I have no idea how to repost it, and it is rather long to retype the whole thing here. Perhaps you know how to do it?

Hi @charlotte1953,,

Welcome.  I had a different type of cancer than yours.  Lumpectomy, AC and Paclitaxel chemo, 6 wks rads and on Tamoxifen.  There has been another post today "Newly diagnosed, about to start Ac"  which has a lot of the answers to your questions  on it.  Have a look at that one, there is some great info on it.  
As @Sister  has said, some people have a rough time and others not so much.  It is scary at the start with all the unknown variables.  I chose to proceed with the chemo as I had 5 lymph nodes that the cancer had spread to already and although my CT was clear for all other parts, the chemo was a bit of insurance to mop up any small strays that couldn't be detected as yet.  
Check out the other thread and keep asking questions.  Every one is here to help and support you.
xoxoxo.

Hi @charlotte1953 .  I had a similar BC diagnosis in December (mine was 4.5cm+ with 3 nodes but I don't have large breasts).  I had a single mastectomy and I am currently undergoing AC/Paclitaxel chemo from which I will go on to rads and hormone therapy.  I won't lie and say chemo is easy but you can get through it - some will suffer, others will sail through it.  My decision to go with it was based on the fact that I don't want a recurrence and think that if I'd just put up with the chemo, I would have had longer.  I always forget who put the little gem of statistics about women in a room and getting out, and those left still having cancer but if she reads this, please repost!