I’m at a cross roads…I have completed 9 PC and 2 EC, I have 1 more EC to go.
I have had a really tough time since starting EC. Had neutropenic sepsis, pancytopenia and CDIF. My stomach issues are ongoing, I have stage 4 endometriosis with bowel involvement, history of acute colitis and infective IBS… EC has made things so much worse.
I am so tired, weak and my mental health is in a bad place.
I had an app with my onco today and he said ideally he would want me to have the final dose however, he said if in 2 weeks (he’s delayed the final dose) I am in the same state he would not want me to have the final dose. He feels that it could do more harm than good.
If however I am feeling stronger then he said to have it. He’s giving me a call next week to see how I am and what my decision is.
For context, I am stage 1 TNBC, started with 17mm tumour and no lymph involvement. PI 80%
My mid point MRI showed a complete radiological/clinical response… no tumour detected. He said that if I skip the final EC he does not feel it would make a difference anyway and he doesn’t want to put me through more of this if I don’t feel strong enough. I will see how I feel next week but, I don’t know what to do. I am scared of recurrence if I don’t do this final dose…thanks in advance x
Hi rejaelo
Thanks for posting.
It sounds as though you’ve been having a difficult time during your chemotherapy treatment and it’s understandable that you are now feeling tired and weak and as a result concerned about your mental health.
Your scans show you have had a good response to your treatment so far. It’s reassuring that your oncologist feels confident about the outcome of your treatment either way and is taking into account your well-being. However, the fear of recurrence is very real, and you’re not alone in feeling that way. Making a decision about whether to continue with the final treatment sounds very difficult, especially after all you’ve already been through.
At times like this it can help to talk to someone about how you are feeling. You may find it helpful to call your breast care nurse to discuss these fears further before your oncologist calls next week. You may also find it useful to call our helpline. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to additional support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks.
Talking to someone who has had a similar experience can often be helpful. Our Someone Like Me service can match you with a trained volunteer who’s had a similar experience to you. You can be in touch with your volunteer by phone or email and they can share their personal experiences to answer your questions, offer support or simply listen to how you are feeling.
You can ring the Someone Like Me team on 0800 138 6551 or email them at someone.likeme@breastcancernow.org, so they can then match you to your volunteer.
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Best wishes
Julie
Breast Care Nurse
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