I am 55 and recently had a successful operation to remove a breast cancer, i was on the understanding that i would be receiving radio therapy and tablets, this i accepted but now a different oncologist has said that there is new evidence that chemotherapy would decrease the chances by 6% of a reoccurrance in the next 10 years! this frightened the life out of me as i had my head round the treatment and 6% doesnt seem so much of a benefit to go through everything that chemotherapy brings has anyone else been in this dilemma and what did they do
Hello wullydog
Welcome to the forums, this must be a very difficult time for you but you have come to the right place for support from our experienced users who I’m sure will be along to support you soon.
In the meantime maybe you would like to talk things through with a member of our helpline staff who are there to offer emotional support as well as practical information. The free phone number is 0808 800 600 and the lines are open Monday to Friday 9.00 to 5.00 and Saturday 9.00 to 2.00.
Best wishes
June, moderator
Wullydog, this is a tricky situation and there are lots of other threads on here with people debating over and having to make a similar decision. Decisions on the forum are completely divided and while it’s great to hear other people’s opinions and decisions - you have to do what’s right for YOU as YOU are the one who has to live with the consequences.
I, personally, think 6% would be high enough for ME (that’s 6 in 100 people - or 3 in 50 people who will have a recurrence) but there will be others on here who would opt out of it.
It’s tricky, tricky, tricky!! And in one way good to be given a say in yout treatment - but on the other hand it would be easier if we just had to do as told!!! I had a decision to make that I agonised over for ages too - but am contect that I made the right decision.
Good luck!
Hi Wullydog,
I too was in the same situation & chemo offered me an extra 3 to 4 % benefit, there have been a few postings on the “chemo decision” & it’s a difficult one as what is right for some isnt right for others, i personally chose to go ahead working on the 100 woman in a room theory & that i would want to have a chance of being 1 of the 3 or 4 or in your case 7 for whom all will be well & good in 10yrs time.
Really personal decision for all to which i think there is no right or wrong answer, i finished chemo in May & Rads in July & am content with my decision that i have done all that i can & thrown everything at it but this will not be the same for everyone, try calling Bcc or your Bcn, idid both before coming to my decision & please dont feel rushed into anything that you are not happy with.
Sarah.xxx
Hi Wullydog,
I am waiting for my results due on 27th i am expecting to have same dillema as you,
I came across an interesting thread, scroll down until you find it,
it is a view from a Doc name Dr Susan Love that someone has posted on here
Like you we are faced with a lot of decisions that we dont want to make
especially when we are still coming to terms with what we have been told.sorry i am unable to give you more info as i am starting on my journey with all of you.
before you decide you need to read a lot of helpful post that many a lady has talked about their experience on certain medication.
Feel free to contact me any time you need support we are here for each other
Keep pecker up Pat xx
Hi Wullydog,
Sandytoes is right - its up to you…but they wouldn’t suggest treatment if they thought there was absolutely no point.
My job is advising GPs on drug benefits and risks so I know that stats can be presented in different ways and the numbers look totally different (absolute risk reduction and relative risk reduction to be boring) so it is important you have been given a good explanation of what that 6% means.
I’ll assume it does mean 6 fewer deaths out of 100 women in your situation after 10 yrs.
I found it useful to think about 100 women and for me chemo gave 5 fewer deaths, tamoxifen 5 fewer deaths or the two combined 9 fewer. If I do mothing there would be 22 deaths - two of which have nothing to do with BC so I’m ignoring those. So for me one way of looking at the benefits is to think 9 fewer deaths out of 20 (and a little better once the rads stats are added in) …mmm… 9 out of 20 could be phrased as “halving the number of deaths from breast cancer” - sounds brilliant! OK thats exactly the sort of drug company headline I warn the doctors against - but in this case it is good enough for me to take the bad effects of chemo and meds.
I’ve also thought that if in the future I am unlucky enough to get secondaries and I hadn’t done all I thought possible I would be pretty annoyed with myself for being a wimp! (annoyed is the polite phrase)
Best wishes all
Sue
Difficult and only you can decide. I am having chemo at the moment and it is not too bad. My next tax is tomorrow. Chemo number five one to go after that. I am not looking at it as a doddle but once you have had the first you do calm doen a bit. Join a forum with others having it the same time as you if you do decide to have it. The edge is taken off the fear and you make such good friends. I might not be happy in six days when a peak occurs but I am still here after the last , and intend to be after the next.
Did you ring the Helpline as suggested by June.? I phoned as I was going to my first session and was having a wobble. She was so helpful and non judgemental.
Statistics are odd things but you must decided what will be best for you. Perhaps a list of pros and cons written and then put away for twelve hours before being reviewed might help. You will be surprised how much that list can change as you delve further into the subject… My thoughts ----and remember these were only mine----I have a large high grade tumour with vascular and lymph node invasion. I wanted all the Gold standard treatment they could give me because I would be so upset with myself if I hadn’t had all I could and the cancer came back. This is just the way my mind would work. If I had a way to tell how long I have and it was less than a year I think I would have refused chemo kept my hair and done all I wanted to do but as yet haven’t… Nobody however can give you that answer so you have to take it from there.
Best wishes go with you at this time
Cackles xx
Hello everyone who answered my call, sandytoes, mirador, 021210 to name but a few. Taken everything on board and it all helped a great deal to make up my mind. I am of course, going ahead with the treatment offered (silly not to as you all pointed out); it was very hard for me but thank you so much everyone.
Love wullydog
Hello to you wullydog,
Pleased to know you have made your decision.
The further as i go along my life path is something i will have to consider, as i have a huge lot of medical problems, do i want to stay in this body which is letting me down rapidly,
Not too sure how any medications will affect me as i have kidney disease CKD3 although i am stable at moment.
had part of stomach removed January gall bladder removed last year, next knee replacment organised for november, spinal problems, i use a mobility scooter,and now this, told i have cancerous lump.
Pallative care looks better for me. dare i tell children no just going to keep quite, i will leave it in the lap of the gods.
If i was younger and this is the only problem, i would take all i can that is offered, hair will soon grow back, sickness can be delt with, grasp everything you can.new things are being found every day to beat this horrid disease.
I wish you well in your decision albeit hard, keep reading the threads on here from inspirational ladies who will give you a lot of help like they have done for me
Keep pecker up Pat xx
Brave lady Mirador. Good luck. There’s no right or wrong, each of us must weigh up the pros and cons and decide.
Good luck.
Just got on the sight again and feel bad about being a bit of a wimp! many of you have so much more do deal with, i’m sorry to be like i was, as i said i really do appreciate all of your input and have made my mind up (although the lady hasn’t been in touch regarding treatment yet so there’s still time)! don’t think i will change my mind. You are all so brave, and we all have to just get on with it! Thanks so much and wish you all the best (i am definately rubbish compared to yourself mirador! x
Wullydog,
You do not need to aplogise for thinking out what is going to happen to you, this site is somewhere we can come and whimper and scream and moan and thereby not upset the people who have to put up with us day by day!
Lavender
Wullydog- we are not brave, just all putting our heads down and going for it because they wouldn’t offer it to us if it didn’t make a difference to somebody. …AND we hope it will be US.
I am at the stage last cycle when I had lots of side effects from the chemotherapy. Today so far so good this time touch wood!
I hope all goes well for you,
Cackles xxx
Hello Wullydog
Just read your original post and I was in the same position 8 years ago, wasn’t given any percentages but I was shocked when my Surgeon delivered the results to me after my WLE and the word “chemo” was mentioned.
Now my husband who came to all my appts said that I chose to hear what I wanted to hear at my previous appts because I said that chemo had never been mentioned until that day and he said it had. Everything went through my mind, would I be sick, could I work, would I lose my hair. By the time I went to physio which was straight after seeing my Surgeon I was in such a state that my legs buckled under me.
So here I am 8 years down the line, chemo did its job along with the rads, not forgetting the Tamoxifen and however bad I feel on Letrozole I 'm sure that it is helping.
Time and time again I was told chemo was my insurance policy, along with rads, my belt and braces, yes now I agree with them. Yes there were times I felt rough, didn’t go to work, didn’t lose my hair, the cold cap worked. Near the end of my chemo I would cry before I went in to the hospital but Wullydog if I had to go through it again I would and I see that you have decided to go ahead with it.
I wish you well, take things easy, look after yourself, drink plenty of water(it helps) it will be over in no time.
Hazel x
Hi Wulydog,
Comment from my lovely daughter,(48) why are you worrying! about boob job on NHS you will look a 21 year old again, with a new wig new clothes, and admiration from others that you have done it.
you still have a lot of life in you yet, what a positive comment can that be, made me think good and hard.
Our decision only to make whatever it will be right for us.
Keep pecker up Pat xx