My latest scan has shown that my multiple lung mets have grown very slightly, whilst the breast tumour and sternal met are stable, so after discussing with my onc, and as I am relatively symptom free, I have decided to stay on my current treatment of arimidex, herceptin and the bone thingy and wait until the autumn to have more chemo. It means I can enjoy the summer, but I wonder if I am doing the right thing. My oncologist isn’t pushing me to have chemo now, but its quite scary. Any thoughts?
Nicky
Hi Nicky,
enjoy your summer chemo free!
If you are feeling well I doubt it will do you any harm, at our stage my understanding is the chemo buys extra time. If the little uggers aren’t spreading then wait until they are and then give them a blast.
Sounds like the herceptin is doing it’s stuff and holding it back. If however you start to feel tired, breathless or just out of sorts get straight onto your onc.
I am so weary on taxol and this time round I have only had 2 lots!
Love Debsxxx
Hi
I agree with Debs. If you had needed chemo right now your onc would have made sure you had it. Enjoy the chemo free days.
Nicky x
ps hope you are doing OK Debs - not good weather for you I should think - I was so grateful for our lack of summer last year when I was on chemo. x
Hi
I think that you are in a similar position to me I have mets in lungs and liver and lymph glands but my last scan showed that everything was stable after having 6 lots of Taxotere. My onc has stopped chemo for the time being and I go back and see her on 13th July to discuss the way forward.
I know what you mean in that I feel a bit vulnerable not having any back -up ( I am only on pain killers at the moment)
It is really nice not having chemo though - so enjoy the summer
Hi Nicky
I have twice met a consultant at the Marsden who has said that the best time for patients with mets. to start a chemotherapy course is when the cancer is moving fast. He reckons that sometimes chemo options can be used up too quickly when the cancer is not moving fast.
As you know I came off chemo in March thinking I would stop chemotherapy for good. (I’m in a different position to you with cancer not in major organs but with all standard chemos used up.) It was hard at first not to be in treatment but I’m sure for me it was the right decison then…and I was pleased that man at Marsden also thought it right. Unfortunately for me the ‘window of opportunity’ was brief as I have been in bad pain in my back and shoulder for weeks and painkillers giving me lots of side effects.
Sorry…this has turned into a post about me rather than you…from what you have said it sounds absolutely the right thing to have a break and enjoy the summer…hot or not.
Jane xxx