Chemotherapy

Why does everone bash Chemotherapy?

Isn't it supposed to be good for the treatment of Cancer?

I you remove the first 3 and the last 3 letters, you have MOTHER.

That's all...

HiDesertHal

I've never heard anybody 'bash' chemotherapy. Yeah, it's unpleasant to be sure. However, it's saved my wife's life, through the 3 different cancers she's had.
 
It's not a walk in the park for sure, but when you're hit with the diagnosis, it's a blessing.

I had 8 rounds of it 24 yrs. ago, but was thrilled to hear I didn't need it this time. Quite frankly, I would feel safer having it.

To tnThomas.....always good to hear survival stories. I hope your wife is doing well.
 
Perhaps "bash" is too strong a word...sorry.

hdh

No apologies necessary. :)

Chemo certifiably sucks, but dying of cancer is not fun. Now Radiation treatment, I'd bash that, sure it may help,

but I remember my mother suffering from radiation related illness.

In the end, it didn't help her at all...
 
The only negativity I've heard are tv ads telling people to sue if they lost their hair. To each their own, but I'd be grateful to be alive.

The only person I knew who had chemotherapy was one of my aunts- and she had no side effects at all.
The doctors said she probably wouldn't live more than 4 months after the surgery... she lived for another 29 years.
 
Some want it and some don't. I know people who have gone through it and are still alive and those who did not want it who are deceased now. Some felt it would not be a quality life on Chemo so they didn't get it. Yet I have a friend who has lived way past the years they told her she had and she is happy to still be with her family.
 
Chemotherapy (in 1980) made my mother horrifically ill -- so much so that she made the decision to quit getting it. In truth the doctors said it really probably wouldn't make much of any difference anyway, as her cancer had already spread to her liver by the time it was discovered. On chemotherapy, she spent most of her time on the bathroom floor. I was her caretaker and it was worse than terrible for her -- she had nonstop diarrhea and vomiting, she as weak as a kitten, and she looked like a concentration camp victim. When she stopped the chemo, she did pretty well (with palliative care) until about 10 days before she died.

For my niece (2015), the chemotherapy didn't affect her so badly as it had my mother. She had radiation, in addition, and that did have awful effects -- primarily burns and vomiting. Neither did much good, as she ultimately died.

Were I diagnosed with CA, I do not know if I would undergo chemo or not. If it were going to be like it was for my mother, I would most certainly not do it.
 
Were I diagnosed with CA, I do not know if I would undergo chemo or not. If it were going to be like it was for my mother, I would most certainly not do it.

I feel that chemotherapy should be available to all as a treatment option but at this point in my life I would take the hospice brochure and a prescription for some great pain relieving drugs.
 
I feel that chemotherapy should be available to all as a treatment option but at this point in my life I would take the hospice brochure and a prescription for some great pain relieving drugs.
I tend to agree with you but I'll not know until it's that time.
 
I had 12 chemo treatments in 2012, I have been cancer free going into my 6th year. Yes, the nausea was tough, but I was more sick prior to my surgery & chemo. The first 7 treatments were a walk in the park, #8 was like a switch was thrown. Still can't face a Costco hot dog. I never lost my hair, it did slow down. The nausea lasted 12 hours, I would wake up ravenous at 2AM, 2 pieces of toast solved that. Only long term side effect is there is some numbness in my fingers tips.
 
I had 12 chemo treatments in 2012, I have been cancer free going into my 6th year. Yes, the nausea was tough, but I was more sick prior to my surgery & chemo. The first 7 treatments were a walk in the park, #8 was like a switch was thrown. Still can't face a Costco hot dog. I never lost my hair, it did slow down. The nausea lasted 12 hours, I would wake up ravenous at 2AM, 2 pieces of toast solved that. Only long term side effect is there is some numbness in my fingers tips.
Congratulations on being cancer-free~:sentimental:
 
I watched a full CBS "Sunday Morning" show this Sunday morning 7/23/17 on the latest discoveries in Cancer treatments and some exciting things that are expected to come as soon at 2009. This is the full episode and worth the hour to watch it if you, or someone you know, has cancer.

[video]http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/sunday-morning-full-episode-723-beyond-cancer/[/video]
 
One reason people "bash" it so much could be because like myself, they have witnessed so many people having the bad side effects from it and it still didn't help the cancer. So, they went through all of that for nothing or so it seems to them. I know several people who did just that and still have died from the cancer.
 
We know some cancer is far more aggressive than others, and that chemo often simply gives you just a bit more time...as John McCain is admirably choosing. My experience with it was almost 24 yrs ago because it was in 2 lymph nodes. Who knows if the treatments were the reason I survived? Betty Ford had 1 lymph gland involved, had no chemo at all, and lived a couple more decades. Being Stage 1, I was prepared to go through it again w/my last diagnosis because I believe in it, but I am so grateful I didn't have to. At my age, it depends on what stage it's in, and your odds are of beating it. No need to spend your last months in misery if you're stage 4 or it's particularly aggressive.
 
First meeting with oncologist 75% chance to beat with chemo, 55-60% chance to beat without. Mine was slow developing 10-15 years could be faster next time. It was all a crap shoot, but as a drug store gambler 75 sounded better than 55. I knew the nausea was coming but researching the side effects that were minimal I decided to give it a chance. I had some things I needed to finish & to prepare my wife for living after my demise. I've taken care of all in the event I develop it again. I'm eating proper, exercising & getting on with my life, camping, giving unheeded advice all the things seniors do.
 


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