what would you do if you got cancer?

Specialties Oncology

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What would you do if you got a cancer diagnosis? Chemo? Radiation? Natural supplements?

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Specializes in Plastics. General Surgery. ITU. Oncology.

That would depend upon the type of cancer and the prognosis.

For breast, ovarian, colorectal, testicular, most of the lymphatic or haematological cancers I'd go the chemo route. For head and neck radiotherapy.

For pancreatic, metastatic melanoma, lung I wouldn't take any treatment. These are death sentences only usually prolonged by chemo.

I don't believe in "supplements" at all. Or any "alternative" treatments. Aromatherapy and the like has a role to play and is soothing and pleasant as long as it is understood that it is not curative.

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

been there done that...

surgery, chemo, radiation, and lots of CoQ10...

13 years and still kickin...

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
What would you do if you got a cancer diagnosis? Chemo? Radiation? Natural supplements?

I'd find the best oncologist I could lay hands on, who treats a lot of whatever cancer I had, and do what he or she told me to do.

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Depends on the cancer, the stage, and the prognosis. Pancreatic cancer, cancer that has metastasized to other places, liver cancer, etc. I would get my affairs in order and travel to the places I need to see before I die. Early stage cancers of colon or breast I would go for full treatment. Even 5 or 10 years would be worth having since I have small children. I don't believe in natural supplements as a treatment.

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

yup to the small children part...mine were 8 and 13...I told my oncologist that I wanted to dance at my son's wedding. He'll be 22 in August...

I believe in natural supplements as...uh, well, as supplements...lol

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Glad you are beating back that %$%# Monster, Tewdles. Just lost my mom to the beast but she was first dx in '83 and gave it a run for it's money. Little bro dx with acute lymphocytic leukemia in '74 is 40 years old. I like to dwell on the victories!! :up:

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

I doubt I would do anything, I am not married, no kids, my parents are quite a bit older. It would be a hardship for them to have to take care of me, particularly if I were on a harsh regimen. I'd rather just use my time to be with them for however long that might be.

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Specializes in correctional, med/surg, postpartum, L&D,.

I have stage III colon cancer. I did the first line treatment.... surgery and six months of chemo. So far, so good.

I also have the best oncologist whom I obviously trust with my life.

I'm not a fan of organic, chinese medicine or natural supplements.

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Specializes in med/surg, wound/ostomy.

I'd go sky diving

I'd go Rocky Mountain climbing

I'd go 3.7 seconds on a bull named Fu Manchu

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Specializes in Tele Step Down, Oncology, ICU, Med/Surg.

Dx'd in 2005 with Stage III Medullary Carcinoma of the left breast as a young mom with three kids--my 1 yr old still nursing--was told the lump I felt was due to a plugged milk duct. NOT!

Did lumpectomy, sentinel node biopsy, resection to gain greater margin, a harsh round of TAC (Tax, Adri and Cytoxan all at the same time) chemo. Partway thru I contracted a port infection, had one long never ending period, ended up with practically no WBC all of which contributed into which throwing me into DIC with an extended vacation in reverse iso.

At that point, my father passed away suddenly just a few years after I had lost my beloved mom. I remember just wanting to give up and give in at that point, but my hub and kids kept me tethered in the land of the living and I fought on. Recovered from the chemo and survived the exhasting rounds of radiation. All during this I started taking pre-reqs for nursing.

Looking back on it it just feels like a bad dream. I had a harder road than others--there were little old ladies getting the same treatment as me with no side effects that were doing the breast cancer walk while I was in reverse iso. Maybe because they had grown families and could focus in on themselves in a way I was not able to do with young children.

If you get a C dx--fight it with a good oncologist and get a partner to advocate for you when you are weak. A husband trying to deal with a full time job and three young children is not the best advocate--try to get an advocate who can be very present for you. Someone who can make it to your Dr. appts and take notes and ask questions you may not think to ask.

I had a great oncologist, but the NP I saw every other visit was not the sharpest tool bless her well intentioned soul. She forgot to order my blood boosters which contributed to my low WBC which helped to feed the whole infection to DIC cycle I went thru. Had I been more knowledgable and had I had a knowledgable advocate, this could have been avoided.

So, Here I am today--a healthy hale mom of three and newly minted middle aged RN. Will be a full time oncology nurse as of December 6th. Maybe a higher power had a plan, maybe I just got lucky. When I look into the eyes of my kids--all of who suffer from some form of LD/Dyslexia/ADD and whom are hard kids to parent as a twosome--I know it was totally worth it.

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Thank you for sharing your experience and your strength. Very inspirational! And Congrats on your new job in Oncology.

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