continuing meds

[bluemax14]

I know several people with various type of cancer who continue taking meds of some sort even tho the cancer is in remission. but my Doctor told me that he has done all that is possible for me. 7 weeks of radiation plus 6 months of chemo. He has me scheduled for a CT scan this month (the27th) he talked like if it shows the cancer returned it's good bye Max. Nothing else to do! Do I need to get another opinion?

[Nancy B]

Hi Max, it sure never hurts to get another opinion, or 2 or 3. Just think positive, seems like this doctor isn't thinking positive. I haven't been on any medications between my remissions, and I am headed for my third surgery.

OK, I changed my mind, definitely get another opinion, you need a doctor that will fight with you, if that is what you want to do.

Max, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Hugs,

Nancy B

[MsC1210]

Hello Max

Although I am limited in my knowledge of treatements etc, I can sense the doubt in your post here. I can say I agree with Nancy and would most definitely get a 2nd or even 3rd or more opinions. You owe it to yourself...

My thoughts and prayers are with you,

Chris

[Don M]

Max; I think you should get a second opinion if the scan shows progression. You have recently completed a second line chemo regime. There should be other options still available. Go to a major cancer center.

Don M

[carolhg]

Max,

I would most definitely get another opinion!

[RandyW]

I second The second opinion You do need a doctor that will fight with everything in the arsenal. There are a lot of treatments available right now and many on the table being researched. Refuse to lose and keep going forth in this journey. Even if it is a hard fight better than no fight. Sending prayers for a good scan on 27th.

[Frank Lamb]

Nancy,none of us cancer survivors need a defeatist dr.I had the maximum amt.of radiation allowed but when the cancer returned I also had the max.amt. allowed again in the same area.It caused problems dpwn the road but I'm still here to tell of it.

Seems to me there are still many options available to you.Every time a dr.tells me it's lights out I make a follow up appt.with them for a date when I am supposed to be expired.

[bluemax14]

Thank you all for the replies to my post. I believe that when the time comes I will certainly seek a second opinion if my present oncologist still has a negative outlook for me.

Did I mention that I am 73 soon to be 74 God willing and that the doctor might be taking my age into consideration?

I guess also there is the quality of life to consider. Tho I feel OK now 3 months afer my last chemo. I stil remember the rough times during treatment. I'm not sure my wife can go through all that again. She is the one who nursed me though the rough spots and cared for me.

[Welthy]

Hi Max,

I don't think age should be a factor as long as the patient is healthy enough to withstand the treatment!! Keep on fighting buddy. I'm sure your wife would rather go through more chemo/radiation than not have you around at all!! (Just my opinion, as a wife.) It is grueling to be the caretaker, but the alternative is completely unacceptable to me.

If the time comes when you sense the Doc is not on the same page as you, get a second opinion. There are so many more "lines" of therapy available. My husband is on a chemo break right now and he still has the original mass (half the original size & far less active) in his left lung. (God, chemo, & radiation have "smited" all the rest of his cancer!) Once he recoups a little it is on to Tarceva. Our Oncologist already has the next steps mapped out for us. Make sure you feel just as comfortable with the game plan that your Doctor gives you! Keep us posted.

Warmest regards,

Welthy

[bluemax14]

Thank you Welthy for the response and the encoragemet. I have a dumb ? for you. what is sob?

[bluemax14]

I should have known that! I am suffering from sob also. It was bad enough but after a bout with pneumonia it seems a lot worse. That was scary, the 5 foot walk from a hospital bed to the toilet made me huff and puff.

[cindi o'h]

Hey there.

I agree with all the others. Wait for the scan on the 27th and see what comes of it.

You need to have a doc who is in your corner and willing to go to battle WITH you. Boy, he sounds like a grump.

Look at me! I am working towards 4 years from a stage lllb. The onc. at my bedside said the prognosis was grim. (I didn't even ask him!)

Do you think I ran to his office for treatment? Hell-NO! I boogied to someone else. Don't forget, you are in charge of your care. You and your wife can get through all of this. If it comes to it, there are treatments that are not as harsh as what you have already had. See jimben's profile, CharlieD's profile, dadstimeon's profile. There are many geezers surviving this and still pounding keys at the computer!

Cindi o'h

[Tom K]

You most definitely need a second opinion. Today there are lots of options for treating cancer. In a very honest conversation with my Onc, I was told that in a worst case scenario, I could expect 4 or more years of reasonably good quality of life provided I did not mind gong through multiple different therapies. She stressed that there were many options available with more being developed each year. You need to find an oncologist who is well versed in all the options available. Check out the people on this board and you will see there are many survivors who have been holding the disease at bay for years because of the many therapies they were treated with. BTW, age has very little to do with treatment success. In fact, I have read that age can be advantage, because the cancer tends to grow slower in older people.