Has anyone ever considered?

paml
paml Member Posts: 81
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Hi Everyone,

I don't post here very often but continue to read everyone's entries which helps me alot. I have been considering this for quiet some time and I really need input from you guys. I know this is crazy, but has anyone ever thought about refusing the blood work and scans that come ever 6 months? I am stage 3 after having yearly mammograms for 11 years straight. I still ended up with a stage 3 cancer that they say has a high risk of recurrence because of something called a high proliferation rate. I am so scared considering what happened to Elizabeth Edwards. It's almost like I really dont want to know and I dont want to go through all the torture again. I have asked my oncologist for Zometa but he refuses to give it to me and gave me Boniva instead. I take that Femara every day without fail. I get statements from other doctors like " is your cancer still in remission? "WHAT" Remission implies that it will return! Sometimes I dont think the torture that comes with having those blood test every six months is really worth it. Does their treatment really keep you alive longer? I am so confused! Again, can anyone tell me if they have ever thought about refusing the blood test and saying forget it! Just give me my femara and let me go home!  Please help.

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • caaclark
    caaclark Member Posts: 936
    edited December 2010

    My docs do not run bloodwork or scans unless there are symptoms.  That used to bother me but now I am glad.  I would probably need major  psych. therapy if my docs required me to get bloodwork and scans every 6 months. 

    I think Elizabeth Edwards' situation has freaked all of us out.  I also asked about Zometa and my docs say no.  I do take Fosamax.  Tried Boniva and had horrible side effects. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • kimber3006
    kimber3006 Member Posts: 586
    edited December 2010

    My onc said we won't do bloodwork or scans in the absence of symptoms either.  (I drop down to 3 month visits when I finish herceptin next month).  I'm very happy with that plan!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • everyminute
    everyminute Member Posts: 1,805
    edited December 2010

    I refused blood work at my last appt.

    My onc switched me to 6 month appts after two years - she did blood work every 3 months but no scans.  At my recent appt I told her I dont want blood work anymore and she agreed.

    I take my pills religiously, I take Vit d3 and aspirin, I exercise daily, laugh often, pray alot.  I did zometa every 6 months and have done and will do all I can.

    But blood work just freaks me out - tests are not reliable and if I have a problem she has a baseline to compare to - for now I just need to live

    My 2 cents.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • paml
    paml Member Posts: 81
    edited December 2010

    Thanks so much guys!

    Without you guys, I dont think I would have made it these past two years!

    Thank God for all of you!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dreaming
    dreaming Member Posts: 473
    edited August 2013

    I read that Mrs. Edwards postponed both times her treatments in order to work her rat/husband campaign.

    I am years from diagnosis, but because I have PMR I have to have blood work every month, I hate needles, have poor veins, but I have to have it done. All treatments and follow ups are a personal decision, I want to be as well as I can, I will do anything  for this reason.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 6,503
    edited December 2010

    I still see my onc every 3 months...he draws blood right b4 the visit....visit includes physical exam and history....no scans unless symptomatic.....onc doesn't see need to do D3 levels and in light of the recent controversy, I, okay with it...besides I take 2000iu/day.....was taking Actonel, but stopped it when I stopped my Aromasin....last BMD was a year ago...don't know when next one will be, probably in another year since I am no longer on AI's...onc was not sold on zometa...okay by me as I did not want to be in the infusion room.....in some ways I feel like I live in denile land and in other ways, reoccurance is in the back of my mind....I only see my onc...did not see my PS this year or BS....since I see onc every 3 months, it seems silly to see anyone else....part of me wants to quit seeing onc and just deal with whatever whenever should the need arise....but haven't gotten the courage up yet to do that.....maybe if I can quit coming here, I could get even further away from it all!!!  but I doubt that will ever happen :)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited December 2010

    I have general blood work done for Zometa, but have never done TM's, and have no routine scans, apart from breast ones.

    I don't think mentally I could cope with 6 month scans.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Pure
    Pure Member Posts: 1,796
    edited December 2010

    I get blood done every 6 months with Zometa and thats it.... I am free to live! Now if I have any pain or feel anything I will go in!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Beverly11
    Beverly11 Member Posts: 443
    edited December 2010

    I get general blood work every 3 months with zometa.  I take a ton of nutritional supplements, tamoxifen, I exercise & pray.  Doing everything I can so I will never have any regrets. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • AnacortesGirl
    AnacortesGirl Member Posts: 1,758
    edited December 2010

    Do what you are comfortable with.  It's your life.  Not your oncs or any of the other docs. 

    My "freak out" was back when I got my first dx from the excisional biopsy and I had the same path report as my sister who died in 2005 from BC.  Knowing that someone who shares the same gene pool as you didn't make it is quite an impact.  But I'm OK with that now.  I am a different person than my sister or anyone else who we lose to this beast.

    My onc wants to see me every 3 months and do labs.  No scans unless I have symptoms.  I'm on Aromasin, baby aspirin, 2000 IUs of Vit D and Zometa.  I'm in my comfort zone getting the labs because I'm a data person.  I want to know what I don't have.  And if something shows up then I want to know because I want to make the most of my life whether it's 2 more years or 20 more years.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories