No treatment other then surgery?

Jadedjo · July 2018

Hello all,

I know many on here are fighting cancer with everything they got and I hope this does not offend them in fact I am in awe of the strength and fortitude of those strong enough to endure the misery all the treatments give.

I'm waiting for results but the radiology doctor pretty much said it's more then likely cancer.i don't know what type,stage or grade yet and won't for awhile. The feeling I'm getting from them is if it comes back benign it will be a miracle. So I'm starting to decide my path now and make it more defined as answers start coming in.

I was wondering if there are any on here who chose not to go with any other treatment other then surgery to remove the tumor and nodes.

I'm researching treatments and side effects and long lasting effects.and I'm not hopeful with what I'm seeing.

I already have a poor QOL due to other health issues add on those others and I should just give up now.

I also have a system that rejects pretty much anything synthetic,my doctor has given up prescribing pills other than a complete last resort because I end up not only having side effects listed but some not listed. That pretty much tosses out all the hormone stuff you take for the next five years.

I won't know exactly what to do until I get results back, do more testing and find out if nodes are involved and the odds of reocccurance but even then I'm leaning towards a double mastectomy and then just exercise,have as well as a diet I can for being in poverty and vigilance afterwards.if I ever start earning decent money maybe a more holistic route.

I'm open to radiation but more of a last resort thing. Chemo is completely off the table. With my diabetes,chronic anemia,a heart valve issue and the timebomb gene for heart attacks they might as well just put a bullet in my head it will kill me faster.

I have no children, I have no husband and at this point no hope of one. I have little family or friends left and I don't really exist to them basically cards at birthday and Christmas.i have one close friend. What I'm saying is I don't really have anything to help me endure the hell those treatments would cause.

I'm starting an exercise regime, as I am severely obese which thanks to PCOS I have a hard time losing even though I don't eat all that much and I have read that being in shape may not stop complications but certainly reduces the possibility of so many of them.at this point my appetite is so dead I may end up losing weight.

I feel less anxious and scared and more at peace with everything when I think of only choosing to do this. I know it all depends what kind,stage,grade,node involvement is involved but for me it's not length of life as much as being able to have one.

I know at 44 I'm still on the young side and being perimenopausal it puts me at higher risk but when I look forwards all I can think of is how awful my quality of life is without treatment and how more horrible it would be with chemo and hormone therapy. Maybe that might change and I meet someone that gives me a reason to add more years but for me it's not how many years I have left as much as how much QOL i can squeeze out of them.

I'm just wondering if anybody in here chose the no treatment or no treatment but surgery route?

I know it's not a popular opinion/choice on here or for doctors either. Pretty sure my biggest hurdle is going to be getting the health teams to accept NO I WON'T DO IT as an answer.

Thanks for any future answers you might give and best wishes in life/health and love to all who are here.

waytooanxiousmommy · July 2018

I am so sorry you are having to face this. Life can sometimes be very unkind. Still, we have choices and I do not mean the choices of treatment but the choices of how we want to live and look at life. I had chemo, surgery and rads and yes it sucked. Still I feel that breast cancer also has had positives. I'm unemployed, divorced, have to family around and I have two kids and two cats depending on me. I started good exercise and diet and it made a huge difference. I feel great and people are constantly telling me I look great even though I still hardly have hair and no eyebrows. I also looked for support via cancer support groups. Whatever choice you make for treatment please take care of yourself and open up to help from others.

Hugs and love and all the best

Scrafgal · July 2018

I am 52, single with no kids, not in a relationship at the moment. I had 6 months of chemo and just finished my third phase of reconstruction procedures. My hair came back after chemo but fell out again. I am now bald and without eyebrows--might grow back...might not...working with a dermatologist. But, despite my burden, I am truly happy. I do think that it has to do with the great support of friends and family and the fact that, other than being bald without brows (which is a big deal for me), I am healthy and was able to resume working fully. I just put on my makeup, create my brows, and walk out the door, understanding that a lot of people are dealing with a lot of things--not just me! Volunteering at a cancer hospital helps me keep perspective on things. This is a long road but you are not alone, regardless of your choice. However, you never know what joy life has in store for you. Your life today doesn't have to be your life tomorrow. I plan to make my next 52 years (or how many years I have), the very best

Jadedjo · July 2018

@waytooanxiousmommy

Thanks,

I don't disagree about it having its positives. I have been procrastinating about exercise ever since I stopped the last time over a year ago because I wasn't losing weight nothing was changing and I was busting my butt with one hour cardio (billy blanks)tae bo and one hour of Pilates or yoga 6 times a week when you do all that for half a year and barely tone up (probably did underneath the fat I just couldn't SEE it) you give up hope.nobody wants to work that hard for nothing.

Now I will be doing it to hopefully reduce whatever is needed to keep my hormones in check.

As soon as I get the actual diagnosis from the doctor I will be going to my Counselor who ironically enough works in cancer care (I was referred by my blood doctor that was keeping an eye on my anemia issues who was worried about my I'm tired of life statements) and asking what's available for me support wise.

Maybe if I had something to hold on to I would be more aggressive about doing treatments that will suck and leave long term effects but all I have is myself.even before this I looked to the future and saw more misery now I know for sure there is going to be misery even if I only go the surgery route.

I asked myself what could I live with even if it means it cuts my life expectancy and this is the only answer I kept coming up with.

Jadedjo · July 2018

@ scrafgal

Yes I do believe having a big support system helps.

I don't really have one.my one friend is a big support herself don't get me wrong but she lives in another province. Otherwise she would be here going with me and helping me.

I know right now it's wait and see if it's just really early stages or more advanced. I'm not as worried about the physical side effects although they would feel devastating as it happens as much as the more permanent internal ones. I'm not all that healthy to start and I'm not even including cancer in that.

Scrafgal · July 2018

Also, check out the threads under "newly diagnosed." You likely will find a lot of support on those boards. Don't hang out on this thread alone, in case others don't see it...go to an active and populated thread. It will help you feel better and not so alone..

Jadedjo · July 2018

@scrafgal

I will eventually.probably after I see my GP next week he will have some answers for me to go with by then.

I guess I'm holding on to the very small hope that the radiologist doctor is wrong and it's benign. Silly I know.

Puzzlewoman · July 2018

I’m sorry to hear you’re going through this. In my area there is a cancer support community that is fully funded through grants and donations, visitors are never charged. They have been such a huge support to me, like a family. And even though I’ve lived here all my life, I didn’t know it existed until a nurse navigator told me. Maybe there is something like this near you? Best wishes ❤️

Jadedjo · July 2018

@puzzlewoman

Thank you.

I see my counsler tommorow since she already works through cancercare she might know some groups available in this city and even at the hospital she works at.

Until I am actually medically diagnosed I don't really have any help other then that right now.

Sassa · July 2018

Dear Jadedjo - My heart aches to read of your health issues and the cancer scare you are now undergoing.

I can't offer any advice on what you may have to undergo if you do have cancer until you are diagnosed. However, your inability to lose weight , diabetes, and PCOS does sound very familiar. Starting in my forties, my weight just spiraled upward no matter how much I dieted or exercised. My blood glucose levels were creeping up and diabetes was a when, not an if. Cholesterol levels were very high and statins and diet did very little to lower it.

I am willing to bet that, like me, you have high blood pressure, never really slept through the night and that you crave carbs like a drug addict craves their drug of choice.

If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, I wouldn't be surprised if it is hormone negative.

Now for the good news, about nine years ago I learned about metabolic syndrome (and you are a poster child for it) and about the benefit of carb controlled diets. My guru has turned out to be a registered dietitian named Diane Kress and her version of a carb controlled diet she calls the "Metabolism Miracle." She has worked with diabetics for years and developed her diet plan based upon the needs of her patients.

Please google her and her diet plan. I can tell you that following her system I have lost over 100 lbs; my cholesterol levels are well within normal range without a statin; my blood pressure is controlled with one very low dose of drug; I sleep through the night and that I can easily pass up bread, pasta, and ice cream.

Best of all, my mood (alright, I was downright cranky) has changed for the better.

As I found out too late, having metabolic syndrome raised my risk of developing breast cancer and having it be hormone negative (on the other hand, there are no pesky side effects from hormone inhibitors as the drugs have no benefit for hormone negative breast cancer).

Hoping for the best for you.

Jadedjo · July 2018

@sassa

Thank you.

Reading the page I found I got to say you're right it does sound like me and yes I do have high blood pressure that fluctuates from normal to high in a hearbeat the back down again.

I think my biggest obstacle is going to be money which I don't have much of and the cost of food around here.

Thank you deeply for the info I'm pretty sure my counsler is referring me to a dietician so I will ask how close to this kind of diet can I get and still have enough money and food to last me the whole month.

Best wishes to you.

dtad · July 2018

Jadedjo....I'm so sorry you are going through this. I'm a lot older than you but I did decide to have surgery only. I also had poor QOL due to other health conditions at the time of my diagnosis. I decided to have the most aggressive surgery, a BMX and lower my estrogen naturally. I've lost 30 pounds and try to exercise daily. I also take several supplements. IMO you need to get all the facts before you can make an informed decision about treatment options. I'm not sure I would have made the same decision if I was your age. Best of luck no matter what you decide. We are all here for you.

Jadedjo · July 2018

Thanks @dtad

For me it's health and life conditions.

For five years I been listening to people say "things will get better just wait.your putting the work in it will pay off and things will improve" or "it can't stay bad forever" Now I wish I had smacked the lot of them so hard their house plants 20 years from now felt it.

I have never had a happy life. It went from tolerable with a huge amount of hope that it would change for the better when I tried for change.all attempts failed which led to the start of financial issues and my first chronic illness in 2003 that deeply reduced my QOL then it went to -I'm still young enough all I got to do is get a handle on this and I still might achieve my hopes and dreams-parents died,lost everything including people I thought would be there after those losses(they were gone before I could blink),positional vertigo for 6 months where I needed a wall to hold me up,the list kept going -still lousy QOL.

Then I managed to succeed in managing the first chronic condition for a little over a year and I was elated. Finally I could actually start having a life again.granted that life was now of someone who filed bankruptcy (i used my credit card to pay for my groceries my EIA didn't cover and ended up not being able to cover minimum payments so I needed up in bankruptcy trying to have a healthy diet that kept my chronic issue in check which was gluten free,fresh foods) was still very single with no prospects and unwillingly childless but I still had a small amount of hope cause I was still ovulating and maybe some guy would still love me.

Cue three years ago June 2015 new chronic condition possibly worse then the first managed, the edge of critical anemia that needed a blood transfusio,a colon cancer scare all within the months of June to November, through just pure pissed offedness managed to still attend college part time to achieve my admin asst certificate.got certificate June 1/18. Decided to see doctor about the 2nd chronic illness that was making life hell and was reducing my QOL to almost zero at this point. But afterwards I was going job hunting after years and years of being on EIA disability I could eventually finally SUPPORT MYSELF,earn enough money for GOOD FOODS that wouldn't trigger reflux and a gym pass for the fun classes I couldn't attend or afford before. I was going to have reflux issues hopefully manage them better so everyday wasn't misery but especially shark week when it gets so aggravated I can barely cope BUT I WAS FINALLY GOING TO GET TO LIVE!!something I haven't been able to do for 15 years. My situation based depression and suicidal urges would eventually fall to the wayside because I was going to get the chance to ACTUALLY HAVE A LIFEand would find a reason to live for the first time in 15 years! I been begging God and the Universe to give me something to hold on to a reason to live for two years eventually I'm gonna get an ok.look at all the people in my life who got their ok even when they weren't expecting it so something good has to happen eventually right?

Go for a test for that hoping to find out what's causing the reflux to be getting worse instead of better told I got a mass in my breast. I figured it couldn't be cancer considering what I have been through the past five years right? Nobody could be that unlucky right? It's just a cyst right?GOD couldn't hate me that much,could he?right l? Right..?

Looks like I am that unlucky.

It didn't get better.it got so so much worse. They lied.

I guess you can tell I'm in the anger stage of all this and I haven't even had a technical diagnosis yet. As much as I want to hope it's not cancer the more then half my life has shown me I'm not that lucky,the past half decade has shown me I'm obviously being punished for something. Do t know what but it surely is punishment. There's a reason I chose jadedjo as my name I went from believing in good things happen to people who are good to thinking evil always wins,good things are just a fairytale.

Thanks for the support I can't get much from here other then my counsler who doesn't seem all that in a hurry to get back to me when I call her about what they are saying and a friend who is a distance away who I'm starting to sense is getting tired of taking most the weight of this herself because other then you guys no one else is stepping up to the task not even the professionals who should.

I just wanted to have a life like others around me.husband,kids doing something I liked doing for work. Never got the chance and now probably never will because I'm done. I got no strength,no fortitude,no pissed offedness left. I'm just broken.

Sorry for being a Debbie downer I just can't see a spot of hopefulness anymore.

Jadedjo · July 2018

Just got diagnosed.

More under the just diagnosed thread under -it's cancer-

dtad · July 2018

So sorry. We are all here for you...

Jadedjo · July 2018

Thanks.i appreciate it.

bluepearl · July 2018

Jadedjo: So sorry for your diagnosis. It is another heavy burden for you to bare. I would like to add that everything you have mentioned, sums up to huge inflammatory processes going on in your body. It accounts for everything. Ask your dietician about the ketogenic diet which does two things that are important....reduces inflammatory processes and MAKES you burn fat for fuel. As a side line, it also can reverse diabetes. A modified version is eating only healthy fats, like oils rather than saturated fats. What happens in the gut affects how your brain and emotions work. You can up the good bacteria by eating more fibre, something cheap like natural bran.You can make a cheap hot cereal using just a few nuts (not peanuts..I buy like a small handful of almonds and pecans from bulk and lightly salted in pan to bring out flavour) ground up with natural bran/oat bran (and splenda for sweetening..Walmart has their own make which is cheap because you don't have to use much)..eggs are a really good source of protein (don't worry about cholesterol because your liver makes most of that) and you can buy egg whites for about 5.00 that will last a mont (one scrambled egg and a 1/2 cup of whites) or you can just go straight to the whole eggs. because it is a diet with moderate protein you can eat cheaper cuts of meat. Eat as many veggies as you can, even cold potatoes won't hurt you blood sugar.....but they have to be cooked and cooled to cold....a potato salad with celery, mayo (sugarless), even a carrot. onions and the egg are a really nice treat now and again. The ketogenic diet actually helps chemo work better too. Fruits you can have are berries. Spend a little extra on frozen ones and use only a handful in your cereal, for example. I can't explain how much this diet makes you feel better, imparts energy, reduces or eliminate depression/anxiety...the latter of which you are steeped in....gives you better sleep. I don't know what province you are in but I live in B.C. Another mineral you will be depleted in is magnesium...severly depleted....buy a bottle that has "highly absorbable" on it...should be a $8.00. Having come out of poverty I learned how to be cheap and how to stretch stuff. Soups were a life saver!!! Sending big B.C. hugs your way ((((((HUGS))))))

Anonymous · July 2018

@dtad. How does one lower one's estrogen naturally?

Jadedjo · July 2018

@ bluepearl

Unfortunately I have a restricted food list thanks to acid reflux food triggers.baked and mashed potatoes make me feel like I swallowed drano.which sucks because I could live off a single baked potato for an actual meal these days.

So my dietician will have to work around all these triggers to help me create a proper diet.

At this point it's coming off anyway I lost 7 pounds since Tuesday (some of that is water weight from shark week granted)

My appetite has deteriorated for awhilebut recently since the biopsy it's gone to nothing.i have to force food down and it sits there for a long time because I can still be digesting food I ate 12 hours earlier (very slow digestion)and I suspect it's going to get worse as more news comes in.

I am also starting to work out like heavily working out as much as I can handle so I can build up my muscle mass enough to reduce the complications and increase recovery from surgery and after surgery when I will be unable to be active for awhile.

@viewfinder

I know there are some foods you can avoid to reduce the amount of estrogen in your body. I don't know about foods to eat that lower it though and would be interested myself.

No treatment other then surgery?

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