Depression

Hi Hammy1 

We are here to help you and I am glad you reached out to us .

I will get Macmillan to contact you to see what support can be accessed for you .

Firstly we are here on the forum . Anytime you need to chat please reach out . We have a helpline 0808 808 0000 who are there and happy to listen when you need to reach out to someone . Macmillan has also teamed up with Bupa to offer six free counselling sessions . The helpline have the criteria and information. Pleased do phone them and see what can be done to help you .

Are you in treatment currently?

Take care ,

Court 

Thank you for replying.  At the moment  am on a break from chemo I have been for blood test today an due a scan on Sat but oncology appointment not till end of Oct. I'm teffified the cancer has spread an they tell me they can do no more. Cried a river again today . X 

Hi Hammy1 

Totally understand that and the not knowing what is going to happen is so hard .

If you click on my user name you can read my mum’s story over the last 14 years .

Where has your cancer spread to ? Mum has had it in her liver and lung and it’s currently back in her lung . She is using a biological agent which is working at keeping it knocked back down at the moment . 
Take care ,

Court 

Hi again . It has spread to liver and peritoneum.  I have only been offered chemo , nothing else.  I feel as if I have just been left to suffer and die . 

Hi Hammy1 ,

Sorry to read about you situation.  I'm in a similar boat, was just getting my life back and then have been told its back and there are no more surgical options.

I need hope though so I refuse to give up.  I'm starting chemo at the end of Oct and was given the option of 2 chemos for a better quality of life or 3 to blast it.  I've chosen to blast it, I'm praying it will shrink and then I will be looking at second opinions.

Do you know your biomarkers?  If you are wild type you may be able to have cetuximab,  that worked wonders for my liver and led to a liver resection.  

Don't give up.xx

Hi star. Thank you for your message. So sorry your in same boat . Sometimes I think depending on where you live determines what treatments you are offered. I've been told they can give me chemo to hold it back but cannot be cured. I keep hearing how well people are doing but I seem to be struggling with everything including the chemo . It's caused me no end of problems but I have to have it to stay alive . I'm between a rock and a hard place . 

Yes there are many people who are doing well for years on maintenance chemo but it's a hard thing to accept.  Chemo is rubbish there's no two ways about it but if your team can find a balance, maybe a reduced dose could help.  When i was on chemo at the beginning  (I was diagnosed  3 years ago), they reduced my dose by 20% which made a huge difference to how i was feeling but still done the job.

Where are you based?  I'm in Bournemouth and have great care but my Onc is on a sabbatical and I saw a new one on Friday who was very cold and seemed to have just given up on me before I've started. 

Hi Star74!

So sorry to hear your cancer has come back. My late husband's came back just after 5 months of being clear last year in May 2022. He had to go through more chemo as well which needed to be stopped and withdrawn altogether due to kidney damage. They more or less told him after that he was on `borrowed time`. He got continuous bouts of sepsis after that and it was the 4th one along with his cancer than finally took him on 23rd June this year. Yes i have experienced the `coldness` of the oncologist I found my husband's to be a bit `aloof` at times and a bit unapproachable although he was seemingly very good at his job which I'm sure they all are he's retired now though. I asked after Jay's  surgery to get the tumour cut out if he should have post chemotherapy incase anything was missed and his oncologist just more or less I feel dismissed the idea and said that everything was clear and if it wasn't necessary to do then they don't do it but there 5 months down the line and it was back again. So, there were obviously some cells that got through and formed again and I feel that if aome kind of post chemo was done at the time, it might just have zapped any wee beggars still floating around and I'll always feel bitter about that. My best wishes for you all going forward and seeking alternative treatments. 

Vicky x

 PattyK ,

Thanks Vicky and I'm so sorry about your husband. 

I was also refused chemo after my last op, even though i am high risk of recurrence due to the margins in surgery.  I was told there is no evidence to suggest it works.  Plus it would make me very poorly to treat something that may or may not be there. 

I'm quite glad now as it gave me time to recover fully from the op and get fighting fit to bash it again. Plus I had the best summer holiday with my boys being off chemo!

Take care, thinking of you.

Michelle x