It’s early in the morning and my mind is racing. At the meeting with my oncologist last week she told me if I don’t have any further treatment, I have 6-12 months to live. The only alternatives I have been given are to take capecitabine in tablet form only, or try a different infusion, can’t remember the name iri something. The infusion doesn’t have a very high success rate, so I agreed to the capecitabine. After talking to my dad I’m not sure I’ve made the right decision. The nurse said that they hope the capecitabine will “freeze”, or slow the tumours growth, but we won’t know for around 4 months. I’ve only been given around 2 years, so am worried that’s a big gamble. I don’t understand why I’ve only been offered these two options. Does anyone have any suggestions, or experience of this sort of situation?
Hello Jools64
I am sorry that your mind is racing after your meeting with your oncologist last week. It is not surprising in the circumstances and it is difficult to know what to do for the best sometimes with treatment decisions.
How about giving the Support Line a call and talking it through with one of the nurses? They would know a bit more about the capecitabine and would likely know the name of the other infusion you are being offered. It may help to feel a bit more informed about why these treatments are being offered and not other ones and then you could speak directly with your own CNS/oncologist team?
Jane
Hi Jools,
I am the same, in the early hours of the morning everything goes through your mind. Sometimes just writing it down helps and someone looking from an outside perspective. Let us know how you get on and if there is anything else that you need
Jane
Am glad you were able to speak to a Macmillan nurse. I know what you mean by wanting to look things up. I had letters like that with different histology types on- looking them up didn't explain them any better to be honest. I asked my nurse in the end and she said not to worry too much about it. If she is waiting for the other results from the molecular analysis and she has said that they may open up other options- maybe those ones are more important.
We are here if you need us in the meantime
Jane
