Hi There
I’m hoping for some suggestions or shared experiences and more hope than I’ve been given by my oncologist. I was initially diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2018 and since then it’s kept returning, showing on my 6 monthly follow up scans. I’ve had various operations, chemo and most recently chemo radiotherapy which ended at Xmas.
On the most recent scans to see how the treatment worked I was told there were several small nodules now showing on my lungs which she has diagnosed as secondary lung cancer and then she gave me around 2 years to live, saying it’s incurable. I’ve no need to tell you what a shock it was as I’m 55 and feeling quite well despite everything I’ve endured since 2018.
I was so shocked at the diagnosis and unable to comprehend it as I don’t feel ill, that I asked for another scan in 3 months which will give me an idea of how quickly things are progressing. Currently they are 2-4mm. I was perhaps expecting Surgery on the bowel cancer but I’m not really sure whats happening in that regard now with this new lung diagnosis and they said with this discovery, an operation is most likely not going to be considered on my bowel. However it that is still growing, it will in time cause me problems down the line as it’s attached to my ureta and womb
I have to decide if I want to live a life as full as I can for as long as I can or start chemo to try and slow growth, but it will never cure me. I don’t known how big I can let them get by doing this before I feel unwell, or how unwell chemo will make me if I start that sooner rather than later. I am also considering CBD oil as what have I got to lose now? I know there are mixed views on this in the cancer community. With my hair loss if I have chemo, if it’s palliative; am I right in thinking it will ever grow back if I’m using it regularly to keep me alive longer and will I have a decent quality of life on the chemo?
Sorry for the long essay but if anyone has been in a similar situation or someone they love, I would dearly like to hear from you.
thank you for reading x
Hi Hac274, welcome to the group but I am so sorry you find yourself here.
I haven’t had chemo myself, so I cannot comment on that. I do have an incurable cancer though and I think with the questions you are asking, it would be a good idea for you to join the Living with incurable cancer forum - patients only . It is a very supportive group, and there are people there that are on palliative and long term chemo who will be able to share their experience with you.
You could copy and paste your post from here, I am sure you will get lots of people coming along with a very similar situation to yourself. I’m a member in that group too, so hope to see you there xx
