Am I making the right decision?

Hi LiH

So very sorry that you have cause to be on here.

Only you can decide whether to go ahead with the treatment or not. Yes you may feel a tad unwell while going through the treatment; on the other hand, you may sail through it.  However you will not know until you try.  If you do feel too unwell to continue with the treatment, in discussion with your cancer team, you can choose to come off it.

From personal experience, I was desperate to start my treatment even though my Consultant warned me it would be brutal (and he was correct!).  However I persevered and 15 years later, here I am officially 'cured'.  

Treatments have come on in leaps and bounds since I started my lung cancer journey.  Existing treatments such as chemo have been made a lot kinder with less side effects. New immunotherapy treatments are game changing.

Good luck which ever route you choose, and I wish you the best possible outcomes.

Kegsy x

From personal experience 

Thanks for that, you're right, of course.   

Initially, I was desperate to move forward with treatment asap, but now its here I'm having a bit of a wobble.  As you say, treatments have come a long way, I see new drugs on tv all the time.  My oncologist was over the moon that this new drug was available to me, fingers crossed it does what is hoped.

Glad you got through it.

Lesley

Hello LIH,

A warm welcome to the lung forum, although I'm very sorry you have the need to join.

I would echo Kegsy's comments.

I had adjuvant chemotherapy several years ago after surgery and was told it could improve my long term survival chance by just 5 percentage points. My reasoning to accept treatment was partly based on the fact that I could stop any time if the effects were that bad. I made it through though.

I wish you a successful outcome.

Derek.

Dear LIH,  Decisions, decisions.... it's hard to know if you need to sit tight or take a chance.  Sorry that you've received this diagnosis, and I wonder what other information you're receiving - for instance I've been exposed over the years to people who say the treatment is worse than the disease and chemo is pure poison etc.  I was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, top right lung in 2017.  I received surgery and then chemo but I had to stop after 3 of 4 cycles because of adverse effects.  The great thing about the drugs you are offered is that they do blood tests all the time to monitor your response and to see whether your body is coping with these powerful drugs. Frankly, I found it hard, but it was the testing that really showed what was happening to my liver and bone marrow.  I found 18 months later that the cancer had spread to my mediastinal nodes, so then I received radiotherapy, and more chemo.  And this time my oncologist stopped the chemo after only 2 of 4 cycles because of ill effects.  Then a miracle, I was able to receive immunotherapy every 3 weeks for a year - a new drug, and it had very few side effects, and here I am so many years later.  My take on this is to take the advice of your oncologist and your MacMillan nurses, and see what happens.  As Kegsy said above, you can always decline treatment if you think it is too harsh.  I think the trick for all of us is to survive long enough to be able to receive all the wonderful new treatments that are available now.  Best wishes to you, it sounds as if you've had a lucky break - I hope you can let us know how you get on.  

Thanks so much for your reply, I'll get this first lot of chemo done tomorrow and see how it goes. Its every three weeks and at some point they'll add in the amivantamab injection.  Atm it's so new to my hospital that it'll be a first for them too.  So many advances are being made, as you say, who knows what's around the corner.

Thank you for sharing your journey, glad your winning.

Lesley

Thank you for your reply Derek, one day at a time I think, starting with a big one tomorrow.

I hope all goes well for you.

I’ve just been reading your journey up to now. I’m wishing you all the best for tomorrow and the following treatments. 
love Daisy

So sorry you are going through this . For me it wqs the unknown that scared the hell out or me .  I didnfind treatment tough but i have other health conditions that made it worse .  Oncology reduced my dose and I carried on . But everyone is different  there wqs a gentleman having treatment tge same time as me  who travelled in  and out on his motorbike . A couple of ladies were puke come in looking fabulous  and perfectly fine .    I had this vision of everyone  being so ill with side  effects , this isnt the case .  

Thanks, I think you're right, I don't really know what to expect, although it's been explained several times & I've had a tour of the unit. All the possible side effects are so daunting, everyone seems happy to tell you how awful it was/is.  Once I get tomorrow over with I'll feel happier I'm sure. Your words are very encouraging.