What would you choose next and why?

Hello Mr U, having read your profile, I can fully understand your dilemma. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough medical knowledge to tell you which of the 3 options I would choose.

however , I can tell you what I would do ( rather than choose)if it were my husband:

I would do as much research as possible about the radiotherapy and chemotherapy. I would also look for other potential treatments out there. Any decision must be as fully informed as possible. 

I think your ‘wait and see’ option is, probably, an acceptance that you might be ready to enter the palliative care phase - ie being kept as comfortable and well as possible for as long as possible?. This might be a trade off - shorter term good quality of life without the side effects of treatment but, potentially,  a shorter life span than you would hope for yourself.

as you have inherited gene mutations, I would  also make sure all my family members ( male and female) know that they can also get their genetic risks checked.

I’m really sorry to not be of much use to you! Please note that these are things I would do and not what I think you should choose.  But,  I just wanted you to know that I am sorry to hear of your struggles and do care about your next steps on this rocky journey. Your posts are often an inspiration to me and others and I really hope you choose the option which works out best for you.

xxx

Hello Mr U (Mr U) 

• A - first - Ra223 (Radium Therapy) purely and simply because if I had already had Chemotherapy and it hadn't gone well for me. I'd want to keep it as a back up.
• B - second - Chemotherapy IF it's needed after 6 months of Ra223.

• From my experience, you can have the treatments in that order.
• C - I would only pick this option if I had the mental capacity to accept whatever comes and my family fully understood why I chose this option.

Something else to consider is the effect that treatment A will have on you, your Darling and your family as I suspect it will involve a certain amount of travelling (Brighton?) and also I think in the week after the treatment you have to follow some simple radiation rules at home. At the end of the day though your team are looking after you so if I were you I would go for it.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thank for your reply WW.

My family have been made aware of the gene issue and some of them are already in the process of finding out their DNA profiles. Of course this is a personal choice and some are not interested — which is absolutely fine.

Ive got a MRI reporting soon which may swing the choice, but the choices won’t change.

“Another” treatment is worth checking out, and perhaps better than all the others. Certainly worth considering.

I wish I knew how much time I’ve got left, it would make my choice that much easier.

Bye for now, Mr U 

Thank you Millibob (Brian).

There’s never been a greater need for hindsight or looking on the crystal ball.

I feel the radium is a week treatment and the chemo will only start off week and grow if my body lets it. The wait and see is as you say, for the moment when you want to disassociate from being pushed and pulled and need a rest.

I do feel like there’s not enough information in my pocket yet. Perhaps there never will be.

And that’s the rub. Luckily I’m not choosing for a week or two. But the more we talk about it the more satisfied I’ll be with the data allowing me a “best solution.

Roll on the day when we have all the data.

Mr U over and out.

Hello Mr U

my husband had genetic counselling and it is not so cut and dried as we thought it would be. Thankfully they did not find any of the known cancer-causing genes but they warned us there may be unknown cancer- causing genes not yet discovered. Also, I got very edgy towards results day. I realised that my beautiful daughters might then be face with a choice of whether or not to have double mastectomies. That terrified me! I knew it would be such a difficult decision for them.

i really hope others will come along with their own thoughts and experiences to help you make the right decision for yourself. I think the important thing is that you do have options and you have the final say in what option you choose. 

I hate making decisions and really understand how difficult this could be. But - I’m sure I speak for everybody here in saying that we are all behind you and hoping for the very best of outcomes for you.