lillysgrandma's Cancer Blog
December 27, 2006
| Treatment & Side Effects | Views: 146 |
I didn’t do my homework!
Caught up in the process and confusion of cancer and it’s teatments I finally got to a point where I stopped asking questions. I developed the attitude of,
“Just do it and get it over with”.
Had I asked questions and had I researched the possible side effects my after cancer health may have been quite different.
Now that I have put cancer behind me I have to deal with the after shock of treatment side effects, heart failure with all it’s complications. Then there is Chemobrain, while not life threatening it is one big pain to live with.
While chemo and radiation saved me from death from cancer it also handed me a whole new list of things to worry about.
I realize now how important asking questions and taking control of your treatment can be. Your doctors are NOT going to tell you everything you need to know. They may not even be aware of some of the possible complications.
ASK questions and if you don’t like the answers get a SECOND opinion….or a third…...It’s quite possible that even with knowledge you will run into problems but at least you will know what the dangers are and you’ll be prepared.
I have been researching (Too Late) long term side effects of chemo and radiation and it’s pretty scary.
Gerry Humes 
Thanks for your support -
I totally agree Bev. I was so ready to have the whole ordeal over with that I just sped through treatment. I wish I would of asked other cancer survivors more questions, but I didn’t reach out to anyone until after treatment.
Thanks Jill,
I know I keep harping on the need for individual RESEARCH but it is so important to know that treating cancer into remission is NOT the end of the line.
It’s one thing to survive the disease but quite another to die from the treatment.
I had the same feeling at the time; I am having side effects from the chemo 3 years later, or so my doctor thinks; did you or do you know of anyone who had joint and muscle pain years after attributed to chemo? I am having some intense pain; will be going to a rhematoidologist soon….
Hi Susan,
I have experienced frequent muscle pain in my legs and lots of good old, really painful “Charlie Horses” which I hadn’t had since childhood. Nothing as serious as you seem to be experiencing though. I don’t know if there is any connection to cancer treatment but there might be. Let us know what you find out at your appointment.
Thanks for the reminder. I started with a notebook and lists of questions but since then I have fallen into the “just do it and get it over” attitude. I have completed the two stem cell transplants but am still on Thalomid and don’t even know how long I can expect this to continue because I won’t ask the question because I don’t want to hear the answer. Thanks.