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AlaskaAngel · 06-30-2010, 12:17 AM

Carol, I'm just sorry that no one did a book for YOU when you were hit with it, with no preparation or explanation or thoughtful consideration from anyone -- especially considering that chemotherapy has been used for decades.

When I considered treatment in 2002, I raised the question about it. It seemed to me that if there were concerns about what it might do to the heart, maybe there were reasons to be concerned about what it might do to the brain and the rest of the nervous system. My PCP said he didn't know. My onc said that in 25 years of practice he "only had a few who were really incapacitated". Chemo brain was considered mostly to be something patients "made up" that couldn't be verified -- in other words, in all those years of prescribing treatment no one had really done much of the homework to find out who was affected or why, or how to avoid it or deal with it.

Thanks for helping to provide something BETTER for others out of your true experience with it.

Best to you,

AlaskaAngel

06-30-2010, 12:17 AM	#9
AlaskaAngel Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Alaska Posts: 2,018	Thanks Carol Carol, I'm just sorry that no one did a book for YOU when you were hit with it, with no preparation or explanation or thoughtful consideration from anyone -- especially considering that chemotherapy has been used for decades. When I considered treatment in 2002, I raised the question about it. It seemed to me that if there were concerns about what it might do to the heart, maybe there were reasons to be concerned about what it might do to the brain and the rest of the nervous system. My PCP said he didn't know. My onc said that in 25 years of practice he "only had a few who were really incapacitated". Chemo brain was considered mostly to be something patients "made up" that couldn't be verified -- in other words, in all those years of prescribing treatment no one had really done much of the homework to find out who was affected or why, or how to avoid it or deal with it. Thanks for helping to provide something BETTER for others out of your true experience with it. Best to you, AlaskaAngel __________________ Dx 2002 age 51 bc for granny, aunt, cousin, sister, mother. ER+/PR+/HER2+++, grade 3 IDC 1.9 cm, some DCIS, Stage 1, Grade 3 Lumpectomy, CAFx6 (no blood boosters), IMRT rads, 1 3/4 yr tamoxifen Rads necrosis BRCA 1 & 2 negative Trials: Early detection OVCA; 2004 low-dose testosterone for bc survivors Diet: Primarily vegetarian organic; metformin (no diabetes), vitamin D3 Exercise: 7 days a week, 1 hr/day No trastuzumab, no taxane, no AI NED