I don't know of alternatives, but I'm just about to have my 5th chemo tomorrow and while it's not a bed of roses, it really isn't that bad - depending on what you have. I'm having R-CHOP for lymphoma and I've had great anti-emetics to stop sickness and manage the other side effects pretty well. I must say, when I went into chemo, I was terrified, but all in all, it's unpleasant, but it's not awful. But I know that isn't the same for everyone.
Hi
As someone who very rarely took any form of medication I decided to have chemo.
It's not a walk in the park but its not as bad as the horror stories.
I also think it depends on how fit you are when starting treatment.
You have different chemo drugs for different cancers, also different times. I had mine every three weeks other treatments are every week.
Ask for all the details and then decide.
There are plenty of alternative therapies out there some may work for some people but a lot don't.
There is no medical evidence for them which is why they are not available on the nhs.
No one can make the decision for you it's up to you but talk to your doctor and make a full informed decision.
River
Hi
Chemo can be a scary thought but although you will have side effects it’s not that bad. I am half way through 6 rounds of FEC-T, I have a week of being very tired, low appetite and then start to pick up, with the 3rd week in each cycle being nearly normal. My advise based on my experience of this would be listen to the experts, especially your Oncologist, and plan ahead so you are prepared for the side effects. Wishing you all the best whatever you decide to do.
Whatever you have read about chemo and its side effects shouldn't put you off having chemo if that is what you need.
If I hadn't had chemo in late 2013 I would now be dead. It is as simple as that. The NHS doesn't offer alternative therapies for the simple reason that they don't work and people who use them as an alternative to conventional medicine almost always die. A small number don't die, but a similar number who don't have any treatment at all also survive for a variety of reasons - misdiagnosis, very slow growing cancers and cancers which mutate and stop growing being some of the reasons. Who can say whether the miracle cures are simply the same people who would have been OK without treatment?
So many of the testimonials for alternative treatments simply don't stand up to sceptical reading. I've lost count of the number of times I've read of people who "gave up on conventional medicine" AFTER having had chemo and then credited their miracle cure for their recovery! This is about as logical as me saying that the reason I'm not dead despite being given only months to live is because I've drunk an awful lot of red wine since coming off chemo. The truth is that the chemo worked for me and since I came off it I have been incredibly lucky! No miracle cure, no divine intervention, just plain old random luck! Bad luck combined with alcohol and being slightly overweight probably gave me cancer in the first place, good luck combined with chemo means that I'm still alive and kicking!
Chemo can be hard to deal with but when it works all the side effects pale into insignificance and are forgotten!
Good luck, I hope you make the decision that is right for you and that all goes well.
