chemo?? serous endometrial cancer stage IVB

[birdergirl1]

i had a hysterectomy 3 weeks ago and doctor is pressuring me to do chemo (platin and taxol) 6 times every 3 weeks and then herceptin. i just want to forget the whole thing and do international travel. pressure, pressure, pressure. i really do NOT want to be sick for a year (????) but i think i just want to ignore it and travel until i can't and die naturally. this is apparently a very agressive cancer. i live by myself, have no immediate family and really my life is international birdwatching.

i would like to hear people's opinions of the chemo. very afraid of neuropathy (still have some residual neuropathy in feet from back surgery 12/23). just do not like to be sick. I was also recently diagnosed with SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overload and am on antibiotics which i do not think are working yet (it is early days)) so belching and bloating (which i am assuming is from the SIBO and not post-surgical????)

any comments, suggestions would be VERY welcome.

[Broccoli2]

I had similar diagnosis (serous, stage IV, C3, and BRCA2) in 2018. They gave me 6 months to live with chemo, and I'm still here almost 7 years later. Pretty much having chemo every 2 years with some remission in between. What they call "low dose" carboplatin with paclitaxel was easier to tolerate than the big dose every 3 weeks. Infusions were short and easy but once a week. I would get a second opinion. The new first treatment is immunotherapy with carboplatin. And there are other new things. I am in support groups with plenty of stage IV ladies who are tolerating treatments well and living many years, but that 3-week business is as bad for everyone I've met as it was for me, and does a lot of damage.

[birdergirl1 in reply to Broccoli2]

thank you VERY much. is this endometrial or breast?

[Broccoli2 in reply to Broccoli2]

Endometrial, hysterectomy first, then chemo. No external radiation, just brachytherapy.

[birdergirl1 in reply to Broccoli2]

thanks much. talking with oncologist this afternoon. will definitely press for options to the every-3-weeks regimen.

[Broccoli2 in reply to birdergirl1]

Good luck with everything!

[Oranglover]

I had same chemo and my medical team did a great job preparing me. I missed two days of work but otherwise I worked the entire time. Had chemo on Thursday worked Friday and if I didn’t feel great I had the weekend to lay around. Never really had any problems

[birdergirl1 in reply to Oranglover]

thank you! you are making me feel a lot more comfortable