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Wrong treatment option causes unrest?

Page last modified on: August 19, 2008
Question from Dee: Sometimes I worry that I should have had more treatment than was recommended (I had no radiation or chemo, taken off tamoxifen after second occurrence), especially because of strong HER2/neu readings. How do I come to peace about that?
Answers —Lillie Shockney, R.N., B.S., M.A.S.: One of the things I oftentimes say to patients is that hindsight is 20-20, but we are not going that direction; we're facing forward. What you are doing today to have yourself be as healthy as you can be should be where your focus is. We all make decisions based on the information that we have at any given time in our lives. When we make those decisions, we do it in good faith with ourselves that we have made the right choices. I encourage you not to kick yourself and wonder if you should have done more, but to pull up your boot straps and ask what you need to do today to have a healthy, good quality of life.
Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: Connecting with other women can be very supportive, but don't be surprised if you speak to someone else who may have had a different diagnosis and treatment plan. Hearing about other people's choices, particularly if different from yours, can shake your confidence and raise some questions. Keep in mind that every woman's situation is uniquely different, and those differences usually explain why there are differences in how you are treated. If you have a question about your treatment, or why you did or did not get something someone else had, make sure you ask your doctor or nurse, rather than holding onto that concern.

On Wednesday, June 20, 2001, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Tackling Fear. Lillie Shockney, R.N., B.S., M.A.S.,Marisa Weiss, M.D. and moderator Gwen Darien, Editor-in-Chief, MAMM Magazine, answered your questions about how to manage breast cancer fears.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Lillie Shockney, RN., BS., M.A.S.Lillie Shockney, R.N., B.S., M.A.S. is the administrative director of the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

Gwen Darien, MAMM Magazine publisher and editor-in-chief, is a cancer survivor.

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