Serious question about stopping my chemotherapy

[louise m]

I'm 15 years old, i've had CML (leukemia) since i was 11. They've told me it's terminal, but i'm continuing chemo because it could prolong my life, but it could only be for a month, or for a much longer period of time. I've gotten more than one oppionion on my condition, all say it is terminal. So i was wondering, should i stop chemo? it's so much time, and it makes me so sick and tired, it's like i can't live a normal life with it, and maybe i'd rather be able to live normal, even if for not as long. I'm just looking for opionions, what would you do, and why?

please, serious answers only.. thank you
i take combo vincristine and imatinib

[lo_mcg]

Damn that's a difficult one.

Because I've had cancer, this is a situation I've thought about, and I'm pretty sure I know what I would do. I can certainly envisage a situation where I would choose quality of life over quantity and decide to discontinue treatment.

Nobody can tell you what you should do, and I'm sorry you're being faced at 15 with choices most people many years older than you haven't faced and that most people will never face.

[Zerstorer]

First let me say how sorry I am and second you are a brave young lady. Although, I think you need to discuss this with your parents and your doctors and not rely on the answers that you get here. Watch the Grey's Anatomy episode from 3/19 on ABC.Com. God Bless you!

[JohnJohn]

This is a very serious decision you're making. And I am sure I know what your family would say. You have to weigh the other risks and benefits of your decision, other than you're sick and tired. I want you to think about if you go off of chemo, will you feel better? or is the chemo helping to push back some of the worst complications of your leukemia?
I know the chemo (what kind are you on? just curious?) Probably makes you not want to participate in anything going on, especially right after treatment... but is there anything that helps, any time after treatment that you feel good?
I really don't want to push you either way because it is your body, your life, and your decision... I just want you to really think it over. B/C if you miss one dose of chemo, it can mess up the whole process (I'm sure you know that though). Just make sure you talk to your family, I know they might give you some grief about it, but really push the fact that you need help in your time of indecision. No one person can make you do anything.

[sweetmama]

Difficult one as we are all different, I think I would be tempted to skip the chemo and enjoy what I could now. If the chemo is just keeping you living but not alive I don't see the point of enduring it. Sorry you have to suffer through this, hang in there.