yes or no??? chemo for an 88 year old..need advice badly

 am quite concerned that my 88 year old mother may not be able to take the adverse effects of chemo or radiation.  She was diagnosed with gb cancer with one liver lesion last week and we have opted not to go through an operation.  We still are waiting for an appointment with an oncologist.  Just wondering from those with experience how bad chemo./radiation is/was for them and if they think an 88 year old would be able to  endure its harsh effects???  Any information/advice would be greatly appreciated.     

While I know that all people react to chemo differently I don't want you to feel like your mother shouldn't even try treatments.  My grandmother, 82 did chemo for stage 4 ovarian cancer last summer.  She did so well with the chemo, they gave her the treatments in smaller amounts and also gave her a anti-nausea meds before each treatment.  She was never sick however,it did make her appetite almost disappear. My  grandmother had a weak heart which made surgery impossible.  Although, my grandmother passed away recently the chemo was not a bad experience for her. 

Hello Tab...thanks so much for your reply.  I am so sorry that your grandmother passed away.  Was it because of the cancer?  God Bless her and your family.  Unfortunately when my mom finally got in to see the oncologist after one month wait...the family doctor had started her on new pain meds a few days before that made her very sleepy and week.  When the oncologist saw this he quickly dismissed any option of chemo treatments or radiation as well.  It is so very sad.  Its been almost three weeks now that we have been changing pain meds because she can't tolerate the ones given...one made her hallucinate, the other made her comatose,....and none have seemed to relieve all the pain.  It's so so sad to watch my mom cringe and moan in pain.  Today they put her on a pain pump and we pray that this will help her.   We are in Ontario Canada, and since this process started all we have been doing is waiting.  We had to wait for four weeks for the biopsy result to come back.  We had to wait to see the liver specialist and then the oncologist. It's like they see 88 on the paperwork and my mom's needs get put aside. By now I'm afraid that the cancer has spread considerably.  My heart is breaking day by day as I sit with her and spend as much time as I can sponging her presence into my soul.  I'm so very sad about all this. 

this is a case which is happening for long years .the doctors used to hesitate to give a treatment to an old person citing the risk involved in treatment.but if you still confident then you can move ahead.

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ragavendra

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