I saw on the news that Alex Trebek is at the one year mark, only 18% of pancreatic reach it.

MyLungCancer

He said although he was happy to have reached it that there were times during the last year that depression set in and he wondered if it was all worth it. Have you gotten to the point in depression that you considered giving in?

GregP_WN

I have had depression before for short periods of time, but I've never been down so deep that I wanted to give in and give up.

JaneA

The chemo regime that he was on is really hard on one's body. I believe that quality of life issues trigger depression. It's also daunting when looking at the statistics for pancreatic cancer. Thinking about that could easily trigger "why bother?" He has become a profile of courage for all of us who are Stage IV patients and Stage IV survivors.

LiveWithCancer

I did. My traditional chemo treatments ended just in time. Even though I was only really sick a few days out of the first week out of every 3 weeks, it was such a sick-sick! I began to get depressed a few days before time to go for the treatment. And, since I thought I was only going to live a few months anyway at that point, I was beginning to consider giving up treatments and just living the life I had left without being so sick.

I'm glad I stuck with it. Here I am, 7-1/2 years later and not even on treatment currently. Hang in there - having cancer is not for sissies, that's for sure.

Bengal

I 'm a Jeopardy fan and amazed ever time I watch the show. What incredible course and determination. I notice sometimes his voice is a bit husky and sometimes he stumbles on words. I read the difficulty he has pronouncing some words is from mouth sores. I'm sure continuing to work gives him a reason to keep on keeping on. What a trouper.

MyLungCancer

I have had some tough chemo, but I haven't reached the lowest point yet I know. But I have a couple of friends that have been through it and one of them talked about stopping treatment. Not that he was giving up and ready to die, but to take a break for a while.

BoiseB

I have bouts of depression throughout my life. Since I was diagnosed with cancer I have never been depressed. Beating cancer gave me reason to live. I went to the Dr. thinking I might have a highly contagious stomach flu and I wanted to protect my mother. The Dr. said I had 4-9 months to live. I decided to let nature take it's course, I could endure a few more months of life and my daughter could have my car. Then my brother came to visit and insisted my nephew give a second opinion. My nephew a PCP had a patient who was a thoracic-surgeon doing an new form of esophagectomy. Since this was experimental I really had no choice but to try my best to survive. Every year I survive is an honor to that team. I am glad that I did not give up because I think what the Dr.s have learned has in a small way affected those with cancer.
I have however known some people who have sought second opinions when treatments have become too harsh. They were very glad they sought second opinions

Whitey61

I think we all as patients deal with this, it's a given..Good days and not so Good days, is it depression?, Who knows?, But we do all we can to fight thru it because we are all still living and want to continue that.

Paperpusher

I know my hubby did when he was going through chemo. He'd already had a stroke and was on Coumadin because of a hereditary clotting disorder. He had a couple of low times after the stroke but more anger and determination than depression. The chemo was a whole different ball game. He didn't have a port(a later regret) and got so sick that he ended up inpatient for two weeks with 4 IVs hooked up to him at once. His veins would roll or collapse. Even the nurse specialist was having a hard time and he didn't have much patience. He was angry at me for calling his onc and at the world in general. If we didn't have grandkids who were waiting for their grandpa to get better so they could visit, he might have given up. He still gets down some days but never like that.