Yes or No to interferon

My oconlogist told me this monday that I have stage 3a melanoma. I had a moll on the side of my leg, had one lymphnode coming back positief with micrometastasis and after that we took all the lymphnodes out, which none of them came back positive. oh forgot to mention that I also had a wide excesion on the leg.

The melanoma on my leg was in regression, so when they took it out it was not really that big, less then a mm, but he is worried because it was close to 3mm but like I said, it was in regression my body was already taking care of it.

Now, I have a whole other thing going on, my health insurance is not paying my claims, I have Midwest National and it seems that I was victim of an misrepresented policy, I am already dealing with that.

But with this situation, I can not start this treatment right now, because bascially I will have no insurance, my medical bills are close to a $100.000.00 right now, so I do not want to get deeper in the hole with starting this treatment.

The oncologist told me, the longer I wait, the less benefit I will have from this treatment, which is very intensive and toxic.

So with that information, knowing that I have 6% more change of the Melanoma not returning (right now its 30% after the interferon it would %24). Would you think that it would be wrong of me thinking, I am going to do this naturally, I am going to stuff all the natural interferon that I can get into my body together with a very healty eating regime, organic, juices and all that other good stuff.

I just want to get your reaction on this…and see what you would do in my situation.

Thanks for listening and letting me vent!

Belinda

Hi Belinda,

I am so glad you emailed – I have been thinking of you very much lately and wondering how you were doing.

You are in a hard situation…if you have no health insurance, then starting ANY treatment doesn’t even seem reasonable. You may have answered your own question there. I certainly can appreciate and affirm that eating healthly, exercising, and positive thinking are all VERY valuable…but I can also appreciate where the doctor is coming from. Remember the doctor’s job is to paint the worst possible picture for you and then tell you what medicine you can take to get better. I have no knowledge of interferon except that is it really hard on your body and makes you tired and weak – almost like chemotherapy. Can you even get it with no insurance?

How are you feeling right now and what are you leaning towards doing?

Laurie> To: llwegner@hotmail.com> From: melanoma-cpt7414@lists.careplace.com> Subject: [melanoma] Yes or No to interferon> Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:10:15 -0500> >

Laurie,

I think I wish I could do the therapy, but my insurance like I said, will most likely not honor the claim so at the end I will end up paying.

I’m a mess right now, today the social worker is supposed to call me. I’m trying to obtain new insurance through the Major Risk Health Insurance Program here in California but then I have a 3 month waiting period, I need to start this treatment NOW!

But since I have so much trouble, I feel like I do not want to bother with all this extra stuff that is draining me and just go with the alternative circuit and keep an extra eye with my oncologist on the whole process…

I am just so lost right now…the bills, the stage 3, the fear…can’t barely deal with it, besides the normal daily life stuff.

Thanks for your reply!!! (HUG)