how come ?

Question

a person is living there life then goes to the doctor for a routine checkup and then they tell you that you have Leukemia . now they give you medication for it. its like radiation in a pill form. so why do you get sicker? thought medicine was to help you get better

Answer 1

There is no cure for cancer or for leukemia. But there is treatment that can lead to cure.

There are no guarantees that the treatment will work. If you leave leukemia or any cancer untreated it will eventually spread, invade your major organs including the bones and brain, liver, kidneys, bowls . . if you live long enough the cancer will completely take over the insides of your body. And you will die. Chemotherapy is the only known effective means to stop the progession of this horrid, horrid disease. There are medications patients can take to control the discomfort associated with treatment. There are side effects but a patient will have a chance to live if the treatment works. It really comes down to life or death . . which do you choose.

I would like you to look at an advanced solid tumor . . this is what it looks like inside your body. It is massive. Ugly. It has its own blood supply. It uses the bodies energy. It has the ability to 'shed' small, microscopic copies of itself and send them all over the body. Those tiny cells than establish a new cancer site and send out even more and more malignant cells. It overwhelms the body. Cancer is the enemy. Without harsh treatment the cancer will not stop growing and spreadding and replicating. And, because the cancer cells are part of our bodies . . our own body welcomes this invasion . . and even provides this grotesque cancer with nourishment to make it strong so that it can spread more. [edit: Image was far too graphic to display]

Trust me, once you see what cancer is capable of doing to a child or someone you love . . you will welcome any treatment . . any chemotherapy, radiation, or sugery possible that will defeat this beast. Cancer is a living horror.

The following images and a news story called A Mother's Journey chronicles the agony and small moments of joy of caring for a child with cancer. It could happen to anyone.

Warning: Graphic images of a child with cancer

2007 Pulitzer Prize for Photograph: A Mother's Journey
http://www.sacbee.com/static/newsroom/swf/april07/mother/

Answer 2

it is usually chemo drugs that are given in pill form. the reason why it makes the person sicker is because the drugs cannot discriminate between cancer cells and healthy cell very effectively. what happens most of the times is that the drugs kill both healthy and cancer cells.

this is where the problem starts. since healthy cells are also killed, the body becomes deficient (in cells) since there is a shortage of cells to carry out the normal bodily functions. that makes the person feel sicker. also much energy is consumed as the healthy cells divide to replace those that were killed. that make a person tired and fatigued.

it may seem like there is more harm done than good, but trust me, more good is done. if the cancer cells are successfully eradicated, the chances of recovering all the healthy cells are almost 100% but the chances of producing more cancer cells in less than 50% in most cases. so after the treatment is complete, the body repairs itself quiet efficiently and that results in a reletively healthy body.

however, if treatment is not taken, then the the cancer cells continue multiplying, metastasizing, etc. and the end result is always death.

treatment does make a person sicker for the duration of the treatment but leaves him.her reletively healthy in the long term.

Answer 3

sadly, from what I know, chemo and readiotherapy work by not only killing the bad blood cells but always the good. The stomach alone contains 5kilos of good bacteria. 5 KILOS!!!! That's a lot to lose when on medication. Trying to combat the effects of the treatment is difficult but can be helped by keeping a strict diet, ensuring lots of fruit, veg, water, oily fish and minimal meat. Also a daily dose of 'friendly' bacterial is pretty much vital and comes in the form of pro-biotic drinks. It is a sad fact of life that this is the case, and I hope that before too long someone pioneers a treatment without such nasty side-effects.
In general I am not a fan of most medicines, except in extreme circumstances, I try to work through any illness with natural remedies, and use chemicals (which is effectively what pills are) as a last resort. that way my immune system stays stronger for if I ever have to combat a serious illness

Answer 4

Chemotherapy treatments and radiation treatments not only kill bad blood cells (such as the ones that are causing leukemia) but also good ones. This is why many cancer patients that are on chemotherapy often lose there hair. Also, many medications have side effects such as vomiting, naseoua, and other things that can make you feel even worse. I believe, also, that in order to get better, you have to THINK about it and TRY to get better. If you don't believe you can live, then you wont live. I hope I helped!

Gaby =D

Answer 5

Two reasons I believe:

1. I think when you are told you have something like that it weakens the mind, a strong mind will carry a strong body, cancer, luekemia or not. Morale is important.

2. I don't believe most conventional medications help cure anything, they treat symptoms only and often make it worse.

Go to a naturopathic doctor who can help you naturally enhance you immunity.

Answer 6

Cancer treatment medication is harsh, as are some other medications. Some treatments make you feel worse before you feel or get better.

Answer 7

Actually no one know when Leukemia will attack. cos my son hv ALL, but we always take him doctor chamber even he got any sickness. even on doctor or any specialist can’t tell when Leukemia will get in body. it’s come in suddenly . our doctor said us Atom Bomb create cancer in human body n to kill cancer cell we hv to apply 100 time or more powerful drugs for kill cancer, actually cancer treatment is not a full treatment it just make keep body not to create any cancer cell. so cancer treatment is so much painful treatment only they know who hv this treatment