I was diagnosed with Cancer in March and although we knew it was Cancer its still a shock to be told it. I have had 2 chemo cycles now and have my 3rd at the end of the month. I would love to chat about the chemo side affects to anyone..
I to have ovarian cancer diagnosed in Jan 2009. I had 3 lots of chemo, operation, and another 3 lots of chemo.
The main problems I had with the chemo were gross taste in mouth and nothing tasted like it should, neuropathy of fingers and feet, these got worse with each chemo, but taste improved after about 6 weeks, fingers and feet improved but I still have neuropathy in my left foot (and right but only when I walk!). Hair loss - very slow to grow back and now have corkscrew curls! Tiredness but only realised how bad once I returned to work!
Most of the complications I had with chemo have been rare ones but then I only got diagnosed with ovarian cancer due to a rare autoimmune disease! I developed arterial bloods clots (aortic settling in left Femeral artery) just before my 4th dose, had daily blood thining injections but still developed another clot 5 days after the 6th dose! The onchologist/haematologist aren't sure if its cancer or chemo related and they don't seem to have personally come across it before so please don't worry about it!
I would be interested in hearing about plans for followup when you get that far.
Thanks for email. I too am having surgery then 3 more cycles of chemo. I have not been great on this cycle as I get indigestion & heartburn but I have a hiatus hernie & I think the chemicals in the chemo are hitting on thaty spot. my finger tips are very sensative as well and I find I can't open things the same. I lost my hair on the 2nd week but to be honest I love it I feel liberated.....:)
I only knew I had a tumor through going to the loo all the time ( bowels opening ) I thought it was something or nothing but my Consultant found the mass through a rectum internal & had me in the next day for a Colonoscopy....It then took lots of refering to other Consultants & Scans, tissue samples to identify it..
I am a positive person and hopefully can get through this. Its great to be able to chat about it to someone else, so thank you for.
I had indigestion after the first dose and they gave me Losec 30mg, guess you may be already on this due to the hiatus hernia but worth a try if not! I didn't have much hand strength to start with due to the auto-immune disease but was forever cutting myself when sorting dinner for about 5 days post chemo!
I didn't have any problems once the hair was gone just had problems with the thought of losing it, glad its back but only cause it was very cold without!
No reason why you can't get through it. Take it easy, don't push yourself, listen to your body and get support from this site.
Rise to the challenge and try not to waste energy worrying!
I will keep you posted over the next coming months and I will not worry as you say there is no point in wasting energy ....Once again its a good to have someone who has gone through it and come out smiling..
My name is Tony and I was diagnosed at Christmas time last year. I also had bowel cancer and hoping that the got it all with the removal of the tumour and the affected lymph nodes. I am having intensive radiotherapy and was to have chemotherapy, however I had the worst possible side effect after only 4 days. I had heart problems (I dont have a history of heart problems) and my oncologist believes it is too dangerous to have chemotherapy - it could bring on another angina attack or even worse I could suffer a heart attack.
If you have a spare couple of hours have a read of my story lister under Colon Cancer.
You are absolutely right about the forum - I have made some fantastic friends on here and even though I have my family, friends and of course God, I dont think I would have made it through without the support and camaraderie!
I love your approach to losing your hair - liberating....I have my head shaved anyways and yes I feel it is liberating not having to worry about it!
I think you get it that you are not alone and have us to walk beside, behind and infront of you in this.
Hi REDLIZZIE, I had my first chemo yesterday for an ovarian borderline tumour also diagnosed in March/April. I was told at first that I didn't need chemo but after about ten weeks post op my abdomen started to fill with fluid again and so they think there could be some cancer activity in my abdomen. The chemo thay gave me was taxol and carboplatin. I had a very bad alergic reaction to the taxol and they had to stop it., but the carboplatin was fine. I have to go back now to the consultant to see if I can continue with the taxol on a lower dose or if I need to change to a different chemo. Today I don't feel too bad, does the side affects hit you all of a sudden or does it come gradually with each chemo cycle? I hope you are well and managing to cope with this awful diagnosis.
I too reacted to one of my doeses of Taxol, they stopped it for an hour and then ran it over a longer period of time, the next time I took steroirds before hand (on top of the pre-med one) and it was fine. My cancer is back again and this time I'm having Doxil instead of the Taxol, its supposed to give less side effects (I still have neuropathy in my left foot) but the Taxol is still the treatment of choice (gold standard). Start on the 16th July lucky me!
If I remember rightly i got gradually worse over 3 days and then improved after 7, it is accumulative and things like the fingers, taste ect get worse with each treament. It's all bearable though just don't try to do to much, listen to your body and take it easy when you need to. Memory gets worse too and takes forever to improve!!!
Long time since RedLizzie posted, hope your OK.
Keep your spirits up, hopefully you've only 5 to go!
Thank you for your email. I am so sorry to hear that your cancer has come back. Do you mind me asking what stage ovarian cancer you have? I think the consultant will probably suggest running it over a longer period of time, but it just makes me feel a bit nervous to try it again. I have only got five more treatments to go like you say and thank you for the information it has helped. If I don't hear from you before, good luck for the16th July, I hope all goes well.
No problem, stage 3C. Had deposits in the peritenum and a small tumour attached to the bowel. Had 3 lots of chemo then operation, usual but they left a 1/2cm tumour on the bowel as it would have meant a colostomy which they felt was unnecessary as it was small enough for the chemo to sort, based on the fact that he could not find any peritioneal deposits cos the chemo had got rid of them. I then had a further 3 doses of chemo.
I know what you mean about worrying about the next dose, I was really nervous when they restarted the transfusion after my reaction! then after I developed the first blood clot I was paranoid when I had the next dose but had settled down and sorted myself out by the time I developed the 2nd blood clot. I'm terrified that when I have chemo this time I'll do the same again espically as my blood is still sticky despite injections and Asperin! bad enough thinking I may have to go through arterial clot busters again but would that mean being left with no treatment options. Am trying not to worry but can feel it slowly building!
My oncologist says ovarian cancer is not cureable but it is treatable, unfortunately for me I only got 8 months from my chemo but there are others who have got years between each treatment. Scary times but you can cope and staying positive really helps, not easy I know but well worth it if you can manage it.
Hope your next chemo (if its the same) runs smoothly
Thank you for the email. It sounds like you have had a bad time with blood clots, it is very worrying and at times it is difficult to stay positive, but I manage it most of the time, I hope you do to. I have my next chemo on the 13th July just before yours, I hope yours runs smoothly too. When I had my op I was told I may have a colostomy but thankfuly I didn't need one.
