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.

Love Kathym xx

Hi Kathym

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!

Love Jackie

Hi Plaxie,

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.

Love Kathym

Hi Kathym

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

All the best

Jackie xxx

Hi Kathym

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

All the best

Jackie xxx

Hi Plaxie,

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.

I'd like to send you all my good wishes,

Regards,

Kathym xxx

Hi Kathy

Will be thinking of you on the 13th I'm sure you'll be fine. Colostomy's are never nice as Tonysong will testify! glad you avoided it, only, what, 3-4 months to go we can handel it.

Stay strong

Love and best wishes

Jackie xxx

Hi Plaxie,

Thank you for the email. When you say it is only 3-4 months to go it makes it sound so much easier, if you think of it as 5 more sessions it seems ages. I hope you enjoy your walks and shopping before your chemo, there the things I love too. I will also be thinking of you on the 16th, so hope all goes well. It is good that there are three of us (also REDLIZZIE) with similar problems and it really does help to have someone to talk to.

Take care,

Lots of love,

Kathym xxx

Hi Eileen and Kathy

Bit late but happy birthday Eileen hope you have a good one and the food /drink don't taste too bad!

It may sound like I've been through the mill but without rare side effects I wouldn't have know I'd been treated! Whenever you read somebody elses journey it always sounds worse than your own, take all the infections you had Eileen that would have driven me up the wall!

Have had 3 great days, bit hot for my present likeing but hey can't complain, bit panicy yesterday as walked too far and thought the car was much further than it was. struggled a bit but got there in the end, knackered by the time i got home!

Both you ladies need to prepare for finishing chemo, something you look froward to loads, when it finishes you look forward to getting your taste back and then your hair, gradually your energy picks up and then the scareness sets in. You wonder how sucessfull the treatment has been, you miss the 3 weeekly hosp visit which you know realise was very reassuring. It does settle but constantly in the back of your mind is the fact you have a cancer and that normal is no longer normal. I belive that as time goes by you adjust to the new normal but I didn't get that far! Not trying to frighten you just trying to give you a chance to think about it and hopefully it may help!

Strange thought but in 2 weeks all 3 of us will be on chemo lol,

Keep well and roll on October/ November

Love Jackie xxx

Hi Jackie,

Thats a great message you sent as I suppose its like when your learning to drive you can't wait to be able to drive on your own. Then when you do its scary as there is nobody to tell you where to go. It must be a bit like that as you will feel on your own. I never looked ahead that far...

I had a great day thank you, went to Carmarthen shopping. We don't have many shops here so for Argos & Wilikinsons its an hours drive away. I bought a garden umberella and guess what its raining today, ha ha .......That big black cloud just wont leave me alone thats over my head.

Anyway I will chat later..xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Eileen

Glad you enjoyed your day, I could have used your umberella as roasting in Norfolk! Thank god for air conditioning units, don't seem to tolerate the heat since chemo nor the cold come to think of it lol, maybe just more aware of it???

Big black cloud is only rain clouds and they all go away in the end leaving lovely sunshine, every cloud has a silver lining so they say, just need to look hard to find it :p

Have fun

jackie xxx

hi redlizzie listen there is nothing 2 worry about this whole thing will be absolutley

fineee!!!

you will wake up the next morning saying wowwwww that went quick so do not worry!!!

Ashleigh

xxx

Hi there, i too have ovarian cancer. Diagnosed in january this year, had total hysterectomy in march and 6 cycles of chemo. Chemo ended 30th july. Had carbo and taxol so lost my hair. Felt very tired and was constipated until i sorted it out. Remain tired now. Didnt really have any other side effects. Would like to tell you that i am now in remission and trying to get my life back in order. Have only just joined this site but will check in.

Take care all Teresa xx

Hi Teresa, and welcome.i to was diagnosed with ovarian cancer oct 09.

like you had total hysterectomy and chemo till march this year.

got to see oncoligist wednesday bacause when i had ct there was

somthing showing so going to find out if im having surgery again or

chemo again.dont fancy surgery again! fingers crossed hey!

nice to meet you.julygirl58 xx

Hi all

I am doing ok, just poodling along waiting for next chemo lol, haven't had a lot of energy so not posted much.

Theresa

welcome to our lovely group. It is lovely to know you are in remission and doing well.

It is nice that we are having lots of lovely posts

Dot xxxxxxxx