Hi Redlizzie

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.

Best of luck

Jackie

Morning, I joined this site yesterday, I have battled breast cancer twice and I am now waiting to see a Consultant to seeif I have got ovarian cancer, I went to my GP 's surgery with a water infection and mentioned to this lady doctor who I have never seen before that I had breast cancer in the past, she examined me and said that she wanted me to make an appointment at reception to have my bloods taken and she wanted me to go for a kidney function test and also a scan of my ovaries, I nearly fell off the chair, she is worried that my stomach is swollen, I came home and cheked on the other symptoms associated with ovarian, I do have indegestion, back pain andI want to wee a lot more.  I am in shock, I am forty-eight years old.    The nightmare continues.

Hi Reflexgirl,

Welcome to our chats.... I am sorry to hear about your worries but until you are diagnosed try not to worry ( easier said than done )  but it could be anything. I had ovarian cancer but had none of the symptoms so it could be anything...Fingers crossed....I think talking about it to everyone on here is a great comfort so just keep writing how you are feeling and it does ease the pressures.

Hi everyone else, I had my scan results which are clear and I am pleased about that but I also have other difficulties going on in my life and have had since last year. My partner and me are splitting up as it has all been too much I think. So unfortunately I am moving back to Manchester on Wednesday. I am sad to be leaving West Wales as I love it here and have had the best medical support I could have wished for. But my partner has I think started to get a bit sick of all the hospitals, doctors that we have endured in the last 12 months so I am going... As you all know my house is still up for sale so I am moving back into it until it's sold. I think I will be ok as my friends are all up there and my family but its going to be hard. I know though that with them and all you dear friends I will bounce back .  

                                                               Love Eileen xxxxxxxx

Oh Eileen,

I am so sorry to hear your news,and we never got to meet upbetween our health problems at various timesThe good thing is you will see your lovely grandaughter more often.H ouse sales are beginning to pick up especially now spring is here I am so glad your scan was clear,long may it continue !!!!

I am starting to get a loittle bit more energy,can walk upstairs without stopping now but cant get the weight back.Just under 9 stone instead of 11 which I was at 18 but I did not look like a 70 year old with no muscles then,still,once it gets warmer and we can be out more we will all feel better.

Hope things go well on Wednesday,stay strong lovely girl.

Let us know how you get on.

Rose xxx

Hi Eileen,

I am glad to hear that your scan results are clear, but saddened about your relationship breakdown. Rose has said everything that I would want to say, it is going to be tough for a while and my thoughts will be with you.

Big hugsssss I know you need them.

Rose it is great to know that you are improving!!!   hugssssss.

Hugs Jackie and everyone else....I think about you all every day and wish better health for you all

Dot xxxxxx

Hi Everyone,

Good news on your scan results Eileen, and so sorry to read about your break up. Easier said than done, but stay strong, sounds like you have good friends - and you have us, so sending you hugs x

Hope everyone else is ok?

I've not been too good since my chemo on tues. Feeling a bit brighter today, but basically been in bed or on the sofa not being able to move. Poor for a 34 year old! It's been so hard as everyone expects me to be ok as I'm young, but they can't see the pain. I cried yesterday and was a complete baby. Decided I'd had enough and couldn't go through with the remaining treatments. I'm back to asking why me? I'm being punished enough for not being able to have kids.

Anyway I won't bang on too much and I'm sorry for being so down right now, let's hope tomorrow is a brighter day.

Take care all,

Sarah x

Hi Reflexgirl,

I know that this must be a worry for  you, but I think that Eileen's (redlizzie) advice is good. My wife Mary  also had no symptoms as such, apart from the discomfort of a fast  growing ovarian cyst. I hope that your diagnosis is not as bad as  expected, let us know how you get on.

@Eileen - So  pleased to hear your good news, but very sorry to hear the bad. Hang on  to that good news though, your health is the most important thing, if  your partner feels he cannot support you anymore, then he is clearly not  the right guy for you. You seem like a very nice lady, I'm sure that  things will work out well for you.

@Sarah - I am so  sorry you are having a bad time of it again, it sounds terrible! What  does your oncologist say about this? Can he make any adjustments or try  you on something else? I hope you are feeling a little better by now,  hang in there!

Mary had a slight setback last Thursday,  they refused to give her treatment because she had an infection in her  arm. She seems to get this reaction a few days after having carboplatin,  even though she has the hickman line now the chemo seems to find the  old canula points and that where it gets infected. So it's a course of  antibiotics then back for her weekly Taxol this week hopefully.

We  celebrated our 29th anniversary yesterday, and of course it was  mother's day too so she had a good day, I guess it helped a little  missing the Taxol last week, looking on the bright side

Best wishes to you all,

John

Hi John

I just wanted to wish you and Mary a happy anniversary, take care both love Donna xx

Hi John

I just wanted to wish you and Mary a happy anniversary, take care both love Donna xx

Thank you Donna, that's very nice of you.

I hope that things are going ok for you.

Best wishes,

John

Hi John, thank you for your kind words.   I just dread the thought of going through it for the third time, if it is cancer.    I remember my oncologist saying to me the first time round that the ovaries are the route that breast cancer might take and a friend with breast cancer saying that she wished she had had her ovaries taken out, I wish I had too but I guess that hindsight is a good thing, will see the Consultant this Thursday evening and have tests either Monday or Tuesday next week, with the results on Thursday, if I don't get a phone call beforehand, it might be nothing but with my history I am not so sure, my stomach is very  swollen, I have indegestion and am going to the toilet a lot more, the thing I don't have is fatigue, which plagued me the first time round, love to you and your  wife,

Hi Reflexgirl,

If it's any consolation, my understanding of ovarian cancer is that most experience little or no symptoms at all, that is the very thing that we found so scary. Maybe my understanding is wrong, but Mary certainly felt perfectly fit and well prior to her diagnosis and surgery.

I wish you all the best with your appointment and tests over the next week, try to stay positive.

John

Hi Everyone,

I am back online now It is awful having no internet.

Since I have been offline I see we have some more new ladies so hello and welcome. I hope you are all coping with your chemo.

I have settled in really quickly and am feeling happy, my partner is coming up to see me on Thursday as he is missing me, so who knows what the outcome will be but as you said John my health is more important than any relationship.

Will keep you all posted, hi Rose, Dot, Jackie, Sharon, and anyone I have forgot.

Love Eileen. xxxxxxxxxxxx

Glad the move went well and you are settling in.Take time out for you and get your strength back brfore making any more decisions,you have been through so much and handled it well.Lots of rest and walks in the sunshine.

Take care.

Rose xxx

Hi everyone,

Update on Mary:

Cycle 5a today (so only 5 weeks of treatment left). It's been a long day at the hospital, 9am till 7pm!!! But the good news is that her CA-125 levels had fallen again from 48 to 39, so the dose-dense chemo is clearly working.

Best wishes,

John

John that is the BEST news - love to you both.

Miras

Always great to hear news like this.

Good luck to you both

Rose xxx

John that's great news I'm so pleased for you both Donna xx

Thank you all for your kind messages, it means a lot.

I wish all of you the best of luck too in your own journeys.

John