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.
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.
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
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
