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..
Hello everybody, may I join you and introduce myself? I opened a new thread on this subject the other day in the "introduce yourself" section, but I really wanted to get onto this site. I am 67 yo and live in Essex, UK and have recently been diagnosed as having tumours on both ovaries, plus some areas on the omentum and outer bowel. However, my hospital MDT wants to ascertain whether my ovaries are the primary site or secondary to breast ca I had 15 years ago before planning my treatment, so I've just had a biopsy and await results on 22nd Feb. I found your site about a month ago and was both heartened by all your posts, and at the same time scared - not of the treatment particularly but the outcome. Some days I feel that I won't get through this, other days I think "No, you won't get me, you (expletive deleted!)"
The last post on your site was 28th Dec, I have been checking, so I hope you are all getting along OK
Thank you all for your warm welcome back, it means a lot. And a warm welcome to the new ladies who have joined us on the forum.
Yes it does seem that we are somehow in sync a little bit at the moment. Not the best of news for everyone but on the positive side maybe we can be here more for each other.
This is a good forum for me, as I can discuss things here that I cannot really with friends and family, as I want to keep things as normal as possible with them, too much fuss does not help at all.
I hate seeing Mary like this, she hasn't felt right for nearly two months now. First time around she had no symptoms at all, apart from the ovarian cyst that was making her feel uncomfortable. I hope that the chemo will make her feel better and not worse.
Is this still ovarian cancer? how can it be? she has no ovaries!! Maybe it is because that's where it started.
Hello, John, thanks for your welcome. So sorry to hear about your wife, but think of some of the other ladies on here who have had good results second time around - so don't despair. (They give me great hope, I can tell you.) I think it can sometimes be much harder for our partners than for us - I know my partner is taking it badly, the more so because he is in poor health himself and can't go with me to appointments etc. and feels he is of no help, though of course he is. Fortunately his brother very kindly accompanies me to the worst meetings, so I am not without a "prop" at such times, but it's not the same as having my partner with me.
Re. your Mary's recurrence, apparently when another tumour appears anywhere in the body, if it is a breakaway from the original site it will retain the properties of that original site, so the medics can see from tests whether it's a secondary or a new cancer and will plan treatment accordingly. I learnt this because this is my own current position, and I shall find out this afternoon whether mine is ovarian or secondary from past breast ca., and hopefully have some appropriate treatment started at last! (Beginning to get a bit jittery now, as I always do before appointments!)
Yes it is tough for the whole family, we remain positive for the best part though, but it does get to us all every now and then, I think we're entitled to that.
Good luck this afternoon, let us know how things go.
Hello all. Well, the"good" news is that it is not a metastasis from the breast, so my treatment has been planned and will start asap, thank goodness. It will no doubt be familiar to most of you, as it consists of 3 chemos (paclitaxel & carboplatin), CT to check progress, hysterectomy op, then 3 more chemo s - seems to be standard initial procedure.
I am so relieved to have something underway at last, though I never thought I would be pleased to be having chemo again after the last lot!
On a lighter note, the wig I've bought arrived just as I was leaving for hospital, so I had that to look forward to trying on when I got home. It isn't too bad, though it might look better once I have no thick hair of my own underneath it, at the moment it looks to me as though my head is too big ( no comments, thank you!).
Anyway, love to all, let's hope all our treatments do the job, eh?
Sometimes 'better than expected news' is almost like good news. It helps a little that you know the drill, it's easier to except than first time around.
Mary had TaxolCarbo last time around and responded very well with few side effects, although the Taxol has left her with some neuropathy but small price to pay. I hope that it goes as well for you. And I'm sure you will look lovely in your new wig
Sometimes 'better than expected news' is almost like good news. It helps a little that you know the drill, it's easier to except than first time around.
Mary had TaxolCarbo last time around and responded very well with few side effects, although the Taxol has left her with some neuropathy but small price to pay. I hope that it goes as well for you. And I'm sure you will look lovely in your new wig
Hi, John, hope Mary is bearing up and feeling as well as possible.
Thanks for your reassuring comment about the wig, but sorry to say I won't look lovely in it as I have decided I hate the thing and am sending it back!
@Hazel, Mary felt a bit rough yesterday but a bit better today and she's going to have her hair done, hopefully will cheer her up.
I'm sorry that your wig was no good, it is very difficult to order a wig without trying some on first. Mary had her prescription sent to a specialist shop who do some NHS wigs, so she got to try a few on before deciding what she wanted. I don't know if your hospital has a list of shops like that, but it would be much better and you have a bit of fun trying them on too. We're in Hertfordshire by the way.
@Eileen, So sorry to hear you're having problems, it sounds like a coincidence to me but I'm no expert of course. Mary had a Hickman line last time because they couldn't even get a PICC line in. This time they are talking about fitting a Portocath, as the Hickman line got infected last time and she ended up in hospital for a week with neutropenic sepsis.
John, please give Mary my best wishes and love, she is so lucky to have you.
I don't know yet whether my hospital is linked with any wig outlets, though most are, I gather. Guess I'll find out in a few weeks' time when I go bald! They do have a connection with a company selling scarves, turbans, hairpieces etc., so I may try those first. (At least you got a laugh out of choosing Mary's wig, that was a bonus!)
As you may have seen from my reply to Eileen, I live in Dagenham, East London, for my sins!
