Hi ladies

I just want to wish you all a Happy and as Healthy a New Year as possible - bring on 2012.

Its good to drop in and see what others are up to - scan and more treatment (fingers crossed!) in January for me.

Best wishes

Sue x

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

Best wishes, Hazel. X

Hi Eileen, aww! poor you hope your feeling better soon

yes ct scan was this morning results on the 29th.

take care sharon xx

Hi Everyone hope your all doing ok x

Hi Eileen, nice to see you back in the land of the living, I'm on carbo/Doxitol same as last time, was ok till yesterday then really light headed and vague feeling (probably normal for me but) not feeling brilliant, still getting stomach pains which leave me not being able to move, strange as it sounds, they seem to come on with movement which is leaving me very limited! Have a CT tom, routine as didn't have one pre-chemo (last was about 9 months ago) not looking forward to it as don't feel i've recovered enough from the chemo, the thought of sitting around for most of the day is not thrilling me lol. Don't think I can drive that far so friend is picking me up at 1.30ish, appointment not till 5.40 and then have to wait for friend to finishing work at 7.30 ah well gotta be done I suppose.

Haze, my chemo is every 3 weeks, so next due 30th though in pending tray as no room yet lol

Take care all

Jackie xx

Thank you Hazel,

yes I love the photo and have already got copies for the family. Sorry to hear you're feeling a bit rough, Mary is not so good now either. Probably over did it at the weekend, partying and gardening. I came home from work just after mid day because she was getting a bit upset with the stomach pains. She says it feels like the wind pain she suffered after her big op. I gave her two peppermint capsules and got her to have a soak in the bath, which helped a little but still uncomfortable.

Hi Eileen, Sorry to hear you're still suffering and hope you can get a break somewhere soon. Just to clarify, we booked our Florida flights when Mary was well, I don't think I would have done so right now, too much of a risk. Infact I am already thinking that we may have to cancel because it will cost a fortune to insure Mary, many companies won't even touch you if you're on chemo. Not sure we could go to America uninsured, Europe maybe but America would cost us a fortune if Mary became ill. That's a conversation we haven't had yet

Sharon, glad you got that over with today, keeping everything crossed for a good result.

Has anyone tried Activated Charcoal tablets / capsules? I bought some today for her to try. Supposed to be very good for absorbing gas and for the digestive system. I did check with her nurse first, because I read somewhere that it could interfere with other meds, but she felt they would be ok in moderation.

Best wishes,

John

x

Jackie, I'll be thinking of you tomorrow, if I'd had to go anywhere feeling as I've been feeling for last 4/5 days I don't know what I'd have done!   Hope you manage to get through it OK.  Have you got to drink the large flask of radioactive muck (or whatever it is) ?  Oh my god, poor you!

I am beginning to recover now, thank goodness, but was beginning to think sickness and cramps would never go.

Take care,

love Hazel xxx

John,

Oh, poor Mary, I SO know the feeling - as do most of us on here, no doubt.  But, I know I've said it before, and I'm going to say it again, she is so lucky to have you, John!   Please give her my love, and I hope the charcoal does the trick for her.

Love Hazel xxx

Hi,

It is strange how we are all full of wind this time around. I am because of the laxatives. I always have peppermint cordial in the house and have that with hot boiled water, it does the trick everytime.

Jackie I feel so sorry for you having to sit around there half the day as Hazel says drinking that muck.. We are just not up to getting dressed and going out, well I know I am not. One my clothes are so uncomfortable with my tummy swollen and I think what is the point when I am not going anywhere....

Good luck anyway and I will be thinking of you.......

Love always Eileen xxxx

Hi All

Fortunately feeling much better this morning so CT not feeling so problematic! yes i do have the stuff to drink, I've always quite liked it before lol thou never had it so close to chemo and taste is vile at the mo lol. As I am feeling better think I may be able to drive that far which means much less hanging around, my friend has a meeting due to finish at 3.30 and is going to phone me to see if I still feel up to it. She was going to pick me up at 12! that would have left me at the hosp for around 71/2 hours, would probably have been ok but can't find charger for Kindel!!! would prefer to drive myself as its less restrictive but will see how it goes.

John, have never tried the charcoal but have been living on peppermint caps! never had this problem till this time round and could do without it thanks very much! its at best most unpleasant and certainly leaves you feeling not to know what to do for the best. However so far today it is gone!!!!!!

Eileen clothes are not a problem for me as I don't have normal symptoms! abdo feels bloated with the wind pains but have no swelling or fluid therefore clothes fit ok (or would if I could stop putting on weight lol)

Haze - glad to hear you are coming out the other side, I had forgotten how nasty it makes you feel! my friend says my expectations this time are to high and I didn't feel any better last time, I just thought I did lol think she's probably right plus the boast from the steroids on Fri and Sat did make me feel better so I expected it to continue which of course it didn't lol

Take care all

Jackie

xx

Hi Jackie, Hope your day was OK after all.  Glad you're feeling better, it's such a relief isn't it?  I am fine today, just my usual heavy bellyache which I've grown used to, sort of, and have been shopping in the sunshine - a treat to get out after being stuck inside for days.

Eileen, poor thing, don't reckon you get much chance to do anything in between tortures, do you?!  Hope you are a bit better anyway, bless you.

Lots of love, Hazel xxx

Dear Hazel,

What a lovely lady you are xxx

You remind me of Dot always thinking about everyone else. I know we all do but you really make the effort to keep popping on...

As you say I get to go nowhere only bathroom and back to bed, I was working out before and it's about 10 weeks since I started to feel ill. If it's not the bowel it's something else. I must admit though once your bowel kicks off you can't go or do anything. At the moment it burns everytime I go for a you know what so I am full of sudocrem.. I just hope I feel better for my next chemo..

Hope today was ok for you Jackie..... Love to all .

Love always Eileen xxxxx

Ooh-er, perhaps I've been popping on too much and getting on everyone's nerves!  I can just imagine you all going "Not HER again, for goodness' sake!"

Got me worried now, Eileen!

Lots of love,

Hazel xxx

Ooh-er, perhaps I've been popping on too much and getting on everyone's nerves!  I can just imagine you all going "Not HER again, for goodness' sake!"

Got me worried now, Eileen!

Lots of love,

Hazel xxx

Hi Hazel,

Please don't think you are posting too much, that is what this forum is for, and everyone's input is important to somebody or everybody at some time. I certainly find it reasuring to know that what Mary is experiencing is very similar to everyone else here, it makes me realise that the symptoms are not unique to her and puts our minds at ease. I am more concerned when people are not posting, because I know they are probably not feeling well enough to do so. Thanks again for your kind words but I also feel I am lucky to have Mary, she is a wonderful  woman who has had so much to deal with in her life, the least I can do is support her.

It's a bit of a roller coater at the moment for some of us, Mary too felt quite good yesterday and actually rang me at work with a shopping list as she wanted to make a recipe that she saw on TV. It was a chicken and vegtable pie and it was lovely! First bit of cooking she's done for a while.

Jackie, hope all went well with the scan

Best wishes to everyone,

John

x

Oh, John, what a nice man you are!  Like you, I get worried if we don't hear from someone, but I have to say that even I sometimes think I'm jabbering on too much when I scroll down the messages and keep seeing my own ugly mug!  I just like to wish people well when they are down and are having nasties done - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Good for Mary -  I bet she was so pleased to be able to do something normal, glad you enjoyed her pie!

Love Hazel xxx

John,

Hope you and Mary are doing OK.

Don't know where your last message has disappeared to, but it ain't on the site yet, though your name was flagged up as last entry.  Very odd!

Hazel xxx

Hi Hazel,

Wow! I am very impressed with your new wig, it really suits you and dare I say makes you look a little younger, where did you get it so cheap? Eileen is right, you do bring some good contributions to the forum and some much needed humour. I don't know what you saw flagged, I hadn't posted again since yesterday morning, probably a glitch.

Eileen, so glad you have booked a break. It's good to have things to look forward to and helps to get away even if it's just a change of scenery.

Jackie, glad you felt well enough and got yourself to the hospital ok, saved a lot of hanging around waiting, we all know what that's like.

Mary had another good day yesterday, she drove herself out and bought some pansies and daffs, so I had some little jobs to do when I got home from work

They have brought forward her Portacath procedure, she is now having it done next wednesday morning then will start her 2nd cycle of Gem/Carbo in the afternoon. Pre-assessment on Tuesday.

Best wishes,

John

x

Hello, John,

Thanks for your vote of confidence - had another today from my next door neighbours while I was gardening -  they said the wig looked nice and that they wouldn't say anything if they thought otherwise.  So all that has bucked me up!

I bought it in a shop in the Vicarage Fields arcade in Barking, not far from me - it's really a shop aimed at black girls - they do love their wigs and hairpieces -  but there were a few lighter coloured styles to choose from as well.  I still can't believe my luck with the price!

I see Mary has started to get itchy fingers re. the gardening, but she beat me to it - she did some last week didn't she?  Afraid I was a bit incapacitated!  I will have to get a few plants soon as well for pots and hanging basket.

Hope you have another nice weekend, is it really a week since you said you were going to the ball?

Love to you both,

Hazel xxx

Hi Hazel,

So pleased to hear you are feeling good at the moment and got some gardening done, hope it lasts. Yes, Mary does like her garden too and she was out again today pottering. I'm not into gardening myself but I do like to see the garden looking nice, and I don't mind doing the donkey work to help her. Yes she did make a start last Sunday and got me mowing the lawn and strimming etc. We went out for a steak meal tonight, just trying to take advantage when Mary feels well enough to do stuff.

Did you have your treatment yesterday? I thought you went on Thursdays or was it your week off? Is it Carbo/Taxol you're having?

Mary has started taking her anti-sickness tabs (Metoclopramide) three times a day, It's difficult to tell if it's this that is making her feel better as it's all subjective, maybe it's just the chemo doing it's work (there's one almighty battle going on I guess).

Hope the rest of the ladies are doing ok,

Best wishes to everyone,

John

x

Hi John,

No, no chemo this week, thank goodness, I am on the basic three weekly treatment of TaxolCarbo at the moment, as it's my first time for ovarian ca - next one is on 29th.  I think they start almost everyone off with that one, as far as I can gather from reading all the stories on here. The plan is 3 chemos at three weekly intervals, then CT, then if tumours have shrunk enough a hysterectomy, then 3 more chemos every three weeks again to "mop up".  I couldn't have the hysterectomy first unfortunately (got that to look forward to) as my tumours are attached to the bowel as well and I would probably have needed a colostomy - not that that would have bothered me, as an ex-auxiliary nurse I've seen and dealt with a few of those in my time - but the decision was made to do it this way.  I'm hoping it does all go to plan, but we all know what Robbie Burns said about plans!

Hope Mary enjoyed pottering in the garden - it's very therapeutic, you know - I find that while I'm gardening I'm not thinking about anything else, just concentrating on what I'm doing.  I've always thought that, but even more so now.  (It was a bit nippy today, but the old "syrup" kept me warm!)

Love to both,

Hazel xxx

Hi Hazel,

Re chemo, I guess Mary was different to everyone else. She had her surgery first followed by weekly Taxol/Carbo with no weeks off, it was a regimen that was trialled in Japan with good results, and she did respond well to the treatment although it left her with some neuropathy in her toes which has still not gone. That is why her onc has opted not to give her any more Taxol  http://cancerchat.cancerresearchuk.org/message/31764#31764

Mary agrees with you about gardening being very therapeutic, she loves her garden and it does take her mind off of other things. I personally love to listen to music and that does the the same for me.

Sue, good to hear that you are starting to feel a bit better. Mary has noticed a big difference by taking the anti-sickness tablets as prescribed whether or not she feels nauseous. Like Hazel, she was wondering if she was ever going to feel better. Mary has had five good days in a row now and had a lovely mother's day at home with our family, our daughter cooked the roast dinner (with a little guidance from Dad).

Eileen, Sounds like you're starting to feel a bit better too. Just out of interest, do you take your anti-sickness tablets whether or not you feel nauseous? Mary's nurse recommended some different tabs (instead of Domperidone) which also help to keep things moving in the bowel. They are called Metoclopramide, and she is convinced they have made a big difference.

Dot, what are you like?! Just when you were doing so well you start having another problem. Hope that the antibiotics sort it out for you. Mary was very lucky with her vertical op scar, she thought it would look horrendous and was really worried about that. But it healed really nicely and is hardly noticeable now.

Sharon, I hope you had a good day today too and are feeling ok, I know you must be anxious having such a long wait for your scan results.

Best wishes to everyone,

John

x