Struggling with life after germ cell ovarian cancer

Hiya, this may be a bit of a long paragraph but I’m struggling and running out of ideas of where to get help/advice. Admin feel free to say if the post isn’t allowed and I will delete :)

I am 22 years old and when I was 18 I was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer which led me to having major surgery in which one ovary, a 20cm and 7cm tumour being removed, then followed by intensive rounds of chemotherapy ( I was on BEP) for the year - during that year my chemotherapy had a brief pause where I ended up with a bowel obstruction that nearly ended my life, but I overcame it luckily. 

fast forward to now. Since finishing chemotherapy and my cancer gone, I have unfortunately gone through a lot of trouble since finishing. The first problem being diagnosed with arthritis and severe nerve damage which has now caused my to walk around with a walking stick - this unfortunately has progressed further and I’m now in more extreme pain than I was a year after chemotherapy which the doctors are concerned about since I’ve gotten worse and not better with and in response have put me on methotrexate injections. I have also found out that since going through chemotherapy my tinnitus has progressed and I have being told I have hearing loss in both ears in which we are now going through further testing to see about hearing aids.

The worst thing though is the progression into ovarian failure/ early menopause. My egg count has also been tested after chemo and recently in which it showed quite a drop in my egg reserve which is also not a good sign. I’ve been told the likelihood is that I probably won’t be able to have kids naturally in the future and my best bet is to do IVF which I’d have to pay for and obviously me and my partner cannot afford it. I’m absolutely terrified that this will ruin my future with my partner and my future in general as he very much wants kids and the chances are I can’t have them. 

With everything put together, I’m completely overwhelmed by it all and I have no idea how to cope with everything and to be honest I don’t know completely why I’m writing on here - I saw this forum as an ad on facebook and thought why not. I have no idea if anyone can offer any advice or even just some reassurance. 
many thanks 

  • Hello DuhitzLysss,

    Welcome to Cancer Chat and thank you for posting.

    I'm so sorry to hear how you're feeling and can see the impact that this recent news has had. If you haven't already, it's important that you have an honest conversation with your partner about what your doctor has told you and share each other's thoughts on whether having a child is a viable option or if alternatives, might be suitable. This could help you both figure out a way forward as a couple. The love and support you have for each other has got you through some difficult times I'm sure, so don't be afraid to lean on that and be open and honest.

    You've been through a lot at such a young age and now that you're on the other side of it, it's natural to feel overwhelmed or that maybe this isn't the future you had planned for yourself. It's ok if you're struggling and in tough times it helps to be kind to yourself and give yourself the space to reflect and process. Please know that there is support available for you including counselling and you can also talk to your GP if you need advice or are looking for support in your local area. We also have a Life Beyond Cancer hub, which mentions counselling and other guidance around navigating the next steps since you finished treatment.

    If you'd like to talk one of our friendly cancer nurses about anything, you can call our free helpline on 0808 800 4040. Lines open 9 to 5 Monday to Friday.

    I do hope this helps in some way and all the best to you,

    Moderator Anastasia