Can ascites build up in abdomen within days?

AussieMaddie said:

Thank you LaundryQueen
You may well be right about the tumour die off (though they've not found much in the way of tumours - at last scans, the oncologist could only find very little evidence of any tumour nodules in the pelvis and on the omentum.

I wanted to express my sadness for your experience of the Gemzar. I'm now completed my first cycle of Taxol/Gemzar and I really believe that it is already lessening the distension of my abdomen and therefore the constancy of my cough. The only way I will know if that is true is when I have a blood test to check my CA125 level this week prior to getting the results from my oncologist on Saturday.

I'm so sorry that you're having a difficult time with the Gemzar. May I ask what type of symptoms? I found that after 11 cycles previously on Carbo/Taxol that I had very few symptoms. I never did get nauseous, though I did get painful mouth ulcers and cramps and I lost all my hair. Since starting on Taxol/Gemzar, one cycle only so far, I have at times felt a bit yukky and have quickly taken Pramin before it gets worse. A few times, I've started to dry-retch, but put it down to the cough which has been troubling me very much. That seems to have improved in the last day or two (though I shouldn't speak too quickly because it has started to play up just now, preventing me from going back to sleep) I don't remember how quickly it took while on Carbo/Taxol to lose my hair, but my hair isn't falling out yet. One nurse said to expect it to thin and not necessarily to lose it altogether.

One thing I find hardest is that, because my oncologist wants the Taxol/Gemzar infused very slowly, I can't get away from the chemo ward (or the chair, comfortable though it is) for *seven* hours! I have a history of mental illness of a kind that makes it difficult for me to be with other people for more than a few hours at a time, so after seven hours, I'm an emotional mess. I didn't get over that till the following day. And I look to go throught that twice a month while I'm on the Taxol/Gemzar.

I don't know how you are having your Gemzar, whether you are having it with something else, or how often, but I'm having my Taxol/Gemzar in the exact same regimen as I had the Carbo/Taxol - half the total strength on one day, then the second half of the the dose a week later. Then I have two weeks break. I see the oncologist during the off-period for him to check how the CA125 is going.

If you are having much difficulty with your Gemzar, would it help to have it as I do, half the dose in one week, then the second half dose the week after, with two weeks break. It worked very well with the Carbo/Taxol for 11 cycles, till it started to lose its effectiveness.

I seem to have so few side-effects by comparison to others here that I wish I could say something that could be of help to someone else.

Take very good care, LaundryQueen (((( ))))

AussieMaddie

AussieMaddie said:

Tired! Boy, can I relate.
Hi Laundry Queen,

like you, I'm tired all the time now. The oncologist said that my haemoglobin was "only one point" low and didn't seem at all worried by it, but I've been tired constantly. I received a phone call two days ago from my GP's nurse to ask me to come in because she's received the results of the blood test showing my haemohlobin is low. I'm hoping that she can do something about that. It is now 6.40am on Wednesday morning. I've been up all night working on something. Very glad to have been able to achieve, nevertheless, I'll be more tired when I wake. I see the GP at 4.30pm and hope she has something to put me on.

To my great surprise, the last blood test showed that my CA125 has increased way beyound anything it has been like till now - 22,000 - (and that's after my first dose of Taxol/Gemzar. My oncologist reminded me that we were unable to get a baseline number just prior to the chemo (It was a different pathology lab and didn't give us the correct result; won't go to that one again). He thinks it is possible that by the time I did have that first chemo treatment, that possibly my number was somewher in the vicinity of 22,000. That would make this count not look so bad. He wants to see me again before I have my next chemo. I see him on the 13th, have chemo on the 14th, but if my haemoglobin is still down, they might have to postpone that. It will be expecially interesting to see what happens to my CA125. 22,000 is nearly twice the number that it was when I was originally diagnosed last year.

The good news though is that, for all that I'm tired (and my hair, rather than fall out in large chunks, is thinning out quite quickly) I'm otherwise well. I really can't complain. I've got good reason to stay in bed, which is good, so why need I complain

Take good care,

For now,

AussieMaddie

AussieMaddie said:

Hi LaundryQueen
I've been unable to stay online lately as I've been tired *all* of the time and must get things done with less time available to me because I'm so tired.

Unfortunately, after one cycle of Taxol/Gemzar my CA125 has gone from around 22,000 (was it?) immediately after finishing the first cycle, to 38,000 immediately before having the first half of my second cycle.

Oncologist tells me that it is not low Haemoglobin that is causing my tiredness but probably the cancer itself. He is holding onto the hope that the Taxol/Gemzar just needs some extra time to work. I see him next week, too late to guage any change for having the second half of this current, second cycle (will be seeing him on the same day) but it should show if the first half dose of this cycle has had any effect.

I feel at present that my cancer cells are out of control and asked what said about my prognosis. He agreed it wasn't good. I asked "months instead of years?" Typically, he used humour to demur "yes, months, weeks, years, who knows". Since I was given less than a year to start with, I'm not doing too badly really. Besides, it never was when I'd die that frightened me, but rather that I'd be free of pain and, now, that I tidy my house. I've been given help to do that so hopefully that will be done. Also, I know that not everyone wants to know, but I like to have some idea so I can organize myself around it.

Others may have experienced their CA125 numbers seeming to be out of control and get back into control again. I wonder what it took. Surgery is out of the question. They still don't see anything to cut out (and I wouldn't want to have the pain of that)

Oh yes, yesterday, I heard him offically refer to my cancer on the phone to another professional as "Primary Peritoneal Cancer". How about that! No more "Primary of Unknown Origin with mets to the Peritoneum" (unless he uses the two diagnoses interchangeably )

Thank you,

and take care,

AussieMaddie