Symptoms, symptoms, symptons...Maybe TMI

Radioactive34

I know that once diagnosed, treated, and found NED, it takes the body a long time to heal. Some incidents though just make you want to run for the hills.

My big symptom that I ignored was constant contsipation and painful gas. During chemo and right afterward finishing my digestive system was a mess. For the past few weeks, I have been almost normal.....actually the best in over a year with the digestive system.

Today, I had an incident that just gave me deja vu. I was so constipated I could not pass gas. I was horribly uncomfortable. I tried to join in the Thanksgiving cheer, but could hear my family noting that I did not look well.

We are a huge family and my parents home only has 2 bathrooms, so I did not want to hog one trying to "work" on this. Despite that I did spend an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom....again causing notice.

My intestines hurt, my abominal muscles hurt...I just hurt. I was able to go, but am so sore I can't hide it from the family. After everyone left, I ended up laying in bed for most of the afternoon. I was so bloated my shirt fit me tight. Afterwards I went and started passing gas the shirt loosened up. Hours later, I still hurt. I look longingly at the hydrocodone....have not taken any in a long time but I want to get some sleep.

It was just one incident. It is nothing to panic about, right? I mean the holiday was stressfull. I have had a lot of personal stress. I am eating as healthy as possible...but it is the holidays. It could be a lot of things and not cancer. Though the digestive problems during chemo were painful in of themselves, just not the same.

It was just so similar to prior the diagnosis. All the same excuses kept coming to mind then. Sigh, this is frustrating. I know one incident. Thankfully I have a check up on Monday with my new oncologist. He is running the blood tests. That should help with the frustration and worry. I just want to catch any reocurrence as early as possible.

I pray for none.

poopergirl14052

chemo messes up our digestive tract
and it could happen any time. I have some issues too..sometimes to much gas.sometimes not enough. Sometimes to much poop and sometimes very little. I try to eat a lot of veggies but sometimes they don't agree with me and is hard to digest. I have found If I don't over eat and stop when I am comfortable sometimes works . I also have several incisional hernias and they bother me when I eat and they stick out under my clothes. My onc said it takes awhile to heal. Hope you feel better by morning.. How do you think I got My username poopergirl...val

Tethys41

Guts
They keep us busy during chemo, one way or another. After chemo, however, we cannot assume they are good as new. Debulking and chemo stress our guts like they have not been stressed before. It is very common, after what we've been through, to have a condition called, leaky gut. This means the integrity of the intestines has been compromised, and therefore things can leak into our blood that should not, and we don't digest food properly. This situation can lead to other health issues. It can take awhile for this to heal, and your GI tract can use all the help it can get. The best way to help it is to cut out all potentially aggravating foods. This would mean cutting out gluten, dairy, grains, sugar, etc., and eating only organic fruits, veggies and meats for a couple of weeks. You'll be amazed how good you will feel. Then you can add things in one at a time to see if any foods are aggrvating your gut. If you get gas, or other syemptoms, you've eaten somthing you should avoid for now. You may also want to take L-Glutamine for awhile. Or better yet a product that contains L-Glutamine, Marshallow Root, and slippery elm. You can take this with meals and it should help your gut heal. It takes a long time. I'm still working on mine, but eventually, you can get things back to normal. It's good that you are seeing your doctor on Monday too, just to check things out. Hope you're feeling better.

anicca

I'm so glad you have a check
I'm so glad you have a check up on Monday! Hopefully, it is not a recurrence. Anxiety can provoke the same symptoms, which I know from recent experience.

Have you ever tried taking probiotics? I had extreme bloating after my surgery, and within 2 hrs of the first probiotic pill, I felt relief. I still take them any time my digestion starts to act up. The ones that worked so well for me are Ultimate Flora (brand name) Critical Care. The GI doc I saw last week wants me to take Pearls, which seems to be just acidophilus. I ordered them from Amazon and will do as instructed, at least long enough to tell if they work as well as the Ultimate Flora.

DB

Mwee

hope you're feeling better today
and that you gotten relief...let us know.
(((HUGS)))) Maria

zinaida

"Senokot S" work very good
"Senokot S" work very good for me. Doctor told you can take two of them three times a day. She told, even if it make you go bathroom three, four times a day, it is better then constipation. On line you can find and print out cupons 7$-10$. Hope it is will work for you too, love you, my teal sister, Zina.

michelefabus

Bloating
I was diagnosed a year ago with stage IV Ovarian Cancer. I had 7 cycles of Taxol and Carbo and an optimal debulking surgery in June. I just finished my 12th cycle of chemo and lately have been having abdominal pain and bloating. I have had abdominal pain previously following chemo, but like you I think this feels different, especially with the distended abdomen and much like my original symptoms. I am scheduled to have a CT scan the middle of January, but think that I will call my oncologist and see about moving the scan up. It is very frightening to wonder if it's a recurrence or just the normal path of the treatment. I hope that your check up goes well on Monday, please keep us posted as to how your appointment goes. ((Hugs))

karen1951

michelefabus said:

Bloating
I was diagnosed a year ago with stage IV Ovarian Cancer. I had 7 cycles of Taxol and Carbo and an optimal debulking surgery in June. I just finished my 12th cycle of chemo and lately have been having abdominal pain and bloating. I have had abdominal pain previously following chemo, but like you I think this feels different, especially with the distended abdomen and much like my original symptoms. I am scheduled to have a CT scan the middle of January, but think that I will call my oncologist and see about moving the scan up. It is very frightening to wonder if it's a recurrence or just the normal path of the treatment. I hope that your check up goes well on Monday, please keep us posted as to how your appointment goes. ((Hugs))

hi michelefabus.....if i
hi michelefabus.....if i were you i would call my onc and tell him your symptoms and get your scan moved up....i was diagnosed stage IV aug 10....started feeling tired and had some vague symptoms so my onc moved my scan from dec to early nov...in fact...he ordered a petscan (first time) i have a very small new mass in my abdomen and some activity in my lymph nodes....i start a new round of chemo on dec 9 using topotecan. please keep me posted as to how you are doing... has your doctor been monitoring your ca125? i've been getting mine tested every two weeks...up to 241 now. it's comforting to talk to other stage IV's....best of luck....karen

karen1951

michelefabus said:

Bloating
I was diagnosed a year ago with stage IV Ovarian Cancer. I had 7 cycles of Taxol and Carbo and an optimal debulking surgery in June. I just finished my 12th cycle of chemo and lately have been having abdominal pain and bloating. I have had abdominal pain previously following chemo, but like you I think this feels different, especially with the distended abdomen and much like my original symptoms. I am scheduled to have a CT scan the middle of January, but think that I will call my oncologist and see about moving the scan up. It is very frightening to wonder if it's a recurrence or just the normal path of the treatment. I hope that your check up goes well on Monday, please keep us posted as to how your appointment goes. ((Hugs))

hi michelefabus.....if i
hi michelefabus.....if i were you i would call my onc and tell him your symptoms and get your scan moved up....i was diagnosed stage IV aug 10....started feeling tired and had some vague symptoms so my onc moved my scan from dec to early nov...in fact...he ordered a petscan (first time) i have a very small new mass in my abdomen and some activity in my lymph nodes....i start a new round of chemo on dec 9 using topotecan. please keep me posted as to how you are doing... has your doctor been monitoring your ca125? i've been getting mine tested every two weeks...up to 241 now. it's comforting to talk to other stage IV's....best of luck....karen

karen1951

michelefabus said:

Bloating
I was diagnosed a year ago with stage IV Ovarian Cancer. I had 7 cycles of Taxol and Carbo and an optimal debulking surgery in June. I just finished my 12th cycle of chemo and lately have been having abdominal pain and bloating. I have had abdominal pain previously following chemo, but like you I think this feels different, especially with the distended abdomen and much like my original symptoms. I am scheduled to have a CT scan the middle of January, but think that I will call my oncologist and see about moving the scan up. It is very frightening to wonder if it's a recurrence or just the normal path of the treatment. I hope that your check up goes well on Monday, please keep us posted as to how your appointment goes. ((Hugs))

hi michelefabus.....if i
hi michelefabus.....if i were you i would call my onc and tell him your symptoms and get your scan moved up....i was diagnosed stage IV aug 10....started feeling tired and had some vague symptoms so my onc moved my scan from dec to early nov...in fact...he ordered a petscan (first time) i have a very small new mass in my abdomen and some activity in my lymph nodes....i start a new round of chemo on dec 9 using topotecan. please keep me posted as to how you are doing... has your doctor been monitoring your ca125? i've been getting mine tested every two weeks...up to 241 now. it's comforting to talk to other stage IV's....best of luck....karen

karen1951

michelefabus said:

Bloating
I was diagnosed a year ago with stage IV Ovarian Cancer. I had 7 cycles of Taxol and Carbo and an optimal debulking surgery in June. I just finished my 12th cycle of chemo and lately have been having abdominal pain and bloating. I have had abdominal pain previously following chemo, but like you I think this feels different, especially with the distended abdomen and much like my original symptoms. I am scheduled to have a CT scan the middle of January, but think that I will call my oncologist and see about moving the scan up. It is very frightening to wonder if it's a recurrence or just the normal path of the treatment. I hope that your check up goes well on Monday, please keep us posted as to how your appointment goes. ((Hugs))

hi michelefabus.....if i
hi michelefabus.....if i were you i would call my onc and tell him your symptoms and get your scan moved up....i was diagnosed stage IV aug 10....started feeling tired and had some vague symptoms so my onc moved my scan from dec to early nov...in fact...he ordered a petscan (first time) i have a very small new mass in my abdomen and some activity in my lymph nodes....i start a new round of chemo on dec 9 using topotecan. please keep me posted as to how you are doing... has your doctor been monitoring your ca125? i've been getting mine tested every two weeks...up to 241 now. it's comforting to talk to other stage IV's....best of luck....karen

michelefabus

karen1951 said:

hi michelefabus.....if i
hi michelefabus.....if i were you i would call my onc and tell him your symptoms and get your scan moved up....i was diagnosed stage IV aug 10....started feeling tired and had some vague symptoms so my onc moved my scan from dec to early nov...in fact...he ordered a petscan (first time) i have a very small new mass in my abdomen and some activity in my lymph nodes....i start a new round of chemo on dec 9 using topotecan. please keep me posted as to how you are doing... has your doctor been monitoring your ca125? i've been getting mine tested every two weeks...up to 241 now. it's comforting to talk to other stage IV's....best of luck....karen

I had a CA-125 in October
I had a CA-125 in October and it was 81. It was 993 when originally diagnosed a year ago and after 3 treatments it dropped to 73 and after 6 treatments it dropped to 23. My Oncologist said not to get too hung up on the CA-125 because there are a lot of things that can throw off the result, however it has been accurate thus far. I also have Crohn's Disease and Ankylosing Spondolytis both of which could affect the result. I was having no symptoms at the time of my last lab draw and was very surprised that it was elevated. I finished my 12th cycle of Taxol and Carbo on Nov. 18th. I can no longer take Carbo I had reactions the last two attempts to have it. I am not familiar with Topotecan, I need to look up information on it. Avastin is not a good option for me due to the Crohn's Disease. It is comforting to talk to others with this disease. I have a very good support system but of course no one understands all of the emotional issues of the disease except for someone else with the disease. I will keep you posted. Michele

Radioactive34

I saw the new oncologist
I saw the new oncologist this past Monday. He took blood. I have not gotten my CA 125 results yet. I had a CT of my abdomin and chest today. I figure I will hear about all the results at one time.

I think the CT was ordered because I have had a cold/flu that I have not been able to kick for about a month. I am on my second dose of antibiotics.

So far things are still ok. A little nervous but ok. The doctor said I looked good and to keep a peaceful mind.

Radioactive34

Radioactive34 said:

I saw the new oncologist
I saw the new oncologist this past Monday. He took blood. I have not gotten my CA 125 results yet. I had a CT of my abdomin and chest today. I figure I will hear about all the results at one time.

I think the CT was ordered because I have had a cold/flu that I have not been able to kick for about a month. I am on my second dose of antibiotics.

So far things are still ok. A little nervous but ok. The doctor said I looked good and to keep a peaceful mind.

You know how some accidents or events in time are slowed to an infinity. Where you can see what is going to happen but you can't stop it. Kind of like "yelling ""NOOOO"" when you see that cake you baked all afternoon slide off the pedestal.....before getting it to an important event? And then whoosh...it is over and the incident is done or cake is on the floor.

My brain is in that mode and keeps screaming "It is coming or it is here but you can't see it!" Sigh, my CT scan came back clear. But my CA 125 which was stable during chemo is heading up. It was 6 at the end of September. It is now 10.5.

The constipation has been almost constant since Thanksgiving. The nurse giving me the tests was nice and said the CA 125 is normal. Yeah, it is....but for someone who has "NED" OVC any rise is one for concern. I went back and read my CT scans for the last few months. Some organs show abnormalities but no signs of cancer. They were enlarged or just not normal but not enough to make a big deal of it. Doctors did not even mention it. I might be wrong, but I see that as the train beginning to derail. I am going to keep as positive as I can but....worry is hard to calm and balance with optimism.

I am visiting my family for the holidays. And am immediately leaving after Christmas to Europe. Who knows what happens then. Their protocols maybe different. What state will I be in or have to be in for treatment there?

So...for Christmas not to have an air of this is our last one with the baby of the family, then I will have to just pull my pants up and keep my mouth shut about my worries.

Hissy_Fitz

Radioactive34 said:

You know how some accidents or events in time are slowed to an infinity. Where you can see what is going to happen but you can't stop it. Kind of like "yelling ""NOOOO"" when you see that cake you baked all afternoon slide off the pedestal.....before getting it to an important event? And then whoosh...it is over and the incident is done or cake is on the floor.

My brain is in that mode and keeps screaming "It is coming or it is here but you can't see it!" Sigh, my CT scan came back clear. But my CA 125 which was stable during chemo is heading up. It was 6 at the end of September. It is now 10.5.

The constipation has been almost constant since Thanksgiving. The nurse giving me the tests was nice and said the CA 125 is normal. Yeah, it is....but for someone who has "NED" OVC any rise is one for concern. I went back and read my CT scans for the last few months. Some organs show abnormalities but no signs of cancer. They were enlarged or just not normal but not enough to make a big deal of it. Doctors did not even mention it. I might be wrong, but I see that as the train beginning to derail. I am going to keep as positive as I can but....worry is hard to calm and balance with optimism.

I am visiting my family for the holidays. And am immediately leaving after Christmas to Europe. Who knows what happens then. Their protocols maybe different. What state will I be in or have to be in for treatment there?

So...for Christmas not to have an air of this is our last one with the baby of the family, then I will have to just pull my pants up and keep my mouth shut about my worries.

Don't panic. Chemo pushes
Don't panic. Chemo pushes your CA125 down to an unnatural low, in most cases. It's probably just leveling off, post-chemo. Try not to read too much into it. 10 is still a perfectly fine number. Lots of women who never had cancer are higher than 10.

Carlene

Radioactive34

Hissy_Fitz said:

Don't panic. Chemo pushes
Don't panic. Chemo pushes your CA125 down to an unnatural low, in most cases. It's probably just leveling off, post-chemo. Try not to read too much into it. 10 is still a perfectly fine number. Lots of women who never had cancer are higher than 10.

Carlene

Thank you
Thank you, I was starting to panic. It seems that I get the results or symptoms and I just freak. It is hard to retain positive thoughts. I read your post and got a grip. Lol, always need to get a grip with this.

Thank you, thank you