Chemo is going well my CA-125 has dropped and questions please help ?

Options
Honordon
Honordon Member Posts: 49 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1
2 down and 4 to go Chemo went well great it was long but am home and feel pretty good the steroids help , I will be washing the windows at midnight am so hyper , am a little achy for me it does not kick in till about Saturday then I feel wasted . Had to wait 2 hours as my chemo was not ready which made us late . Next time should be better as my recipe is already made up OK some very good news I asked the Doc what my chemo markers where for chemo No. 1 and now No .2 .drum roll normal is 1 to 35 I think ? i would like to be under 10 to be very normal ...... OK last time they were 45 this time my CA125 marker was 24 yes that's right 24 I am responding very well ..... and they said I can't kick this cancer even my chemo Doc smiled , ' god is good " and I am strong ..... luv you all Donna ♥ ♥


side effects for me - constipated , painful feet and legs, general feeling of exhausted about 3 days after chemo which lasts about 7 days . Nausea ( I do take anti vomit pills when I have to. my hair fell out and my head is itchy and burning a bit . having to pee a lot


Question ? ..........what is ideal for ca125 i would think under ten but some web pages say under 35 ? am confused and does it really mean cancer is gone ? or going ?

Comments

  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #2
    Options
    chemo and CA-125 markers
    First of all... great news on the falling CA-125 markers. Your chemo side effects sound very typical... oh, I found Scalpicin (SP?), an over the counter product really helped me with that annoying scalp itch. Drink LOTS of water for peeing alot is a very good thing. The constipation is my very worst chemo side effect and I have learned from bad experience to stay on top of that with stool softners, miralax etc.

    My ONC uses and under 35 CA-125 as being in the normal range. I don't think anyone can answer your confusion as to whether your OVCA will be under control or cured. Getting into the normal CA-125 range is definitely awesome. For most of us, (I don't know what stage you were diagnosed), we go through our intital diagnosis, surgery and chemo and then we are monitored usually on a monthly basis and then every three months etc. Being otherwise healthy and strong is a huge plus for you. You go girl!
    (((HUGS))) Maria
  • Honordon
    Honordon Member Posts: 49 Member
    #3
    Options
    Mwee said:

    chemo and CA-125 markers
    First of all... great news on the falling CA-125 markers. Your chemo side effects sound very typical... oh, I found Scalpicin (SP?), an over the counter product really helped me with that annoying scalp itch. Drink LOTS of water for peeing alot is a very good thing. The constipation is my very worst chemo side effect and I have learned from bad experience to stay on top of that with stool softners, miralax etc.

    My ONC uses and under 35 CA-125 as being in the normal range. I don't think anyone can answer your confusion as to whether your OVCA will be under control or cured. Getting into the normal CA-125 range is definitely awesome. For most of us, (I don't know what stage you were diagnosed), we go through our intital diagnosis, surgery and chemo and then we are monitored usually on a monthly basis and then every three months etc. Being otherwise healthy and strong is a huge plus for you. You go girl!
    (((HUGS))) Maria

    Thankyou am realy nervous
    my cancer was diagnosed at 4b , I had cervical cancer that had spread to lymp nodes and a kidney stem it was called ( papillary serious carcinoma ) suspected in lung but was not found there at all after scanned a second time. After cistaplan and radiation theraphy last year and brachy therapy the were all very much reduced and gone. The tumours in my cervix were 10 cm the smaller ones 2.5 cm and smaller all gone or reduced .

    Then when I had surgery to remove the womb , cervix ovaries etc they found the ovarian cancer which was quite large they had thought it was just a fistual or cyst but it was ovarian cancer different to first cancers but somehow related it had been there all along and only started growing after the chemo in June.

    My ovaries tumour and tubes were removed , my cervix and uterus had fused to my bowel so they left it in .

    Would my 4B staging be because if size of tumors ? I wonder as I only have it in lower pelvis ?

    Thankyou for your help , I read all your stories I THINK YOU ARE ALL AMAZING ...thankyou xoxox Donna
  • AnneBehymer
    AnneBehymer Member Posts: 738 Member
    #4
    Options
    0-21 is normal I think we
    0-21 is normal I think we all want to be under 10 when I started chemo it was 2000 by second chemo was at 65 by third it was in remission at 14. I was able to get mine down to 6 but lately it has been going up right now it is at 69 but praying it will go down. I am stage four to much understanding is that at stage four it is because it has moved out of the normal area. With you being at stage 4 it is very good results you are getting you are in my prayers.

    I am glad to hear how great you are doing and you are in my prays

    Anne
  • Honordon
    Honordon Member Posts: 49 Member
    #5
    Options
    AnneBehymer said:

    0-21 is normal I think we
    0-21 is normal I think we all want to be under 10 when I started chemo it was 2000 by second chemo was at 65 by third it was in remission at 14. I was able to get mine down to 6 but lately it has been going up right now it is at 69 but praying it will go down. I am stage four to much understanding is that at stage four it is because it has moved out of the normal area. With you being at stage 4 it is very good results you are getting you are in my prayers.

    I am glad to hear how great you are doing and you are in my prays

    Anne

    Thankyou
    your words have helped I had a really down day today Guess its 3 days after chemo and my emotions go nuts. Sometimes I think I have good results then I get worried. I am told I look great I feel pretty good except for no hair and I am eating fine and generally just a bit tired . I have read your story over and over , you are a very brave woman I admire you a lot and many times I have prayed for you . i wish I could like answer all the stories here so much I feel so hopeless gah I REALLY am having a down day ..... thank-you so much for your kindness Donna xox
  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #6
    Options
    Honordon said:

    Thankyou
    your words have helped I had a really down day today Guess its 3 days after chemo and my emotions go nuts. Sometimes I think I have good results then I get worried. I am told I look great I feel pretty good except for no hair and I am eating fine and generally just a bit tired . I have read your story over and over , you are a very brave woman I admire you a lot and many times I have prayed for you . i wish I could like answer all the stories here so much I feel so hopeless gah I REALLY am having a down day ..... thank-you so much for your kindness Donna xox

    Dear Donna
    The chemo, steroids, fatique, worry, etc. can really effect our emotions. I'm normally a positive type person, but one day after several rounds of chemo, I burst into tears in my ONC's office. He put me on antidepressants immediately... a no-brainer, I guess! We're not all brave all the time and thank heaven we have each other to lean on. I think you're handling your chemo very well. I wish I had realized earlier in my treatment that the doctors and chemo nurses were expecting me to report changes in everything from emotions to bowel problems. When I look back, I can see that I suffered needleesly.
    (((HUGS))) Maria
  • AnneBehymer
    AnneBehymer Member Posts: 738 Member
    #7
    Options
    Honordon said:

    Thankyou
    your words have helped I had a really down day today Guess its 3 days after chemo and my emotions go nuts. Sometimes I think I have good results then I get worried. I am told I look great I feel pretty good except for no hair and I am eating fine and generally just a bit tired . I have read your story over and over , you are a very brave woman I admire you a lot and many times I have prayed for you . i wish I could like answer all the stories here so much I feel so hopeless gah I REALLY am having a down day ..... thank-you so much for your kindness Donna xox

    It's ok
    It's ok we all have down days were all we feel is doom and gloom it all part of the disease we all go through it. I think even tho we don't feel like it much we are all very strong and can face and fight this. The hair thing was really hard for me and people would tell me it's just hair it wil grow back that was something that really burned me. I know it was just hair and that it would grow back but my hair was my one thing I felt good about me so I understand the hair thing. Think about it women find their beauty in their hair so when we lose it from the medication it is so hard to take. Please allow yourself time to grieve this lose. Please always come here when you are down we are here for you.

    Love, Hugs, and Prayers
    Anne

Discussion Boards