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light42day
light42day Member Posts: 62 Member
in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
I just joined this forum and wanted to share my story. I was diagnosed with Endometroid adenocarcinoma stage 1a grade 2 in January. The tumor was confined to the uterus with no myometrial invasion and all nodes were negative. But the pelvic wash came back positive. My Gyn/onc believes that cells were washed out into the pelvic region when I had a Hysteroscopy done before my dx (by another Gyn). I would have needed no further treatment otherwise.

I made the decision to do 3 rounds of Taxol/Carbo to kill the cells floating around in there. My doctor said I could choose to do nothing and take my chances. But she also siad that if the cancer does recur it will not be curable (but still treatable, but much more aggressively). So I decided to do the Chemo now and hopefully this will take care of it.

I started my first treatment last Monday and it's not fun, that's for sure! The first and second day were ok but it really hit me the 3rd and 4th days with the bone pain, body aches and just feeling bad generally. I also started feeling really anxious and lost my appetite. I took a few doses of ativan and that helped but I still don't have much of an appetite and have lost 5lbs in the last 3 or 4 day, which my nurse won't be happy about.

I don't mean to whine because I know that many of the ladies on this forum are going through or have gone through things far worse than what I am. This is a journey that none of us wanted to go on. Mine started with spotting after being post-menopausal for 2 years. I went to my Gyn and he sent me to get an ultrasound and it showed an endo lining of 9.6. Then he did a D & C and Hysteroscopy and I got the Endo ca dx. We just do what we have to do I guess.

Comments

  • Fayard
    Fayard Member Posts: 438 Member
    #2
    Welcome!
    I was diagnosed with the same type of cancer, adenocarcinoma clear cell, November 2010.
    Mine was stage 2, because it invaded the myometrium.
    I have 6 rounds of chemo.
    You are very fortunate to have Stage 1.

    I finished last July, and I am still recovering from it.
    Thank God I am cure!

    Drink a lot of water and exercise. Rest when tire, and try to eat the best you can, meaning eat healthy.

    Good luck to you and stay in touch.
    We are here to support you! :)
  • pakb56
    pakb56 Member Posts: 141
    #3
    Welcome light42day
    If you need to whine, vent, celebrate or whatever, you will find a good group of people to listen and lend support. You will find so much useful information.

    I will be having my 3rd round of taxol/carbo on Wednesday. The first two were almost identical on how I reacted.

    Day of (Wednesday) and day after (Thursday) no problems. Friday evening aches, pains, twinges begin. I can deal with it during the day but not at night. I have found taking hydrocordodone helps. I get a little queasy. Just enough that it makes it difficult to eat. I have to find the thing that sounds good to eat. I take the anti-nausea meds at first sign or at night before bed. I feel a little tired, but by late Sunday afternoon it is the worst. Monday just a few aches and pains. Tuesday I seem to be back to normal.

    I am wondering if Round 3 will follow the same protocol.

    Although I am not nauseous, I do find that somethings I just don't want to eat. Nothing specific and never the same. When something sounds good I eat it just to make sure I eat. As much as I would like to eat everything that is best for me, that does not always work. If nothing sounds good besides a hamburger and fries, a hamburger and fries it is.

    I am not a big water drinker. However, during my chemo, I drink huge amounts. Between the iv fluids and the water, I spend a lot of time in the bathroom.

    I think the worst side effect I have had so far it the folliculits on my scalp. My entire scalp just broke out. It was (is) horrible!
  • light42day
    light42day Member Posts: 62 Member
    #4
    Fayard said:

    Welcome!
    I was diagnosed with the same type of cancer, adenocarcinoma clear cell, November 2010.
    Mine was stage 2, because it invaded the myometrium.
    I have 6 rounds of chemo.
    You are very fortunate to have Stage 1.

    I finished last July, and I am still recovering from it.
    Thank God I am cure!

    Drink a lot of water and exercise. Rest when tire, and try to eat the best you can, meaning eat healthy.

    Good luck to you and stay in touch.
    We are here to support you! :)

    I'm so glad that you're done
    I'm so glad that you're done with your chemo and are cured now! Thanks for your words of encouragement!
  • light42day
    light42day Member Posts: 62 Member
    #5
    Fayard said:

    Welcome!
    I was diagnosed with the same type of cancer, adenocarcinoma clear cell, November 2010.
    Mine was stage 2, because it invaded the myometrium.
    I have 6 rounds of chemo.
    You are very fortunate to have Stage 1.

    I finished last July, and I am still recovering from it.
    Thank God I am cure!

    Drink a lot of water and exercise. Rest when tire, and try to eat the best you can, meaning eat healthy.

    Good luck to you and stay in touch.
    We are here to support you! :)

    I'm so glad that you're done
    I'm so glad that you're done with your chemo and are cured now! Thanks for your words of encouragement!
  • light42day
    light42day Member Posts: 62 Member
    #6
    pakb56 said:

    Welcome light42day
    If you need to whine, vent, celebrate or whatever, you will find a good group of people to listen and lend support. You will find so much useful information.

    I will be having my 3rd round of taxol/carbo on Wednesday. The first two were almost identical on how I reacted.

    Day of (Wednesday) and day after (Thursday) no problems. Friday evening aches, pains, twinges begin. I can deal with it during the day but not at night. I have found taking hydrocordodone helps. I get a little queasy. Just enough that it makes it difficult to eat. I have to find the thing that sounds good to eat. I take the anti-nausea meds at first sign or at night before bed. I feel a little tired, but by late Sunday afternoon it is the worst. Monday just a few aches and pains. Tuesday I seem to be back to normal.

    I am wondering if Round 3 will follow the same protocol.

    Although I am not nauseous, I do find that somethings I just don't want to eat. Nothing specific and never the same. When something sounds good I eat it just to make sure I eat. As much as I would like to eat everything that is best for me, that does not always work. If nothing sounds good besides a hamburger and fries, a hamburger and fries it is.

    I am not a big water drinker. However, during my chemo, I drink huge amounts. Between the iv fluids and the water, I spend a lot of time in the bathroom.

    I think the worst side effect I have had so far it the folliculits on my scalp. My entire scalp just broke out. It was (is) horrible!

    Your after effects of Chemo
    Your after effects of Chemo sound just like mine after round one. I'll have round 2 on April 9th. I couldn't sleep at all the 3rd night because of the pain. Maybe I'd better get something to take this next time around. I really have trouble getting the water down. I'm just so gage-y now that it's hard to drink it. I hope your 3rd round isn't too bad-hopefully not as bad as the others.
  • pakb56
    pakb56 Member Posts: 141
    #7
    light42day said:

    Your after effects of Chemo
    Your after effects of Chemo sound just like mine after round one. I'll have round 2 on April 9th. I couldn't sleep at all the 3rd night because of the pain. Maybe I'd better get something to take this next time around. I really have trouble getting the water down. I'm just so gage-y now that it's hard to drink it. I hope your 3rd round isn't too bad-hopefully not as bad as the others.

    Information
    I think I read about every after effect everyone had. I don't want to say I was expecting it, but I was prepared for it. If you are nauseous all the time, I would consider taking anti-nausea meds routinely. Like I said, mine was more like queasy.

    One thing I forgot to mention is day of and day after having trouble sleeping. From many of the posts I read, I surmised it was from the pre-chemo steroids.

    Funny thing about those pains...I get pelvic pains where I believe my fallopian tubes once were. The first time I felt scared me as I was thinking something was wrong.

    Hopefully, you will feel better soon (at least until next round). From what I have read, many struggled for 8 days or so before getting back to "normal".

    Hang in there.

    Pat
  • Ro10
    Ro10 Member Posts: 1,561 Member
    #8
    pakb56 said:

    Welcome light42day
    If you need to whine, vent, celebrate or whatever, you will find a good group of people to listen and lend support. You will find so much useful information.

    I will be having my 3rd round of taxol/carbo on Wednesday. The first two were almost identical on how I reacted.

    Day of (Wednesday) and day after (Thursday) no problems. Friday evening aches, pains, twinges begin. I can deal with it during the day but not at night. I have found taking hydrocordodone helps. I get a little queasy. Just enough that it makes it difficult to eat. I have to find the thing that sounds good to eat. I take the anti-nausea meds at first sign or at night before bed. I feel a little tired, but by late Sunday afternoon it is the worst. Monday just a few aches and pains. Tuesday I seem to be back to normal.

    I am wondering if Round 3 will follow the same protocol.

    Although I am not nauseous, I do find that somethings I just don't want to eat. Nothing specific and never the same. When something sounds good I eat it just to make sure I eat. As much as I would like to eat everything that is best for me, that does not always work. If nothing sounds good besides a hamburger and fries, a hamburger and fries it is.

    I am not a big water drinker. However, during my chemo, I drink huge amounts. Between the iv fluids and the water, I spend a lot of time in the bathroom.

    I think the worst side effect I have had so far it the folliculits on my scalp. My entire scalp just broke out. It was (is) horrible!

    Pat good luck with round three of chemo
    Glad you have found ways to deal with you side effects. They are no fun that's for sure. You will be closer to your goal of being done with chemo.

    Sorry your scalp is stoll so sore. That would be miserable. Hope the cream helped.

    Hang in there and take it one day at a time. In peace and caring.
  • Ro10
    Ro10 Member Posts: 1,561 Member
    #9
    Welcome light42day to the site
    Sorry you have to join us on this journey though. None of us wants to make this journey, but aim thankful for all the ladies who offer theit stories, encouragement and support. Feel free to ask any questions, express any fears or concerns. This is the place to come. Feel free to whine anytime, too.

    I am on my third time of having chemo. I have had two recurrences. Originally diagnosed in 1/09 with UPSC stage 3-C. There are others who are just beginning their treatments, so someone has probably experienced what you are going through, andcan offer suggestions.

    Fluids and nutrition are an important part of your treatment, too. Good luck in finding things that appeal to you and you can eat and drink. I hope you have some anti nausea pills, too. Keeping the nausea away is important, too.

    Take it one day at a time. Good luck with your next treatment. In peace and caring.
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #10
    Ro10 said:

    Welcome light42day to the site
    Sorry you have to join us on this journey though. None of us wants to make this journey, but aim thankful for all the ladies who offer theit stories, encouragement and support. Feel free to ask any questions, express any fears or concerns. This is the place to come. Feel free to whine anytime, too.

    I am on my third time of having chemo. I have had two recurrences. Originally diagnosed in 1/09 with UPSC stage 3-C. There are others who are just beginning their treatments, so someone has probably experienced what you are going through, andcan offer suggestions.

    Fluids and nutrition are an important part of your treatment, too. Good luck in finding things that appeal to you and you can eat and drink. I hope you have some anti nausea pills, too. Keeping the nausea away is important, too.

    Take it one day at a time. Good luck with your next treatment. In peace and caring.

    You could be managing your symptoms better
    I dont think you have the meds you need to deal with your symptoms. Certainly, you need pain meds. I opted for something without acetaminophen--oxycontin. Acetaminophen (Tyelenol) is hard on the liver.

    Just be aware that narcotic pain meds cause constipation--which will make you more miserable. The fiber option (like Metamucil) for constipation from pain meds is probably not the best way to go--sometimes, all that fiber just swells up inside & makes you feel worse. I use Milk of Magnesia or Senecot and a lot of water.

    There are good anti-nausea meds: Zofran or Zuplenz (same drug--the former is a pill & the latter is a peppermint flavored film that melts in your mouth). These don't make you drowsy. I was still vomiting too much after chemo so the doc put me on Emend--that was wonderful! All of these are expensive.

    If you are just a little queasy, try ginger tea. You can buy the ginger root (don't bother peeling it) & slice up about 2 inches into thin pieces. Throw that into a tea pot & fill with boiling water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Add honey & enjoy hot or on ice. The health food store has ginger tea in tea bags, too.

    You will eventually get over the shock of this & things will get better. Sorry you had to come here.
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #11
    Whine HERE!
    This is the perfect place to whine--please feel free. That way you can spare you family & friends who really can't understand what you are going thru (unless they have already been down the cancer road). When you are having a bad time, it helps to remember that "this too shall pass."
  • Fayard
    Fayard Member Posts: 438 Member
    #12
    light42day said:

    I'm so glad that you're done
    I'm so glad that you're done with your chemo and are cured now! Thanks for your words of encouragement!

    Side effects
    I took my nausea pills every morning before having any symptoms.
    To help me sleep, I took Ambien.
    It worked at the beginning only.
    I just stay awake watching TV and tried to sleep during the day time.

    Good luck!
  • pakb56
    pakb56 Member Posts: 141
    #13
    Ro10 said:

    Pat good luck with round three of chemo
    Glad you have found ways to deal with you side effects. They are no fun that's for sure. You will be closer to your goal of being done with chemo.

    Sorry your scalp is stoll so sore. That would be miserable. Hope the cream helped.

    Hang in there and take it one day at a time. In peace and caring.

    Ro
    Thanks Ro. Scalp is getting better but I still have one are that is hideous. The bumps are pretty much gone but I have marks from picking at it. I know....don't pick. It was pretty bad. I don't think I had a follicle that was not a pimple or bump or whatever the heck it was and evereyone felt as if I was growing porcupine quills!

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