Back to chemo...

kikz
kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1

Just got "the" call from my onc.  I will be scheduled for chemo starting next week.  I don't know the particulars yet.  It will be taxol/carbo.  I knew it was coming so I am ok.  Well, maybe not ok but dealing.  I told my mom I feel like I already served my penance; why do I have to do it again?  But I know I am in such good company.  You are all my inspiration and I will draw strength from you as I have in the past. 

 

Karen

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Comments

  • Alexandra
    Alexandra Member Posts: 1,308
    #2
    Oh Karen, I am sorry you have to go through chemo again

    But chemo worked the first time around and it will work again. I hope it will be gentler on you and you don't get any yacky side effects.

    Take it easy, rest a lot, enjoy warm weather, stay hydrated and it will be over in no time. Lotsa' luv

    image  

  • 2timothy1 7
    2timothy1 7 Member Posts: 345
    #3
    Chemo

    Karen

    sorry you are going through this again. You can do this. Post often. Let us know how you are doing.

    prayers for you

     

  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    #4
    2timothy1 7 said:

    Chemo

    Karen

    sorry you are going through this again. You can do this. Post often. Let us know how you are doing.

    prayers for you

     

    Sorry...

    You got this...we are all in this together ....prayers..stay strong...love you...Val 

     

  • wholfmeister
    wholfmeister Member Posts: 315
    #5
    You can do this!

    It isn't fair.  It makes us all sad that this is your course.  But you can do this!

    Come here often and tell us how it is going...and to see all of alexandra's great posts!  You gotta have a smile!

  • lovesanimals
    lovesanimals Member Posts: 1,366 Member
    #6
    wholfmeister said:

    You can do this!

    It isn't fair.  It makes us all sad that this is your course.  But you can do this!

    Come here often and tell us how it is going...and to see all of alexandra's great posts!  You gotta have a smile!

    Cancer stinks

    But I know you can get through this and may the carbo/taxol kick your cancer's butt!  You know we're here for you when you want to vent, cry, scream, laugh or just talk.  Keep us posted of course.

    Big hugs,

    Kelly

  • Alnik
    Alnik Member Posts: 56
    #7
    i know how you feel

    I also got the same news I start chemo again in two weeks. It totally sucks im not ready for this again not that i think i would ever be ready but it just seems like i finally got a handle on feeling better and now here we go again. I will be thinking about you and i hope that your treatment goes well I did the carbo/taxol the first time it was rough but managable. I dont really know what im in store for they gave me 4 or 5 options to a treatment plan (I told them i didnt like any of thier options do i have another haha)I will have you in my thoughts and prayers. We CAN do this !!!

  • JoWin615
    JoWin615 Member Posts: 150 Member
    #8
    What a crock (!)

    The front of my favorite OC awareness shirt says "Fight! Believe! Win!"  A great message for you, and for all of us.  I know you've been dreading this, and I wish you well.  Keep posting.  I'm sure there are many like me, who read every day, but don't say much.

    Cheers,

    Jo 

  • Glad to be done
    Glad to be done Member Posts: 569
    #9
    JoWin615 said:

    What a crock (!)

    The front of my favorite OC awareness shirt says "Fight! Believe! Win!"  A great message for you, and for all of us.  I know you've been dreading this, and I wish you well.  Keep posting.  I'm sure there are many like me, who read every day, but don't say much.

    Cheers,

    Jo 

    Aww Karen I am so sorry.  I

    Aww Karen I am so sorry.  I know this is not what you wanted.  I did carbo taxol my first time around.  What did you do first?  Someone on here or ,y other group said she took a claritan and a Tylenol the day before treatment and two days after and she didn't get the nadty joint pain. Talk to once to see if u can try it.  We got your back my fellow dirty girl. Hugs to you

     

  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #10
    Glad to be done said:

    Aww Karen I am so sorry.  I

    Aww Karen I am so sorry.  I know this is not what you wanted.  I did carbo taxol my first time around.  What did you do first?  Someone on here or ,y other group said she took a claritan and a Tylenol the day before treatment and two days after and she didn't get the nadty joint pain. Talk to once to see if u can try it.  We got your back my fellow dirty girl. Hugs to you

     

    I did

    carbo/taxol before debulking surgery and cisplatiln/taxol after.  Interesting about the Claretin and Tylenol, I will ask onc about it.  I am on a mission this weekend to eat the foods I can't have while on chemo.  I had McDonald's on Thursday and yesterday my mom and I ate Mexican.  Today I will probably have Chinese which is my ultimate favorite.  When I say I can't have the foods, I mean take-out and restaurant food.  I have read different guidelines but when I went to "chemo class" in 2010 I was told not to eat out, no fruits or vegetable that cannot be peeled, no manicures (I am going today) all in order to avoid bacteria.  I stuck to it all throughout my entire treatment last time.

    My eating has been out of control for the last couple of months since the possibility of chemo became more of an inevitability.  I haven't been to Weight Watchers since I had the first petscan (of this year) on 3/26.  In the last several months I have gained most of the weight it took me a year to lose.  I told my onc and said it is what I do.

    I am going to stock up on healthy foods, Ensure, ginger tea, lemon drops, non-alcohol mouthwash and a bunch of other stuff.  I am going to try to take this bull by the horns.  When I had chemo in 2010 I was so sick.  I had to be wheeled in to the initial appointments with my doctors as well as my first infusion.  This time around I feel great but know the chemo will make me sick.  My mindset right now is that I will handle the chemo differently since I know what to expect.  I like to be in control but have to remind myself that the only thing I can control about this is my reaction.  I am telling myself that I have to drink a lot of water.  I hardly drank any last time and no one told me how important it is in order to flush the chemicals out.  I know drinking water is always important but it is something I normally struggle with.

    I feel ok right now, I think I am kind of numb.  I am not afraid because I know it is something I have to do to eradicate these tumors.  It is almost like the other shoe has dropped.  I have been on pins and needles for the last few month, the last year really; my numbers began increasing last April.

    I am going to the infusion by myself.  Last time I was so sick I had one or two people with me.  I didn't even drive throughout the eight months of treatment.  I feel fine and know it takes 3 days to start feeling the effects.  There are people I can ask for help if or when I need them.  I want to stay independent as long as I can.  I haven't even told many of my friends and family what is going on.  The people who are in my life, my inner circle, know.

    On a different note, does anyone have a Kindle?  I have tried to post on it but I can't get out of the Subject section.  When I move the cursor to the Comment section the letters still come up in Subject.  Just wondering since I plan to take my Kindle with me and may want to post.  I am so electronically challenged.  I got a new phone and feel stupid on a daily basis.  I really should have stuck with my old one.

    Have a great weekend ladies.

    Karen

  • scatsm
    scatsm Member Posts: 296 Member
    #11
    Karen,
    Do you mean a Kindle

    Karen,

    Do you mean a Kindle Fire? I have one and all you have to do is go to Web and you can access any website.

    I wish you all the best in this new chemo. I too was really sick with my original chemo of Carbo-Platinum; but I went into chemo so sick from the cancer that I went down, down, down til after surgery. Hopefully you are healthy and stronger now and wont't feel as beaten down. Not having surgery will help too.

    Keep posting...

  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #12
    scatsm said:

    Karen,
    Do you mean a Kindle

    Karen,

    Do you mean a Kindle Fire? I have one and all you have to do is go to Web and you can access any website.

    I wish you all the best in this new chemo. I too was really sick with my original chemo of Carbo-Platinum; but I went into chemo so sick from the cancer that I went down, down, down til after surgery. Hopefully you are healthy and stronger now and wont't feel as beaten down. Not having surgery will help too.

    Keep posting...

    Yeah I have a Kindle Fire

    I was referring specifically to this site.  I can type in the Subject box but when I move the cursor to the Comment section, although it blinks, anything I type goes back to the Subject section. 

    Strangely enough I felt much better as I went through chemo than before.  Once the few days of chemo sickness went away, I felt healthy and strong.  Before the chemo I was so sick and weak because I couldn't eat or drink.  I couldn't get out of bed.  I lost 32 pounds in March 2010.  I had ascites and looked 7 months pregnant.  Paracentesis helped but chemo took it completely away.  I bounced back from surgery too, it was the cisplatin/taxol after surgery that nearly killed me.  And I believe that.

    Only time will tell how this will go.  I am ready for the next fight.

     

    Karen

  • Glad to be done
    Glad to be done Member Posts: 569
    #13
    kikz said:

    Yeah I have a Kindle Fire

    I was referring specifically to this site.  I can type in the Subject box but when I move the cursor to the Comment section, although it blinks, anything I type goes back to the Subject section. 

    Strangely enough I felt much better as I went through chemo than before.  Once the few days of chemo sickness went away, I felt healthy and strong.  Before the chemo I was so sick and weak because I couldn't eat or drink.  I couldn't get out of bed.  I lost 32 pounds in March 2010.  I had ascites and looked 7 months pregnant.  Paracentesis helped but chemo took it completely away.  I bounced back from surgery too, it was the cisplatin/taxol after surgery that nearly killed me.  And I believe that.

    Only time will tell how this will go.  I am ready for the next fight.

     

    Karen

    I made a mistake.  I did

    I made a mistake.  I did cisplatian taxol not carbo taxol. 

  • scatsm
    scatsm Member Posts: 296 Member
    #14
    kikz said:

    Yeah I have a Kindle Fire

    I was referring specifically to this site.  I can type in the Subject box but when I move the cursor to the Comment section, although it blinks, anything I type goes back to the Subject section. 

    Strangely enough I felt much better as I went through chemo than before.  Once the few days of chemo sickness went away, I felt healthy and strong.  Before the chemo I was so sick and weak because I couldn't eat or drink.  I couldn't get out of bed.  I lost 32 pounds in March 2010.  I had ascites and looked 7 months pregnant.  Paracentesis helped but chemo took it completely away.  I bounced back from surgery too, it was the cisplatin/taxol after surgery that nearly killed me.  And I believe that.

    Only time will tell how this will go.  I am ready for the next fight.

     

    Karen

    kindle

    hi Karen

    i am posting from my kindle. lets see if it works. 

     

     

  • scatsm
    scatsm Member Posts: 296 Member
    #15
    kikz said:

    Yeah I have a Kindle Fire

    I was referring specifically to this site.  I can type in the Subject box but when I move the cursor to the Comment section, although it blinks, anything I type goes back to the Subject section. 

    Strangely enough I felt much better as I went through chemo than before.  Once the few days of chemo sickness went away, I felt healthy and strong.  Before the chemo I was so sick and weak because I couldn't eat or drink.  I couldn't get out of bed.  I lost 32 pounds in March 2010.  I had ascites and looked 7 months pregnant.  Paracentesis helped but chemo took it completely away.  I bounced back from surgery too, it was the cisplatin/taxol after surgery that nearly killed me.  And I believe that.

    Only time will tell how this will go.  I am ready for the next fight.

     

    Karen

    maybe you could skip the

    maybe you could skip the subject line and just post under comment?

     In any case I wish you the best and hope you have an easier experience than you are imagining. i had the carbo/taxol too and no doubt about it, chemo is tough to go through. You can do it!

  • kimberly sue 63
    kimberly sue 63 Member Posts: 421 Member
    #16
    I'm sorry Karen... I know you

    I'm sorry Karen... I know you are strong and will prevail. But it doesnt over cloud the thought of having to refight the cancer. I can only imagine the difficulty of having to bring out that courage to fight again. You can do it though!! hang in there. I am there in spirit. Kim

  • Pamela B
    Pamela B Member Posts: 108
    #17
    Oh No ...More chemo

    I am still going through my first rounds and can't imagine ever having to do it again. I am so sorry but like the others here I am here for you.  Wish I could b there with you during the infusions.  Remember that a lot of the people here have had multiple treatments are are doing well. Focus on their positive experience to get through it. Stay strong and remember we are all rooting for you!

  • Cafewoman53
    Cafewoman53 Member Posts: 735 Member
    #18
    I'm sorry Karen

    This sucks., I know because I am in the same boat. Last Monday was the second of my second round of Carbotaxol. but we will do it and get through it, we don't have to like it. I'm hoping that using the "big guns" again will knock out this stupid cancer for a good while.

    I hope this time is easier for you but in a way I think the initial treatment might be easier as it seems like it was a whirlwind of happenings ,surgery ,treatment ect... but then again we are now tougher , survivors I'm here for you sister !

    colleen

  • Cafewoman53
    Cafewoman53 Member Posts: 735 Member
    #19
    Forgot something

    My nurses suggested that I could get iv fluids at home if I couldn't drink enough. I wish I would have listened to them but will if needed for next round. If you can't drink enough ask your nurses about this.

  • lovesanimals
    lovesanimals Member Posts: 1,366 Member
    #20
    Cafewoman53 said:

    Forgot something

    My nurses suggested that I could get iv fluids at home if I couldn't drink enough. I wish I would have listened to them but will if needed for next round. If you can't drink enough ask your nurses about this.

    Hi Karen

    I personally feel that you will be able to handle the chemo better this time because you are not feeling sick like the first time around.  Although I never felt nauseous with my carbo/taxol, I still had my anti-nausea pills ready, just in case.  You may want to have your doctor write you a prescription before your chemo starts, just in case.  Chances are, you won't have to use them but it's still nice to know they're there if needed. 

    Kelly

  • lulu1010
    lulu1010 Member Posts: 367
    #21
    Karen and Alnik

    I too am so sorry you have to do all this again. Even if you are not sick it seems to take over your life. But it will only be a short while and you two will be back on top again. Pamper yourself and hopefully you will be able to have a nice summer in spite of the chemo. And hopefully they will find a cure or better med before you need it again! Wishing you the best!

     

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