Tumor markers down

BonnieR
BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi Everyone

I wanted to share the news. In the 4 weeks I've been on this new combination of drugs my tumor markers went from 218 down to 59. I was totally taken by surprise and would have been happy if they would have stayed still. I told Randy if I could do cartwheels I 'd be doing them. I am just amazed! We are going with another month of it unless my blood pressure keeps going up(one of the side affects). But my chemo nurse did say I could take some additional meds for the blood pressure. I still just can't get over it, and know people will get tired of my AWE. But that is where I am "in AWE" that it is working.

My doc doesn't think it will destroy it just knock it back enough to give me a chemo break. I'll take what ever it gives me.

I am feeling pretty good, a little more leg pain and the nueropathy in right foot is worse(I couldn't imagine it being worse). But this is a lot easier than a lot of the other drugs.

Pray all is well with you. Bonnie

Comments

  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #2
    BONNIE!
    PRAISE GOD FOR HIS MERCY! I am so glad to hear you have such good news! That is a remarkable change, one that we pray will stay, if not go lower. So you just enjoy this time, be at peace, and don't think about tomorrow - just enjoy today!
    Prayers and hugs!
    Monika
  • groundeffect
    groundeffect Member Posts: 639 Member
    #3
    Wow! Good news, Bonnie. I hope that you'll feel better and better!
  • Christa54
    Christa54 Member Posts: 15
    #4
    Hi Bonnie, I'm so happy that you are having success. It certainly sounds like answered prayer. If you don't mind my asking, have you recurred and if so, what chemo regime were you on previously to this one? I was diagnosed last summer with 3c and finished taxol/carbo in November. So I'm pretty new to all this. Thanks for sharing your wonderful news because that gives me encouragement for my own situation.

    Christa
  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #5
    Christa54 said:

    Hi Bonnie, I'm so happy that you are having success. It certainly sounds like answered prayer. If you don't mind my asking, have you recurred and if so, what chemo regime were you on previously to this one? I was diagnosed last summer with 3c and finished taxol/carbo in November. So I'm pretty new to all this. Thanks for sharing your wonderful news because that gives me encouragement for my own situation.

    Christa

    Hi Christa, Thank you for the note.

    I have been dealing with cancer ongoing for over 3 years. For some reason my cancer is stubborn and now we are just trying to give me more time and slow it down.

    Don't let that discourage you though as my sister has been in remission for over 5 years. Not one recurrence.

    I had 8 taxol/carbo the first time, then topotecan, then doxil, then taxotere, then gemzar and now avastin/cytoxan combination. So you can see there are alot of obtions.

    I pray you never have a recurrence but know if it happens there are a lot of things that can be done.

    Prayers and Hugs Bonnie
  • JanQ
    JanQ Member Posts: 236
    #6
    BonnieR said:

    Hi Christa, Thank you for the note.

    I have been dealing with cancer ongoing for over 3 years. For some reason my cancer is stubborn and now we are just trying to give me more time and slow it down.

    Don't let that discourage you though as my sister has been in remission for over 5 years. Not one recurrence.

    I had 8 taxol/carbo the first time, then topotecan, then doxil, then taxotere, then gemzar and now avastin/cytoxan combination. So you can see there are alot of obtions.

    I pray you never have a recurrence but know if it happens there are a lot of things that can be done.

    Prayers and Hugs Bonnie

    Oh yes Praise God! Wow, what good news! I am so glad to hear, we just never know what they will come up with.
    You are lower than me now,mine is 104 now. It was 45 when I had my last surgery in Nov.but my doctor is not going to do anything except keep an eye on me with c-scans, he says as long as quality of life is good he doesn't want to do chemo. That makes some of my family nervous.
    Have you had to deal with hernia's I have two and he doesn't want to do anything about them either, as I type I'm thinking what is up with him,lol, no wonder my family want a second opinion.
    Oh well I didn't mean to put a damper on your news, but I did start thinking as I was typing. I guess that is why people journal.

    Well I am rambling on so I will go now. Take care and like Monika says enjoy each day, I know you will. The weather is beautiful here today in East Tennessee.

    God Bless You and Your Family Bonnie

    Jan
  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #7
    JanQ said:

    Oh yes Praise God! Wow, what good news! I am so glad to hear, we just never know what they will come up with.
    You are lower than me now,mine is 104 now. It was 45 when I had my last surgery in Nov.but my doctor is not going to do anything except keep an eye on me with c-scans, he says as long as quality of life is good he doesn't want to do chemo. That makes some of my family nervous.
    Have you had to deal with hernia's I have two and he doesn't want to do anything about them either, as I type I'm thinking what is up with him,lol, no wonder my family want a second opinion.
    Oh well I didn't mean to put a damper on your news, but I did start thinking as I was typing. I guess that is why people journal.

    Well I am rambling on so I will go now. Take care and like Monika says enjoy each day, I know you will. The weather is beautiful here today in East Tennessee.

    God Bless You and Your Family Bonnie

    Jan

    Jan I have had hernia surgery, we waited until the pain was bad. I wore a huge wrap around my abdomen until I did.

    My Dr always leaves the final decision on things up to me. He knows as long as I feel my quality of life is okay and still want to slow down the cancer we do chemo. He asks me if I am ready to stop or start again, and I let him know. He still has a list of options for me and I am glad but we all travel a different road. I know of a woman who stopped after 2 types of chemo, very different than me but that was her choice and where her heart led her to be.

    I would say if you agree with your Dr's choices than you have the right Dr. But if in your heart you do not, or aren't totally comfortable, get a second opinion. That isn't betraying him, it's taking care of you and that doesn't mean you need to switch Drs it is just getting all the information you can to take care of yourself. You need to be your own advocate.

    I am not afraid dying but so grateful to be here and create more memories, see my grandkids grow up and excel in life. I still want to be here for my hubby. He gets pretty forlorn when he starts thinking of life without me.

    So I will fight as long as I can with everything they can offer. Who knows maybe I'll be here long enough to hear them say we have a cure for women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer. :-)

    I get ct scans every 3 months or so, that way we know what the tumors are doing. In fact for some people their ca125 can jump and tumor growth be small, we found for me even though the tumor markers on the gemzar(briefly) went down, the tumors had grown and actually had more seedings in my abdomen. So my Dr doesnt' hesitate to do a ct scan.

    I know he says I need a chemo break and am sure shortly that is where I'll be. But in the mean time I am so grateful he tried the cytoxan/avastin combination. I am his first patient on this combination but hopefully not his last. It seems to work on those of us who haven't responded to traditional treatment.

    End of Sermon! :-)

    I hope it doesn't sound like a sermon, just wanted to share my feelings and know I respect all of yours.

    Prayers and Hugs Bonnie
  • JanQ
    JanQ Member Posts: 236
    #8
    BonnieR said:

    Jan I have had hernia surgery, we waited until the pain was bad. I wore a huge wrap around my abdomen until I did.

    My Dr always leaves the final decision on things up to me. He knows as long as I feel my quality of life is okay and still want to slow down the cancer we do chemo. He asks me if I am ready to stop or start again, and I let him know. He still has a list of options for me and I am glad but we all travel a different road. I know of a woman who stopped after 2 types of chemo, very different than me but that was her choice and where her heart led her to be.

    I would say if you agree with your Dr's choices than you have the right Dr. But if in your heart you do not, or aren't totally comfortable, get a second opinion. That isn't betraying him, it's taking care of you and that doesn't mean you need to switch Drs it is just getting all the information you can to take care of yourself. You need to be your own advocate.

    I am not afraid dying but so grateful to be here and create more memories, see my grandkids grow up and excel in life. I still want to be here for my hubby. He gets pretty forlorn when he starts thinking of life without me.

    So I will fight as long as I can with everything they can offer. Who knows maybe I'll be here long enough to hear them say we have a cure for women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer. :-)

    I get ct scans every 3 months or so, that way we know what the tumors are doing. In fact for some people their ca125 can jump and tumor growth be small, we found for me even though the tumor markers on the gemzar(briefly) went down, the tumors had grown and actually had more seedings in my abdomen. So my Dr doesnt' hesitate to do a ct scan.

    I know he says I need a chemo break and am sure shortly that is where I'll be. But in the mean time I am so grateful he tried the cytoxan/avastin combination. I am his first patient on this combination but hopefully not his last. It seems to work on those of us who haven't responded to traditional treatment.

    End of Sermon! :-)

    I hope it doesn't sound like a sermon, just wanted to share my feelings and know I respect all of yours.

    Prayers and Hugs Bonnie

    Thank you, Bonnie. I will take a sermon anyday especially from you. This is info I will share with my mother too,because they have been so fearful of the hernia rupturing or something, as for me I want to put off surgery as long as possible.
    Hope your day is going great. God Bless and yeah I'm not afraid of dying but my family like having me here, and oh I love being here for them. I want to hold my grandbabies one day, Jess is 19 a sophmore in college and Ben my son is a sophmore in highschool.
    I wouldn't mind waiting for the Lord to come.

    With Love, Jan
  • paula57
    paula57 Member Posts: 93
    #9
    Great news Bonnie! I have not been on the computer that often lately so I am just getting the news. My prayers are with you! Paula

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