Chemo again

floridajo
floridajo Member Posts: 480
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Well ladies after 2 months of testing,it looks like I'll be starting chemo on the 20th. The Dr. is just waiting for the patholgy report on the ascites. He has gotten the preliminary report which confirmed cancer cells. I'm having quite a bit of pain lately, so yesterday he gave me some pain pills, and alot of labs. His asst nurse told me, I'll be all ready on the 20th,so all they will have to do is write the chemo order. I'm feeling so scared this time around...these pains are sometimes so bad that I can't stand up straight. The Onc had told me a 3 weeks ago when I saw him that he thought I was having small bowel obstructions that were relieving themselves after a few days. It's not pretty!!! Not sure of which chemo I'll start this time, but the Onc has mentioned Topotecan, so I guess I'll have to wait and see. Thanks in advance for your huggs and prayers...((((hugz)))..Joanne

Comments

  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #2
    So sorry, Joanne that you must do this again. And sorry for you pain - do you agree with the doc about the mini-obstructions? Do you feel better after a trip to the restroom? If that's what it is, maybe just a little more emphasis on those things that help you, especially in advance and not waiting for it to even start up. Especially with chemo coming up. I'm not familiar with the side affects of Topotecan, but I think irregularity is common with all of the drugs.

    Well, you can be sure my hugs and prayers will be with you. I'll also pray that the treatment will not affect your ability to enjoy the Christmas Season, nor destroy your joy.

    Love and hugs to you. . .
    Monika
  • lizper
    lizper Member Posts: 199
    #3
    Joanne, I feel for you. I prayed hard for this not to be a recurrence. I too am scared for my Mom she has been having suspicious pain, loss of appetite, gas, etc.. I`m thinking here it comes again. I don`t recall when you were dx and how many recurrences you have had. My Mom was dx on oct 05 and she is supose to be on remission of her 1st recurrence. My prayers to you that God gives you the strength and faith to battle this again. Many hugs to you.
  • saundra
    saundra Member Posts: 1,370 Member
    #4
    Rats, Joanne. I just am so sorry that you have to start the chemo again. Maybe this time it will be the one that attacks your bad cells and does the job. Keep us advised as to how you are and do on the new one. I will continue praying that the chemo you get will have little side effects and do the job on the bad cells. Saundra
  • lindachris
    lindachris Member Posts: 173
    #5
    My thoughts and prayers will be with you floridajo. You're a great help to many people on this site and you know there will be positive thoughts headed your way from everyone.
  • Susan523
    Susan523 Member Posts: 231 Member
    #6
    I'm so sorry to hear this, Joanne. I also am starting up chemo; possibly the same day. I see my Dr. on the 19th, and this time it's the port in the abdomen "IP". I don't know what medication he's going to use.
    My thoughts and prayers will be with you, and let's do our best to be strong. (((Hugs))) Susan
  • floridajo
    floridajo Member Posts: 480
    #7
    mopar said:

    So sorry, Joanne that you must do this again. And sorry for you pain - do you agree with the doc about the mini-obstructions? Do you feel better after a trip to the restroom? If that's what it is, maybe just a little more emphasis on those things that help you, especially in advance and not waiting for it to even start up. Especially with chemo coming up. I'm not familiar with the side affects of Topotecan, but I think irregularity is common with all of the drugs.

    Well, you can be sure my hugs and prayers will be with you. I'll also pray that the treatment will not affect your ability to enjoy the Christmas Season, nor destroy your joy.

    Love and hugs to you. . .
    Monika

    Mopar,
    Thanks for the hugs and prayers. These pains I'm having are above the belly button area and feel like gas. I have tried to eat healthy, and stay away from constipating foods but nothing seems to help. I'm even on a daily laxative, that works to well at times. The Dr. explained to me that the cancer cells are sticky and they attached themselves to the digestive track and etc. They eventually stop the digestive track from being able to acheive peristalis which is what moves your food through your system. He said there really isn't anything I can do, except when it happens to try not to eat and push fluids, which I can't eat anyway and have lost 12lbs in the last 8 weeks without even trying. I'm hoping that Topotecan agrees with me so I can enjoy my holidays regardless of chemo. Thanks again...(((hugz)))..Joanne
  • floridajo
    floridajo Member Posts: 480
    #8
    lizper said:

    Joanne, I feel for you. I prayed hard for this not to be a recurrence. I too am scared for my Mom she has been having suspicious pain, loss of appetite, gas, etc.. I`m thinking here it comes again. I don`t recall when you were dx and how many recurrences you have had. My Mom was dx on oct 05 and she is supose to be on remission of her 1st recurrence. My prayers to you that God gives you the strength and faith to battle this again. Many hugs to you.

    Hi Lizper,
    Sorry to hear about you Mom not feeling well,I would see if you can get her into the Dr. sooner than her appointment. I was dx. in 11/04 and had treatment until 1/06. I then went into remission. Then 13 months later 2/07 I had my first recurrence and started on Gemzar, did 5 cycles and stopped because of the side effects. Since my ca-125 was 14, my Onc decided to give me a chemo vacation of 10 weeks. I went to see him and he ordered new tests on Oct. since then I've been having a bunch of tests to see if I was having another recurrence, which I guess I am. So this is my 2nd recurrence in under one year.I'll be saying prayers for your Mom that all is right and that she stays dancing with ned.((((hugz)))..Joanne
  • floridajo
    floridajo Member Posts: 480
    #9
    Susan523 said:

    I'm so sorry to hear this, Joanne. I also am starting up chemo; possibly the same day. I see my Dr. on the 19th, and this time it's the port in the abdomen "IP". I don't know what medication he's going to use.
    My thoughts and prayers will be with you, and let's do our best to be strong. (((Hugs))) Susan

    A special thank you to Saundra,lindachris and susan523...... Thanks for the prayer and well wishes. They mean so much to me.

    Susan523..I hope your IP chemos go well for you and that you'll have a great holiday in spite of the chemo.(((((hugz)))) to all Joanne
  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #10
    Dearest Joanne, it is scary to start again, sending extra hugs and prayers your way. You alwasy have such a wonderful attitude and it sounds like a fantastic oncology team. Now I've had a couple bowel blockages and they are painful and also adhesions can cause a lot of pain so maybe its not the cancer and is the bowels or something. Not fun to deal with but not as scary as it being the cancer. Keep us posted on what's going on. Prayers N Hugs Bonnie
  • paula2
    paula2 Member Posts: 162
    #11
    Hi Joanne, I hope you are feeling better. What a lot to go through again. Topotecan was an easy chemo for me, though I took a smaller dose because of the low wbc count...went to every 10 days instead of weekly. I got a few months out of it then went to Gemzar, which eventually had to be stopped because of a lung infection. The doxil at 50% dose is working for me now, and I am very thankful to have a reduction in pain. Is your liver okay? OC returned the first time, to my liver, and that's usually what hurts me, but it's in the stomach area and I thought I had an ulcer. Your ct should cover all that. For getting the intestines and stomach back healthy after so many meds, I've been using a product called Bio K. It's like a yogurt shooter, (worth a hundred yogurts, it sez) Worth a bundle to me. I also went to a milder herbal laxative called Swiss Kriss, with fantastic results. I hope that your abdominal distress is going to pass, literally. All the best to you, hang in there. I'll be thinking good thoughts for you.
    Paula2
  • floridajo
    floridajo Member Posts: 480
    #12
    BonnieR said:

    Dearest Joanne, it is scary to start again, sending extra hugs and prayers your way. You alwasy have such a wonderful attitude and it sounds like a fantastic oncology team. Now I've had a couple bowel blockages and they are painful and also adhesions can cause a lot of pain so maybe its not the cancer and is the bowels or something. Not fun to deal with but not as scary as it being the cancer. Keep us posted on what's going on. Prayers N Hugs Bonnie

    Bonnie,
    Thanks for the prayers and hugs....I also had a hard lump come up on my belly on Thanksgiving day and it turned out to be a hernia, I was so happpy about that!!Better to have a hernia than cancer..lol..lol. and not even as scary as cancer. Again , thank you for all your support..(((hugz)))..Joanne
  • floridajo
    floridajo Member Posts: 480
    #13
    paula2 said:

    Hi Joanne, I hope you are feeling better. What a lot to go through again. Topotecan was an easy chemo for me, though I took a smaller dose because of the low wbc count...went to every 10 days instead of weekly. I got a few months out of it then went to Gemzar, which eventually had to be stopped because of a lung infection. The doxil at 50% dose is working for me now, and I am very thankful to have a reduction in pain. Is your liver okay? OC returned the first time, to my liver, and that's usually what hurts me, but it's in the stomach area and I thought I had an ulcer. Your ct should cover all that. For getting the intestines and stomach back healthy after so many meds, I've been using a product called Bio K. It's like a yogurt shooter, (worth a hundred yogurts, it sez) Worth a bundle to me. I also went to a milder herbal laxative called Swiss Kriss, with fantastic results. I hope that your abdominal distress is going to pass, literally. All the best to you, hang in there. I'll be thinking good thoughts for you.
    Paula2

    Paula2,
    What alot you have been through!!! I was on Doxil, and I found it easy to tolerate, and it did give me a 13 month remission. I have something the Onc prescribed for the constipation and it works alittle too well,if you know what I mean!! Thanks for the good thoughts. I'm also praying that the pain goes away in the belly as well. (((hugz)))..Joanne

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