Good news/bad news

lovesanimals said:

Hi Pandagypsy

Congratulations on your clear petscan!  I'm doing the happy dance for you!    Praying that your eight chemo treatments go smoothly with minimal side effects.

Kelly

 

Thanks so much Kelly...........I am waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too tired to do my own happy dance for now 

Jue said:

Fab news

So pleased your scan clear, here's hoping you can return to ned as soon as possible. Are you back on carbo/taxol ?  I've just had my 6th treatment with avastin added to try to get me to ned, my ca125 was 37 pre  6th treatment . I'm hoping for lower after ct scan and blood tests on 22nd sept. I would say the neuropathy and other symptoms worse these last 2chemos don't know if it's the avastin or just build up of chemo . I wish you luck getting through your treatment and back to that lovely place ...remission. Best wishes to you .jue

I have been back on the carbo/taxol for the duration of treatement........3 more Mondays to go!  The Dr. has been decreasing my doses, due to anemia and neuropathy.  I have had 3 blood transfusions the last month, the most recent being 2 units last Wednesday.  The neuropathy is getting really bad......my hands are useless most of the time, although I did find a cream for diabetic neuropathy at Walmart that seems to help...........my husband complains it stinks too much like BenGay, but sometimes I tell him TUFF!  It helps, so I usually either put it on with the vent on in the bathroom or outside. My feet and legs are effected, sometimes my knees won't let me walk easily.  I was originally prescribed Avastin as part of my chemo but the co-pay for my insurance is over $1000..........EVERY WEEK.......NO ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE, we are "too rich" for any assistance, and the avastin foundation does not cover its use for ovarian cancer.  I am on SSD, my husband on SS, he has a small pension which takes out $350 per month for health insurance (he won't have medicare til next year) Of course, no one takes into account all the $$$$$$ coming out of our income on co-payments. And also all of the extra medical expenses involved with the effects of cancer treatment. I am currently on "payment plans" with 3 hospitals and 2 doctors offices

Don't know if the Avastin is making your chemo worse, but, as my doctor told me at the begining, the effects of my chemo will be "cumulative".......yes, everything is getting worse, the neuropathy, pain, nausea, low blood counts, chemo brain, exhaustion.......hoping once the chemo stops, I will have a speedy recovery  A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!

Jue said:

Hi think my symptoms like

Hi think my symptoms like yours are just build up of chemo , in England we apply for a fund to get avastin I've got it for approx another 9 months if it carries on working, just had my treatment with this on its own my only problem is rising blood pressure so I'm on a tablet for that, but no problems with avastin on its own so far ....long may that last. My ca125 is still 37 despite my optimal debulking 6carbo taxol and avastin and a ct scan that shows no signs of cancer , my hopes are I can keep it at bay as long as possible .once my blood pressure under control a holiday is my hope , the last 6 months since diagnosis have seemed like a bad dream that I don't wake up from , I need some sun sand sea and fun. good luck to you in your treatment .jue

.....and that is exactly what helps me here in Florida USA.......we are finally getting some nice clear sunny weather, it has been very unusual with all of our recent rains.  The sun raises my spirits....and I love hanging out at the Gulf of Mexico, although I haven't felt well enough lately to go as often as I used to, EVERY DAY! There is a light at the end of the tunnel, I am hoping the next 3 treatments are my last (at least for as long as I can stay in remission.........last time I made it 4 1/2 years......) Try to not get into the deep hopeless blues, it is so hard to climb out of that (I know  ) My cancer experiences go all the way back to breast cancer in 1983 & 1985......oh, the time I wasted with all of the worry and "poor me".....so much valuable time I wasted in despair.  Stage 4 ovarian cancer brought this back 5 years ago, and all I could do was to stay medicated enough to fight off the nausea and pain, but even more important, I learned to do WHAT WAS GOOD FOR ME!  Too Bad Hubby, I know you are going thru a hard time too, but I am NOT going to go thru the motions that I can still shop and be interested in your latest dinner creations..........just give me white bread and Kraft singles and leave me alone

I have kept this attitude with my recent reoccurance of this year, and I actually "apoplogized" to my husband for being so "selfish"......but this is what is going to help me go thru with all of this.  My most guilty pleasure is "swim therapy" we have a pool in the community that I usually have ALL TO MYSELF.......I disappear for an hour or 2 everyday, take my pain pill and "puke" pill, and walk around the pool, do a little lite swimming, and think think think.  I am happy to say he sees how much this benefits me, physically and emotionaly.  It is so hard to think of YOURSELF during this horrible treatment, I think, I was always concerned with not worrying the people around me.  Find your own "happy time", especially if it means DOING NOTHING for now.......you are the most important person in your recovery team 

Hand in there...............Linda