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Avatar universal

New chemo, so sick

Have been so sick since Christmas.  Had 2 units of blood & abdomen drained (2700 Ml) on the 19th.  Did not feel any better.  Hips, buttocks and tender stomach.  Went back to Ono on 28th and he put me in hospital, gave me 12 more units of blood and drained 2800 ml.  Came home and have been in bed .  Finally got a little engery this afternoon.  Started taking Etoposide, which is an oral chemo given for small cell lung cancer.  Don't know what effect it has been or if it just the cancer.  Been having horrible drainage from Bowels.  Clear egg like substance.  Doctor gave me some laxatives and it is now diaherra mixed with this stuff.  Hurts horribly to go (or trying to go).  I don't think the fluid is back, so maybe the chemo is helping that.  I hate to be negative and not up, but I can't help but wonder if this is not the beginning of the end.  Thank you all for your support.   Hugs, Yvonne
21 Responses
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272338 tn?1252280404
I am so very sorry that you have had to deal with all of this through the holidays. Please do not look at it as the end but rather a new begining. To enter in the new year with. You are both in my thoughts and prayers. Hang in there, both of you as we are all behind you. Keeping you beoth in my thoughts and prayers as we begin the new year.  Love, Chris
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Avatar universal
Yvonne--So sorry about all this. Please keep HOPE ALIVE. That can never be taken from us. We all must read more inspirational books in 2008.
Ruth--Movicol sounds awful. I know how delicate our intestines are with this cancer and the destroying effects of chemo. I posted on my bad news. It's so depressing. So in the meantime before the next chemo I am doing the Essica tea (great on the intestines cause it has slippery elm in it) and other stuff. Someone gave me a baking soda recipe so I'll do that (no harm).

Sending love, prayers and well wishes,
Helen
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Avatar universal
Thankyou all for your good wishes.  I actually managed to go out for a short while yesterday and felt all the better for it! Of course I have to top the lot with my first cough and cold in years - may as well go the whole hog while I'm on!

Hope you are feeling a bit better Yvonne - it is surprising how quickly fatigue can make you feel very weak.
Sam - believe me I took 'bucket loads' of stuff before the Movicol but nothing worked!  Didn't think the constipation would be so bad as I thought I had pre-prepared but it did. Next time I am asking for at least two weeks between a CT scan and a chemo so I hopefully have chance to recover!

Hugs to all,

Ruth x
Helpful - 0
295767 tn?1240188314
Ruth and Yvonne - praying for you both and hoping you both start to feel a lot better. With love, Deandra
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Avatar universal
Sending more positive thoughts your way! You are both in my prayers.
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Avatar universal
Geeze you guys.....I feel so bad for both of you and I really hope things look up real soon.  Don't give up....I know you won't.  I just wish there was some way to help.....please just know there are so many of us out here pulling and praying for you.....hopefully this new year will bring all kinds of good news and improved health.....take care ladies and know you are in my heart.
Peace.
dian
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Avatar universal
No, I have not had any movicol.  I am 7 days into a 14 day on this oral drug.  Felt a little better this morning, but as day has gone on, I amfeeling pretty weak.  You gals (and guys) are so wonderful.  It really is encouraging to to hear all of your support.  thank you.  WIll keep you posted.  Hgs, Yvonne
Helpful - 0
348243 tn?1213139885
Hi Ruth I am so sorry you are having a rough time. Sorry the movicol is having that effect. Please be sure to take something to keep the constipation at bay and avoid a blockage. I hope the fatigue lets up soon. Much love, Sam x
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348243 tn?1213139885
Dear Yvonne, I am so sorry you feel so bad. I would agree with Helen. Speak to your onc. asap and tell him how you are feeling. Maybe it is time to try a different chemo, Please don't leave it. Much love and prayers, Sam x
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Avatar universal
Just realised that I didn't make it clear the ascites is back and that I blame on the salt in the Movicol

Ruth
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Avatar universal
So sorry you are going through all this.  I am hoping that you will start feeling better soon.  I also know that some days it seems like black clouds... everywhere... I am sending you blue skies and strength from costa Rica  Ronni
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Avatar universal
Hello Yvonne - sorry to hear you are having such a rough time.  I think this is my first post since before Christmas as I haven't had the energy to do much beyond crawl out of bed and lie on the sofa!
I was going to post a warning to anyone who - like me - has had or has ascites (fluid in the abdomen) I was diagnosed stage 3 in June '06 and my only symptom was sudden onset ascites.
I had 8.5 litres drained, then 11.5 litres, 7.5 lites and the 4.5 litres finishing in late October '06.
I was on Carboplatin for the six months to January '07 when I had surgery followed by four more treatments of Carbo. I followed a low salt diet and had no trace of ascites on my last physical 27th Nov.'07
My CA125 went up so my Onc. decided to put me on Caelyx.(Doxil)
Had  CT scan on Dec7th which made me very constipated due to the Barium meal. Barely cleared that before my first Caelyx 14th Dec which caused major constipation. Had another physical to check for blockages and was put on Movicol. Took six sachets over 24 hours and ended up with severe bloating in my abdomen which felt as though I had been kicked by a mule for over a week. Also my urine turned dark and very infrequent and I had severe fatigue -  hardly able to get out of bed. Discovered that Movicol is made mostly of salt so after being on low salt for twelve months I suddenly had a large shock dose of it.  I have felt really well for most of the time since my diagnosis until the last three weeks and I am sure the Movicol is resposible for a lot of my problem so I advise anyone on a low salt diet to steer clear of it and wondered if you were on it Yvonne?.  Today is the first time I  have been out for a short while in about three weeks.  I am just about to write to my oncologist with all the 'pro's and con's' before my next Caelyx on the 11th Jan.

I hope things look up soon for you Yvonne,

Hugs from the UK,

Ruth x
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146692 tn?1314331773
So sorry you are having such a rough time of it, especially over the holidays. I hope things improve some for you. God Bless
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Avatar universal
Hi Yvonne... Don't even think it's anything near 'the end'.... stay strong, and hopefully you should be feeling better soon. Just want to say... and this is my thought only... if you don't feel the pills are working, try and get back to some of the 'tried and true' iv chemo. Iv'e tried a few different oral treatments, but I just feelt that with this type of cancer, (well mine, anyhow)  something stronger is needed.. and preferably 2 at one time. I've not had any joy from pills.... I seem to be able to keep it at bay with the iv chemo, but then we are all different. I just hate the thought that you may be not getting value from the pills... but then again, you could be one of the lucky ones. I do hope so.
Please let's know how it's going Yvonne.. and I wish you all the best....hugs...Helen..
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295767 tn?1240188314
Yvonne - THIS IS NOT THE END!! Don't you dare give up honey, you still have many years ahead of you. I know you are feeling terrible and the only thing you can think of is how sick you feel, but you can only go up from here. Take a few days to feel upset by your symptoms, but then get your mind back to a positive state. The mind is very powerful. You need to have your mind tell your body what to do and it starts with "MAKE ME FEEL BETTER, because I have a lot of living to do!" You can beat this Yvonne, I have all bets placed on you to kick cancer right in the A$$!!! I will be praying for you, and sending all my positive vibes your way. With love, Deandra
Helpful - 0
360216 tn?1218743000
I am also so sorry to hear about how you are feeling.  I don't know where you are in your journey, but if it's any help (and it may not be because chemo for different cancers can differ), my sister-in-love was diagnosed with an agressive form of breast cancer in Sept (triple negative - grade 3, stage 1a) - she just finished her fourth round of I can't-remember-what - Cyclosporin and something else that starts with an A? (but not Acyclovair) - her next round of four is taxol.  Anyway, she was deathly ill after her first round of whatever-I-can't-remember. She had anti-nauseau drugs for the first time and took them afterwards - they didn't help and she was so sick she actually had to call a neighbor to come over and get her meds to bring from her bedroom to the bathroom because she couldn't leave due to what you are going through. It was a four day bout.

For her second treatment, she opted to take the anti-nausea meds first, and she also had an acupuncture treatment.  Her son had had a brain stem glioma two+ years ago and they found that acupunture calmed him throughout his treatment and up to the end, so she remembered that and went back to his acupuncturist.  Mind you, I am not into this stuff but am becoming much more open based on her experience.  Her second round of chemo went much better.  She was sick, but not nearly so violently and was over it much more quickly.  

Her third round, she decided to dispense with the anti-nausea meds and just do acupuncture.  She did not get sick at all.  She called me after her fourth treatment - she decided to dispense with everything, and got as sick as she was first time round.  Also, she had had one Neulasta shot after her first chemo treatment to build up white blood cell count and decided to forego that so hadn't had that for the last three treatments.  She hasn't resumed Neulasta but her counts are good as far as I know.  Neulasta has the side effect of nausea also, from what she mentioned.  

She can only have the acupunture in her earlobes because her joints are so sore (my nephew couldn't feel much because his tumor strangled the nerves going to the joints and paralyzed him so I think he had treatment systemically) but she said she will continue with acupuncture no matter what else is going on based on this last time.  

I am not advocating this or saying it works or doesn't, but I told her that if I came across a case of nausea on an ovarian cancer website I'd post her experience if she didn't mind.  Of course, she doesn't.  We all want everyone to be well.  She said that acupuncture doesn't block pain, it acts as a natural high because it releases endorphins and seratonin - at least the kind of acupuncture she is having. I hope this helps you, and I am adding you to my prayer list.  Hugs, Chris
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Avatar universal
This is NOT the beginning of the end, this is another hurdle, obstacle for you to get over, you have done it before and you will do it again.  Rest well and frequently, sending positive thoughts and prayers your way!!  Hugs  Shannon
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Avatar universal
Yvonne, My heart goes out to you, I know what a struggle this damn disease is. Please know that there are so very many people here who care and are praying for you to be well. We're all here pullin for you kid!
Cara
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351119 tn?1201042730
Just believe......you'll be fine!!!
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282804 tn?1236833591
I am sorry you are feeling so poorly.  Don't think about the negative, focus on the positive.  It sounds like the chemo may be working and the other may just be your body getting rid of stuff it doesn't need.  Just rest and take care of yourself.  
Kindest Regards,
Jan
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106886 tn?1281291572
Oh Yvonne....I am so sorry to hear of this.

Just sending some positive thoughts your way.

Sincerely,

Mary
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