advise please

[doublek180]

just had surgery mon. came home wed. had both ovaries and tubes out. tons of tumors..said couldnt remove uterus or cervix yet ..too risky..doesnt want cancer to spread? going to have chemo starting next monday..i think is what he said. carbo/taxol. full body. 8hrs every 3 weeks.then he will take out uterus and cervix. ladies...how bad is the chemo? i have a little girl and need to be as normal as can be..any sugg of what i can ask the doc to help me with this? any input will be great! also..how many days inbetween chemo will i feel "ok"?  also..since summer is near, what about being in sun? as laying on raft in pool?  

[cjan222]

Keep hydrated!  Especially during those 2 days where you feel gross and just want to sleep.  My mom would shake me awake every couple of hours and make me drink some Gatorade.  She was gone for one of the rounds and I ended up dehydrated and had to go to the hospital and get fluids through an IV.

[Sue838383]

Hi doubleck,
I had my first round of chemo with taxol & carboplatin. Post first treatment as the body is getting used to the medications i felt a bit rough with aching joints and wasn't able to do too much around the house. The oral steroids (3days) are great in keeping away the inflamation. Day 4 when you don't have the steroid It is like having the flu. I found myself in bed for 2 days, with aches and some severe bone pain. By the end of the week I felt much better and could carry on as normal within the house. So to cut it short I had one week of processing and two weeks of relative normality. I found it difficult to write with a pen, and by treatment 4 had quite bad neurotoxicity in the feet up to the knees. So my Dr's elected not to give me taxol for TX 5 & 6 as the nerve damage can be permanent.
For me there was a pattern. We would have people over for dinner while I was on the steroids while I felt able, then I would retreat to be for 2 days while the family took care of everything. I still went outside, but did not sunbathe. As your hair thins, it does this all over, loss of body hair & steroids is the factor that makes the skin vunerable. Protect the eyes also, always wear your sunglasses outside. You won't believe how much dust your eyelashes protect you from.
You will need to get someone to take care of your little girl and you in that 2-3 day window once the steroids wear off.

[gah_70]

Chemo is so subjective in that not everyone will have the same symptoms.  For me, Taxol was pretty bad and carboplatin not so much.  But for others, it might be vice versa, or no side effects at all.  Hair loss is a given with Taxol, I'm sorry to say.  So now is the time to prepare for that, whether you want to wear a wig, or get a few hats or scarves.  If you choose hats, you should look online for hats for people with hair loss.  They fit tighter than the ones you'd get at Target or Walmart because those are made for people with hair.  

Taxol usually causes neuropathy of some sort, too.  Your toes, feet, and fingers may feel tingly.  It is hard to say how many days you'll feel okay in between treatments, because it depends on your body.  Some women have days they can't move out of the bed, and others never have any days that are terribly bad.  You'll have to see how the first treatment goes and go from there.  Why don't you add the chemotherapy tracker to your profile.  It will help you track the days you feel good or bad, so maybe you'll have a better idea what to expect for your next treatments.  

If you get in the sun, sunscreen is a must.  Your skin will probably be more sensitive, and you'll be more sensitive to heat, as well.  You'll also need to cover your head with a brimmed hat.

I know there is much more to tell you that others will come along and post.  I wish you good luck with your treatments.

Gail