Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Pains Persist After OV/CA surgery
by Donnie Girl's Mommy, Jul 01, 2007 12:00AM
Hi Helen and Scared Katie. I wanted to get back to you last week, but my computer has been down for a few days so posting a new note because I wanted to make sure Katie received the information about doctors and help in our area.
I will be going in the hospital on July 3rd to begin the first round of chemo and should return home July 11th or 12th, then back in on July 24th for another 8 or 9 days. I have stage 3 OV/CA that affected the ovaries, omentum and bowels. I've fully recovered from the operation (removal of ovaries, omentum and bowel reconstruction), but still have a lot of pain starting under the right rib cage down through the pelvic area. Doctor seems to think it's from the bowel reconstruction and advised me to mix some Fleet with 7-UP to relieve the constipation. That it did, but pain persists. I had another CA 125 last week and should find out the results tomorrow.
Katie, Dr. Kevin Elliott in Carmichael was my surgeon and Dr. S. Reddy (Sutter Roseville Hospital) is my oncologist. Did you check into Social Security, Medicare and Disability? A great place to start is to call 800 434-0222. I found this number in the "2007 Medicare & You" government handbook. It's a free Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP), and It was the best call I've ever made. After my appointment last week, in my hometown (Yuba City), I left there feeling I knew exactly what Supplemental Insurance and Drug (Part D) programs I should sign up for. The best thing about this program is they are able give you advise based on your individual situation and by you just turning 65, you cannot be turned down for supplemental insurance. I was concerned about pre-existing conditions, but that didn't play into it at all. The counselor told me she wished more people knew about this service that is free for the asking. Good luck and hope to hear from you soon. I will let you know how my first round of chemo goes.
Hugs and Prayers, Dee
I will be going in the hospital on July 3rd to begin the first round of chemo and should return home July 11th or 12th, then back in on July 24th for another 8 or 9 days. I have stage 3 OV/CA that affected the ovaries, omentum and bowels. I've fully recovered from the operation (removal of ovaries, omentum and bowel reconstruction), but still have a lot of pain starting under the right rib cage down through the pelvic area. Doctor seems to think it's from the bowel reconstruction and advised me to mix some Fleet with 7-UP to relieve the constipation. That it did, but pain persists. I had another CA 125 last week and should find out the results tomorrow.
Katie, Dr. Kevin Elliott in Carmichael was my surgeon and Dr. S. Reddy (Sutter Roseville Hospital) is my oncologist. Did you check into Social Security, Medicare and Disability? A great place to start is to call 800 434-0222. I found this number in the "2007 Medicare & You" government handbook. It's a free Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP), and It was the best call I've ever made. After my appointment last week, in my hometown (Yuba City), I left there feeling I knew exactly what Supplemental Insurance and Drug (Part D) programs I should sign up for. The best thing about this program is they are able give you advise based on your individual situation and by you just turning 65, you cannot be turned down for supplemental insurance. I was concerned about pre-existing conditions, but that didn't play into it at all. The counselor told me she wished more people knew about this service that is free for the asking. Good luck and hope to hear from you soon. I will let you know how my first round of chemo goes.
Hugs and Prayers, Dee
Related discussions
-
CA.125 Results after first cycle of C.M.F. (10 replies):Greetings all... as I said I would, this is just to let ...[more]
-
Dr. Elliiott, Roseville, CAHi Sunnywriter, HI Sunnywriter50, I posted a comment ...[more]
Related Communities
Recent Videos
Related Expert Forums
Recent Activity
Most Popular Trackers
RSS
Expert Activity
Community Members
Popular Groups
Get a pain specialist. My mom is nearly 1 year post-op and still has the same pain. Hydromorphone ("Dilaudid") works good for her, but everyone is different. Morphine isn't the best for everyone, etc. A pain specialist (my mom finally got one nearly 6 months post-op) will work with you to try out different medications and dosages. The key is to keep on schedule especially when the pain is chronic. Eventually it may ease of, depending on the cancer and the type of pain.
The NCI has some good books on pain management including a video and a pain scale.
Her is more info via my site: http://www.alanpeto.com/ovarian_cancer/infobase/questions/6/Free+books%2C+videos+and+other+materials+from+NCI
Good luck and remember you DO NOT have to be in pain. Many physicians are teriffied to prescribe the correct pain medication even though there is no basis behind their fears. The NCI and DEA have both said that cancer patients need to have the proper pain management, but rarely are due to physician ignorance to the facts (they still believe you can be addicted which is rare in chronic cancer pain, despite federal government statements stating otherwise). Also many States passed laws allowing physicians to prescribe higher pain dosages without fear of being sued...if that helps ease their conscience.
Thank you for the site to visit for books, tapes, etc. I plan on learning as much as possible about my Stage 3 OV/CA. I expect I will respond well to any drugs given to me because at 65, I was only taking aspirn occasionally. The hardest thing for me to get through my head, is in April, I was working full-time, 50-60 hrs a week and driving 120 miles per day round trip to work I felt good, just a little tired but was pushing to reach full retirement in May, 2008. Now three months later, my life has slowed to a crawl. I love being home, but the time passes slowly while waiting for treatment to start. I still don't feel as sick as the docs are telling me I am.
I am considering using Dr. Kevin Elliot. Would you recommend him?
Thanks!
I just returned home after 10 days in Sutter Roseville Hospital and see you wanted to know about Dr. Elliott. I would highly recommend him as your surgeon. My surgery (removal of ovaries and omentum and bowl reconstruction) went extremely well. His diagnosis was right on and there were no surprises during or after the surgery. While I was in the hospital I heard many great comments on what a terrific surgeon he is. Dr. Elliott also put in my Power Ports, however the port by my collarbone didn't have a long enough tube, so it was necessary to put in a PICC (a line inserted into your arm) to administer chemo and draw blood. I feel so fortunate to have changed to Sutter Roseville Medical Group on April 1st and was diagnoses with Ovarian Cancer on April 17th. Dr. Sivikumar Reddy is my oncologist who is doing the agressive chemo therapy on me (IV drip of Taxol for 24 hours, 2 litres of Displatinum in the stomac and 6 days later 2 litres of Taxol in the stomach) I had to fight to use a little friendly persuasian to get him to take me and so glad I did. I've just completed my first round of chemo with 5 more to go. I met another gal in the hospital that Dr. Reddy is treating that is having the same exact treatment as me. She was having her fifth treatment with one more to go. She's handlng it very well. Good luck and let me know if there is anything I can do for you.
Hugs, Dee