Thanks for all the info.. I like to be armed with as much as possible. Kathy
Thanks for that wonderful comment. As I read it I could feel the love and compassion coming from you. God Bless you and everyone on this site.
Sorry I didn't reply quicker Kathy-I went to bed-I'm in the uk.
my infusions should have been once every four weeks but my neutrophils were usually low and sometimes it was 4-5 weeks.It took about 2 hours with the pre-meds all together,lovely compared with the taxol/carbo stuff.I had the dexamethasone-steroids-hate them-I'm diabetic so they send my blood sugars hay wire-I also ate like a horse!The first week of the cycle would be the worst for the hand/feet problem.I usually go out walking every morning once I've seen the children off to school and my feet would just erupt in blisters,so I had to put a stop to that,but I found taking doxil wonderful?? compared to the taxol/carbo routine because I never felt sick the only thing I noticed was with each cycle I would get more and more tired.I had 5 altogether before we decided to knock it on the head,but there were 4 of us ladies at the chemo centre on it while I was there,one stopped it after her first cycle,she was late 70's though and it affected her heart,the other two are still on it and ca125's have plummeted.They are thinking of trying me on Gemcitabine and Treosulfan next,but I'm having a ct scan and a chat with my gyn/oncologist first to see if theres any chance of surgery again.
Take care
Sue.
Noooooo, I was just telling you my story. Everyone has they're on way of dealing with things And if that is your way its ok as long as you are dealing with it and it helps. You know my husband is taking it harder than I am. He tries to hide it but I can tell that it bothers him. I think he finds confort in food because he is getting fat as a pig and tries to stuff food in my mouth. I don't need that because I am fat as a pig myself. Those darn steriods. Take care and no I did not think you were suggesting that I see a shrink also.
If I am reading this right , the second reoccurece you have is treated with Doxil ? As you know I just made it through my first relapse a couple of months ago and have a rising ca125 already (have not really faced that) hoping it is a blip too, I feel good! Gail did you have taxol/carbo for your 2nd relapse, I have a Dr appt in Aug and really want to know my options in case it does come back. Sueg, did the feet problems go away a few days later or stay the whole time? Also how many weeks between treatment and how long is the infusion? Sorry to ask so much but did you have to pr-med with those nasty steriods? Thanks, you are all so brave!!!
kathy
First i was treated with carbo/taxol. After three years, my first recurrance came along and I was treated with only carboplatin and after only six monghts, my second recurrance came and is being treated with Doxil. My doctor said that I did not need to have another surgery now because my last surgery was last year and I agreed with him. The doxil is suppose to work well on tumors. We have to face the facts that once the cancer returns he keeps coming back unless a miricale happens and I beleive in mircales. I too was in denile and did not want to face the fact that my cancer had returned. But i knew the longer I waited the more my cancer could grow so I had to act fast. I know my body and the way my body should feel and if you are a woman you should know your body as well when something is wrong. Sometimes we just don't want to hear bad news. My doctor wanted me to see a shrink also, i told him they were already milking my insurance company and me also and that was all I could handle for right now in othere words I don't need one and if I did I already know who he is.
I hope you didn't think that I meant that you should see a psychiatrist. I was just telling you how I'm trying to handle this situation. Sorry
Kathy, it only takes an hour for me to take Doxil once a month. But I always have problems with my potassium and it takes me two hours to get it. The potassium take longer than the Doxil. I am going thru the hand and feet syndrom now but handling it ok
How many tratments do you have to have and is your tumor marker
decreasing...
Hi, I had my last chemo of carbo and taxol Feb 25, 2005, 17 months ago. I also had stage 3c and I too live in constant fear that it will return. I've gotten so anxious about it that my oncologist has me now seeing a psychiatrist and I'm also on Zoloft. But anyway like Pam said there are other chemo's and different combinations that work. My dr. feels that if you pass a year of being done with treatments, if necessary he goes back to carbo and taxol. My friend was on doxil, it worked for her.
david also was getting a stomach that was quite unbelievabe, his comfort food was Root Beer Floats, he had stopped drinking beer for about a year when I was first diagnosed. Now he is back to the beer and we try and keep ice cream out of the house!! And his stomach is back to normal, I wish mine was too!
Not saying that he is an alcoholic, just likes to have a few beers now and tomorrow! He is a painter and works hard....
I have had three treatments so far. I asked him how many did he think I was going to have and he could not give me an exact amount. I guess it depends on how well it works. With my first initial treatment and my first recurrance I was so concern about my ca 125. I was always asking what is my ca 125 because i knew if my ca 125 was low I knew my cancer was gone i thought, but this was not the case well in my case and if it had risen I would get so upset because i would think that the chemo was not working and i did not want to worry myself with it this time. Now I am not so concern about it because I think it went from >5 to 6 and my cancer had returned. I asked Friday and it was 9. I do blood work every week and when I go thrusday I will get them to run a list of my ca 125. Do you ladies do blood work every week?
You said that your friend was on Doxil and it work for her. How many recurrances did she have and what stage was she.
Once a month I do my ca125. It has been pretty accurate for me so far.. Good Luck with your treatment and keep us posted.
she really didn't have a recurrance. After the carbo and taxol her ca125 went down but not totally in the normal range. the dr waited awhile and then started her on doxil which seems to be working.
Dear Gail 47,
I was diagnosed Aug 2006 with Ovarian Cancer Stage III. I had a complete hysterectomy, and exploratory surgery. I was sent home to heal, for only one week, as my gyn/onc was aware how aggressive this cancer was, and she was concerned it would get to my breasts quickly. The following week, I began Taxol and Carbo. After my 18 wk regime, I had ct scans, x-rays, and a PET scan. Then I was off to begin a Clinical Trial, had further tests done for that, and it was then...changes came about. I had only a 5 week reprieve...and my numbers began going up. Long story short, I am in my 2nd regime, this time on Topotecan. From what I have learned, my cancer is all about "living with it" and maintaining with the chemo drugs. My gyn/onc has recommended I visit the places I still want to see, and travel, while I have "quality of life"....her way of being as straight with me as she can. She and I both know MIRACLES happen. This 2nd regime is taking a bit longer, because I have been taking some trips (mentally needed as much as the chemo). My fatigue is beyond description. Prior to my diagnosis, I was an "work-out-aholic" 6 -7 days aweek. I did aerobic, lifted weights, and was a runner, and actually ran 2.5 miles the day before my surgery last August. I am a totally different person today. I feel Blessed, that I have this time afforded me to actually slow down...and appreciate just what all my life has been, all I have, and how good things have been. It took this cancer to realize the only important things in life...family and friends. Thanks for listening. I believe I will be one of the OVCA gals that live as long as I can keep as many of my Good Cells fighting back. :)
I will have you in my thoughts, and pray things go well for you.
Careylyn
I had stage 1C grade 3 in 2002, it returned in April 2005 (had constant pain in im stomach and scan showed tumors. Only had 6 rounds of carboplatin plus surgery and it cleared up, but had some stable nodes in stomach. Had more pain in march of this year and scan showed it was back. 2 cm tumor and some swollen nodes. My doctor started me on the doxil in April ca125 is 9 at the moment. I had a scan thursday waiting on results.
Hi Gail,
I'm just going through my second recurrence.I'm 3c had carboplatin/taxol for 6 months,cancer recurred after 3 months,put on Caelyx(Doxil) it bought my ca125 from the 800's down to 117 after the third cycle then it started rising,and still is, but I had two more cycles,just in case it was a blip before we decided to stop taking it.Just waiting for a ct scan now before we decide what to do next.So it worked for me for a bit.When your taking Doxil,make sure you have an ecg before you start,so they can keep an eye on your heart.Watch out for mouth ulcers,use a mouthwash as a preventative and Gelclair if they get really bad.Wear loose clothing and keep as cool as possible.Stick your feet in bowls of cold water when your sitting watching telly,reading etc and moisturise your feet and hands a lot as they get very dry,hot and itchy.My oncologist gave me B6 to take all the time,four times a day to help stop the hand/foot problems and I think it did help.I didn't lose my hair,and had no sickness or nausea-it was tons easier than the carbo/taxol regime.
Anything you want to know-just ask its no problem
Sue.
Hi there... welcome to the site. I have not had any recurrances yet, but live in constant fear of one - I finished chemo in February for stage IIIc. What about you - can you share a little bit more of your story? How did you know your cancer had returned? There are a some women who have been through it a few times, and I know they will be along shortly to tell you about their expierences.