stage 3c ovarian cancer

Hi ,

I'm new to this website and hope you can all help me out there. I have been diagnosed with stage 3C ovarian cancer, just got that news today from my pathology report and was not expecting that news. I had a complete hysterectomy 2 weeks ago, both ovaries were maligant and the cancer had spread to the omentum and there was some on my colon and the path report showed some in my lymph nodes. My CA125 was 2,790. I see an oncolgoist on Fri to discuss treatment which is supposed to be 6 chemo treatments. I have to say I am scared and finding it hard to take this all in and need some suport from others who are going thru the same thing. I pray for you all that we all get good news in the furture about our health and hope that we can keep each other positive and peacful thru this difficult phase in our lives.

Thank You for listening,

Ber58

Hi Ber 58,

My name is Lin and I was diagnosed in 2006 with stage 3c OC, I had surgery to remove as much as they could and over the last two years have had 3 lines of chemo. I am now just recovering from second look surgery and have been told I will need some more chemo. I know how you are feeling, it is scary and suddenly your life is just full of hospitals and doctors, but its not necessarily that bleak as I know many women who are doing well after several years since first diagnosis. I do hope you manage the chemo ok, you will probably have carboplatinum/taxel as that appears to be the standard treatment. Please keep in touch and let me know how you are doing.

God Bless,

Lin

On 6/25/2008 Angel of Hope wrote:

Hi Ber 58,

My name is Lin and I was diagnosed in 2006 with stage 3c OC, I had surgery to remove as much as they could and over the last two years have had 3 lines of chemo. I am now just recovering from second look surgery and have been told I will need some more chemo. I know how you are feeling, it is scary and suddenly your life is just full of hospitals and doctors, but its not necessarily that bleak as I know many women who are doing well after several years since first diagnosis. I do hope you manage the chemo ok, you will probably have carboplatinum/taxel as that appears to be the standard treatment. Please keep in touch and let me know how you are doing.

God Bless,

Lin

Hi Lin,

Thank you for our reply, it's great to talk to someone who is going thru the same thing. You are right, there are lots of success stories out there and that is what I am going to focus on. I am scheduled to have 6 chemo treatments, is that how many you did the first time ? What was the result after that and what caused you to have to have more surgery ??? What I am learning is that everyone's case is unique, no one thing works for everyone so we have to be our own statistic and fight as hard as we can. I am reading a book called Cancer Free by Bill Henderson and it has some very interesting things in it. He is completely against chemo but I find the nutrition part makes a lot of sense. You learn a lot about cancer fighting foods that I have stared to incorparate into my diet. I figure it can't hurt. The stronger our immune systems are at this time the better.

How are you feeling now ??? were you able to take the chemo ok ? I am scared of starting but at the same time want to get the other side of it to seed how successful it will be for me.

I will defiantely include you in my prayers and hope we can continue to talk,

Bernie

Hi Bernie,

You sound as though you have a great attitude to this desease, when you think of it, it is just cells that are misbehaving and we have to let them know that we are stronger than them! I call them the 'gremlins' and they have no right invading my space!

Unfortunately I have not responded well to any of the three lines of chemo, hence the surgery. I am hoping my oncologist can apply to our Primary Care Trust for me to try Avastin.

Keep strong and positive Bernie,

Best wishes

Lin

Hi Lin,

What is Avastin, I havent heard of that, is it a type of chemo ? I wonder why you did'nt respond to the other treatments. I hope that you get to get the Avastin and that it works really well for you.

Gremlins, that's funny, I guess they are............. I know I am going to fight my hardest to get rid of them out of my system and a lot of other people do. We know it can be done and we just have to not give up hope and when we are having a bad day lean on our support system to get us thru.

So, chin up, and put your trust in God,

Nice talking to you,

Bernie

Hi Lin,

Just wondering how you are doing, havent heard back from you since my last message. Everything ok ???? I hope so, I am praying for you and I know that God listens....

I am doing good, waiting for my app. with oncologist on Tue , will know more then.

Talk soon,

Bernie

On 6/25/2008 Angel of Hope wrote:

Hi Bernie,

You sound as though you have a great attitude to this desease, when you think of it, it is just cells that are misbehaving and we have to let them know that we are stronger than them! I call them the 'gremlins' and they have no right invading my space!

Unfortunately I have not responded well to any of the three lines of chemo, hence the surgery. I am hoping my oncologist can apply to our Primary Care Trust for me to try Avastin.

Keep strong and positive Bernie,

Best wishes

Lin

Hi Bernie

sorry for delay in replying, I hav'nt been feeling too well but it still is early days following my surgery.

How did your visit to your oncologist go? what is happening next with you?

I went to see my oncologist today to talk about the recent surgery and what happens next...... surgery took away 95% of the cancer leaving a couple of tumours on my liver and some evidence of seedlings in the abdominal cavity. I will be having a scan before the end of July and then the decision is either weekly Topetecan or going on a CA4P trial which is a combination of Carboplatin with Taxel and Combrestatin. There is also another trial based on CD40 but that one is only at phase 1 here.

What are the trials going on in the States?

Best wishes

Lin

Hi Lin,

Good to hear from you again. Glad you are over the surgery. It takes a lot ouf of you doesent it?

I did see my oncolgoist and I start chemo on Wed. Taxol and carboplatin, 6 sessions, I guess it is the norm. I am anxious to get started and get this over me although I am quite scared of chemo, trying to calm my fears!

Not sure what clinical trials are over here, havent researched that yet. What part of the UK are you in ? I'm orginally from Ireland and all my family are there, one sister in London. I have been in the States 26 years.

I have been reading a lot about nutriton for cancer patients and so I am cleaning up my diet. Do you follow any special eating programme ?? From what I read, no red meat, dairy, sugar, alcohol. Eat lots of fresh greens , fruits and vegetable protein. I am making the changes slowly but surely. Sugar is supposed to be the worst, they say cancer feeds on sugar, did you hear that ?

Well, I hope you feel better every day from your surgery and I am sending positive vibes your way , take one day at a time and WE CAN GET THRU THIS OK!

Your friend,

Bernie

On 7/2/2008 Angel of Hope wrote:

Hi Bernie

sorry for delay in replying, I hav'nt been feeling too well but it still is early days following my surgery.

How did your visit to your oncologist go? what is happening next with you?

I went to see my oncologist today to talk about the recent surgery and what happens next...... surgery took away 95% of the cancer leaving a couple of tumours on my liver and some evidence of seedlings in the abdominal cavity. I will be having a scan before the end of July and then the decision is either weekly Topetecan or going on a CA4P trial which is a combination of Carboplatin with Taxel and Combrestatin. There is also another trial based on CD40 but that one is only at phase 1 here.

What are the trials going on in the States?

Best wishes

Lin

Hi Bernie,

2 years ago when first diagnosed I did a lot of research and decided to give up all dairy, red meat, tea, coffee, alcohol, sugary things, fizzy drinks, and ate more vegetables, fruit, soya products and soya milk, herbal teas, pasta, rice, fish, organic chicken and turkey.

But since I lost all the weight following surgery, the dietician and my oncologist have said I must build myself up in order to be strong for further treatment, so I am trying to eat a little dairy to get more protein, but as its been so long since I had dairy I find it makes me a little nauseous so I am returning back to soya. I am reluctant to eat too many sugary things as sugar is not good for cancer.

I hope you tolerate the chemo Bernie, I do remember when I was on that one that I did get aches in my legs and felt very tired, the anti sickness tablets did help with preventing me being sick. You may well lose your hair, but there are so many nice hats and scarfs and the upside of it is that you will not have bad hair days for a while!!! :)

Ginger tea and ginger capsules are good for helping keep the sickness at bay.

God bless, I will be thinking of you on Wednesday,

Your friend,

Lin