Beginning Treatment

I am starting treatment today for stage one clear cell ovarian cancer. I will receive 6 treatments of carboplatin and toxil every third week. I am interested in finding out how other people responded to treatment. I took the streoids last night and this morning and already I have a severe headache, nausea and muscle aches. I just can't imagine how I will do on the taxol.

I too underwent a course of carboplatin/taxol and was very fortunate that only suffered severe side effects after first dose.One of the worst things was having to get up in the middle of night to take steroids (10 hours before treatment due)Through time I got used to the aches and pains which cleared up before next session, then it was a case of 'here we go again'.You have to plan your life around the days you know you'll have pain and focus on the end result! As I said before, I wore an 'ice cap' which saved me any hair loss and, although losing hair isn't the worse thing connected with cancer, it kept my self esteem up.It isn't a complicated process. Whilst actually getting chemo you wear a cap, similar to a jockey's cap which has been placed in a freezer.(put it on about 10 minutes before chemo starts)As it defrosts it has to be changed about every forty minutes. Although very cold , you get used to it and it isn't all that uncomfortable.Good luck with your treatment. Hope it works.

I too am starting treatment Monday. Paraplatin and Taxotere. Boy, am I scared silly. Reading the message boards and the meds and it sounds like a cookie cutter therapy program. I'm so sad.

Hi Barbara & pookie196 - I realize that you wrote your message almost 2 months ago but I'm just reading it now. You must have had 2 or 3 treatments by now. In July of 2003 I had a hysterectomy for "fibroid"tumors & instead the dr.'s found clear cell ca. of the left ovary that filled my whole abdominal cavity. They think that it was first stage but can't be sure. From aug. through Dec. of that year I received 6 treatments every 3 weeks of taxol & carboplatin. I too had to take steroids the night before & 3 days after each treatment I had to get an injection of neulasta or neupogen to raise my white blood count which was drastically low. I don't remember everything at this time because I suffering extreme back pain from another problem & was on pain killers for that. I lost all my hair, eyebrows & eyelashes. I didn't have to shave my legs for 18 months. And no haircut for 18 months. All grew back since. I remember having a lot of anxiety & remember having a few panic attacks. I didn't have much of an appetite but ate because I knew I had to. I have been cancer free for 2 years & 4 months now, I see my oncologist who is on top of everything every 3-4 months. She also sends me for ct scans of my abdomen, pelvis, & chest every 6 mo. My ca125 marker is always between 10-11. I really believe & know to be true that this is because God in His loving mercy saw me through this, the prayers of many & the expertise of my doctor, she leaves no stone unturned. All in a nutshell, GOD HAS HEALED ME even though the dr.s can never assure me of that at this time. I had a couple of scares - lump on my breast that turned out benign & dilated bile ducts that are benign. I hope this helped you and whoever reads this. The best thing you can do & the healthiest at that is to have faith in God, commit yourself to Him & ask Him to strengthen your faith, & He will! He loves us so much, & remember there is always a reason, a higher plan & purpose to all this, He wants to use us!! May the Lord bless you, heal you & may you know how very much He loves you!