On 3/26/2008
Laura39 wrote:
Hi,
I am a stage IIIC ovarian cancer patient, 39 years old. I have been fighting this for almost four years, been through a lot of different chemos. I haven't been responding to much of anything lately and we are going to try another drug. It is an oral chemo called VP16. It had another name but I can't remember it. I was just wondering if anyone else has tried this before and how it worked, also how did you feel?
That is the problem with starting something new. You have to wonder, will it work? but also, how will I feel? what side effects will I have?
Just hoping to hear from some others who might have tried this. I guess I am just hoping for some good news. I feel like I could use some at this point.
Thanks.
/dear Laura
I was on VP 16 for 5 months. It wasn't easy. I get a CT scan every 2 months. The first one showed imporvement with reduction of metastasis in my liver. The next one, only showed that the tumor did not grow. And last one, The tumor grew again, so I gladly stopped the treatment.
I must tell you that feeling nauseaus all the time was the hardest thing to take. The most effective drug for nausea was Zofran. Other than this side effect, nothing else to report. My hair thinned out but I did not loose it completely. I was told that I would loose my hair.
Look, it is not the end of the world. I functioned throughout the treatment in a semi normal way. I went to work every day. It helps me not to focus in my treatment and sickness. I have a good attitude. I have been fighting ovarian cancer for the last 4 years. And overall, I can't complain. I will start a new drug in 15 days. I just read a promising study with Thalodomide. Keep your hopes up. We are just buying time. We will make it!!!!
Hoping you will do even better than I did with VP16.
you can keep me posted.
Alicia Eber
Hello