Oby --
I was glad to stumble across your message and know there are others wondering the same thing and to know there is hope.
I was diagnosed with stage III type 2 Ovarian cancer November 14, 2005. I had been telling my gyn for two years there was something inside me that did not belong but because I had a complete hysterectomy in 1993 ovarian cancer was not considered.
My last visit with the gyn of history was June 21, 2005 and once again I expressed my same concern. I could barely stand the exam due to the pain; had severe extension of the abdomen area; nausea and weight gain. The gyn ordered an ultra sound just to pacify me. The results I was provided by gyn was there was "some fluid and thickening of the wall of the liver, nothing to concern myself with".
I was in process of relocating and also traveling back and forth to Oklahoma as my father was seriously ill. He passed in September and after I returned to Texas I became very ill. Vomitting all the time and could not sleep except in upright position. I could not wear any of my clothes and went to another doctor just as a need for relief of whatever was going on. He sent me for a CT and then another was done before I left the same day. The next day he had me scheduled for surgery but the gastreonoloist wanted to see me first and after doing so he scheduled me for outpatient to have the fluid in the abdomen drained. I ended up in the ER before the scheduled procedure and they performed (removed over 7 liters)and then started asking me all kinds of questions.
The CA125 count was 6,892 and they sent me to oncologist. He scheduled me for surgery immediately and I was in the hospital for one week but already feeling much better. Then came the cancer word and it took me awhile to accept. I went into a research program for my chemo and had gemzar and carboplatin instead of taxol. The gemzar is less toxic and so my nausea was very minimal and I only experienced thinning of my hair. I did become very anemic and took injections of aranesp every two weeks. My treatments were two weeks on, one week of rest and start again. I started December 8,2005 and completed chemo March 30,2006. I go next Wednesday for my check up and I am really scared but you are encouragement. Thank you.
L.