I was feeling very positive lately. I had an excellent response to chemo and just after three cycles was told that there's hardly any disease left. I will still have surgery and three more chemos to mop up and 16 more cycles of avastin.
Then I look online. I shouldn't. It said on one site that 90% of ovarian cancer patients will die 5-10 years after they come out of remission. Apparently 90% of us won't stay in remission. This has made my mood plummet. Was feeling so good. Now feel like it's all a waiting game. People do live longer don't they?
Xxx
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Suzanne333
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Most of those facts are out of date and personally,I don't want to know because each and every one of us can be exceptions to the rule.
Just live for the day,no one even if they haven't had OC knows what the future holds,so go out in this beautiful sunshine we are having and have a lovely day,
Easier said than done I know but please don't take the statistics to heart. Just this morning on another post on this forum a member called Orangery posted to say she had been diagnosed with OC 20 years ago, had surgery and single agent chemo and has been disease free ever since! I know this is only one example but these are the examples I hold on to!!!
You are fighting the good fight and don't let anything bring you down! We are not statistics each of us has our own story to tell and will follow our own pathway.......ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!!!!
Thank you Hogwarts. I'm usually so positive and optimistic. Worst thing to do when you're feeling low is to google things. As you say, we all have our own story. Got to keep going and get on with life. Xxxx
Hi Suzanne, yes, 'googling' is hard to resist in the early stages but always remember the stats we read on there are history! There are many of us on here who are living a lot longer and having longer remission periods than five to ten years ago. We are making the stats for ten years time!!
So many things influence each case and I always share my GP's advice, "Your job is to focus on growing healthy cells (diet, exercise + rest + all those things you enjoy, including work if you can) - the better the platform you bring the medics, the more options we have to help." After five and half years (two occurrences of clear cell carcinoma stage 3c) I am currently in remission - not at all expected but I thank my GP's advice for giving me this focus to keep returning to when I feel vulnerable and overwhelmed. Hold steady and construct you vision of healthiness for your life ahead. And celebrate each time you prove Dr Google wrong!
Thank you for your reply. You cheered me up. I'm usually so positive and upbeat. I guess it's ok to have a down day.
I've just cleaned my teenage sons bedroom. It was like a workout believe me. Shook the cobwebs out of my bald head and got more down off his ceiling !!!!
Played my music quite loud and feel happier now. Xxxx
When faced with the stats, I prefer to think of people I know in real life who have out lived some of the worst prognosis with OC. I know three ladies who were diagnosed in their 40s who are now in their 70s and 80s and one lady who is mid-30s who was diagnosed at 18. All are fit as a fiddle and with no recurrences.
Stats don't show what underlying health conditions people have had, and having looked myself, I have struggled to find anything more recent than 2011/2012 - that's 4 years out of date!
Don't dwell on it. Be your own statistic and put two fingers up to the 'official' ones 😄
Hi Suzanne, yeas people do live longer. My mum did (stage 3 no recurrence) and im currently 9 years, 2 recurrences but currently NED. Stay off google, its wonderful if you want to find a good book, the latest gadget, car insurance etc but statistics found about ovarian cancer are just that, statistics, they cant tell you what will happen to you . Doubt anyone can really. I was told two years..... well as you can see still here! You are nit a statistic you are you ! an original . Take care Kathy xx
Thank you for your reply. You are right. We are us. We all have a different story. I'm so pleased you are ok. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I'm definitely staying off google.
Xxxx
HI Suzanne, I was diagnosed in 2006 and I have no intention of going any where yet. These stats are bases on old figures and dont take the slightest notice. I have had recurrences but I am currently stable for the past twelve months and hope to get another while before I need treatment again. It is okay not to feel okay, we all get those days. For the moment you are doing great I know the idea of surgery is daunting and it will creep up on you but its doable. Then you finish your treatment to mop up any thing that could be there. So tomorrow go and do something nice for you because you are worth it.
As others have said, try not to worry about statistics. We are all individual people. Yes, some ladies with OC don't live very long, but others do. I know an older lady who was treated for OC 27 years ago, & has had no recurrences.
Suzanne, googling is good for the technical info on the disease but when it comes to stats they are behind times. I have today read that treatment for all types of cancers have improved leaps and bounds and that mortality rates have reduced dramatically in the last twenty years. So, stay positive........
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Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
. Take care Kathy xx
Ct scan
Post-op pain four months after.
Good news on recurrence 
