Feeling down today

[Friscok12]

Not having a good day so far feel down been looking for story's about how long you can live with oc am stage 3a2 treatment starts wed need some good story's to read they help me don't know what I would be like without this site xx

[Microbabe]

I am not a long surviving OC warrior just finished first line treatment... But there are many wonderful ladies on here that are still fighting on ... Everyone is individual and has a different pathway staying strong and positive helps a lot ... I am currently ned ....If OC comes back for me I would be gutted but I no I would fight on the treatment isn't great but I look at it as necessary to make me well... The sickness can be managed with anti sickness meds ... So don't stay silent if they not working for you they can be changed to suit you ... There are a lot of side affects to chemo you might not get any and sail through but I kept a journal so I wouldn't forget in consultations with my onc.. The worst for me was the joint pain but pain killers eased those and Epsom salt baths ( tip from ladies on here) .... Losing my hair I thought would be a major trauma but I took it in my stride and became comfortable with the new me and the NHS provide a fabulous wig which I took as a chance to be adventurous with new hair colour ... On a positive note you don't have to shave your legs lol.... All the best for your treatment... Big hugs xx

[Lyndy]

Hello Friscok12

I can relate to that constant feeling of wanting to search for 'good' stories. The truth is that none of us know what will happen to us and comparing ourselves- even to those at the same stage and having the same treatment won't help.. because we each have our own journey .

Living with that level of uncertainty is really hard. But here you are today, a lovely day, are there things that you can do right now that you would enjoy?

Try to tear yourself away from searching for an answer that won't come and maybe get some sunshine on your face? Or ring a friend?

Your fears are natural..we all have them but don't let them stop you having some good moments in each and every day.

Wishing you all the best for a better afternoon..

Lx

[Katmal-UK]

Hi. I think the best piece of advice I can give you straight away is stay away from googling and looking for statistics. The internet cant tell you what will happen to you and how long you have. I can tell you my mum had stage 3 cancer and was given 5 years. She never had a recurrence of OC and enjoyed 14 years + disease free before getting bowel cancer. I was diagnosed stage 3 in October 2007. I was told I probably had 2 years. Despite 2 recurrences, 3 courses of chemo, 3 clinical trials, I am currently NED, and have continued to work full time. Please dont spend time worrying about time, (trust me I so know thats easier said than done, but live each day for what it is, the present. Enjoy each day. My father had Lung Cancer when he was 49. He asked his oncologist how long he had to which the dr replied, how long do any of us have? My Dad passed away 12 days before his 82nd birthday. His oncologist died in an accident two weeks after the conversation with my dad...... so he was right.... I know the place you are now, as the ladies here do too. I wish you well. Kathy xx

[Friscok12]

Katmal thank you so much your reply has helped me xxx

[Hidden]

HI there diagnosed in 2006 and at the moment I am stable, You are in shock from this diagnosis, that is a natural reaction and all kinds of stuff run through our minds. On my first chemo I was sick and my husband decided to take me to town where I got ill. We sat for a bit and then went back to the car passing the mens suits. Do you know what he said to me, I suppose I better buy a new suit soon. Well as sick as I felt I retorted well dont be buying it on my behalf cause I aint going anywhere. So this was approx ten years ago this weekend and the only suits he bought were for weddings. You can live with this illness, there are plenty of drugs out there to keep it contained. Once you start treatment on Weds you will feel a bit better, think that this stuff is going into you to make you better.

[SandyL]

When I was first diagnosed over 17 years ago with Stage 4 OC, I was devastated and very scared. I felt helpless and hopeless. Before my diagnosis, my mantra was, "There is always a way", but suddenly I was in a frightening place where there didn't appear to be any answers.

The internet was pretty new back then, but I searched for many hours looking for others with the same disease, mostly for women who had survived the disease, because just knowing there were others 'out there' made me believe that I could survive too.

And yes, I did the stuff that everyone said NOT to do .... I looked for survival rates. Back then it was a 5% survival rate for women with Stage 4 OC, but then my weird mind figured out that if 5% survived the disease, I could be one of that 5% (someone had to be, right?) In some very crazy way, knowing what my odds (supposedly) were, made me even more determined. So I decided to do the usual stuff (chemo and surgery), but I asked all my friends about alternative treatments as well ... I reasoned that if the chemo didn't work then the alternative protocols would be my back-up plan. I also worried that if cancer came to me in the first place, what was to stop it coming back unless I changed my body condition so it wouldn't.

So all through treatment I used a zapper (as per Dr Hulda Clark), then once treatment was finished I started the Johanna Budwig protocol (commonly called the Flax-oil and Cottage cheese protocol). On October 20th I celebrated 17 years in remission. I continue to follow the Budwig plan (with a few tweaks here and there) and have eaten the Budwig breakfast for 17 years, seldom missing a single day. I also continue to use my zapper from Monday to Friday. I was 53 at diagnosis, I'm now 70 and hoping to make it for many years more.

My feeling is that if you do something for yourself, you are telling your body that you want to get well. I feel fantastic and walk 4-5 miles every morning. I am so fortunate, but I've never forgotten all those dreadful feelings I had at the beginning.

So, try not to be scared. Put on your fighting clothes and fight with everything that's in you (a lot of the fight comes from the mind). Many women DO survive this disease, so believe that YOU will be one of them. I hope you don't think I'm coming across too strong, I'm just trying to give you a massive dose of HOPE that will carry you through all your treatments! Take care .... Sandy.

[Friscok12 in reply to SandyL]

Thank you Sandy what a amazing story made me feel a lot better i am going to get my fighting clothes on for first treatment Wed xxx

[Bobbyo1]

I think there is no answer to your question as no one besides having this desease what's round the corner I am stage 3 grade 3 and two years on from diagnosis and kept busy living life to the full I feel this sight is full of different stories and love hearing from the ladies hugs to everyone

[Suzanne333]

I've always worried about recurrence. I had my op 5 days ago. My surgeon told me he got all the cancer out. I'm really happy but yesterday I burst into tears when i told him I'm scared it might come back.

He said in 2-3 years it might come back or it might not. He said it depends on the card you've been dealt.

So I'm just carrying on with my life and going to live it and enjoy it. I am not going to worry about 'might'. If it returns, then so will my fighting spirit.