Hi, diagnosed mid July with stage 3 ovarian cancer and had 7 months carboplatin and total hysterectomy. Was told there was still some cancer on the lining of the abdomen but CA 125 down from 2500 to 19. So now in the middle of a 3 month watch and wait. Wake up very day feeling anxious. How do others cooe with this awful state of limbo?
I would love to know if other people find it difficult to get on with life.
Hi Julia,
I'm sorry you're going through all this. It's a tough path.
I find meditation really helps centre me. I didn't use it initially, and in hindsight, I wish I had come to it earlier. Sometimes our brains just need a break, and meditation provides it.
You'll hear this over and over, but it does help to get good sleep (good luck with that), eat well, and get out for walks (at the very least).
For me, I recognized that my life changed. I now look at those three month scans with optimism (and hope, I guess) because they'll help me survive with treatment.
Here's a hard hug for you. This is a wonderful forum filled with information, but also filled with support.
XXOO
Just got back from a walk -- thought a lot about your post while I was outside.
I really didn't answer your last question. So I'll try again.
Do I find it difficult to get on with life? Not really. I wouldn't have picked this part of my life for anything, but now that I've got it, I really feel I have to make the best of it. Otherwise cancer gets me twice. And I won't allow that.
XXOO
Hi Julia
Nancys reply is spot on, you have to wake up each day and feel lucky and enjoy it because none of us can predict our futures xx hypnotherapy helped me and along the same lines. I remember the feeling when the treatment first ended you feel vulnerable and unprotected and suddenly alone x i had some counselling too which helped but each week and month you build your confidence and learn to get on with it in the ‘new normal’.
I felt i needed a time to grieve almost for the old life i lost but then i gave myself a talking to and embraced the new one xx.
Just for info i had some lesions left on my liver and was told they were probably active but i got 4 years before a recurrence and not in those lesions so its not an exact science xx
Good luck on your journey
Diane
X
Thanks so sorry to hear you've had a recurrence. It was helpful to hear you felt you vulnerable and unprotected and alone and felt the need to grieve. I hadn't heard that from anyone else but that is exactly how I'm feeling atm.
i was relieved to learn lesions can lie dormant.
Thanks for your reply, it was kind of you to take the time to write and best wishes to you with your treatment.
Good morning
I didn't worry initially I remained very possitive for my family more so than myself. I am now waiting for 3rd line treatment and I am struggling now. I am going to take the lovely ladies advise and try meditation. I have always found that getting out and keeping busy really helps and I worked around treatment to keep me busy.
Lots of love
Maxine xx
Hi Maxine,
Try these meditations -- they're free to download and are specifically geared to cancer. They were a game changer for me. (I didn't realize I held my stress in my stomach!)
healthy.kaiserpermanente.or...
Thank you so much I will give this a go later. Thank you Nancy 😁 xxx I will let you know how I get on xx
Please do let me know. I hadn't realized how much I use meditation. Last night I had a MRI (they run these machines 24/7) and found it useful for the 45 minutes in the "tunnel".
I tried my first session last night and could not beleive how relaxed it made me feel 😁 I will try this at chemo sessions ooh and when I have to have the pic fitted back in in 2 weeks time 😷 thank you xxx
Hi, so hard to find a new normal at first. Everybsche snd we are scared it’s back. I went to maggies and had some counselling, and did a short mindfulness course both of which helped me. I do have dark days but find I can deal with them in a better way now.
Got to say getting out and about is the one thing that helps to lift my spirits.
Xx
There's no one size fits all but mindful meditation gives me short breaks, focusing on what there is to feel lucky about helps, and remembering that worrying isn't going to change my outcome sometimes stops me from obsessing and instead, focusing on the things to feel happy about. Love the idea of getting out, doing something you find fun....and appreciating that you can--very helpful. Wish I had a magic pill for us all!
oxox
P.S. If you find the answer about the anxiety between test time and results, let me know!
Thanks for the replies. I am trying to keep busy but also have chronic fatigue so need to spend a lot of time resting so am confined to the house for long periods. I sleep for hours every night so that is restorative.
On a different note I am new to this forum and wonder why all the replies have come through to the Inbox on my phone. They come through under HealthUnlocked. I don't recall giving away my email address. Is there any way I can stop this? I would prefer just to log on to find them.
When you signed up or joined, you would have had to give an email address in order to do so. That means replies to your thread will appear in your email system as an email from healthunlocked, so presumably, you have access to email on your phone if you're seeing the emails on there.
If you go into the settings on this site you can switch off the emails.
It is very hard but I think for me, I've just got used to it. Never a day goes by without thinking of it but I know I'll live with this for the rest of my life. I try to think how lucky I am and that there are so many others in the world with worse things to worry about. Just do the best you can and try and I mean try, to live life as normally as possible.
Sorry I can't come up with anything better but on the other hand things could be so much worse.
Best wishes, Zena xx
Dear Julia, I'm sorry you have to go through this. I went through this every 6 months for 6 years. Finally, I got into a PARP2 study, which strangles the tumors by preventing vascularizations. I've been in remission 5 years, knock on wood!
I'm braca2, so the medication Olaparib worked for me. I take it twice a day. The side effects are much less than the Taxol/Carbo, Topotecan, Avastin and Gemzar we're.
I would ask your doctor about Olaparib, also called Lynparza. Also ask about the other maintenance meds. My sister was 3C breast cancer, and she takes a different type of maintenance med; she's on remission 5 years too!
May God bless you and keep you!
💖Margaret
Hi Julia, your feelings are understandable as you have been through a major event in your life. I always kept strong and positive but like you I did feel anxious for many months after treatment and I was disease free post surgery. I think it’s a matter of time to come to terms with things and adjust to the new normal. I’ve used the Headspace app for mindfulness and have also done progressive muscle relaxation from you tube. Both have been very helpful. I also found going for a short walk and seeing friends and family on a regular basis also really helped. Hope you will be feeling better soon. Best wishes, Jo xx
That waiting game....
Waiting and more waiting. 
BACK IN THE GAME AGAIN
CA125 raised and having to play the waiting game! 
