Newbie

[Scotty38]

Hi everyone I'm new to this forum,my mum was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer in November 2020,she also has heart failure so her treatment was debunk surgery and then chemo as her heart needs to be at its strongest for the op.she was supposed to have the op 2nd Feb but all cancer ops were cancelled for a minimum of 4 weeks due to covid,her consultant said her tumour is fast growing so they couldn't wait and needed to do 3 sessions of chemo then op then 3 more sessions of chemo after that.Its her first chemo tomorrow she is having carboplatin and paclitaxel ,has any body had this combo and if so what were your side affects .

[Newbie_2020]

I am so sorry to hear about your mum's cancer and her heart condition.

Carboplatin and Taxol are used as front line treatment for ovarian cancer and as a total of 6 sessions in most cases.

Many of us over here who were diagnosed during Covid and lockdown had to go through the same. Neo-adjuvant chemo sessions of Carbo/Taxol, then debulking, then the remaining carb/taxol.

The chemo sessions are a bit long as Taxol is usually administered first and takes 3 hours, then carboplatin for 1 hr. She will also be having some steroids and anti-histamine whether as IV or pills to take before the session. The nurses are brilliant and they'll look after her very well.

Typical main side effects are: nausea (they'll give her some pills for 48 hrs to take after chemo), hair loss (on average after the second session) and fatigue. Due to the fact that she may be considered as a high risk, they may prescribe some injections (Filgrastim) to take home and self-inject which will boost her white blood cells and neutrophils. I am sure they'll explain the process to her and will answer her questions.

I hope all goes well for your mum. Keep strong and hope for the best.

[Scotty38 in reply to Newbie_2020]

Thankyou and yes the nurse told her she would have injections to do as well,my mum said she isn't worried about loosing her hair ,she is more bothered about all the other symptoms they tell you about ,especially because she has her heart problem ,oncologist said to expect the worst with symptoms and anything less is a bonus so fingers crossed ,how soon after chemo do you start to get symptoms is it a few hours after or a few days after .

[Newbie_2020 in reply to Scotty38]

Nausea will kick off as soon as the steroid get out of the system and can last for a few days. She'll start talking a pill in the evening after the chemo. Herbal teas and ginger tea can help. Fatigue can start within days but hopefully by the time the next session is due she'll be better and ready.Chemo side effects are also cumulative.

[Lyndy]

Hello, sorry to hear about your Mum. The treatment you have identified is standard for first line. I had it in 2015. Side effects are generally well controlled by anti sickness meds, steroids and piriton. She will lose her hair... but you can help by getting her some nice soft chemo hats. She will get a chemo line number to ring if she has any issues... everyone is different but at some point she may struggle with anything from bone pain to constipation. She must follow the rules about taking meds and phoning in if she has a temperature for example. But you get lots of support and it isn’t anything like it used to be in the bad old days.

Week 2 and 3 of the 21 day cycle are the best... but she shouldn’t overdo things. Best of luck to you and her xx

[Scotty38 in reply to Lyndy]

Thankyou so much its very difficult to see my mum going through all this ,I think this forum is going to give us great comfort and support x

[Mammi in reply to Scotty38]

What a lovely daughter your mum has 🥰 Iwas lucky also to have my girls throughout treatment which was same as your mum is having.I was terrified but you do find an inner strength and as they say the nurses are so kind.your mum will come out of her first meeting with booklets & pages to read & feeling quite overwhelmed but it all settles down & I found it comforted me to write a diary every day.I just noted how I felt, anything odd I was worried about,what I was able to eat & weight, temp& toilet issues, ha ha! Believe me this helped so much when I looked back & realised it followed a manageable pattern. Weakness & tiredness you have to give in to but there is a light at the end of the tunnel & with you behind her she will get there. Big hugs to you both🤗Deex

[Scotty38 in reply to Mammi]

Thankyou hun ,I am also very lucky to have a mum like her she is my best friend ,I will be there every step of the way for her as she already knows and thats all I can do ,I worry about my dad also ,im not sure how he will cope with all thats going to happen fingers crossed I will be strong enough for the both of them xx

[Jacky5]

Hi ScottyI had the same regime.

I was initially told surgery wouldnt be possible but after 3 doses of chemo they decided they could do the debulking after all as the tumours had reduced well. I was delighted.

I had a further 3 treatments after surgery .

I had high blood pressure as a side effect to the chemo so my dose was halved which really worried me at the time but the chemo still had a good effect.

As the other ladies explained, Mum will be given lots of preventative drugs to combat the side effects which are really helpful.

I found I was very tired a couple of days after the treatment and also had some pretty strong stomach pains later in the course....I'm convinced that was the chemo working!.

All the very best to Mum and look after yourself too...

L.x

[Scotty38 in reply to Jacky5]

Hi Jacky I'm glad your treatment has done its job ,fingers crossed it will help my mum in the same way to ,I guess only time will tell xx

[SASSY196]

I can't add much to what the ladies have written. I wasn't too bad until about 3rd round although of course had side effects described. Metallic taste and loss of appetite/ feeling sick isn't so nice so little and often food wise. Lots of lovely long baths using Epsom salts ( run by my husband), lots of treats to keep my mood up such as jigsaws, knitting projects, gentle walks all helped . If your mum is up to it there is free yoga for cancer online at triyoga and for oc at target ovarian cancer - stretches achy body and makes you feel less alone. Fingers crossed for her xxx

[purfekt10]

I had four carbo/taxol treatments, then debulking surgery, and then another four carbo/taxol treatments. My blood counts dropped, so there were breaks in my chemo treatment. At one point I needed a blood transfusion to bring up the blood counts. I also had injections of Neulasta to bring up my white blood cell count. That caused bone pain which was mostly relieved by taking Claritin. Nobody seems to know why it works, though. My last chemo treatment was in August 2019 and my CA 125 has been between 3 and 6 since then. I wish you the best!

[Scotty38 in reply to purfekt10]

Hi perfect I'm so glad that things are better for you ,fingers crossed all will be well with my mum x

[RoseMS in reply to purfekt10]

Hi purfekt10. Its so reassuring that you are doing so great after treatment and long may it continue. Can I ask why 8 chemo treatments rather than the 6 that seem to be standard? Also, are you on any maintenance treatment like PARPs or Avastin? I completed my 6 chemos May 2020 and am doing well on Olaparib PARP so far. Its a daily worry for me about recurrence, I cant seem to shift it, every little abdominal twinge etc. Keep well. X

[purfekt10 in reply to RoseMS]

I don't know why my oncologist had me undergo 8 chemo treatments. I know that some of the women I met during the treatments only had 6. I have not been on any maintenance treatments. I know how you feel about any possible recurrences. I just have turned my worries over to God.

[Kwiskwos]

Hello scotty. It must have been tough for you and your mum. Like you, i also look after my mother who was diagnosed with cancer recurrence october last year. She first had carboplatin/doxitaxel treatment in year 2012. Now at 72, the side effects are harder for her to control. She's been experiencing loss of appetite, bitter taste, and back pain. After her 4th chemo, she had amoebiasis (i dont know how, maybe her immune system is really low and she ate something that triggered it) which made her really weak. She's usually at her lowest during the 3rd-4th day and starts to get better by day9. Filgrastim was being given and i also asked the onco to prescribe us with ferrous sulfate to prevent her hemoglobin to drop so low. I hope you and your mum the best in this journey. Keep us posted.

[Scotty38 in reply to Kwiskwos]

Hi kwiskwas sorry to hear your mum isn't so well and hope she feels better soon ,my mum is 63 but because she has heart failure it complicates things more ,she had her first chemo session yesterday so time will tell as to how well or not so well she will be ,thankyou for your kind words and I shall keep you all posted x

[Scotty38]

Hi everyone hope your all doing as well as can be ,just a quick update on my mum,so day 4 post chemo and she is having some quite bad cramps in her pelvis ,aches and pains in joints and numbness in her finger tips ,also still tired but I think alot of that is that she's struggling to get a good night's sleep due to pain waking her up,hoping in the next few days she'll feel a little better ,sending love to you all x

[Cobweb2]

Hi, I am also new to here and looking after my mum! Can I ask does your mum have any other health conditions and on blood thinners? because I am having such a fight with the most arrogant and un caring surgeon ever! He will not do debulking surgery because my mum has heart disease and had a stroke 7 years ago, and says she is too high risk and will prob die on the table!! Surely if there is a chance of getting all the cancer out or most of it and let chemo kill the rest? She is about to have round 5 of carboplatin and coping v. well tumours have shrunk by 2/3 after 3 rounds! Should I keep fighting or assume they know best!! Thankyou

[Scotty38 in reply to Cobweb2]

Hi hun,wow thats great news that chemo is shrinking tumours,my mum has heart failure and so her consultant had discussion with her cardiologist before any decisions were made with regards to treatment,it was advised that she should have op first then 6 rounds of chemo after whilst her heart was at its healthiest,unfortunately due to covid all ops were cancelled for a minimum of 4 weeks and mums tumours are fast growing so couldn't just be left.she has just finished 1st outof 3 chemo sessions then will have op and then a further 3 chemos.With regards to the op they did say that there is always a risk and so I suppose it depends and how severe the heart condition is ,if they say she wouldn't pull through the op im guessing that your mums condition is worse then my mums ,I suppose it wouldn't hurt getting a 2nd opinion hun.I think we sometimes find it hard to except that some things aren't possible , because all we want is for our nearest and dearest to be well again ,im sorry if this doesn't really answer your question but on a positive note the chemo is already doing a great job ,wishing your mum the very best for the future x

[Cobweb2 in reply to Scotty38]

Hi, thankyou so much for replying. I think I will wait for the next scan results then perhaps second opinion? Its true you just feel so desperate to help and make it all go away! I hope your mum does well on chemo and her surgery is a great success with speedy recovery! Thankyou againxx

[Scotty38 in reply to Cobweb2]

Thankyou cobweb I hope so to,can I ask has your mums symptoms from chemo got worse the more she has ,my mums on the same chemo and I think she's coped very well 1st time round but dreading how she will be and how she will ope with the next lot if symptoms get worse as she goes along xx

[Cobweb2 in reply to Scotty38]

I think our mums are on carboplatin because it is a gentle chemo and doesn't effect the heart! I assume they have given your mum anti nausea meds? My mums nausea lasts longer each time about 6 days or so they changed the meds last session and a bit better! Constipation is quite a prob so takes stool softeners to try and help. Blood levels also get low and had to delay one session by a week as too anemic, but its all resolvable! The side effects do get a bit more and last a bit longer eg more tired and just feel a bit grim! Everyone reacts differently though and your mum might sail through it! Keep in touch and let me know how she gets on and if I can help with anything I will!xx