Hi everyone, I'm new to this, as I just got home on friday night post my surgery for suspected OC. My surgeons were 95% sure it's malignant, but I won't know the details for another 2 weeks. They were confident they had removed everything, but some lymph nodes were enlarged, and a section of my small bowel was narrowed, but they've bypassed it. It's happened so fast, I had my ultrasound at the end of february, but feel positive about it most of the time. I do have periods where I'm down, but I think it's because I don't know the plan for the next step yet. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on what questions I should (or indeed, shouldn't) ask when I go for the results.
For anyone who is just about to have surgery, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I expected, and I'm pottering about at home now, but taking things easy.
All the best to everyone, Love Sally xx
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Sally-r-abcd
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This is a frightening journey, but also one with some very special and magical moments!
The first advice I would give you is to take someone with you to help you to remember what is said. If the news is 'bad' and you are anything like me, you will freeze and stop hearing what is being said.
Secondly, get as much information as possible in advance (as you are). It's likely that you will be told to have chemotherapy. The standard seems to be carboplatin and taxol for 6 sessions. Your operation sounds just like mine - I had large tumours on both ovaries, and lymph node involvement. My bowel was touched but not infected. I refused the taxol which made the chemo considerably easier to recover from ( still not easy, and it took me 2 yrs to return to normal bloods). I'm jumping ahead. There will be time for those decisions.
Thirdly; be aware of the boundaries of knowledge - by which I mean that the medics have a slanted view of the cancers they see and believe that the medical route is the only way. They also seem to play down what you can achieve for yourself in terms of boosting and supporting your immune system - stuff which I think of as the most important. So do something to support your I.S. (I take Transfer Factor, eat organically, am vegetarian, and avoid sugar and alcohol). Also look at the stress in your life, and recognise that you now need to avoid as much as possible.
I've just had another clear set of tests 26 months post op.
many good wishes on your post op recovery and I can only echo the excellent advice Isadora has given. I also took a small tape to record the Consultation as well as my best friend because I knew I would need to check it again later.I informed the doc and it was fine( why shouldnt it be) I know how you feel but take things slowly. My own journey is just beginning after 6 cycles of "standard protocol" treatment and my tumour when found was a rare Clear Cell type so not much information about the efficacy of treatment for me , also not many women out there to share stuff with but we are all on the same journey and it can be a positive journey, there is plenty of help and good support on this and other Forums. A word about searching on the Internet, remember some information you find and statistics dont always relate to you and your situation, you are an individual and require your own individual options which is worth remembering to ask when you see your Consultant.
All the very best with recovery post op and if you do need further treatment, post again and let us know, theres a lot of help out there. For example hair loss doesnt ALWAYS happen to everyone.The Ice hat worked for me and I just had a thinning( but had a great wig that i wore at times anyway)
Hi Lynn, Thanks for your good wishes. I hadn't thought of recording it, so will look into that. I'm taking my husband, so we should be able to take it all in.
Hi Sally,your post was just what I needed to read as my surgery is thurs and even though Im very positive I am starting to feel a bit anxious!It sounds like your journey is a similar one to mine,I went to the gp for the 1st time on 21st feb and its been all go since!I hope you are feeling well and that your recovery is fast with good news to follow,God bless,Gillyxx
Hi Gilly, Good luck for thursday. Afterwards, you will feel weak and tire easily, but it gets better pretty quickly. My advice is, when you're able to sit out in a chair to do so, and to sit as upright in bed as you can, as the last thing you want is a chest infection!! I also got up as often as I felt like it, and moved around, so I didn't get too stiff. Take care, and it'll go a lot quicker than you think. I'll think about you on thursday. Love Sally XX
I was diagnosed in december just going through a course of chemo I on carboplatin as taxol didnt agree with me the only side effects i had are nausea first three days after treatment and tiredness. Hope everything goes ok for you i was also told it would take two weeks for results . so hang in there and good luck
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