i have all the symptoms again ,could it be back ??

[weeney]

hi i'm new to this site after searching the net for answers , i had a tumor removed from my left ovary three years ago which was only stage 1a i then had 6 carbo treatments and a full hysterecomy . i've been having scans every 12 weeks which have all been clear untill last wednesday when the radiologer found something ,obviously he could'nt say what he'd found but i'm worried it's back . my oncologist radiologer and surgeon are meeting for what they call an mct meeting on thursday with my mcmillan nurse is it possible i could have it again even tho i've no ovaries ? i have all the symptoms , swollen hard pelvis ,tummy huge like i'm 5 months pregnant , difficulty eating and feel like i have to stretch to breathe any advice would be most appreciated.

[MargaretJ]

So sorry to hear about your renewed symptoms. I had full debulking in Jan 2010 but by Jan this year my CA125 was up again and my scan showed a new tumour. I became allergic to carboplatin and was given cisplatin instead. That did not work and after another scan the radiologist, oncologist and surgeon considered options at the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) meeting and have decided it is operable. As a result I have another op due in early Dec and a probable colostomy. At least I may get a longer period of remission this time. If you can, try to be positive, think of the good things in life and enjoy it while you can. I am madly embroidering so that all those tired afternoons when I have no energy are not wasted.

[wendydee]

It may be something else, but even if it is some cells that have started to grow again, they will have caught it early on and that's the key to successful treatment. As Margaret said, try to concentrate on the positive, although it's natural to be scared when it seems like things are not going in a predictable way. Your MDT meeting will contact you soon after Thursday to say what your treatment/investigation will be, or maybe you have a number you can contact someone in the team to check as soon as you can? If you want to chat to someone, the helpline nurses will reassure you, they are so knowledgeable and experienced. The number is 0845 3710554. You can leave a message and they will get back to you during the week. All the best

Wendy xx

[weeney]

thankyou both wendydee and margaret,your right i am trying to keep occupied as much as i can walking my dogs mostly (they've never been on so many walks). sorry to hear about your new tumor margaret is it on your ovary ? i've an appointment on friday morning to hear what the mdt meeting was about . the waiting is awful especially when i'm in a lot of discomfort.how did your cancer start margaret ? how long ago ?

[charlie12]

Hi there

I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this again. I know that Friday seems like 1000 years away but it will come around quickly, honestly. It sounds as if you are having really really good care and that this has picked up whatever is going on in your abdomen.Scans every 12 weeks are really frequent. I only had a borderline tumour but have imaging and blood tests just every 12 months , despite having on going pain ( that I can live with). .

Many many of us here have scares like this and it is part of life for us all now. If you still had an ovary the probablility of having a recurrence would be alot higher, I suppose.

Try to take things easy if you can between npw and then and get some exercise.Try to treat yourself to a few things , even if it's just an hour with a glass of wine and a magazine. Dogs are fantastic at times like this, our little cavalier was fantastic for me. What kind of doggies do you have ?

Take care and keep us all posted.

Love

Charlie xxxx

[weeney]

thanks charlie , reading many of these questions and answers i've realised how lucky i am to have only had a stage 1 , only 6 chemos (to which i kept my hair) and a reletavley easy hysterectomy . the worst part of all of this for me was the instant menopause at the age of 36 my husband and two girls suffered my problems too i got very depressed and was on antidepresents to which i thought were great for me at the time . i found it extremely hard to talk to anyone including friends and family as i felt a burden and constantly put on what i called a mask, to pretend i was fine . i resalised this was n0t doing me any good . it was only when i was having my 5th chemo it dawned on me how bloody lucky i was for my drs to have been so thorough and availble as and when i needed advice . yes i had ultrasound scans every 12 weeks and follow up appointments soon after for results . my gp is fantastic and i feel like she's a friend aswell as a doctor . i've 3 years on managed to almost put all this behind me (even tho it was hard bloody work) getting used to hrt and slowly coming off antidepressents i'm now petrified i'll not get through again if friday's fesults are bad . i guess my dogs (two border collies) will be warn out by friday

love weeney x

[bosue in reply to weeney]

good kuck for Friday, please let us now how you get on, I've my last chemo on Wednesday but as my ca 125 hasn't really gone down I'm now worried that they will put on to a more agressive chemo, so fingers crossed all round Love Sue x

[weeney]

O bless you , I can only send you lots of positive ness I can imagine your on a rollercoaster , I can sympathise with you completely , were you on carboplatin ? What have they suggested next ? Did you also have a full hysterectomy ?