Platelets Too Low for Chemo Infusion

I’m glad to hear about the NED in your lower body. Sending you healing vibes and extra warrior energy and hoping for positive news about the results of your biopsy. Please keep us posted. < 3

Update on my very early progress in my journey. My platelet count rebounded on its own enough for me to have my 4th cycle of chemo this past Monday. (Seems like years ago I started this thread?) My CA125 was down to 97 which I’m celebrating as a win. I am feeling significantly more pain/fatigue this time than the first 3, although it sounds like that is pretty normal.

I have a CT scan on Friday and meet with my surgeon the following Tuesday. I’m hoping that the lower CA125 means there’s less cancer to debulk during my surgery — but I could be totally wrong about that. (And I guess I’m also presuming that I’m still a candidate for surgery — which might be too presumptuous.) I also asked my oncologist about HIPEC during surgery, but she said due to the extent of the metastasis I wouldn’t be a candidate for it. During my initial scans there was a section of thickening in my colon that they couldn’t rule out as either metastasis from the peritoneal cancer or a secondary colon cancer. My oncologist recommended not doing any biopsies because they would be able to get more “robust” tissue samples during surgery. My second opinion oncologist said she thought it was not a secondary cancer. I’m hoping I haven’t squandered time addressing it and have made the right decisions when I’m given decisions to make.

I also asked not to have Avastin as part of my initial chemo because of the risk of bowel perforation. Even though the risk is very low, so too was my risk of getting this type of cancer after my preventative surgery. My aunt also died from ovarian cancer shortly after having a bowel perforation, and my gut told me to avoid anything that could cause a perf if I could avoid it. The plan (from what I’ve gathered) is to use Avastin as maintenance after my 6 cycles of chemo.

Anywho, thanks for being a safe space for this terrified newbie. The kindness/advice/info from you all has been more helpful in helping me understand what is or might be going on with my body and what the future may look like than any info I’ve gotten from my medical team.

So grateful for you all. < 3

Ask your doctor for retacrit injection to stimulate red blood cell production or a transfusion of packed red blood cells.
They have been used with my wife
Best,
Mark

@mommacandy This is such good news. Your oncologist is so very encouraging too.

My Integrative Medicine physician suggested mushrooms. She told me that the data is predominantly from breast cancer research but she recommends for gynecological cancers. She adds a mushroom extraction in powder form to her coffee in the morning. That's what I do too. She didn't have a recommendation for the kind or type of mushroom.

Like you, when I hear NED I think, whew. And no more 7 hour drives for another 6 months.

Hey, I was so worried about you when you were first diagnosed and described your journey which had so many bumps along the road. And now it's Spring! Time to dance and celebrate.🌹

@korinja Thank you for coming back and sharing your latest. That's so wonderful that your platelet count has rebounded and you had your 4th cycle last week. I too hope and pray that with the chemotherapy you will have less cancer to resect during your surgery.

It's always difficult to decide whether to seek out that second opinion which also means a delay or go ahead with what you know from your initial consult. I think you were wise to get that second opinion. You've been doing your own research. Of course with your aunt's death due to ovarian cancer after a bowel perforation you are worried about that with yourself. Did you talk with your oncologist about that?

Thank you for sharing that you find this a safe place to share your fears. We are all here for you and will jump on and provide all the support that we can.

Will you please let us know what happens at your appointment with your surgeon?

@pissedoffmark

What was your wife's diagnosis? Was she diagnosed with a gynecological or peritoneal cancer?

@naturegirl5 thank you... when i look at where i w as a year ago i think wow... i've come a long way...i find myself not craving some of the foods i did when i was going through chemo...some i don't want at all... (kinda like with when you're pregnant) but overall i think i'm doing really good and yes i'm celebrating every day...i eat primarily oyster mushrooms but occasionally lions mane or chestnut mushrooms...depends on what the lady has at the farmer's market i buy from...i've learned if you develop relationships by buying regularly you get better deals lol..
don't get me wrong, i still like my occasional junk food...always have, always will...like right now i'm on a hoho binge (you know the hostess brand of swiss cake rolls like little debbie makes) but thats one of the few snack cakes that doesn't come with high fructose corn syrup...yea its got lots of crap in it...but i'm almost 60 years old and i'm gonna indulge occasionally...but like 2 weeks ago i was eating a dump cake i made with peaches, strawberries and blueberries out of my freezer i had put up 2 summers ago...i usually make my own "sweets" but sometimes...i do indulge IF i get them on sale lol...
i just want people to understand, yes, i'm NED but that doesn't mean i became one of those who "doesn't eat sugar cause cancer feeds off sugar" or whatever... i don't like all the prepackaged "healthy stuff" i've always been a scratch cooker and i'm just really glad i'm feeling like cooking again... i'm HOPING by fall i'll have my freezer cleaned out of all the stuff and ready to put in another deer and hopefully a bear...i got a grudge to settle about some chickens lost last year lol... it just feels weird to go fishing and not bring home what i catch because i got fish in the freezer...or whatever...its just really good to be feeling like doing those things...but really strange at the same time cause i lost my hunting buddy...
oh and btw the last bloodwork showed my rbc, platelets, etc are STILL low... but slowly creeping back up...so to everyone out there struggling ....you can overcome this!!!

Ovarian cancer 3A in 2020. Spread to peritonealymph nodes.

@pissedoffmark. So sorry for wife and you. Thank you for sharing.

@mommacandy Like you, I do eat something with sugar but not nearly as much as I ate in the past. A nutritionist specializing in cancer told me that if I stay about 80% compliant with my diet I'm doing well. Trying to get to 100% compliant for me is not even possible and creates even more cravings. I just try not to over do it.

How wonderful that you can fill your freezer with what you hunt and catch each year. It's great that you feel like doing those things again this year.

I'm with you on living your life each day. I do feel that you've traveled a very hard and bumpy road and wow, you are here to tell us your story.