Coping with ovarian & peritoneal cancer

Hi @ford1929, I moved your question to the Gynecologic Cancers support group here https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/gynecologic-cancer/

I did this to help you connect with other members like @scjoyce @ogie @ginmav @korinja @dene87 @juliea55 who have experience with peritoneal and ovarian cancer.

@ford1929, I can imagine you're scared. This is all so new. Do you know what type of chemotherapy you will be having? Do you have far to travel to the cancer center for treatment?

I was diagnosed with stage 3 peritoneal cancer and ovarian.

I know how you feel. I started with 3 months of chemo. Then complete hysterectomy with another 3 rounds of chemo.

Right now on Lynparza because I was positive for brac.

Don't know what your doctors have outlined for you but hang in there. Right now my CA numbers are low and feeling pretty good. Try to keep positive I know it's difficult sometimes.

I don't know if I helped but wanted to share my story with you.

@ford1929 Welcome to our Gynecological Cancers support group. I seen you've already received supportive responses. I did not have the same diagnosis as you but I did have endometrial cancer and am still under cancer surveillance every 6 months.

When did you start the chemotherapy? How are you feeling?

@naturegirl5
Started Chemo Dec 22
Treatments are every 21 days
Feeling exhausted, and finally have pain under control.
Accupuncture helps immensely especially with nausea

@ginmav
Thank you
Yes, your kind words helped immensely.
This came on so suddenly Dec 6&7 I'm skiing and by 11th I'm at my gynecologist for what I thought was UTI and from there I went to ER for CT scan and then Monday 15th I was admitted to the hospital 3 days for more tests and biopsies. Monday 22, I started chemo. Carboplatin & Paclitaxel. Every 21 days
So here goes my journey.

Hi Coleen
Thank you for redirecting me to the correct support group.
Chemo treatment is Carboplatin & Paclitaxel.
My commute to University of VT Medical Center is an hour away
Sitting is difficult as it causes more pain. Which I'm managing with meds after much
trial and error
I also started acupuncture the day after chemo and so far no nausea

@ford1929

Sounds so familiar. You will get through all of it. We are stronger than we realize.

@ginmav
Yes we are strong!! I continue to walk every day. Not my usual mile or as fast but 1/3 to 1/2 mile a day
So I guess the onset of this so quickly is normal. People keep asking me how could you not know ? But I really did not have any symptoms

You have that right about it all feeling so fast! One day you’re happy and healthy as a horse, the next day you have a deadly aggressive cancer and fighting for your life, pondering if you’ll see two more years of life!
I felt like I was cut down in my prime! Although I was 62, I was working out regularly, lifting weights, active social life, carefree….then just like that…all my life had changed.
But you will get through this. It won’t feel like a nightmare forever. This group has given me so much hope and help. I see people on here with our types of cancer living long active happy lives even after a decade. I thought I would be dead by now. But here we are! Still going strong! I did all my surgery and chemotherapy in 2022. The process was difficult yes! But not nearly as bad as I had imagined in my mind! You can do this, just breathe, slow down, rest.