Video Q&A about Gynecologic Cancers

Thank you! It has been a whirlwind of activity. Such a blessing. Thanks to everyone for arranging the program on gynecologic cancers, especially the doctors who were so informative. I will write to them when I have some free time...busy being a mom and grandma at the moment. And a Happy Mother's Day to any mothers on this Mayo Clinic site.

@odette same to you

@odette
Hi Odette,
Hope You are doing well and this email goes just to you, Odette. Thank you for your informative posts, I enjoy reading them.

I have a question for you. Are you on some type of maintenance therapy since you finished chemo? My gyn suggested me to discuss Avastin therapy with my new gyn in Washington ( it's my primary residence). I left Tucson (snow Bird) soon after finishing my chemo, 6 cycles.

I have Apt with my new Gyn on 13th this month and I will hear what he says about maintenance thrapy. In the mean time, I like to find out what other people are doing for post chemo maintenance. I eat plant based diet mostly, do yoga and Zumba, walking, and playing on my harp.

I too am in Washington and just finished my second round of chemo today but am weakened in the blood dept. and will get a transfusion tomorrow morning. After my ovarian surgery ,during chemo I hD 5 TRANSFUSIONS. THE tumor is gone (probably a metasticize-sp?) and I will go onwith pills after my body has settled down from all this disruption. I have fallen a couple of times because my legs are rubbery. I have read on this feed that AvastTin is very expensive and I went on this second chemo to avoid taking it. What is now is not that! I will see my surgeon n Seattle in a few weeks. This is a work in prgress. I have very good,communicative doctors and my husband always goes with me and listens hard,with his computer. M y life is coping with new challenges but not a death knell,as I felt when I first got the diagnosis in 2016. Ask questions and seek lots of answers.

Hi Miyong, I am sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your message. Thank you for writing to me. I have been very busy in the past six weeks following the birth of my first granddaughter. A baby brings such hope and happiness to a family. My four grandchildren are truly a highlight in my life...and a wonderful distraction.
To answer your question, I am not on any maintenance therapy since chemo. I do take an 81 mg aspirin daily. It has been recommended for OC and specifically clear cell.
I, too, eat a mostly plant based diet. Exercise is a regular part of my day...running, walking, biking, yoga. This seems to really help me emotionally.
Although I am retired, I am a scientist by training (not in CA research though) and I follow the latest research on OCCC (SGO, ASCO, major medical journals, etc.). I have attended a meeting at the institution where I received my care and the physicians/researchers have been very responsive to my questions. A large percentage of women with OCCC have/had endometriosis (as do all the women in my family) so I try to study that aspect as well. I had germline genetic testing at my clinic to determine if there was a mutation other than a somatic one. I am also in a few ongoing studies which have provided me with information which helps me in my pursuit of understanding this disease. However, I must limit my time on these efforts and focus on my daily life.
I hope this finds you well. Do stay in touch. Enjoy the summer!