Page 16 | Likely ovarian. Terrified. Anyone available for a hand hold?

Ohjoyohbliss · 2025-07-29T18:15:19+00:00

Blood test yesterday: Serum CA 125 level over 35 indicates possible cancer. Mine is 213. Shit. DH knows and one friend but I don't want to worry anyone else until I know how bad it is; hence I've name changed for this post. I'd love to know how anyone else has coped / is coping. CT scan Saturday and USS on Monday. GP has made 2ww gynae referral today.

chatgptsbestmate · 29/08/2025 06:09

Thinking of you (daily). Sending love ❤️

Supergirl1958 · 29/08/2025 07:58

Joy, I’ve been lurking on your thread. Thinking of you and wishing you all the best. I know that’s probably a bit s**t of me to say.

There are some encouraging posts on here and I can tell you are determined to fight it! Good luck Joy!

Toptotoe · 29/08/2025 09:26

It is such a relief to get a full diagnosis. It's great news that your cancer responds well to treatment. I was told that about mine too and it did :)

Things will move quickly now. It's a roller coaster. Sending you all my best wishes.

Kewcumber · 29/08/2025 11:07

@Ohjoyohbliss

"However, the good news is that it is usually very responsive to treatment, with a real possibility of a complete cure."

My mothers cancer (bladder) was also very aggressive and she was told at the Royal Marsden that as her cancer was so aggressive it would likely be more responsive to treatment. As it turned out they were right and she survived what was then deemed to be an unsurvivable cancer. So I'm channeling my mother to send you healing vibes!

Have you had people start telling you about how you need to eat ground apricot stones to cure cancer. Or Aunt Nelly who lived on grapefruit and steak and her cancer melted away...

Because if you haven't, you will.

Also the "You have to be positive" brigade. Do you though? Do you really? Because it seems to me that being fucking annoyed and scared and negative at times comes with the territory.

At one point my lovely mother got really scared that her feeling depressed and miserable was going to somehow condemn her to the treatment not working. Her (also lovely) oncologist said to her in response -

"the nice thing about medicine is that it works the same way whatever mood you're in!"

Enigma54 · 29/08/2025 11:13

Good luck with the chemo @Ohjoyohbliss Fellow chemo patient here. I also have an aggressive ( but different) cancer type. One of the drugs isn’t doxorubicin is it? That can cause heart issues.

Enigma54 · 29/08/2025 11:18

Kewcumber · 29/08/2025 11:07

@Ohjoyohbliss

"However, the good news is that it is usually very responsive to treatment, with a real possibility of a complete cure."

My mothers cancer (bladder) was also very aggressive and she was told at the Royal Marsden that as her cancer was so aggressive it would likely be more responsive to treatment. As it turned out they were right and she survived what was then deemed to be an unsurvivable cancer. So I'm channeling my mother to send you healing vibes!

Have you had people start telling you about how you need to eat ground apricot stones to cure cancer. Or Aunt Nelly who lived on grapefruit and steak and her cancer melted away...

Because if you haven't, you will.

Also the "You have to be positive" brigade. Do you though? Do you really? Because it seems to me that being fucking annoyed and scared and negative at times comes with the territory.

At one point my lovely mother got really scared that her feeling depressed and miserable was going to somehow condemn her to the treatment not working. Her (also lovely) oncologist said to her in response -

"the nice thing about medicine is that it works the same way whatever mood you're in!"

Great post!
Mmmm.. the stay positive brigade ( or in some cases, let’s just ignore you totally brigade!) Yep, being scared shitless, tantruming like a toddler and swearing and screaming, all sounds normal to me. In fact a very normal reaction to an abnormal situation!

Glad your mother is doing well.

longtompot · 29/08/2025 11:31

Kewcumber · 29/08/2025 11:07

@Ohjoyohbliss

"However, the good news is that it is usually very responsive to treatment, with a real possibility of a complete cure."

My mothers cancer (bladder) was also very aggressive and she was told at the Royal Marsden that as her cancer was so aggressive it would likely be more responsive to treatment. As it turned out they were right and she survived what was then deemed to be an unsurvivable cancer. So I'm channeling my mother to send you healing vibes!

Have you had people start telling you about how you need to eat ground apricot stones to cure cancer. Or Aunt Nelly who lived on grapefruit and steak and her cancer melted away...

Because if you haven't, you will.

Also the "You have to be positive" brigade. Do you though? Do you really? Because it seems to me that being fucking annoyed and scared and negative at times comes with the territory.

At one point my lovely mother got really scared that her feeling depressed and miserable was going to somehow condemn her to the treatment not working. Her (also lovely) oncologist said to her in response -

"the nice thing about medicine is that it works the same way whatever mood you're in!"

I think the ad where various people are asking the woman with breast cancer questions, and she is thinking one thing but saying another, is really spot on with this.

I have been following your posts @Ohjoyohbliss and just want to wish you all the best for this next stage in your journey. I hope the chemo isn't too brutal💐

LilacRos · 29/08/2025 12:39

Have you had people start telling you about how you need to eat ground apricot stones to cure cancer. Or Aunt Nelly who lived on grapefruit and steak and her cancer melted away...
Because if you haven't, you will.
Also the "You have to be positive" brigade. Do you though? Do you really? Because it seems to me that being fucking annoyed and scared and negative at times comes with the territory.

Oh yes. There's a lot of language around cancer that I grew to loathe, some already on this thread. Battles, fighting, be strong, you'll beat it. All had a negative effect on me, as if you can "do" cancer wrong.
You also find some people you thought were good friends melt away and others step up unexpectedly.

Good luck with the heart scan and first chemo. Actually good to be in hospital for it because they will throw all kinds of drugs at you to help with side effects. One of the drugs I had can damage the heart so I had regular scans and came through unscathed.

Original poster

Ohjoyohbliss · 29/08/2025 15:43

AgingWellThankYou · 28/08/2025 22:45

I had the scare almost 10 years ago. Turned out to be fibroids, but that was a tough couple of weeks until I got the test results.

Wanted to let you know I read your post and thinking of you. My friend put it perfectly. The challenge doesn’t start at diagnosis, it starts now with the wait…

My fingers and toes are crossed for you that this is the only challenge you face!

It turned out to be lymphoma.

OP posts:

Original poster

Ohjoyohbliss · 29/08/2025 16:32

Enigma54 · 29/08/2025 11:13

Good luck with the chemo @Ohjoyohbliss Fellow chemo patient here. I also have an aggressive ( but different) cancer type. One of the drugs isn’t doxorubicin is it? That can cause heart issues.

Yes, one of the four is indeed doxorubicin.

OP posts:

Enigma54 · 29/08/2025 16:41

Ohjoyohbliss · 29/08/2025 16:32

Yes, one of the four is indeed doxorubicin.

Show quote history

I thought so.

Very best of luck. It can cause hair loss around days 17-20, but I expect they will talk you through the potential side effects.

Allotmentannie · 29/08/2025 16:59

Just wanted to wish you well. Thank you for the updates.

Beautifulsunflowers · 29/08/2025 17:56

Op. I just wanted to say that I’m thinking of you and also to say thank you for sharing your story so far. You have been very candid and I hope you continue to feel you can share going forward. I hope you feel you are getting support from all us anonymous mumsnetters!
Good luck with your chemo.

Earlandmrsgrey · 29/08/2025 18:07

All the best with your treatment, I'm glad you've got your diagnosis and your treatment plan sorted.
From the OP of the pancreatic cancer that turned out to be something else thread. Xx

Original poster

Ohjoyohbliss · 29/08/2025 18:24

TL;DR Today has gone as well as could possibly have been expected.

So, big day today. They managed to arrange a heart scan for this morning, which was very undignified, but not painful. Had to scan under my floppy boob, in several positions on the chest and upper abdomen and also the neck to check the (carotid?) artery. The consultant who did it confirmed that, contrary to popular belief, I do have a heart!

Then on to the first cycle of chemo. To my absolute delight (and, I think, the surprise of the clinicians, ) I tolerated it extremely well and had no major reactions to any of the drugs. To the extent that they expected it to have to be spaced out over two days, but they have managed to complete it in one.

At one point during one of the infusions, I suddenly came over all weepy. I have no idea why; I just started crying.

The consultant came and said the heart scan result is very good. That gives a baseline position. He was very pleased that the chemo was able to be done so quickly. He said another few days monitoring and maybe the middle of the week for discharge.

OP posts:

Strollingalong · 29/08/2025 18:52

You’ve tolerated the chemo and had a very positive result on your heart. You’re doing really well Joy. x

Mischance · 29/08/2025 18:54

I am so pleased that the first session is behind you and that they were able to get stuck in with proper treatment speedily. So much better to be embarking on some positive action rather than lying about waiting to hear how you stood. I hope you will be able to go home next week.

ForLoveNotMoney · 29/08/2025 19:00

Oh good luck with this next chapter OP. It’s incredible you tolerated all those drugs. Take it easy the next few days and keep those positive thoughts ❤️

Tortielady · 29/08/2025 19:03

It's good that things went smoothly. Fingers crossed that you'll be able to go home next week. The heart scan - echocardiogram - is the gold standard for detecting and monitoring certain heart defects. I've had a few, because there is HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) in my family history. I agree that it's a somewhat undignified business, but it's interesting to watch the screen as it shows the action of the chambers and valves. And your results were good - excellent. ❤️

Don't worry about coming over all weepy, it's a perfectly normal reaction to an incredibly stressful situation. Big hugs. Xx

Moreteaandchocolate · 29/08/2025 19:08

Oh wow, that’s brilliant 🤩 Well done on tolerating the chemo so well - you’re a tough cookie! 😁

Weepixie · 29/08/2025 19:14

Joy, a gentle but very big unmumsnetty hug coming for you across the many thousands of miles that separate us in distance but not in the spirit of sisterhood and wanting the very best for you. Xxx

LilacRos · 29/08/2025 21:33

At one point during one of the infusions, I suddenly came over all weepy. I have no idea why; I just started crying.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I was apparently stoic, practical, brave, reassuring DH and the adult DC and my elderly mother that I was fine and all would be well. It wasn't until I left the hospital with DS1 who had come to collect me that suddenly out of nowhere the floodgates opened and I wept buckets. I'm not a cryer.

I wonder if you've been the same?

NotPerfectlyAdverage · 29/08/2025 22:35

How great the treatment has started and it went well. I had a heart scan. The Dr got me to face away from him so it wasn't to bad, he didn't see anything boob wise. Weird being undressed alone in room with a strange man. One to tick off the bucket list!

The tears are totally normal. This is a big deal. Even if you was just for example having a op for pining a bone you broke you be upset. You had plans and things you wanted to be doing no doubt a month ago. Then a bolt from the blue strikes and puts your plans on their head. Your not at home in your own bed. You can't make plans easily going forward. Just that is a major deal. Add on the scary word cancer and then the chemo it's overwhelming.

I think a good cry is good for everyone. Better to just acknowledge it's a bit ( lot) shit and your not happy about it is good. I have a disabled child and sometimes I'm a bit "ah this so crap, so unfair, I didn't want this, why me, why us". Then the next day I'm feeling a bit... "Because it is. I didn't choose this and what can I do?" And I just feel better. Which sounds weird but it's like affirming I'm not a saint and it's OK.

Supergirl1958 · 30/08/2025 08:25

Ohjoyohbliss · 29/08/2025 18:24

TL;DR Today has gone as well as could possibly have been expected.

So, big day today. They managed to arrange a heart scan for this morning, which was very undignified, but not painful. Had to scan under my floppy boob, in several positions on the chest and upper abdomen and also the neck to check the (carotid?) artery. The consultant who did it confirmed that, contrary to popular belief, I do have a heart!

Then on to the first cycle of chemo. To my absolute delight (and, I think, the surprise of the clinicians, ) I tolerated it extremely well and had no major reactions to any of the drugs. To the extent that they expected it to have to be spaced out over two days, but they have managed to complete it in one.

At one point during one of the infusions, I suddenly came over all weepy. I have no idea why; I just started crying.

The consultant came and said the heart scan result is very good. That gives a baseline position. He was very pleased that the chemo was able to be done so quickly. He said another few days monitoring and maybe the middle of the week for discharge.

Did you say you’re on steroids?

Not that it’s the same but I was on steroids for a while when I was very poorly last year and I was super hormonal for ages! So it could be that.

Original poster

Ohjoyohbliss · 30/08/2025 08:50

Supergirl1958 · 30/08/2025 08:25

Did you say you’re on steroids?

Not that it’s the same but I was on steroids for a while when I was very poorly last year and I was super hormonal for ages! So it could be that.

Show quote history

Yes, I had IV steroids on Wednesday and starting yesterday for 5 days Im on Prednisolone tablets. The good thing is that they have boosted my appetite.

OP posts: