Ovarian Cancer Support Group
Ovarian cancer is a malignant ovarian neoplasm (an abnormal growth located on the ovaries). It is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women and the exact cause is unknown. Join this community to get support if you or someone you know is affected by ovarian cancer. Share your story and learn from the experiences of others.
I would like to know if this has happened to any one else, or if anyone can explain why its happening to me.
I have been on an aggressive treatment of gemzar, avastin, and cisplatin for 4 months now. I asked about scans at one visit, and the doc. said he wasnt even thinking about scans, as long as I was doing ok, he planned to keep going. Well, later that same week, the nurse practioner calls me saying she noticed that my c-125 was up slightly, and she was going to schedule scans.... ok.
The scan results were good. One tumor had slight shrinkage, and the rest was stable with no new disease. So what does my doctor do? he takes me off everything but the avastin, telling me i have been on chemo a very long time, and he does not want to destroy my bone marrow. This is the second time i have had good scans, and the second time he has taken me off the treatment that gave me the good scans. How can he say at one visit that he does not plan to stop anything as long as im doing ok, then right after i get a good scan , he decides i need to come off? I do not understand his thinking, and i can not ask him because he does not like me asking questions. And no, i can not find another doctor. i have no insurance, and there are no other gyno/oncol. in the area.
If this follows the last time he took me off a treatment that showed results, there will be growth at the next scan. Makes me feel like he is keeping me sick on purpose, but thats crazy, .... right?
I have been on an aggressive treatment of gemzar, avastin, and cisplatin for 4 months now. I asked about scans at one visit, and the doc. said he wasnt even thinking about scans, as long as I was doing ok, he planned to keep going. Well, later that same week, the nurse practioner calls me saying she noticed that my c-125 was up slightly, and she was going to schedule scans.... ok.
The scan results were good. One tumor had slight shrinkage, and the rest was stable with no new disease. So what does my doctor do? he takes me off everything but the avastin, telling me i have been on chemo a very long time, and he does not want to destroy my bone marrow. This is the second time i have had good scans, and the second time he has taken me off the treatment that gave me the good scans. How can he say at one visit that he does not plan to stop anything as long as im doing ok, then right after i get a good scan , he decides i need to come off? I do not understand his thinking, and i can not ask him because he does not like me asking questions. And no, i can not find another doctor. i have no insurance, and there are no other gyno/oncol. in the area.
If this follows the last time he took me off a treatment that showed results, there will be growth at the next scan. Makes me feel like he is keeping me sick on purpose, but thats crazy, .... right?
Good luck & I wish I could give you more direction.
Patty
It is easy to let these Doc's intimidate you especially if you feel like you have no other choice. But do your best to keep asking someone.
i do ask the nurse practioner questions, but she is always in a super hurry, and she talks very fast to get rid of me, even backing out the door while im talking.
So no one has been told they needed to take a break from chemo to save bone marrow?
Maybe you should stand at the door or follow her until all your questions are answered.