Hi Cheryl, I hate hearing that you've got this disease at such a young age but it's good to know your surgery was successful. It sounds as though you are having both IV and IP chemo. I had only IV chemo because I was too sick for IP. I had carboplatin rather than Cisplatin but both are similar.

Women react differently to chemo but fatigue and nausea are common symptoms. There are good meds to take for the nausea and then for fatigue, rest as needed but also try to stay active, too. It's easy to hibernate but, if you stay active, you will be better off overall. Be sure to eat well and to especially eat foods rich in iron such as red meats, dark green veggies, beans, eggs, and cream of wheat. Best wishes, Janet

Hello Cheryl,

My name is Courtney and I was diagnosed with stage 3 last year at age 24, so I can understand the frustration of fighting this so young. I also had lymph nodes and the fat lining removed, as well as my appendix, ovaries, and tubes. I did not receive the chemo through my abdomen, so I'm sorry I can't tell you what to expect as far as that goes. I also did not have Cisplatin. I received 6 rounds of Taxol and Carboplatin through the port in my chest.

The taxol infusion took about three hours each time for me, but did not make me feel too awful. Each treatment took about 6 hours total. Your nurse might have explained to you that you could have an initial reaction to the fluid the Taxol is suspended in during infusion. When my nurse told me that, I felt very nervous and scared. And, as it turned out, I did have the reaction, which felt like strong back pain to me, but it only lasted a few seconds and all they needed to do was slow the infusion the first time and everything was just fine. I did not have the reaction again as I guess the body adapts to whatever the fluid is. Plus, they gave me benadryl, so I ended up sleeping through quite a bit of the infusion.

The taxol did cause hair loss. I did not like how my hair was falling out so I ended up shaving my head and once I saw myself in the mirror with a shaved head, I actually felt better and the stress of the hair falling out wasn't there anymore. I found some cute scarves and since I finished my chemo in January, I'm still wearing them while I wait for my hair to grow in. The eyebrows and eye lashes came back for me very quickly. That might not be something you are worrying about and if it isn't that's great. If it is, I can promise you it's really not as awful as I thought it was especially being a young woman. On the positive side, it's nice not needing to shave legs and underarms for months :)

I agree with Janet, that trying to rest when you need to and staying active is helpful. Even when I felt tired and worn down, something as small as taking a short walk around the block or less made me feel better. I'm not sure whether it was the Carboplatin or the Taxol that made me not want to eat as much, but the nurses told me to eat what I liked, what made me want to eat. For me, fresh, cold fruits were great. They felt good in my mouth and gave me the nutrition I needed without the bad stuff.

Honestly, for me, healing from the surgery was worse than the chemo. I didn't sleep well, I was anxious all the time, and I started having menopausal symptoms. So hopefully you are healing well and feeling better. If you are strong enough to get through the surgery, you are without a doubt strong enough to get through the chemo. I really learned that cancer reveals character and strength, and when you get through your chemo, you're going to look back on yourself and see just how strong of a woman you really are.

I'm sorry I rambled on, but I also have not had a lot of young women to talk to and I understand that there are some special concerns that come along with being diagnosed and treated so young. I found that it was important to talk to people when I needed to, and to cry when I felt like it. Because it did make me feel better, and that's what's important. I wish you all the best, and once you've gotten through that first treatment, you'll be able to take a deep breath and realize you're one step closer to being finished. Take good care.

Courtney

Hi Cheryl,'
I am sorry to hear that you have to deal with this bear at such a young age but young survivors tend to do quite well. I have had the combo you described when I was first treated in 2003. At that time intraperitoneal chemo was not :"in fashion" but my facility in NYC belleved in it. I actually had the IP after I finished my IV chemo of taxol and carbo. They put the IP port in and I had cisplatin. It is tough on the kidneys so you should drink tons of fluids to flush it through. Several yrs after I finished my treatment the Deborah Armstrong study came out advocating both IV and IP chemo, especially for advanced cases. (Your stage is not really considered advanced but they are probably giving you some extra insurance>) Anyway I am still here 10 yrs later!
Wishing you well.
Sandy 3C

Hi Cheyl, I was suprised to hear of your diagnosis at age 29. I was only 20 when I was diagnosed, that was 32 years ago. Back then treatments were so different then they are now. I was initially treated with Cisplatin and Adriamycin. I recurred just last year and I have to tell you treatments are so much more tolerable now. They have come a long way to treat side affects. Yes it is not pleasant to go through and the emotional journey is also taxing on the body. But, do what the docs say, it sounds like surgery was successful in removing most of the disease and that is a huge part of a positive outcome. I was treated with carboplatin and taxol after my recurrance and I did lose my hair. Someone mentioned the Platinum drugs being hard on the kidneys. Drink lots of fluids as I have been fighting low Magnesium levels from all the platinum treatments. Hang in there and keep us posted, Barb