Ovarian cancer post surgery and chemo - prevention therapy

Hi Jackie

I'm very keen to see the responses that you receive as I too am in the same position as yourself. I have to decide this Friday as to whether I go ahead with the maintenance treatment but I'm in two minds. I have no idea what to do.  I know no one can make the decision for me, but I wish I knew what was best.

The potential side effects scared me. I know there are side effects with all medicine. But having just finished chemo, the thought of starting it all up again scares me. 

Feel rather in limbo.  

Hello, 
I have Bevacizinab infusions since last year and have completed 12 infusions with out much side effects. 
I am on Olaparib 300 mg twice a day. It has caused me Anaemia needing blood transfusions. But in my view considering the benefits this is lesser price to pay. I had clear CTscan at 1 year post initial chemotherapy. 
Benefits of Olaparib depends on genetic mutation you have.
Good luck

Hi jackiel,

I have  stage 4B ovarian cancer. Like you I’ve had 6 rounds of chemo and some radical surgery. I have had 14 rounds of the Avastin so far. 4 more to go. In my experience it has been much easier than the chemo. I know there are lots of side effects but thank god I’ve been fine. It only takes 30 minutes to infuse so much shorter. The days after I feel fine. I’ve actually gone back to work. I hope this helps.

Wishing you the best of luck 

x

Thank you for that detail; it reassures me. I can live with anaemia (I already have an element of that but haven’t yet needed transfusions). Certainly the benefits for avoiding recurrence outweigh the drug side effects. 

Hi. I guess it depends on the eventual outcomes. If I don’t take this treatment I have an 85% chance of cancer returning. If I do it is 50%. Still not great odds but better. Perhaps ask your oncologist what the % recurrence is? 

Hi. Thanks for that. I am pleased to hear that the side effects are less intense. I managed ok with the chemo side effects so hopefully will be fine with this. 

Hi

I had olaparib and bevacizamab from Sept 22 following chemo and debulking surgery. I found it made me feel pretty unwell and was reducing dosage to try and improve the symptoms but with a rising ca125 from January 23 I stopped in July when scan showed my cancer was back. It wasn’t great for me  but I’d personally give it a go, anything to hold this disease at bay is worth trying.

Good luck

Diney

Hi guys 

not been on here for a while

i the same as most have had the debulking surgery 

I was on naraparib that actually didn’t do me any favours had to have blood transfusions that didn’t do me great either, I haven’t had these infusions you talk about, the drugs were stopped June 22 and in January 23 cancer was back had chemo again finished in sept, ct scan in Oct cancer was stable, I’ve been in pain since end Nov with the last few weeks being quite bad, a lot of pain around my stoma that make me want to scream out, get results for ct on Monday and I’m dreading what they’re I’m going to be told, I always get bad news in feb

diagnosed Feb 21

naraparib made me ill bed 22

confirmed recurrence fed 23

and here I am again waiting for results 

I would say go with your gut not everyone reacts the same 

good luck with whatever you choose xx

Hi Pam

ive not been on the site for a while and looked to see if you had. It’s good to hear from you though obviously your not feeling well :( 

I feel like I’ve deteriorated a lot since my reoccurrence  and stoma, ileostomy high output, constantly having to have magnesium infusions then in November it prolapsed so another op and then I got Covid in January!!!! I’m now on Calenyx, two rounds so far but I’m barely functioning and that’s on steroids and after a blood transfusion. Had 4 rounds of carbo and had pax but it didn’t do anything and in some areas cancer had grown!!

 Will be thinking about you Monday, it’s all such a roller coaster with this disease and a struggle to stay positive as the time goes on.

Big hug to you xx

Hi diney

i went to appt on Monday 

results weren’t back but the dr seems to think it’s rearing its ugly head again with symptoms, bloods, urine test and examination

need results so they can decide what chemo I’ll get as it’s less than 6 months since chemo finished in September 

I always get bad news in feb

Feb 21 was diagnosed

feb22 naraparib made me sick and needed more treatment

feb 23 recurence

feb 24 recurrence again

when we’re u diagnosed l, have you had more than 1 recurrence, how come you have 2 stomas where these due to cancer coming back

sorry for the questions 

Pam xx