The Wellness Community

Patient Active Guide to Living with Ovarian Cancer

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Table Of Contents
Main Page Introduction   You are not alone   A shift in perceptions about ovarian cancer   Becoming an active partner with your health care team   Making treatment decisions   Learn the language   Making sense of the numbers Understanding Ovarian Cancer   Symptoms & Diagnosis   Surgery and staging   Initial therapy for ovarian cancer   Risk of recurrence   Radiation therapy   Intraperitoneal therapy   Clinical trials for ovarian cancer Follow-up and/or Recurrence   Monitoring and follow-up after treatment   Timing is everything   Treatment for recurrent disease   Individualized treatment for recurrent disease   Planning the sequence of chemotherapy after recurrence Symptom Management   Fatigue   Risk of infection   Nausea and vomiting   Peripheral neuropathy or nerve changes   Hair loss (alopecia) Living with Ovarian Cancer   Emotions and ovarian cancer   Tools to live by with chronic illness   Relationships and intimacy   Integrating medicine, mind, and body   Healing and hope redefined Information and Support Resources   Guide to medical terms go

EMOTIONS AND OVARIAN CANCER

Although emotional reactions to the diagnosis, treatment, and side effects of ovarian cancer may vary widely from person to person, some responses are common. At The Wellness Community we talk about how to address feelings of unwanted aloneness, loss of control, and loss of hope. Concern about how the illness will impact family, work, and social roles, and the uncertainty of knowing the outcome of the treatments, may lead the woman with ovarian cancer to become anxious or fearful and may interfere with her ability to cope and participate in treatment effectively. It is normal for you and your family to experience emotional distress while facing ovarian cancer. However, when emotional upset is long-lasting or interferes with your ability to carry on day-to-day activities, there may be reason for concern. One type of distress, clinical depression, is a treatable illness that may occur in some people who are dealing with cancer and, in these cases, patients or family members should consult their health care team for appropriate help including medication and counseling if necessary.

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