Cancer and Healthy

Once diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a treatment plan, based on type and stage of the cancer is developed and put into motion by you and your health care team. However, once this has proven successful, there may be some side or after effects of the treatment that you have to contend with. Here in no particular order are some side effects you may see, depending on the type of treatment given.

After surgery, a patient may have difficulty going to the bathroom and may experience pain. This is normal and should not be long term. You can and should ask the health care staff for medication that will ease the pain. For a time after surgery, your normal activities will be curtailed to allow the healing process to take place.

If the ovaries were removed, you will experience menopause. Hormone replacement therapy is commonly used to ease such symptoms as hot flashes and vaginal dryness in menopausal women.

The side effects of chemotherapy depend mainly on which drugs the patient receives. In addition, side effects vary from patient to patient. Since chemotherapy kills the cancerous cells but also the white blood cells, women may lose their hair and may have other side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, or mouth sores. Usually the doctor can suggest diet changes or medications to ease these problems. Most side effects of chemotherapy gradually go away during the recovery period or after treatment stops.

Patients who receive radiation therapy are likely to become very tired, especially in the later weeks of treatment. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or urinary discomfort. Other side effects can include vaginal dryness and interference with intercourse.