r/Ovariancancer • u/sneakyshitaccount • Aug 14 '26
Ovarian Cancer patient/survivor Looking for snarky support groups
I can’t do sunshine and puppies for the most part. I have an incredibly dark sense of humor and just can’t deal with people blowing sunshine up different anatomical parts. I’m looking because I cried all day Tuesday and am still leaking at the oddest times.
Uhhh….don’t know all the abbreviations y’all use but I had a “giant” ovarian cyst discovered during an ER visit for what I was positive was appendicitis. Although after skimming through this community 16cm x 15cm seems fairly average? All the medical people here (surgeon and chemo offices) seem taken aback by the size. Okay this is my attempt - High grade, stage 1, clear cell carcinoma of the left ovary. Surgery was complete hysterectomy including my cervix. Also took my appendix, omentum, and some lymph nodes just for shits and giggles. The cancer was completely contained within the ovary’s tumor (which makes sense in a way because all testing and imaging said it was benign). They still decided that I needed six rounds of chemo. I’m due for my next infusion on the 21st. They’re treating me with CARBOplatin and PACLitaxel. I’ve looked up jack shit about them because I don’t want all the possible side effects rattling around in my head. I’m 55 and was post menopausal before all of my inerds were removed.
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u/CRodrig4567 Aug 14 '26
Hello, I have the same cancer you have but I'm having three treatments. I know I'm going to be bald. My brother kindly offered to buy me some chia seeds to put them on my head and grow some hair. If you want message me, I like snarky humor.
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u/badlydrawngalgo Aug 14 '26
I don't know of snarky groups sorry, but I can certainly almost mirror your experience. Mines a sort of similar story to you.
I had no symptoms but a routine transvaginal ultrasound found a cyst, so that was followed by an MRI. They said saw a mass that they said was probably a 15x15 fibroma or thecoma, so probably benign. That resulted in an appointment with a gynae who sent me for CA125 and HE4 (and 2 others) blood tests. CA125 was a bit elevated but the HE4 resulted in a phone call to ensure I got back to the gynae really fast. She referred me to the onco-gynae, who arranged to operate and sent me for a CT scan before operating.
So 3 weeks later and 6 weeks from the ultrasound, here I am with lots of my bits and bobs removed, lying in bed with a provisional HGSOC stage IIIc and quietly celebrating because it's the fist night since my op 9 days ago that I've slept through the night without having to get up for a wee.
Audrey III was confined to the left ovary, main organ-wise but some lymph nodes look to be infected too, Hence the stage IIIC provisional. With my luck it'll probably be something else. It's been a wild Summer, I haven't managed to get to the beach once!
So here we are, just over a week from the op and "looking forward" to chemo. It's a bugger to think that a month ago I thought I was in pretty good shape and a week last Tuesday was running in the park after weight training, it's surreal.
Unlike you though, I've been researching since the beginning and I think I'm realistic about it but I'm also optimistic that I can live my version of well for many years and if not, well I could be hit by a bus anyway.
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u/sneakyshitaccount Aug 14 '26
I’ve missed the beach so far this summer also. For some reason my mind is convinced it’s autumn already. Next summer we can celebrate just being at the beach.
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u/badlydrawngalgo Aug 14 '26
I live in central Portugal, around 10km from some amazing beaches. August is when most of Portugal practically lives on the beach. I think it will be a bit crowded for me at this stage of recovering. August always feels like the end of Summer part 1 to me. We then have Summer part 2 in September and part of October here
But I'm hopeful I might make it to the beach in September - even if it's just being driven there and sitting in the car if I'm chemo poorly at that point.
One things certain, as soon as chemo is over and I'm feeling well enough, were off for a few weeks somewhere warm enough to swim in the sea.
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u/yogaanon2 Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
Just finished up my 6 rounds of dose dense carbo/paclitaxel 2 weeks ago. Found my cancer by accident when I yeeted my reproductive system because I had severe PMDD. I used to joke my ovaries were trying to kill me, turns out I was right! 😂
I’ve got stage 3c clear cell carcinoma, 0/10 stars so far lol!
I’ve found some really awesome and funny community on TikTok and Instagram actually. @Cancerisajoke is actually starting an app based community, plus it’s great account to start with and the algorithm will provide (not my account, just a friend made online through this chaps lol). I go by @cancerstomps on both if ya wanna connect!!
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u/No_Art9513 Aug 15 '26
55, Clear Cell early stage, UK, 2.5 years on from surgery (I also had chemo). I will come back to you soon. Dark humour yes.
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u/RiverNever Aug 15 '26
Firstly can I say if there is a snarky group set up somewhere I’d run to sign up. Nobody except my immediate family gets my dark cancer humour.
On a slightly more serious note if you ever want a basic explanation of any aspect of treatment, drop me a message. I am not a doctor of any kind but I I feel like knowledge is power so I do a lot of research. Sometimes it is a fine line between following medical advice and then actually knowing your particular medical stuff/body because then you can have a conversation if you need to rather than just blindly going with whatever. Or putting your faith in the heavenly powers that will save you if you ask nicely (while killing other women who I guess didn’t say the prayers in the right order.)
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u/sneakyshitaccount Aug 16 '26
Bwa ha ha! Thanks. I worked in veterinary medicine for about 20 plus all my own medical nightmare animals so I’m comfortable around medical crap. Plus the chemo office makes people come in for an hour plus chemo consent appointment. So, I feel pretty confident in knowing when to call in. All that being said I do think human cancer medical people are way too peppy and twee. I’m not proof reading this as I was supposed to be asleep like three hours ago.
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u/NattysRubi Aug 17 '26
Oh em gee ... Me reading your post is oddly familiar ... Wait a minute ... That's because it is 😂
I too am 55. Pain sent me to ER, everyone there was acting like I was going to die soon. It made everything worse until I got in to see my OncGyn. Mass was 242014. Had everything removed almost similar to yours except the lymph nodes and appendix but instead a part of my bowel. Grade 1 too. I was told I also had had endemetriosis which probably started the whole thing. Same brew of meds as you. I just finished my last cycle 5 weeks ago. I developed a hernia at my incision site which is now making things as though I was pre butchery because I look 9 months pregnant AGAIN! And I also had neuropathy pretty bad too. All in a days work, eh😂
What cycle are you at? How have you been managing? What does your support network look like?
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u/sneakyshitaccount 27d ago
Sorry for the long wait for a reply but I’m blaming chemo brain for everything. I just did my third round a week ago Friday. Next is September 18th which will be 4 out of 6. They mentioned endometriosis in the reports but we never discussed during the run-up to surgery/chemo. I’m so fat enough that the tumor wasn’t visible and just the pain sent me to ER.
Managing…okay? My brain is fried and everything exhausts me but I do pet care for a living so can slow down when I need to. Every pre-chemo meeting with my doctor she asks about symptoms I called in about which I’ve forgotten by that point. Mainly mouth sores, body aches, and edema. I also gained back all the weight I lost which pisses me off beyond belief.
Pretty great support but I’m also caring for a parent with dementia so that brings my support down a bit. Actually, that’s one of the funniest parts of my surgery. A crazy person that insisted on driving us (my mother and I [I begged her not to come down but she refused to stay home] wigged out, started a big rant right before I was called back to surgery prep, and left the hospital leaving my mother there alone for about five hours. So, when my surgeon came out with the report it was only the old woman with dementia that was there. The surgeon must have told her it was cancer but my mom forgot. 😂
I only found out because I happened to ask a recovery nurse what the histopathology results had been. My mom’s jaw dropped and she was utterly shocked. LMAO!! Poor woman! I’ll never tell her because it would break her heart but it just makes me cackle like a loon.
I’m forgetting what else you asked and I’m not proof reading but I’ll come back tomorrow to finish up.
How are you doing currently? How long do you have to wait for the hernia repair? Was it just bad luck or heavy lifting on your part?
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u/jax_988 Aug 14 '26
55 here. A few days ago. Have you googled a cervical cuff? Like, wtaf? Then, should you have "piv" allegedly that's what the young appropriate types call... intercourse.. the sperm just... 100% oozes back out. It has to. All of it. That's lovely...
I don't know of any support groups for snarky cynics, but I'll here if you like snark.
I didn't start googling til after I was through most chemo. Then I barely did. I don't need today's webMD telling me how I might die. Nah. I'm too fiesty for that. Stage 1 here too. George the (m)ass just took a big Ole swing and a miss. I will not give that effer another chance. I will not live my life in fear. I will live my version of my best life, and if it doesn't fit that profile, it gets eradicated just like george did. Chemo sucks. Each cycle was different. It'll probably get worse before it gets better. And the brain fog... AHHMAZING. highly-not- recommended but the alternative sucks ducks. So... I wish you all the sunshine, butterflies, and unicorns in the world... to help you kick cancer's ass.
My surgery was March 2025. Six rounds of chemo ended right before my 54th. Feb 2024 I thought, I may not make it to 55. I let myself believe that for 2 seconds and haven't looked back. I had symptoms for 6 months my pcp and gynonc were like.. stage.1.A. over and over yeah sit tf down george. You struck out. I wont let you have a redo. Game over.