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@flory
My situation was a bit different, but I would think that a referral from your oncologist would do the trick.
My referral was via the PMH trial oncologist - my oncologist was on board and would have done it if I’d asked her to.
Also, if you have an idea of who you would like to see at PMH, you will have to ask for that specific referral. The PMH oncology triage will call you directly to confirm your appointment time and which oncologist your appointment is with. I think they book you in with the first available oncologist. If you have a specific oncologist and the appointment is not for that person, no worries, they will accommodate your request for the first available time for that oncologist.
I just went through this process and am seeing the PMH oncologist tomorrow.
Hope this helps.

Hello,

I’m new to this forum and not sure if I posted an introduction yet. I started the process of getting diagnosed in May 2024. I had been experiencing recurring constipation for a couple of years but it was put down to irritable bowel syndrome. I wondered at the time if there was a connection to starting HRT (Premarin and medroxyprogesterone). I was also starting a trial of ADHD medications around the same time. I had a normal colonoscopy. An ultrasound at the time did show an ovarian cyst but described it as benign. An ultrasound in May showed a complex cyst that was about 7cm x5cmx4cm. The Dr that read that suggested a follow up in a month or six, I can’t remember which. By that time I was experiencing consistent vaginal bleeding and a burning tearing pain in my abdomen so my GP sent me to the ER a week later where I was properly diagnosed, sent for MRI and CT scans.

I had a successful debunking surgery in June which only took 2 of the predicted 4 hours which I hope is a positive sign. However it is stage 4 high grade serous cancer. I just completed my 4th cycle of paclitaxel and carboplatin and it’s not fun but I’m tolerating it pretty well.

I’m grateful to be here and for all of your posts. It is so helpful to hear your experiences and see answered to questions I didn’t know I had.

@mcb welcome to OV Dialogue. I hope that you find this forum helpful. Since my diagnosis last year, I found this group to be a lifeline in so many ways. @Strongwoman reached out to me immediately and helped me feel prepared for surgery. It helps to talk to other people who are going through the same thing. I use it seek answers to the many questions that have cropped up since my diagnosis. Like you, I was experiencing occasional constipation, abdominal discomfort and also frequent urination for a period of time. An ultrasound (and then a 2nd transvaginal ultrasound) at the emergency department revealed a 12cm tumour. I had debulking surgery last year, and began chemotherapy a month later. Glad to hear that you are tolerating the carboplatin/paclitaxel reasonably well. For me, losing my hair was upsetting, but I bought a couple of fun wigs. How many treatments are you getting? How are you feeling about it all? It’s a lot to process both mentally, emotionally and physically. Do you have a good support system?

Hi everyone I would like some support with my diagnosis I am currently 20 years old. In early July I had a large 20+ cm cyst on my left ovary. At the time the doctors thought it was as benign. But the pathology came back as Mucinous Ovarian Cancer. I had another surgery last week to remove my left ovary, appendix and omentum. During the surgery my lymph nodes were enlarged and they took them out as well just in case. Just waiting on the pathology right now and I’m just super stressed. I would love any advice :)

@mcb Welcome to the forum. This is a good place to get support and just share how you are feeling. That's great that there you were treated very quickly from the time of diagnosis, and also that the surgery was successful. I also had carboplatin and paclitaxel the first time doing chemo. I'm glad you are tolerating it fairly well, and the side effects will wear off once you are done. I was diagnosed three years ago with stage 3 high grade serous ovarian cancer. I had the big surgery, then chemo (carboplatin and paclitaxel), then a recurrence and chemo, and now a second recurrence. I'm in the middle of my third time doing chemo. Cancer certainly changes you as a person, but it's still possible to live a deeply meaningful life and value the blessings of each day. You are stronger than you think. All the best with your treatment.

@itzwhatever Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and you are so young. That's a big surgery and it takes time to recover from that first. Will you be getting chemo or radiation? It is scary while waiting for the pathology results. I was diagnosed three years ago with stage 3 high grade serous ovarian cancer. I had the a total abdominal hysterectomy, then 6 rounds of chemo, then a recurrence and 6 more rounds of chemo, and now a second recurrence. I'm in the middle of my third time doing chemo. 

This is what I would suggest: accept your diagnosis and condition - the sooner you do that the easier it becomes to then make positive choices to help yourself on this journey. Get some information on ovarian cancer, but don't do it via Dr. Google. Your hospital might have a resource library. I found these books particularly helpful (in this order in my journey):

"By your side" (the free book from Ovarian Cancer Canada)

"100 questions and answers about ovarian cancer"

"Picking up the pieces"

"Hope for the best, plan for the rest" (for anyone with a life changing diagnosis) - this book is great because it shows you how to stay both hopeful but realistic, and how to communicate with your doctor and advocate for yourself

Write down questions that you have for your doctor, and take notes on the answers. Keep all your medical documents, papers etc. in one folder or place to stay organized. This forum is a good place to get support and share how you are feeling. Do you have a support group around you? There are support groups online and informative online webinars e.g. Ovarian Cancer Canada, Wellspring, maybe other cancer support groups in your area. Also groups like Wellspring have programs on things like mindfulness, exercise, eating for cancer, creative groups etc. For me, participating in some of these was a way to empower myself to get info and do things to help myself, because with cancer you lose so much control of your life, especially once you are on the medical treatment treadmill. I love the exercise program that I'm in. Staying active and doing exercise while respecting my fatigue limits gives me more energy and helps me to stay positive. These are suggestions from my experience; other people will have a lot more to add. It is possible to live a very meaningful life while having cancer. I found that taking it one day at a time, and focusing on whatever I was doing at the time (e.g. chemo, or recovering from chemo or surgery, or accepting a new diagnosis) instead of jumping ahead to the future helped me by making it less overwhelming. I hope the pathology results are better than anticipated, but even if they are not, you are stronger than you think, and people are here to support you.

@Hooodith It warmed my heart to hear what a wonderful and fullfilling time you had at your grandson's wedding, Hooodith. It is so important that we live our lives to the fullest and build happy memories for ourselves and others. I hope your chemo goes well tomorrow and you don't suffer badly with side effects. I think you said you will be having carboplatin? If so, I found it, on it's own, to be not too hard on me, much better than the first time through with carbo and paclitaxol. Your timing to get together works well for me, as I have a friend coming from Saskatchewan for a few days. She arrives this Tuesday and stays until the following Monday, the 16th. I have some appointments that week but I'm sure we can work around them. Let's try to connect by next weekend to make a plan for the following week. Take care!

@itzwhatever welcome to the group. You have come to the right place for support and information. Hoping that you get the pathology results soon, and that your stress level decreases once you get some answers. From what I’ve learned from the book “Understanding Ovarian Cancer” published by Ovarian Cancer Canada, “about 5% of epithelial ovarian cancer cases are mucinous tumours which are large masses that are typically diagnosed at an early stage. Removal of these tumours is associated with a good prognosis”. Hoping that this information may help ease some of your anxiety. The physical stress of undergoing surgery plus the emotional upset of finding out you have cancer is very overwhelming. I think that we can all relate to how you feel. Just know, that you are not alone.

@mazupardo sorry to hear that you’re going through this. Can I ask what combination of chemotherapy drugs you are on? You’re right, many people try to be supportive but they simply don’t get it. One thing I learned from a six week Zoom group that I was in was that you gain some friends and lose others. It takes a very emotional and physical toll on the body. I was pleasantly surprised by the people that did step up for me, and also rather disappointed in the behaviour of others. Surround yourself with people who love and support you. This is a good group to talk about how you are feeling.

@mazupardo welcome to this group. You have come to a great place to find support and people who “get it”. While our journeys may vary we share so many questions, hopes and fears in common that there is always some one here who will say “yes, I get it!” I have been part of the group for a year and amount of the information and support I have received has been amazing.

@mazupardo if people get mad at you for talking about your cancer, then talk to us. It’s cancer, for crying out loud, and it’s no walk in the park! When I first found out last summer, I had a total meltdown…I cried a lot and was ready to sell my horses too. I even looked into medically assisted dying! My friends said that I was talking like my life was over. It wasn’t real, cancer was something that other people got, it couldn’t possibly be me. And now I know that my life isn’t over, it’s just different. You will adapt, because the human spirit is resilient. There have been changes for all of us. I don’t have the energy and stamina that I once did. My hair is now short and gray, not long and brown with blonde highlights (it was dyed haha). Chemotherapy was very debilitating and scary at first for me. I had carboplatin/paclitaxel too, and it kicked my butt! Losing my hair was weird, so I bought a couple of wigs. Got some great makeup, and managed to look okay. Used a walker to get back and forth to the barn, huffing and puffing because I felt so weak. I’m amazed that you are on round 11!! Wow! I was toast by round 6. There’s nothing wrong or bad about not thinking that you have cancer. I do that too! As @Hooodith said, it’s your mind’s way of protecting you. OV Dialogue is a place to speak about whatever is on your mind. This is a safe space to talk about not only your fears but also your triumphs. You are in my thoughts.

P.S. This time last year I was 6 weeks post-debulking surgery and had just started chemotherapy. I was a MESS.

Today I drove a mini pony and rode my horse. Was it like it used to be? No! But I did it anyhow. F U cancer!!

Hi @mcb. Thank you for sharing your story. I have stage 3 high grade serous. I had 13 tumors removed through debulking surgery in February. The oncologist felt the surgery went very well. I started six rounds of pac/carbo chemo in March and completed them in July. Had some white blood cell issues so had to inject Lapelga for my final three infusions to boost the cells. I'm BRCA2 positive so am now on the Lynparza maintenance drug. It brings it's own side effects which I'm managing.

How many rounds of chem will you be taking? I agree, it's definitely not a fun process. Have you experienced any peripheral neuropathy? If yes, there is a wealth of information on this site on how people have dealt with that.

I love your comment on, "…hear your experiences and see answers to questions I didn’t know I had." That is a perfect synopsis of what this forum can be. I spent time looking through the various discussion topics/threads and was amazed at what I learned from other's posts. We are glad to be able to provide support through your journey.

@mazupardo There is a great difference between acting as if you are not sick, to others, and denying your illness to yourself. Sounds like you are acting healthy for the sake of others’ feelings. This is one of those choices we make, for instance, to spare our children scary knowledge, or to protect an important relationship. Hard choices, only you can make…