Ovarian Cancer Symptom

INTRODUCTION

Recurrent ovarian cancer and its treatment can cause an array of symptoms and side effects. The challenge for you and your health care team is to proactively prevent, manage, and control the extent to which your quality of life is affected by these side effects. It can be helpful to think about what is important to you in your life as you discuss your treatment goals with your physician. Many women find that the use of conventional medicine combined with emotional support and mind-body practices provides the greatest sense of relief and control in coping with the adverse affects of cancer treatment.

There are several other issues to consider when living with ovarian cancer. Many women desire to “take back” control of their lives after the ovarian cancer diagnosis is made. Some women feel as if control is incrementally removed from the very onset of the disease. By becoming knowledgeable about the disease and treatment options, you can begin to regain control and maintain an active partnership with your health care team. You can also take control by making specific choices about how to care for yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually throughout treatment and beyond. For example, maintaining wellness through good nutrition is very important. Although treatment may alter your desire for food, alter taste and smell, or cause nausea and vomiting, eating a diet high in protein and carbohydrates is essential to restoring balance and health because of damage caused by the cancer and the treatment.Physical activity is equally important to your physical and emotional well-being. Simple exercise such as walking can increase your appetite and improve your nutritional status, cause improved breathing patterns that aid adequate oxygenation of tissues, and stimulate the release of hormones in the brain that arouse feelings of euphoria (happiness) and reduce distress. Physical exercise does not need to be strenuous to be beneficial. Your health care team can help you design an exercise plan that is appropriate for your situation.