Living with ovarian cancer
Coping with cancer can be difficult. Help and support are available. There are things you can do and people who can help you cope with a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
You might have a number of different feelings when you're told you have cancer.
You may feel a range of powerful emotions at first such as feeling shocked, upset and find it difficult to take in anything else that is being said to you. Other emotions include feeling:
numb
frightened and uncertain
confused
angry and resentful
guilty
sad
You may have some or all of these feelings. Or you might feel totally different. You may feel them a few at a time or altogether, leaving you feeling exhausted.
Everyone reacts in their own way. Sometimes it's hard to take in the fact that you have cancer at all. You need to do what’s right for you to help you cope.
You may be more able to cope and make decisions if you have information about your type of cancer and its treatment. Information helps you to know what to expect.
Taking in information can be difficult, especially when you have just been diagnosed or given news about your outlook. Make a list of questions before you see your doctor. Take someone with you to remind you what you want to ask. They can also help you to remember the information that was given. Getting a lot of new information can feel overwhelming.
Ask your doctors and specialist nurses to explain things again if you need them to.
You might feel that you don’t want to know much information straight away. Tell your doctor or nurse. You will always be able to ask for more information when you feel ready.
Remember that you don’t have to sort everything out at once. It might take some time to deal with each issue. Ask for help if you need it.
You can also do practical things such as:
making lists to help you
having a calendar with all appointments
having goals
planning enjoyable things around weeks that might be emotionally difficult for you
Talking to your friends and relatives about your cancer can help and support you. But some people are scared of the emotions this could bring up and won’t want to talk. They might worry that you won't be able to cope with your situation or be afraid they will say the wrong thing.
It can strain relationships if your family or friends don't want to talk. But talking can help increase trust and support between you and them.
Help your family and friends by letting them know if you would like to talk about what’s happening and how you feel.
Find out ways to help manage your emotions
You might find it easier to talk to someone other than your own friends and family.
Or you may want to see a counsellor.
Read more about talking about cancer
Treatments for ovarian cancer are likely to cause physical changes in your body. These might affect the way you feel about yourself.
Chemotherapy can cause hair loss, which for some women can be extremely upsetting and difficult to cope with. It can be a constant reminder of your cancer and what you’re going through.
It’s not unusual for people who have lost their hair to feel angry and depressed. You may feel worried about how your friends and family see you.
Remember that the people closest to you will not see you any differently as a person. They will want to support you as much as they can, so it is important to tell them how you’re feeling.
Read more about coping with hair loss
Having your ovaries and womb removed can be a very emotional experience, even if you were past the menopause when you were diagnosed. Your healthcare team will help support you and your partner if were planning on having children in the future, and can discuss your options.
Surgery will leave a scar on your tummy (abdomen), that will gradually fade with time. But it can be a reminder of what you have been through. Some women may feel self-conscious of it.
You will have a sudden menopause if you were still having periods before your surgery to remove both ovaries. This can cause symptoms, such as hot flushes and sweats. The symptoms can be quite intense as your hormone levels fall quickly. The effects can go on for a few months or years.
Having menopausal symptoms can be difficult to cope with. It can be hard to know whether your symptoms are due to your cancer and its treatment. Or whether they relate to the menopause. It might help to keep a diary or make a list of your symptoms. You can discuss these with your cancer doctor, clinical nurse specialist, GP or general practice nurse.
You can ask your GP surgery if there is a GP that specialises in the menopause. Or your GP may refer you to a specialist menopause clinic or a gynaecologist. They can help you find ways to cope.
Find out more about menopause symptoms
Tiredness and weakness can be a problem during and after treatment. Resting but also doing some gentle physical activity can help.
Read about tiredness and cancer
The physical changes and emotional feelings you have can affect your relationships and sex life. There are things that you can do to manage this.
Read about cancer, relationships and sex
You and your family might need to cope with practical things including:
money matters
financial support, such as benefits, sick pay, prescription costs and grants
work issues
early retirement
childcare
Blue Badge applications
help with travel costs
changes to your house
Talk to your doctor or specialist nurse to find out who can help. You might be able to get some benefits for yourself and the person caring for you. You might also be able to get grants for heating costs, holidays and other household expenses related to your illness.
Getting help early with these things can mean that they don’t become a big issue later. It may be helpful to see a social worker. Many hospitals have a social worker available for people with cancer.
Read more about the practical support that is available to you
You might need some care and support at home due to ovarian cancer or its treatment. A lot of practical and emotional support is available to you.
Your GP manages your healthcare when you are at home. Your specialist doctor will update your GP about your cancer care. Your GP can help with any medical problems that come up. They can also make referrals to a community service for you. The availability of the different community services may vary depending on where you live.
These nurses work in different places in your local area and may visit you in your home. They can:
give medicines or injections
check temperature, blood pressure and breathing
clean and dress wounds
monitor or set up drips
give emotional support
teach basic caring skills to family members where needed
get special equipment such as hospital beds, special mattresses, commodes or bed pans
Community services vary from area to area. Your hospital specialist nurse can tell you what is locally available to you.
Community specialist palliative care nurses include Macmillan nurses and hospice nurses. They specialise in symptom management such as pain control, sickness, and other cancer symptoms. They also give emotional support to you and your carers.
Marie Curie nurses give nursing care to people with advanced cancer in their own homes. They can visit during the day or spend the night in your home to give your carers a break.
Read more about Marie Curie nurses
Social workers can help to support you with your situation at home. They can arrange:
home helps to help with shopping or housework
home care assistants for washing and dressing
meals on wheels
respite care
Your social worker can also help with money matters by checking you get all the benefits you are entitled to. Or they can advise you about charity grants for things like extra heating costs or special diets.
Contact a social worker yourself by getting in touch with your local social services office. Or ask your hospital nurse or your GP to refer you.
There is usually other help available but services can vary from place to place.
Sometimes local voluntary groups offer sitting services. Someone comes to stay with you while your relative goes out.
Good neighbour schemes offer befriending or practical help with shopping or transport.
Local cancer support groups often offer practical help. And they are a good source of information about services in your area. Ask your doctor or nurse about local groups.
The NHS website has a service that tells you about local information and support.
Last reviewed: 05 Dec 2024
Next review due: 06 Dec 2027
Ovarian cancer is when abnormal cells in the ovary grow and divide in an uncontrolled way.
There is support available to help you cope with a diagnosis of ovarian cancer, life during treatment and life after cancer.
The main treatments for ovarian cancer are surgery and chemotherapy. Your treatment depends on several factors including your cancer stage and grade.
Ovarian cancer survival depends on many factors including the stage and type of your cancer.
Some cancer treatments can affect the levels of sex hormones. This can cause a range of different symptoms. But there are things you can do and treatments to help you cope with these changes.
Ovarian cancer is when abnormal cells in the ovary, fallopian tube or peritoneum begin to grow and divide in an uncontrolled way.
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