Hip and leg pain

[Bopeep]

In Feb 2004 I began to have severe hip and lower back pain. My GP sent me to a chiropractor.  It didn't help, he did x rays and sent me to an orthopedic dr.  He did an MRI and arthritis bloodwork, nothing unuasual.  He told me to see my gynecologist, who examined me and said she didn't feel anything unusual and that I should go back to my GP.  So I did.  Since then the pain has been shooting down my left leg. It hurts to just get out of a chair.  I've been having lower abdominal pain and I feel bloated all the time. I feel pressure, like my uterus might just fall out.  I've also felt pressure on my rectum and some constipation. I've been having indigestion alot but attributed it to stress. I've been experiencing alot of severe nightsweats so my GP decided to test my hormonal level.  She said all is well but I have an elevated "ovarian marker".  She really didn't elaborate as to what that is. (Is this the CA-125 I've read about here?) I asked her, but she seemed evasive and told me it was nothing to worry about. She wants to do an ultrasound, I'm scheduled for next Tuesday. She says it's just follow up because of the night sweats, no big deal.  My mom had a hysterectomy due to uterine cancer, she also had pre-cancer cells in an ovary, and vaginal cancer. She had part of her labia removed.  Should I be worried?  How aggressive should I be?  Could this be cancer?

[marblesmelissa]

I have the same exact thing.  Except I have a lump like a swollen lymph in my groin that hurts so bad, and sends pain down my leg.  I also have the kicking like moving around feeling?  Please tell me what it is.  My mother also had utering cancer when she was in her mid forties.  I am twenty five with three beautiful boys, and possibly two miscarriages, one for certain.  I also have recently gained a lot of weight and my belly swells up inches at a time, and it comes and goes with no relation to my cycles.  Please let me know what you've found out.  ***@****
Thanks

[MickeyVicki]

Some doctors, especially in these days of malpractice lawsuits, almost overreact when treating their patients.  However, having heard of women whose doctors discounted their cysts and pain, only to later learn that they did indeed have cancer,  I think that it is a good thing for doctors to be so aggressive.   The extra worries and concerns are awfully hard on us though, aren't they?!

[LILYBUG]

Thanks for the sharing the info on the liver thing. My internist told me that my enlarged liver should be my main concern right now (and diabetes, which go hand in hand). My R ovary has very small functional cysts and my left has a simple cyst of normal size. When we retest the CA125 next week, my Dr. is going to send me to an oncologist to discuss surgery if it has not gone down. I don't understand that, but I guess I should be glad she's aggressive. I just know that fibroids, and now you say liver problems, can cause it to be elevated so I'm wondering why we're jumping the gun if the u/s looked perfectly normal.

[Bopeep]

I'm sorry I did not mention my age.  I'm 39.  My mom was late 20's early 30's when she had her diagnosis.  I thought maybe I was pre-menopausal but according to my hormone level bloodwork and my doctor, I am not.

As far as this potentially being endometriosis, I've never had any problems with my periods.  No cramping that has been unbearable or anything like that.  I've always been regular and still am. I've given birth to three wonderful daughters and never had any problems. I can't imagine waking up one morning and just having endometriosis. That doesn't really make sense to me. As a matter of fact The pain I'm having now started more as just a nuisance than anything else.  That's why I didn't really pay much attention to it.  It mainly stayed in my lower back and hip area.  It hurt to stand and walk, but it wasn't unbearable. Now it's a nagging pain, sometimes shooting pains on my left side, very low in my abdomen to my pelvic bone, and sometimes the shooting pains are around my belly button or down my left leg.  Nothing that I can't handle though so I thought maybe it was just gas Isince I feel very constipated and pressure).  I lost 13 lbs in 2 weeks, but I was also going through a very emotional time so I attributed it to that.  The doctor put me on antidepressants (which I've since learned that night sweats are a side effect). I haven't gained any of the weight back as far as the scale goes, but my middle just doesn't feel right.  I feel snug in my pants and there's just a strange sensation.  Sometimes, I almost think I feel movement, like I'm pregnant or something, as if something is kicking.  I know that I'm not though.  Anyway, that's a little more information for you.  Any more input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Bopeep

[MickeyVicki]

Liver disease, whether temporary or chronic, is a common cause of elevated CA-125 levels.

[LILYBUG]

Bopeep,

I too have pain in my legs. I have pain in my groin, under my arms, and in my legs. I also have pain around my ovaries and my right lower abdoment. I had my appendix removed in July. That seemed to help. Now my CA125 is elevated and I'm having these other leg and groin pains. If I find out what they are, I'll share my info with you. I go back in a week to retest my CA125. I also have a host of other diseases and symptoms (melanoma, diabetes, hypothyroidism, enlarged liver, to name a few) so I'm having a hard time even knowing which Dr. to call. Best wishes to you. I'll post more if I find out any of my Doctors have an explanation for the leg pain. I also have severe night sweats.

[MickeyVicki]

You have not mentioned your age...are you possibly perimenopausal?  Some of your symptoms are the same as those suffered by some women going through the earliest stages of the "change of life."  The night sweats are possibly the most common symptom, along with hot flashes.   I have "been there and done that" and this possibility was my first thought on reading about the night sweats.  My doctor did a swab test that checked my hormone levels; to say that my levels are not normal is really an understatement. The CA-125 levels can be elevated by many things, including endometriosis, and your symptoms also remind me of the symptoms of endometriosis.

I think that you and your doctors have already been very aggressive in your care.  When one doctor cannot help you, then he or she has recommended that you see another.   And remember that even if you do have cancer, then it must be small and local  since you've had a gyn exam since your symptoms started, and that exam was normal.