Ovarian Cancer symptoms?

[AngeliqueS]

My mom just passed away from ovarian cancer on October 18th, that's why I think I'm just overreacting, because of the fear in that, plus even though there has been many cases of ovarian cancer at a younger age, its very unlikely. Basically for the past 4 years or so I started having slight to moderate pain during sex, never had it before. It's not *everytime* I have sex but the maternal clinic told me I have a tilted uterus. The other thing that has been happening is that no matter how clean I make my kitchen, and no matter how well I cook my food.. especially when my husband is eating the same thing and hes fine. Sometimes I'll eat dinner, and about 2 hrs later feel hungry again like there is *nothing* in my stomach at all. Then I get terrible cramping in my stomach as if I took a stimulant and then horribly painful diarrhea. This happens once a week at least, sometimes more. It happens even when I eat something with no meat in it. And I cook everything to overdone at this point because I try to avoid this at all costs because it is so painful. These digestive issues have also been going on for approximately 3-4 yrs. As a teenager I would eat things you're never supposed to eat like raw cookie dough while making cookies, and I NEVER got sick like this.

I did have what the GYN called a "sebaceous" cyst 4 yrs ago. And it did not need any type of surgery because he said it would go away on it's own. He did another ultrasound later to make sure it was shrinking.

Do you think I have reason to worry? If so, I am going to go see a GYN oncologist, not just a GYN.

[ainegeu]

You must go to GYN oncologyst, I had the same symptoms, I neglected them, the gastroenterologyst told about colon disease and I had ovarian cancer stage III C. Even recently, after surgycal in 2003, and two stages of chimiotherapy, I had the same digestive symptoms. I had recurence, three tumors (7, 3 and 2 cm) develloped in 4 months. I had a new surgycal with hemicolectomie (loss of a great part of colon). So don't hesitate to make all investigations (blood, CT, tumoral markers).
All the best, AIN

[NikkiPoo]

So sorry to hear about your mom.. For the genetic testing have you tried searching to see if there are any clinical trials being conducted anywhere? If you can get into one of them it would be free. Try www.centerwatch.com they have listings of clinical trials for all over.
Best Wishes to you & your family.

[AngeliqueS]

That's what kind of scares me though.  My mom was stage 3C and her doctor/gyn diagnosed her with irritable bowel. She had symptoms for years, and each time it was irritable bowel and he tried a diff treatment. He gave her an ultrasound... 5 months later it took another doctor to realize what was actually going on. The new doc, an oncologist, showed my mom the pictures from the ultrasound then, and the one 5 months previous, and showed her where the cancer was.  That's scary.

I wish there was a simple screening test for those of us who are high risk.  I know they are working on it.  Mom told me before she passed away to get genetic testing done, but it's very expensive.

It's just worrysome for me because both of these things seemed to show up over the course of the past 4 years and not prior.  Especially the pain during sex puzzles me because a tilted uterus isn't something that should just happen out of the blue.. at least from reading things on it, that's what I gather.

Thank you for your responses.  I think what I will do is see my family doctor, as well as go to the maternal clinic for now.  I wish I had more options, but that's hard with no insurance.

[MickeyVicki]

Toni is correct.  You have classic symptoms of gastro-intestinal disease.  You might have an ulcer, or IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), or GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease), or possibly early stage of Crohn's disease.   And over-cooking your food can make most of those conditions worse.   Some nuts can irritate the system.  Also, eating fried foods can further cause problems, along with consuming caffeine and chocolate.  What - no caffeine and no chocolate! Controlling these conditions by diet can like a  form of torture!!  

I had an ulcer some years ago.  I also have mild IBS, which I control *nearly completely* by regulating my diet and consuming fiber (by diet or by additive.)  

Anyway, keep a good record of what you eat (meat, dairy, veggies, snacks, drinks) and when you have problems, and make an appointment to see a GP or internist, who will likely send you on to a GI specialist if you need more help in that area.

[tggktf]

hello there,
are you nausea or do you have indgestion as well?
This is defintely food for thought.... I would first make an appointment with a gi guy and see what they find out before heading off to a gyn/onc. Unless there is a mass there is really no need to see them. See if your gyn will order and us and transvaginal us to rule out and new cysts or enlargement of the other. You may have something as simple as IBS, or gerd. That can be easily treated.../. try not to worrry...toni