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concerned :(

Hello,
I'm afraid that i might have ovarian cancer :( I have seen both my mother and grandmother pass away from it in the past 10 years so it's very hard not to think the worse.

I'll give you some resent history.

I am 47 yrs old. 2 healthy children, one 29yrs and the other 10 yrs (he was conceive via IVF so I had to take fertility drugs at that time)... My periods have always been regular. In January I had my last one, I had NO signs prior that I would be starting menopause. All three of my sisters still have theirs and they are all at least 5 yrs older then me. In March I started noticing slight incontinence, not when I coughed, or when I stood up, it's been random and there's no pattern to it. Talked it over with my gp and he set me up with a urologist. Saw him in May, he did an endoscope, showed clear. But when they put that pressure thing (sorry I don't know the name of it) into my vagina I had a lot of bleeding from it and it quickly turned to brown color the next few days afterwards. He recommended that I have a CT scan. In the mean time I had my GP do a papsmear and everything came back good (YAY)... I had sex with my husband and I started bleeding again and it was so painful we need to stop. Needless to say we haven't done it since. I had my CT done on July 8th and this is the results:

"Plain and enhanced scans of the abdomen and pelvis were performed, using the CT urogram protocol.
2.5 cm low-attenuation left adnexal mass is identified. Its CT attenuation is 40 HU. This may represent complicated ovarian cyst. Ultrasound correlation recommended.
A tiny nonobstructing calculus is identified at the lower pole left kidney, series 2 image 86.
Distal left ureter is incompletely opacified. Both kidneys and collecting systems otherwise appear unremarkable.
CT urography is otherwise unremarkable. "

So I had a followup U/S done on July 28th and this is the report from that.

"Previous CT 8/7/2014.
Uterus normal in size and echotexture. Endometrium 4 mm.
Right ovary normal.
Left ovary contains a cyst with low level echoes measuring 3 x 1 x 2.5 cm. This may represent a hemorrhagic cyst.
Follow-up ultrasound in 6 to 8 weeks'' time is recommended."

What are your thoughts? Should I be worried? Why are they recommending that I wait another 6 - 8 weeks?

Also, I have been getting on and off pain in my left side, sometimes it's sharp, sometimes its dull. I feel bloated. Tired and in the evening I sometimes feel nauseous.

What do you think?
Best Answer
667078 tn?1316000935
It says you need an ultra sound. It says you have a cyst. Only 1.6% of the female population get Ovarian Cancer so I would not jump to thinking it is Cancer just yet. Most of the time Ovarian Cancer has no symptoms at all. Vomiting is the usual symptom because the bowels get blocked. I also had Diaphragm pain, trouble breathing like the wind is knocked of you which is another symptom.

Alex
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Avatar universal
Not sure what to think of the pitting edema. However, the fact that this cyst has "low level echoes" and appears to be hemorrhagic is indicative of a benign (non-cancerous) cyst. The ovarian cyst traits that are concerning for cancer are thick, irregular walls and septa, papillary projections, and moderate echogenicity. If you read articles about imaging of ovarian cysts (such as Radiographics sites) you can get some good information.

I was over-treated for a benign ovarian cyst and wish I had done a lot more research instead of trusting my gynecologist of 20 years when he raised the ovarian cancer flag. I also wish I had not gone to the oncologist to whom he referred me for consultation. However, HVAC experienced the opposite (symptoms were dismissed resulting in late diagnosis of OC). Both situations are grossly substandard medical care. We have to do our own research and cannot rely solely on the medical profession...sad but true.
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667078 tn?1316000935
It is a small likely hood it could be Cancer but sometimes they have to go in surgically to tell. I had a friend last summer they were sure it was Cancer they got in and the cyst was benign. Cysts can be cancer. I have had so many tests for so many bad things that turned out okay. Now I wait until the doctor tells me to worry. Worry is trying to control the future and we can't. Sometimes we childishly think about the worst in hopes that God or Fate will go easy on us. What ever is going to happen will happen. I live with Cancer all over my body. I try not to dwell on it.

Even the worst case scenario is not bad. I have had a rare form of Multiple Sclerosis for 50 years, I have stage 4 Ovarian Cancer, and the BRCA1 gene which means I have a 87% chance of breast cancer. Any day I could become paralized or blind from the MS. I could survive both and end up having a double mastectomy. I could make myself crazy.

I just take things one thing at a time. I am 52 years old and no one looking at me would know I have these conditions. I have learned to make the best of everything.

Sure you are scared that is normal. I would love a statistic of 1.6% over 87% and 100% for Ovarian.

Alex
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your reply. So there is NO way it could be cancer then? How do they know the difference between a cyst and cancer?
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Avatar universal
Also forgot to mention. I have been getting really bad pitting edema in my lower legs ever since march as well.
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