new here and need some advice

[Jenbear140]

Hi Im new here. My name is Jenny and im 31 yrs old. I have 3 children and a wonderful fiance whom i have been with for almost 3 yrs now. My mom went to the dr. about a wk ago with fluid build up in her abdomen and left lung well they sent her to the hospital and last wk monday found out that shes got stage 4 ovarian cancer. She had the surgery to remove most of the tumor this last saturday and is still in the icu unit at the hospital. She still has tumor in her lung and in her bowels. She will have to go throu chemo for about the next 6 months. She is 68 yrs old. I am kinda of scared now because i know that my risk doubles now. I have read that when a woman who has had a tubal ligation has a low risk of getting it which i had one after i delivered my 3rd child. Now im just curious as to where my risk level is now. I mean it was low because of me having a tubal but now with my mom having it does it double or am i in the middle or what? Im so confused. I have also been experiencing spotting in between my periods. I think stress brings it on because it only lasts like a day and then its gone for a couple then comes back and so on . I have had this for the past 2 months or so. I have an appointment with my gynocologist in March for my annual pap and pelvic. Any advice would help alot. Ive experienced spotting between periods before but only once in a great while and it only lasts like 2 days after my period ends but never where it keeps coming and going from the time it ends till it starts again. no abdomenal pain or anything with the spotting.

[Jenbear140]

Hers was random. I was just curious about my risk level cuz the dr. told my sister and i that our risk is higher now that our mother has it. Thank u for clearing that up for me. I will be keeping up on all my drs appointments. I do anyway but now i know that if something isn't right or anything i will not hesitate to get it checked out.

[nyc lady]

Your risk does not double and we do not even know if your mother's OvCa is due to genetics.  Most Ovarian Cancers are random.  And if it were genetic, your increased risk is very low, less than 10 percent.  The risk of being diagnosed with OvCa, hereditary or not, is low, very low.  This disease, although near and dear to most of  us is considered rare.  
Now first things first, and that is getting your mother through all of this.  Chemo although difficult, is doable, so they say.  She will need help around the house, etc, until she is feeling strong enough to care for everything herself.
The important thing is that you be vigilant in your follow ups with your gynocologist.  Insist on sonograms, complain that you have pain when you ovulate, so that they will keep an eye on your ovaries.  Even if you do develop cysts, remember that over 90 percent of all cysts are benign.
You need to use all the information that you have learned wisely not to scare you.
Best of luck to you and your mom.
Pam