Is early detection really possible?

[alliecat6790]

Hello and thank you for reading and responding to my questions and concerns.  Let me start out by saying I am a natural born worrywort.

I am considered to by "high-risk" for OC, as I lost my beautiful sister to this disease 2 years ago, at the age of 40.  She had been diagnosed at 36 with stage IIIC.

I have been diligent since her passing with getting screened regularly.  Even though I am not yet 40, at my insistence, I have been seeing her GYN/ONC every 4 months and getting an abdominal and T/V US.  (The doctor had suggested coming in her 6 mo, but that didn't seem frequent enough, if trying to catch any abnormalities as early as possible).  Well, at my last appt in Jan 07 everything was fine, just a 1 cm functional cyst.  I missed my scheduled May 07 appt due to another family tragedy, and didn't reschedule until I started have pelvic pain about 5 days ago.  I am going on Wednesday to the doc for an US.

The pain is rather sharp at times; sometimes it feels like someone is pinching my insides. (It's not mid-cycle pain, as it happened just a few days after my period ended).  I have had this pain a few times before in the past and has ALWAYS been on my lower rightside. (One time I had a urinary tract infection, but did not have any typical symptoms of a UTI other than this pain). So now I am worried, that I may have waited too long in going for my regular screening tests.  

Is getting checked every 6 months really frequent enough?  How long does it take OC to grow before it is indictitive on a sonogram?

The pain is worse when I am sitting for a long period of time, but I still feel it while standing up or walking.  OTC pain relievers did not help.  A heating pad helps very little.  I am scared to death, even though I don't have any other symptoms, like swelling or bloating.

Thank you for any advice you can give me.

[dian07]

Hello.....boy, the mind can make us crazy can't it?  In May of '05 I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, stage IC.....after chemo ended I saw my gyn and oncologist at 3 month intervals.....now I have been bumped back to 6 month intervals....I am struggling with a little of the anxiety you express but I am going to try to get comfortable with this.....the 3 month intervals were a real security blanket but I do need to let go just a little!
You cannot let this disease destroy your world with worry and dread....you have to find someway to deal with this that doesn't get between you and the wonders in life.....you are staying on top of it as well as is possible.........seeing a gyn/oncologist is probably a good idea but try not to live your life around those visits.....you are still a young woman with a whole life ahead of you.....please don't give in to this monster.....this disease is a monster.....odds are you don't have it.....don't let it "have a hold" on you!
Peace.
dian