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Ovarian Cancer? Ovarian Cyst?
I was wondering if what I am experiencing could be ovarian cancer or simply an ovarian cyst..
In August last year I began getting a lot of lower back pain. I figured I injured it somehow so I ignored it and figured it would get better with rest, but it didn't. Then, in November, I was having pain in lower abdomen. When the doctor did a vaginal rectal exam he said he felt something on each ovary so he sent me to have an immediate ultrasound. When they took the ultrasound they found a cyst on each ovary, fluid in the cul de sac and one fibroid that the doctor said was negligible. The gynecologist said not to worry. Then I started having bleeding in my stool and constant diarrhea. I had a colonoscopy that showed irritation and a polyp. Now I am tired all the time. My lower back hurts. I feel this pressure like something is going to fall out of the floor of my pelvis. I get sharp pains every so often. When I lay in certain positions, I feel like something is pressing from the inside. I can't wear anything but sweats because it feels like my pants are pressing against something that hurts.I have to pee every hour or more often sometimes. My stomach is starting to go out further than my chest like i am preganant or something. When I eat, I feel like there is no room an I feel short of breath because the pressure that I have been feeling feels like it is pushing up against my diapragm. I feel so bloated all the time. My stomach is hard from the belly button area and up but below that area it is bloated and painful but not hard. At times the inside of my whole abdomen and pelvic areas feel like it is burning.
I am very concerned since there is a history of so many cancers in my family including ovarian, colon and breast cancer. Yet I know that these symptoms could simply be caused by the cysts on my ovaries and am worrying about nothing.
I called my doctor about my symptoms and scheduled an appointment. It took them a month to get me in and then when I got there my doctor had gone home so they sent me to another doctor who was new and taking my doctor's overflow. He didn't even examine me and pronounced that my symptoms were IBS. I told him I would like an ultrasound and felt I had to practically beg him for one. I have an one schduled for Tuesday, but they were calling it an abdominal ultrasound.... does that look at the pelvic area as well??? Are these symptoms likely from the cysts or is there a possibility of cancer? I'm not even sure these symptoms are related to ovarian cancer so maybe I am paranoid. Any help and opinions from your own experiences would be appreciated.
In August last year I began getting a lot of lower back pain. I figured I injured it somehow so I ignored it and figured it would get better with rest, but it didn't. Then, in November, I was having pain in lower abdomen. When the doctor did a vaginal rectal exam he said he felt something on each ovary so he sent me to have an immediate ultrasound. When they took the ultrasound they found a cyst on each ovary, fluid in the cul de sac and one fibroid that the doctor said was negligible. The gynecologist said not to worry. Then I started having bleeding in my stool and constant diarrhea. I had a colonoscopy that showed irritation and a polyp. Now I am tired all the time. My lower back hurts. I feel this pressure like something is going to fall out of the floor of my pelvis. I get sharp pains every so often. When I lay in certain positions, I feel like something is pressing from the inside. I can't wear anything but sweats because it feels like my pants are pressing against something that hurts.I have to pee every hour or more often sometimes. My stomach is starting to go out further than my chest like i am preganant or something. When I eat, I feel like there is no room an I feel short of breath because the pressure that I have been feeling feels like it is pushing up against my diapragm. I feel so bloated all the time. My stomach is hard from the belly button area and up but below that area it is bloated and painful but not hard. At times the inside of my whole abdomen and pelvic areas feel like it is burning.
I am very concerned since there is a history of so many cancers in my family including ovarian, colon and breast cancer. Yet I know that these symptoms could simply be caused by the cysts on my ovaries and am worrying about nothing.
I called my doctor about my symptoms and scheduled an appointment. It took them a month to get me in and then when I got there my doctor had gone home so they sent me to another doctor who was new and taking my doctor's overflow. He didn't even examine me and pronounced that my symptoms were IBS. I told him I would like an ultrasound and felt I had to practically beg him for one. I have an one schduled for Tuesday, but they were calling it an abdominal ultrasound.... does that look at the pelvic area as well??? Are these symptoms likely from the cysts or is there a possibility of cancer? I'm not even sure these symptoms are related to ovarian cancer so maybe I am paranoid. Any help and opinions from your own experiences would be appreciated.
I am just down the hill from you in Palmdale !!! Hope your place did not burn. We have had a really rough fire year.
My surgery is scheduled for Monday, and I just spent all day in LA for pre op testing at Kaiser. I'll be going back down there on Sunday, and stay in LA overnight for surgery on Monday. I have been thinking about you too....and hope you are hanging in there. Get yourself off of the hilll, and head for your chemo appointment. The fire department will handle the fires. YOU take care of yourself !!!
My surgery is scheduled for Monday, and I just spent all day in LA for pre op testing at Kaiser. I'll be going back down there on Sunday, and stay in LA overnight for surgery on Monday. I have been thinking about you too....and hope you are hanging in there. Get yourself off of the hilll, and head for your chemo appointment. The fire department will handle the fires. YOU take care of yourself !!!
I am just dealing with the smoke. Where I live is fairly far from any of the fires, however, I have asthma, and dealing with the smoke is kicking up my asthma. The doc at the pre op said to try to stay away from the smoke, and then caught herself, and laughed. (there is literally no where in southern ca. without smoke!)
sktmom is right in the thick of two terrible forest fires. I'm just down wind !!!
sktmom is right in the thick of two terrible forest fires. I'm just down wind !!!
Sorry to hear that you are dealing with the wildfires as well as cancer treatment...Please leave and go to safer grounds
Thank you... I hope it is still there too. We are hooping to get i there today to see. You must be caught in much smoke in Palmdale.
I hope that your surgery goes well on Monday. I know that Kaiser LA is a good place. Do you have someone to help you after your surgery? Will you be staying in LA afterwards? I will be thinking about you and praying for you on Monday... hoping for the best possible outcome.
You take care of yourself too!!
I hope that your surgery goes well on Monday. I know that Kaiser LA is a good place. Do you have someone to help you after your surgery? Will you be staying in LA afterwards? I will be thinking about you and praying for you on Monday... hoping for the best possible outcome.
You take care of yourself too!!
Hi everyone. Thanks for checking. I was suppose to begin chemo last Monday, but wasn't able to start because I live in Lake Arrowhead, CA right in the middle of the fires. I didn't want to leave the mountain until I knew something about our house, so I missed my first chemo appointment. I know I need to get started though because I am feeling worse everyday.
There is an ob/gyn either at or on the same street as the local hospital which the hospital gave me as the person to contact for the follow up. We don't have health insurance except what i get through the school which is basically nothing but every little bit helps. So even though my period seems to be m.i.a. right now i should make an appointment? The pain seems to be more frequent now but i thought that just might be related to it being time for my period or around time for my period since i never know exactly when it's supposed to come.
p.s. that is awesome you guys play hockey too! My trainer was concerned that the cysts might rupture during practice or a game.
p.s. that is awesome you guys play hockey too! My trainer was concerned that the cysts might rupture during practice or a game.
Hello,I'm sorry to hear the news,I was hoping for you wouldnt have to go through this,I been following your post since I have same symptoms ongoing for a year and had the IBS theory pushed on me,I do have multiple complex cyst (size from 2cm-5cm) on both ovaries.I'am very angry at how dr's blew you off at first and blame it on IBS as my dr is.I'm 29 yrs old and in less than a year lost over 100lbs (5ft 1 100lbs now) I have severe daily pelvic,rectal and abdominal pain,appetite loss,bloating nausea,hair loss,leg and back pain.I feel full easily and have hard time eating.I've had my appendix and gallbladder out last yr so I know it isnt that causing symptoms/pain,and had colonscopy 2 weeks ago that is normal.I never experienced so much pain and I'm not buying IBS theory....I was wondering when you started to notice your symptoms? I was in hospital in sept for a small bowel blockage as I understand ovc can cause this. I also have family history of female reproductive/colon cancer.I had a catscan 2 months ago that was "normal" but showed multiple cysts on both ovaries.Your input would be appreciated.Your in my thoughts and prayers~~GodSpeed, Stephanie
Hi Hockey girl. I play ice hockey and so does my niece and daughter (chick hockey rocks!).
Let's relax and see what we can figure out. First of all 99% of cysts are benign and cancer is really rare. It isn't that uncommon to have multiple cysts and they could be normal follicular cycts related tp ovulation and possible you didn't ovulate and the cyst is hanging around causing these symptoms.
Do you have access to a doctor or ob/gyn other than at the college health services, through you dads insurance or something. If so, you should probably go back and have them do a follow-up ultrasound and make sure you explain all your symptoms.
Make sure you continue to look into it if you continue to have symptoms.
Let's relax and see what we can figure out. First of all 99% of cysts are benign and cancer is really rare. It isn't that uncommon to have multiple cysts and they could be normal follicular cycts related tp ovulation and possible you didn't ovulate and the cyst is hanging around causing these symptoms.
Do you have access to a doctor or ob/gyn other than at the college health services, through you dads insurance or something. If so, you should probably go back and have them do a follow-up ultrasound and make sure you explain all your symptoms.
Make sure you continue to look into it if you continue to have symptoms.
Hi I am 20 almost 21. I was diagnosed with ovarian cysts a few weeks ago and didn't think much of it except for the fact that i have been hurting for over a month and a half in that area which initially led me to the doctor's office. I had been having a lot of lower back pain but didn't think much of it thought it was just the way i was sleeping. Anyways, at first the health services at my college told me i had a kidney stone. the next day i was back to see the md and he said it wasn't a kidney stone but didn't kno what it was. After 3-4 days of going back and forth i said screw it and went to the ER at the local hospital. The doctor there was pretty sure it was an ovarian cyst and scheduled me for an ultrasound the next day. There they found 2 cysts on the left ovary. I heard that it was not a good sign when you had more than one at one time or something. Anyways, i also noticed over the month before i went to the hospital that my stomach seemed to be getting bigger like i was bloated. Of course i jumped to conclusions because i hadn't been to a doctor yet and thought i was pregnant but then i got my period a few weeks later so i was more relaxed about that. When i went back to health services because i needed to be cleared to play ice hockey the nurse had me lay on the table and stated that my lower abdomin was filled with liquid that shouldn't be there. So i asked what does that mean? and she said oh nothing just that you have fluid in your lower abdomin that shouldnt be there. And so i was like um ok? but never got anywhere with that. So in the past few days the pain had been really bad like all day instead of just the usual 4-5 times a day for 15 min periods of time...but then i thought well maybe it just hurts more because i'm spose to get my period soon....but here i am and no period yet...so then i jumped back to my other conclusion of pregnancy...but then i was online and i read that cysts might cause irregularities in your period (which my period is irregular anyways) so i was like ok that's good news...i guess...but i was still concerned about the belly getting bigger thing...that's when i read your initial post about your belly getting really big and then a few more of your posts about them draining it and whatnot....now a little background info....my mother passed away when she was 47 of pancreotic cancer. I was 15 at the time...i have always been kind of worried that i too would have cancer because they told us that she had it ever since she was a teenager and they just never found it...so i dont kno what to do...the pain is kinda back to the every so ofteness and i was considering going to see an ob/gyn but then i read the paper that they gave me on follow up instructions and it said to come back after the next period...now i was thinking i was gonna get my period in the next few days but it's been like 4 days and i still haven't gotten it...should i just make an appointment? My friends know about my friends at college know about my mom and are very concerned that the doctor's are missing something...i just legit don't know what to do...
Casey: I totally agree with you. I am a nurse and not until last week did I even know there was an awareness week for OVCA. You would think that I would have heard about it somewhere. If not there then at least somewhere in my research in the last few months. It is hard to get away from the fact that it is breast cancer awareness month in Oct. I wouldn't want to take away from that but it sure would be nice to get just a little bit of that recognition for OVCA and it's symptoms.
Kimberly: I wonder how you are doing/ feeling? What is the next step for you? Did your family come out to help you? What is your next step? Surgery I assume? I wish you luck and I pray for you every night. Did you see Oprah the other day? It was a great show on people living long and well with cancer. Very inspirational.
Now just need to vent.... not many get what I am going through. Those around me just don't get it. I know you all will. I received an e-mail from my doctor Thursday night stating he was on call at the hospital and that he was going to review my US( it has been 6 weeks office visit and US in office that where he saw things that he did not like ) and would get back to me on Monday ( yesterday) I haven't heard from him yet. The weird thing is that I know that the computer he was e-mailing me from is the same exact one that he can view the US photos from as well as read the report on ( I work for the same HMO) I keep thinking maybe he is delaying talking to me for some reason.Maybe waiting for a second opinion? During the US the tech asked a lot of questions. Like " where was your last scan done." (I know this is for comparison reasons) as well as some other stuff. The other thing she did that really freaked me out was before I was able to leave or get dressed she wanted to show my pictures to the Radiologist before I left to "make sure she doesn't want anything more." This has never happened when I have had an US in the past. Again I tell myself maybe the protocol has changed. I know, however, that if there was nothing there, she wouldn't have to show the radiologist. Meanwhile I just try to tell myself my imagination is running away with me. The lumps that I keep finding in my abdomen have always been there I just never noticed, I feel so crappy from the cyst, and the doctor is not rushing to call because there is really nothing urgent wrong, I am not high risk...not really.....99% are not cancer!
Even if it is not cancer, one of the cyst was at almost 5cm and I am symptomatic this is so unlike my doctor! He is usually so caring.....This waiting is making me crazy, I just don't know what to think.
Thank you for letting me rant.
Gail
Kimberly: I wonder how you are doing/ feeling? What is the next step for you? Did your family come out to help you? What is your next step? Surgery I assume? I wish you luck and I pray for you every night. Did you see Oprah the other day? It was a great show on people living long and well with cancer. Very inspirational.
Now just need to vent.... not many get what I am going through. Those around me just don't get it. I know you all will. I received an e-mail from my doctor Thursday night stating he was on call at the hospital and that he was going to review my US( it has been 6 weeks office visit and US in office that where he saw things that he did not like ) and would get back to me on Monday ( yesterday) I haven't heard from him yet. The weird thing is that I know that the computer he was e-mailing me from is the same exact one that he can view the US photos from as well as read the report on ( I work for the same HMO) I keep thinking maybe he is delaying talking to me for some reason.Maybe waiting for a second opinion? During the US the tech asked a lot of questions. Like " where was your last scan done." (I know this is for comparison reasons) as well as some other stuff. The other thing she did that really freaked me out was before I was able to leave or get dressed she wanted to show my pictures to the Radiologist before I left to "make sure she doesn't want anything more." This has never happened when I have had an US in the past. Again I tell myself maybe the protocol has changed. I know, however, that if there was nothing there, she wouldn't have to show the radiologist. Meanwhile I just try to tell myself my imagination is running away with me. The lumps that I keep finding in my abdomen have always been there I just never noticed, I feel so crappy from the cyst, and the doctor is not rushing to call because there is really nothing urgent wrong, I am not high risk...not really.....99% are not cancer!
Even if it is not cancer, one of the cyst was at almost 5cm and I am symptomatic this is so unlike my doctor! He is usually so caring.....This waiting is making me crazy, I just don't know what to think.
Thank you for letting me rant.
Gail
Yeah the whole "doctors blowing off the symptoms" thing is really pissing me off!
I have read too many examples of it on this site and experienced it myself (but was really lucky with my diagnosis).
Here's some noteable quotes from the book I mentioned above:
Dr. Katz of the OCNA is trying to educate women and their doctors to realize that, when investigating the symptoms, ovarian cancer should be consisdered as one of the possibilities. In short, they are trying to change the mindset from "It's probabaly nothing" to "Better safe than sorry". "Until there's a test, awareness is the best".
"Robin Cohen, RN a GO nurse with Main Line Health System in Philidelphia: ""The main goal is to make women aware of the symptoms, and to prompt them to listen to their bodies and know what is normal for them. They know their own bodies best, and they are in the best position to know when something is wrong. My advise? Don't let anyone tell you it's all in your head or that you are just stressed. Keep pushing until there is an answer."
Also, Dr. Goff a well known and published GO says:
"The major obstacle to early diagnosis is doctors not taking their female patients seriously. "Women often get blown off," Goff said. "I did a study back in 2000 where we found that women who had ovarian cancer were told they had irritable bowel syndrome 15% of the time; 12% were told it was stress, and 9% were told there was nothing wrong with them. It's a pretty big problem. Misdiagnosis is common among women with ovarian cancer."
http://www.johannaslaw.org/
Joanna's Law is supposed to help with awareness, but I don't see any action! They totally missed the boat by not doing more public awareness this September (Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month).
I didn't see anything I didn't go looking for. There is also supposed to be letteres to doctors, empahasizing the need to consider OC, when symptoms present, but again I don't see this happening.
So I say we so do it ourselves, a grass roots effort. If each one of us wrote letters to PCP, GI and OB/GYN docs in our own area, we could possibly make a difference.
Ok, I will get off my soap-box now. Thanks for listening.
I have read too many examples of it on this site and experienced it myself (but was really lucky with my diagnosis).
Here's some noteable quotes from the book I mentioned above:
Dr. Katz of the OCNA is trying to educate women and their doctors to realize that, when investigating the symptoms, ovarian cancer should be consisdered as one of the possibilities. In short, they are trying to change the mindset from "It's probabaly nothing" to "Better safe than sorry". "Until there's a test, awareness is the best".
"Robin Cohen, RN a GO nurse with Main Line Health System in Philidelphia: ""The main goal is to make women aware of the symptoms, and to prompt them to listen to their bodies and know what is normal for them. They know their own bodies best, and they are in the best position to know when something is wrong. My advise? Don't let anyone tell you it's all in your head or that you are just stressed. Keep pushing until there is an answer."
Also, Dr. Goff a well known and published GO says:
"The major obstacle to early diagnosis is doctors not taking their female patients seriously. "Women often get blown off," Goff said. "I did a study back in 2000 where we found that women who had ovarian cancer were told they had irritable bowel syndrome 15% of the time; 12% were told it was stress, and 9% were told there was nothing wrong with them. It's a pretty big problem. Misdiagnosis is common among women with ovarian cancer."
http://www.johannaslaw.org/
Joanna's Law is supposed to help with awareness, but I don't see any action! They totally missed the boat by not doing more public awareness this September (Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month).
I didn't see anything I didn't go looking for. There is also supposed to be letteres to doctors, empahasizing the need to consider OC, when symptoms present, but again I don't see this happening.
So I say we so do it ourselves, a grass roots effort. If each one of us wrote letters to PCP, GI and OB/GYN docs in our own area, we could possibly make a difference.
Ok, I will get off my soap-box now. Thanks for listening.
I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis, I could not help but cry reading about your journey. I am having so many of the same feelings you had about getting checked by th Md. I feel like I just can't talk to the doctors. I hope things get better. My prayers are with you.
Yes there were ovarian cancer cells in the liquid in lung and abdomen area. This is what put me at stage 4.
Start building up your immune system, take vitamins and supplements , ,I have been taking multi/high C,E, fish oil, calcium and reishi mushroom...Have been on this before my hysto and during chemo and still taking it.
Start building up your immune system, take vitamins and supplements , ,I have been taking multi/high C,E, fish oil, calcium and reishi mushroom...Have been on this before my hysto and during chemo and still taking it.
Kimberly.
I haven't signed on in a couple days so I just saw that you finally got to the doctors and got your diagnosis....at last. It took my breath away to read it. Put a tear in my eye and believe me a new prayer to my list every night. I too am 40 with a young daughter and I can not imagine getting the same diagnosis. A while back I was diagnosed with a different disease that is debilitating and required a lot of help. At that time it required that my daughter stop being the child and become the caregiver. It was so hard. I hated having to ask for her help or to keep her home on a Friday night but what I didn't realize until she was a bit older is that she wouldn't have had it any other way. Letting her help brought us closer and took some of the fear out of the horrid disease.
Thank you for responding to my questions about the nodes. I have several of them in my leg, abdomen, and pelvic area, that are so obviously inflamed to go along with the large lump just above my pelvic bone,that may or may not be a lymph node. My ultrasound is tomorrow. On the advise of my OB/ Gyn I have also set an appt with my GI doctor and will be seeing him after my US appt tomorrow. I am so afraid of getting the IBS diagnosis because I feel pretty confident that I have something else going on.
Please don't feel you need to respond to this you have enough to do. I just wanted to show my support to you and let you know there is one more person out there that is praying for you and your daughter.
Gail
I haven't signed on in a couple days so I just saw that you finally got to the doctors and got your diagnosis....at last. It took my breath away to read it. Put a tear in my eye and believe me a new prayer to my list every night. I too am 40 with a young daughter and I can not imagine getting the same diagnosis. A while back I was diagnosed with a different disease that is debilitating and required a lot of help. At that time it required that my daughter stop being the child and become the caregiver. It was so hard. I hated having to ask for her help or to keep her home on a Friday night but what I didn't realize until she was a bit older is that she wouldn't have had it any other way. Letting her help brought us closer and took some of the fear out of the horrid disease.
Thank you for responding to my questions about the nodes. I have several of them in my leg, abdomen, and pelvic area, that are so obviously inflamed to go along with the large lump just above my pelvic bone,that may or may not be a lymph node. My ultrasound is tomorrow. On the advise of my OB/ Gyn I have also set an appt with my GI doctor and will be seeing him after my US appt tomorrow. I am so afraid of getting the IBS diagnosis because I feel pretty confident that I have something else going on.
Please don't feel you need to respond to this you have enough to do. I just wanted to show my support to you and let you know there is one more person out there that is praying for you and your daughter.
Gail
Casey, thank you for the recommendation on the book. I will go to the bookstore to try to find it tommorow. My mind is so blown right now.... so the simpler the better. It will be easier for me to comprehend what I am reading.My daughter always loves to chat online with people. If your daughter would like to chat with my daughter send me a message and I will email you her AIM address.
Kathlame, I agree that in these type of situations I generally prefer women to men; however; the gyn/onc I am seeing is a man and has been the most helpful out of all the doctors I have seen. I would recommend, from the limited experience I have, to be safe and have your cysts removed. From what I have read I believe your CA 125 of 6 is in the normal range,but I am not a doctor. I have not received the results from my CA 125 yet. My daughter suffers from JRA, lupus, raynauds and a clotting problem called antiphospholipid syndrome. We have to keep track of her INR or thickness of her blood on thinners to prevent strokes or pulmonary emboli.
Kimchi, thank you for the advice about the pose because my x-ray was done in a standard pose. I will have my lungs drained tommorow when I return to my doctor. Now at least I know what to expect. I look forward to feeling some relief and not being so short of breath. I just figured the cough was from allergies or something. Were there cancer cells in your fluid?
Andi, it is so frightening when you have a child and no other parent involved. Right now I am more worried about her and what will happen to her if something happens to me. That is why I know that I need to be as informed as I possibly can. The doctor suggested I begin with chemo and then have the debulking and then more chemo. Is your surgery close to someone who can help you? That is a long distance. Have they said if they suspect cancer? I hope that all goes well with your surgery and you let me know. I agree that we have to fight. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Once again thank you to all of you.
Kimberly
Kathlame, I agree that in these type of situations I generally prefer women to men; however; the gyn/onc I am seeing is a man and has been the most helpful out of all the doctors I have seen. I would recommend, from the limited experience I have, to be safe and have your cysts removed. From what I have read I believe your CA 125 of 6 is in the normal range,but I am not a doctor. I have not received the results from my CA 125 yet. My daughter suffers from JRA, lupus, raynauds and a clotting problem called antiphospholipid syndrome. We have to keep track of her INR or thickness of her blood on thinners to prevent strokes or pulmonary emboli.
Kimchi, thank you for the advice about the pose because my x-ray was done in a standard pose. I will have my lungs drained tommorow when I return to my doctor. Now at least I know what to expect. I look forward to feeling some relief and not being so short of breath. I just figured the cough was from allergies or something. Were there cancer cells in your fluid?
Andi, it is so frightening when you have a child and no other parent involved. Right now I am more worried about her and what will happen to her if something happens to me. That is why I know that I need to be as informed as I possibly can. The doctor suggested I begin with chemo and then have the debulking and then more chemo. Is your surgery close to someone who can help you? That is a long distance. Have they said if they suspect cancer? I hope that all goes well with your surgery and you let me know. I agree that we have to fight. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Once again thank you to all of you.
Kimberly
I too have a daughter who just turned 15. Losing my mom, 5 years ago to OVCA was devistating to her, and now this, with me. I'm awaiting surgery on the 29th with a 15cmx14cm ovarian tumor. I'm 51, divorced and live 2 hours from where I'm to have surgery. I know the fear, I'm living it too. Be strong, and of good faith. We can fight. We have to.
I too had chronic cough for more than 6 months along with shortness of breath. went to see lung specialist who had liquid drained and tested (this was before being diagnosed and poo pood by OBGYN as not related to gyno problem). Draining is kinda scarry, they numb an area and insert a needle and withdraw the liquid.,..You will feel instant relief. But for the future, remember that when you get your lungs xrayed, make sure that you don't do the standard pose as liquid can shift around and not be caught in standard pose. ...
Kimberly;
Read your story and tho haven't yet really wanna cry! Reminds me of how woman really still need to speak out to get some help. I prefer woman arnp to male dr anytime for these kind of things! I have ms and been on medication so wrote off symptoms to both the ms and meds until the bloating really drove me nuts and of course the internet is so full of useful info I had to address concern. Have 4 cysts one is 7.7cm, 5.5, 2.7 and 1cm. They recommend another us in 3 wks to see if they resolve selves? Been in menapause 2yrs. Why would i have so many? I have no use for these things why can't i just request their removal? It is my body! Hormones are already messed up I have no use for ovaries! Reading your story I would rather replace hormones than have cancer spread (the CA-125 showed 6=normal i guess?)
Then i read those don't always help for some ovarian cancer? Like u im trying to convince myself im blowing it all out of proportion. Sorry about your child what illness does she have?
TGC
Kathy
Read your story and tho haven't yet really wanna cry! Reminds me of how woman really still need to speak out to get some help. I prefer woman arnp to male dr anytime for these kind of things! I have ms and been on medication so wrote off symptoms to both the ms and meds until the bloating really drove me nuts and of course the internet is so full of useful info I had to address concern. Have 4 cysts one is 7.7cm, 5.5, 2.7 and 1cm. They recommend another us in 3 wks to see if they resolve selves? Been in menapause 2yrs. Why would i have so many? I have no use for these things why can't i just request their removal? It is my body! Hormones are already messed up I have no use for ovaries! Reading your story I would rather replace hormones than have cancer spread (the CA-125 showed 6=normal i guess?)
Then i read those don't always help for some ovarian cancer? Like u im trying to convince myself im blowing it all out of proportion. Sorry about your child what illness does she have?
TGC
Kathy
Don't be afraid to ask questions, especially on this site...ask away. You have so much to deal with regarding treatment, surgery, your daughter etc., that anything and everything is fair game. There are many kind women and men on this site willing to help.
My daughter is 14, so if your daughter was interetsed we could connect them on IM or something.
This is a tough time, but do read and educate yourself about chemo and surgery, just do a little at a time so you don't get too overwhelmed.
I highly recommend a book called "Ovarian Cancer: Your Guide to Taking Control" by Kristine Conner and Lauren Langford. I got a copy from my library, but it is also available on Amazon.com
It is full of good information and well written for lay people (you don't have to be a doctor to understand it).
Did your doctor offer anything to help relieve your symptoms before chemo or surgery.
Not sure what they can do, but you should ask.
My daughter is 14, so if your daughter was interetsed we could connect them on IM or something.
This is a tough time, but do read and educate yourself about chemo and surgery, just do a little at a time so you don't get too overwhelmed.
I highly recommend a book called "Ovarian Cancer: Your Guide to Taking Control" by Kristine Conner and Lauren Langford. I got a copy from my library, but it is also available on Amazon.com
It is full of good information and well written for lay people (you don't have to be a doctor to understand it).
Did your doctor offer anything to help relieve your symptoms before chemo or surgery.
Not sure what they can do, but you should ask.
Hi Casey,
I was hoping that the doctor was wrong to. I don't know why, but had myself convinced that I was bein paranoid and didn't have cancer. I do like the doctor, but am uncertain about having chemo first. I just want it all out quickly.
My daughter is 16 and has several illnesses which requires almost weekly doctors visits. We don't really have much family nearby although I do have a good long distance support system. I have let them know that I do have cancer, hopefully someone will be able to come out to help. Also my daughter should be getting her license soon, so that will be a great help.
I was afraid to ask questions, but i think now I want to know so much that I will probably ask too many questions. I have been very impressed with the people on this site and their tremendous amount of support.
Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.
Kimberly
I was hoping that the doctor was wrong to. I don't know why, but had myself convinced that I was bein paranoid and didn't have cancer. I do like the doctor, but am uncertain about having chemo first. I just want it all out quickly.
My daughter is 16 and has several illnesses which requires almost weekly doctors visits. We don't really have much family nearby although I do have a good long distance support system. I have let them know that I do have cancer, hopefully someone will be able to come out to help. Also my daughter should be getting her license soon, so that will be a great help.
I was afraid to ask questions, but i think now I want to know so much that I will probably ask too many questions. I have been very impressed with the people on this site and their tremendous amount of support.
Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.
Kimberly
Hi Kimberly,
I have been anxiously waiting for your post, hoping that the first doctor had made a mistake.
I figured you may not be able to post, if the dx was as I suspected.
I am very glad you got to see the doctor yesterday and that you like him. It is very important to have a good relationship with you doctor as you choose treatment options.
How old is your daughter? I have a daughter and a son and when I thought I had cancer, I was very worried about them also.
Do you have any other family near where you live, because you will need to inform them of your cancer and engage them for support.
Today, women are doing much better, even when diagnosed at a later stage and there are some wonderful ones and this site that can give you advise and support.
I am so sorry and very angry that your previous doctors did not take you seriously and help you sooner. This is the kind of stuff you read about and that has to change.
I will think of you and pray for you often.
Big hugs to you and your daughter.
I have been anxiously waiting for your post, hoping that the first doctor had made a mistake.
I figured you may not be able to post, if the dx was as I suspected.
I am very glad you got to see the doctor yesterday and that you like him. It is very important to have a good relationship with you doctor as you choose treatment options.
How old is your daughter? I have a daughter and a son and when I thought I had cancer, I was very worried about them also.
Do you have any other family near where you live, because you will need to inform them of your cancer and engage them for support.
Today, women are doing much better, even when diagnosed at a later stage and there are some wonderful ones and this site that can give you advise and support.
I am so sorry and very angry that your previous doctors did not take you seriously and help you sooner. This is the kind of stuff you read about and that has to change.
I will think of you and pray for you often.
Big hugs to you and your daughter.
My gyn/onc appointment was this morning and it has taken until this evening to recompose myself enough to be able to come on this forum. Based on the cancer cells in my abdominal fluid, a biopsy, my CT scan and a chest xray I had the doctor says I definitely have ovarian cancer and that it likely stage 4.
This was the first doctor that I have seen through all of this who I felt was actually supportive and willing to answer any questions I had. He took a lot of time with me and I didn't feel rushed like he was in a hurry to see the next patient. He did present some possibilities of treatment that I am uncertain of, but he is giving me a couple days to think about it.
I think my greatest concern is my daughter since it is just the two of us and she has been sick since she was little and depends on me so much. I am not sure how to deal with this and take care of her at the same time.
Gail... yes it started with back pain that never really went away. I did also get small pea size lumps on my lower abdomen, but I was told and have read that those are probably lymph nodes and that they can often become swollen before your cycle. I am not sure about what they are anymore because I actually was trying to convince myself that I couldn't have cancer at 40.
Kimchi what did they do for the fluid in your lung? They saw a small mass on my lung and fluid in my lungs. I have had a chronic cough for about 6 months and am not sure if that is related to the mass and fluid. Did you have a cough?
Casey thank you for the list of doctors that you gave me on my other post. The gyn/onc I am seeing is on that list and is out of Loma Linda. He is the first doctor through this ordeal I like. Once he knew why I was coming to see him he didn't make me wait.
Thank you to everyone else for your advice..... it has been invaluable.
Kimberly
This was the first doctor that I have seen through all of this who I felt was actually supportive and willing to answer any questions I had. He took a lot of time with me and I didn't feel rushed like he was in a hurry to see the next patient. He did present some possibilities of treatment that I am uncertain of, but he is giving me a couple days to think about it.
I think my greatest concern is my daughter since it is just the two of us and she has been sick since she was little and depends on me so much. I am not sure how to deal with this and take care of her at the same time.
Gail... yes it started with back pain that never really went away. I did also get small pea size lumps on my lower abdomen, but I was told and have read that those are probably lymph nodes and that they can often become swollen before your cycle. I am not sure about what they are anymore because I actually was trying to convince myself that I couldn't have cancer at 40.
Kimchi what did they do for the fluid in your lung? They saw a small mass on my lung and fluid in my lungs. I have had a chronic cough for about 6 months and am not sure if that is related to the mass and fluid. Did you have a cough?
Casey thank you for the list of doctors that you gave me on my other post. The gyn/onc I am seeing is on that list and is out of Loma Linda. He is the first doctor through this ordeal I like. Once he knew why I was coming to see him he didn't make me wait.
Thank you to everyone else for your advice..... it has been invaluable.
Kimberly
I just wanted to wish you luck on Monday. I am praying for you.
I am angry for you as well as scared for myself.I am angry that these doctors are making you wait with no regard to what you are going through or may have to go through or that time may be of the essence for you. I have been waiting now for my US for a month. my doctor even tried to get it moved up to no avail. It is crazy that when they are talking or thinking about cancer that anyone should have to wait so long. If only for the anxiety it causes the person waiting.
I feel that I will be more surprised if they tell me I don't have cancer. I don't know if I have just convinced myself or if I have some sort of sense of it. I do know that I have just about every symptom on the list of symptoms put out on the JAMA list. That combined with the lumps that have appeared have put me in that state of mind. I guess this is why I am so scared for myself after hearing your story I am afraid that it is festering inside of me while I just sit here waiting.
I started with the back pain just like you. Do you have any lumps that you noticed in your abdomen?
I am saying a prayer for you and your children. I will say to you what someone said to me last week. It made me feel better..... Ovarian cancer does not mean a death sentence. You sound like a very strong woman. Please keep us informed. We will be here to support you.
Gail
I am angry for you as well as scared for myself.I am angry that these doctors are making you wait with no regard to what you are going through or may have to go through or that time may be of the essence for you. I have been waiting now for my US for a month. my doctor even tried to get it moved up to no avail. It is crazy that when they are talking or thinking about cancer that anyone should have to wait so long. If only for the anxiety it causes the person waiting.
I feel that I will be more surprised if they tell me I don't have cancer. I don't know if I have just convinced myself or if I have some sort of sense of it. I do know that I have just about every symptom on the list of symptoms put out on the JAMA list. That combined with the lumps that have appeared have put me in that state of mind. I guess this is why I am so scared for myself after hearing your story I am afraid that it is festering inside of me while I just sit here waiting.
I started with the back pain just like you. Do you have any lumps that you noticed in your abdomen?
I am saying a prayer for you and your children. I will say to you what someone said to me last week. It made me feel better..... Ovarian cancer does not mean a death sentence. You sound like a very strong woman. Please keep us informed. We will be here to support you.
Gail
Waiting is really difficult. When my symptoms initially started, I thought it would be something simple and waiting didnt't seem like such a big deal. What is it they say....ignorance is bliss. Now that I know there is something wrong....Monday seems like an eternity away.
I went to the staging site you posted, Kimchi, to try to see how advance this could be. It was very informative.... thank you. Bit then I began reading everything I possibly could to find answers, but now I see that is a mistake too. I have read myself into a frenzy and finally decided to stop and just wait to here what the doctor says. But I find myself worrying especially about my daughter since I am a single mom.
The one thing I am really glad about is finding this site.....if I hadn't I think I would still be putting off the symptoms I felt. Coming here motivated me to see the doctor even though I felt like I was pushy and nagging towards the doctors. I realize now that was absolutely the right thing to do. Thank you so much to all of you who encouraged me to seek help and demand answers. I will post how my appointment goes tommorow and hopefully I will get some definite answers. Thank you to all of you again.
I went to the staging site you posted, Kimchi, to try to see how advance this could be. It was very informative.... thank you. Bit then I began reading everything I possibly could to find answers, but now I see that is a mistake too. I have read myself into a frenzy and finally decided to stop and just wait to here what the doctor says. But I find myself worrying especially about my daughter since I am a single mom.
The one thing I am really glad about is finding this site.....if I hadn't I think I would still be putting off the symptoms I felt. Coming here motivated me to see the doctor even though I felt like I was pushy and nagging towards the doctors. I realize now that was absolutely the right thing to do. Thank you so much to all of you who encouraged me to seek help and demand answers. I will post how my appointment goes tommorow and hopefully I will get some definite answers. Thank you to all of you again.
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