waiting time for surgery

[jela]

Hi,
I was just diagnosed with big cyst on my ovary that is possibly malignant.
Can anyone tell me their experience with waiting time  for specialist appointment an surgery? Thanks

[chelan3]

Hi Jela, a frozen section biopsy is when the drs have the cyst or maybe just some tissue down to the pathology department right away while you're still open on the table to do a quick biopsy.  I believe sections are flash frozen, hence the name frozen section.  Then if the biopsy comes back that it's cancer, then they can do look around a little better to see if there is any tumors hiding.  Sometimes, drs can tell by looking when they open you up if it's likely cancer, but not always.  
I found it a good thing for me to ask for copies of all my reports.  I got copies of the ultrasound report, the CA125, the other bloodwork they did.  I even got a copy of the surgeon's report and both pathologies.  I found that very helpful, as at first I struggled to remember what the dr said the size of the cyst was, etc. etc.  This was helpful when I did some research.  I learnt alot about dealing with the medical community during this time.  I used to be imitadated by doctors, but not anymore.

Anyways...

Take care Jela, keep us informed of how you're making out.

Debbie

[butterflytc]

my ca125 was normal (4) I had signs that something was wrong for a full year prior to diag. all tests were perfectly normal. I was totally frustrated, as I felt like I was dying, and that the docs would not find it (whatever it was). I told my gyno. I wanted a hysterectomy done, he agreed and that is when they found my cancer stage 3C. I had 6 treatments with chemo, but did not get remission. Have had no treatments since and am now 3 yrs from the day i was diagnosed. I keep busy and concentrate on living , not dying. Some days are harder then others for sure, but I am a fighter, just as so many on this board, and will fight this til God says it is my time. Best Wishes for good results.

[jela]

Hi, thank you all for your comments, it is wonderful to see how supportive you all are.
I see that I did not give you a lot of informations about my case:
   I am waiting for app. with gyn/onc and hopefully surgery soon. I had ultrasound and they found cyst on my ovary, 9 cm long + 5cm + 6 cm. My family doctor reacted fast, send referral for specialist, but because of holidays I will have to wait. I did Ca 125 test and it was o k, but I know it is often not reliable... I wonder is there anybody who had good Ca 125 results and they have cancer?  As much as I am happy that my results are good,I am afraid that it might be false negative and that my waiting time will be long because of that.
Thanks Debbie for your response, it is different here in Canada than in USA, it looks like they have less waiting time.
If you have chance to explain  frozen biopsy it would be great,
this is first time that I hear about it.
Thanks again,
Jela

[chelan3]

Hi, I see from another post, you're in Canada.  I'm from Saskatchewan.  From the time I had my complex cyst discovered to the time of surgery was just over 3 months.  Although the radiologist insisted their was a chance for maligancy (twice!) and my CA125 was elevated at 66, the first gyn told me I "100% don't have cancer" before he even examined me.  After that appointment I phoned my family dr immediately and said I wanted a second opinion.  Unfortunately at that time Sask. was between gyn-oncs (we've always only had one in the prov of 1 mill) and even if they did have one you couldn't go to one unless you'd actually been diag. already.  The gyn I went to for the second opinion was a little better, but my surgery didn't get pushed up at all.  I was diag from the frozen section (I insisted on a frozen section biopsy) with borderline ovca LMP.  Although the gyns closed me up before the biopsy came back because "it looked fine" so I wasn't properly staged nor did they perform a hysterectomy at that time because of my age, which was 33.  The final pathology came back the same as the frozen section biopsy and the gyn suggested a second opinion by a gyn-pathologist, which they did - it also came back the same.  I was very lucky, but I KNEW I wasn't feeling well and I KNEW something else was very wrong.  I opted for the hysterectomy a couple years later.  Everything was fine then - no more cancer was found.  
The waiting for the surgery was the worst part.  Hang in there Jela, don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion, or tell them you're concerned about a long wait time.  But, just try to relax (easier said than done - I know!) and not to get yourself worked up.  

Let us know how you're doing.  Post here, that's what we're here for is to listen and help out with our experiences if we can.

Take care,
Debbie

[hopeshell]

It was approx. four weeks for the whole process for me.  My gyn felt a mass during my exam and scheduled me for a TVUS the next week.  He was concerned during my TVUS so he ordered an MRI and CA125 and scheduled a surgery for him to remove the mass.  About a week later, he called me with the CA125 result and referred me to a gyn/onc whom I saw two days later.  It then was about a week until the gyn/onc did my surgery.  Hang in there..the waiting is tough!  It was also a hard wait to get the final pathology and staging.  Good luck.

[nolabean]

It was 1990, three weeks after my yearly exam, I just knew I had it. I called the gyn and she indulged me with an appointment. Had an ultrasound, a cyst was found. She said I had no other symptoms of cancer and scheduled me for surgery to have the cyst removed, too late. A few days later my ovary ruptured and I was taken by ambulance to the ER, pumped full of morphine and had surgery the following morning. When the path report came in, she sat on my hospital bed and asked me, "how did you know?" This is a question I still, to this very day, do not have the answer for, I just knew. I later was told that, had the ovary been removed before it ruptured, I might not have needed chemo or the second look surgery. Before this happened to me and since then I have never heard of anyone who had an ovary rupture. Yes, I have heard of cysts rupturing, but never the ovary itself, I am SO weird:)

[Brownie3321]

Hello there. I went in for a CT scan and TVUS on July 10th 2007, was told by my gyn there was a mass that needed to be removed she suggested I go in a gyn/onc just IN CASE it was cancer. She called a specialist and scheduled for me for July 12th. This was a pre-op appointment since I was told I probably couldn't have the surgery until another 3 weeks since he was booked up. The gyn/onc took one look at my reports and stomach and changed his entire schedule around to fit me in the very next day for a surgery that lasted 4 1/2 hours. He saved me,,,I was getting worse by the minute. Good luck, and just know you will get through this. I'll be praying for you, DEandra

[Jan214]

From the time I knew something was wrong and went to my GP, to the time of my surgery was about 3 weeks. GP said it wasn't a hernia like I thought and sent me to the gyn where I  had TVUS & CA125  (585), went to imaging center for CT the next day, had an appt with onc 9 days from gyn appt, but he made me come at 5:30  7 days early and two days later I had my port put in and a week later surgery.  They did it so fast, I think my head is still spinning. :) :)  My ovaries were 11 and 14 cm, my mom died of this and 4 of my 5 sisters have had it.  They were not taking any chances. Also, the onc told me when I pressed him that he would not go into court without the paths but he was 100% certain it was cancer and advanced cancer.  He has been doing this for 38 years and I knew he knew. Looking back on it is almost comical.  The whole incident seems like the Keystone Cops.  The gyn said my tests would take a week to get back and that was at 3:30 in the afternoon.  The next morning at 11:00 she called me and said the CA125 was 585. She explained what that most likely meant since I was post menopausal.  I was literally in a blur with people pouring me into clothes, pouring me into the car, dragging my butt to drs and hospitals.  I felt like a dishrag.  I started chemo 6 weeks from the day I went to my GP.  I have found that this is a lot like childbirth.  You remember that it was really bad, but not so bad that you wouldn't do it again.  The surgery for this sucks but you will get over it.  Please try to remember that as you face your surgery.  That is one time that it would be better to not live in the here and now.  Live in the near future where you are all better.  :) :)  Good luck to you.
Jan

[NY_Princess]

My wait time is 4 weeks for surgery, only had to wait less than a week for the specialist, but I think it was because my ca-125 was elevated and I had some other concerns. Have cysts on both ovaries and adenomyosis and endo. I guess it also depends on where you live, how many doctor per patient ratio there is. I live in an area where we have a lot of doctors so it's never been that hard for me to get appointments. Is your regular doctor the one scheduling? I didn't wait and called the gyn/onc myself. I guess it also depends on your insurance, I don't need referrals so it's easy for me to get these appts. Good luck, keep us posted. I'm scheduled for a full hysterectomy Jan 16. I'm still a nervous wreck too, didn't want to wait but I guess with the holidays, can't help it. My doc can't rule out OVCA without getting in and doing a biopsy, though he didn't "feel" that it was cancer. However, one of my cysts changed and the nurse told me it would never go away and they do tend to be malignant. But all we can do is hope and pray (I'm beginning to think I should do this since I'm not very religous) and just be positive about things. That's all the great advice I have been getting. Hope you have a great holiday and if I were you, I would ease my mind and call the specialist on Wednesday to get an appointment, you can even try Monday and see if they are open. Hillary

[ireneo]

My surgery won't be until Feb, about 6 weeks after the news of my fat cyst. Then again, all my gyn. history has been excellent up till now so the gynecologist isn't expecting anything unusual. The only marks against me are my age (kind of old to be growing cysts) and my wacky heart. Other than that, I'm perfectly healthy :-)