Reoccurance Symptoms

[AK18]

My name is Alia Khan and I am 43 years old. Am divorced and living alone. I had a daughter who died of bone cancer in 2001 at the age of 15 years. On 3rd May 2009, i felt a lump in the abdomen area on the left side,after an ultrasound was asked to see a gynae doctor. she asked me to get CA 125 test done as well as pelvic area ultrasound.My CA 125 was 426. They thought it was endometriosis (I had it earlier on and got treated for it).After the biopsy it turned out that i had ovarian cancer but it was very early stage, wouldnt have required chemo if the lymph nodes biopsy had been done. I under went 6 cycles of Taxol & carboplatin. My CA 125 was 15 in September. My CT scan after 1 month of treatment was clear i.e. in October 2009. That day i lifted 19 litre nestle water bottle and since then have slight pain in the lower abdomen area. If i am resting its fine but walking around its there. Am still taking Tramol for aches & pains and numbness which my doctor said will go away after 6 months of treatment.My concern is that I hope it has not come back. what are symptoms, if it is reoccurance. Am teribly constipated since 2 weeks.

[AK18]

Hi, dont think its hernia as am alright now. should not be picking up heavy stuff, otherwise will develop one...

[AK18]

Thanks for telling me about debulking surgery. I did not require it as my cancer was well contained, differentiated and what ever was the there was taken out,it had not spread (thank God)I have had 2 CT scans. one during the chemos and one after both were clear with no sign of spreading. Have recently done my CA 125 test. will get the reult today. so lets see what that shows.

[MinnieWM]

You may have a hernia, which is pretty common after abdominal surgery.  My last CT scan noted that I now have a hernia.  My doctor said I would need to get it taken care of when it started bothering, and I would need to go to the ER if I developed sudden severe pain.

Glad you're feeling better now.

[helenl89]

debulking surgery is basically they go in and take as much of the cancer as they can, along with any parts that may be affected. appenitics uterus ovaries, cysts and tumors. not neccesarilly in that order. its like they rinse you out, sort of like the rinse cycle on washing machine, ha ha. thats the best way to explain it. i myself get all freaked out right before the ca125 and ct scan tests. so far everything has been good, but my imagination does get the better of me some days. last time i went in for it was nov. my blood pressure was up like 30 points. the next day  after the tests it was back to normal. I sometimes think disease cause more stress on us than anything really physical. there is old saying here in america, calgon take me away from all of this. ha ha lol

[AK18]

I had the Hystrectomy because the gynea doctor said you are 43 years old and will soon start menopause, so why not remove the uterus, ovaries. Thats why I had it done. What is debulking surgery?Never heard about it.

[AK18]

Thanks for your reply. Am feeling much better now (rested for a few days) You are right we have to live with the fear for the rest of our lives. Recently my aunt and my cousin they got treated for breast cancer, although they had cancer in the uterus (aunt) and intestine (cousin) nearly 20 years ago.My oncologist is pretty cool about my case. he has just asked me to get a ct scan every 6 months and CA 125 every 3 months. He says I am completely cured and should not worry.

[helenl89]

did you have to have a hysterectomy and debulking surgery? If so it just could be scar tissue. when see onc next. you should be coming up on a appt soon. mention it to him and see what he thinks. Every once in awhile I will get pain in my right side when i lift someting the wrong way. my onc said it just a strain on the scar tissue, and that everything else is fine. yes i know everytime i get pain like that i fear that it is coming back. I often wonder if we live the rest of our lives with this fear in the back of our heads. are you eating anything  different that could cause the constipation ?