Aa
i dont know what to think...
I'm a 29 year old, mother of 5. All of whom were born by c-section. For the last 5 months I have had a series of weird symptoms including: lower abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, heartburn/indigestion, lower back pain,painful intercourse (I can actually feel all of my pelvic region moving together as if it were a rock, very painful), swelling in my ankles (don't know if it is related to other symptoms), and scariest of all a mass that seems to cover most of the area from my navel to just under my pelvic bone. I have gone to my gyn and he suggested an ultrasound. The Friday after the ultrasound, his nurse calls and tells me although my doctor was out of the office, that she was going to give me the results. She says I have a cyst on my right ovary and that they plan to redo the ultrasound in 6 weeks. When I told her that I had had the mass for more than 5 months she says that she will discuss it on Monday with the doctor when he returned. She then called on Monday, replacing the word cyst with mass, says that the doctor has now referred me to a gynecologist and I am to see them asap. I am driving 2 hours to see this doctor. I didn't know that it was a gynecologist until today when I called to confirm and the nurse tells me the office is in the cancer part of the hospital. Am I missing something here? What was supposed to be a chat is now a mass, growing more everyday, and now I have to go see a gynecologist. Is my doctor not wanting to tell me that I may have ovarian cancer, or is this just a second opinion? I'm trying to understand if it just a cyst, why do I have to go to this cancer doctor? Can somebody tell me if what I am experiencing is symptomatic of cancer or can a cyst actually cause this much pain and anguish for months on end? I should probably also mention I had lymphoma when I was 22...secondary cancer maybe? Help!
Thank you for your post to me and the insight on the robotic surgery. I had asked the dr.'s office if I needed to donate my own blood in case I need a transfusion but they said that with robotic surgery there is less bleeding. My gyn told me he wants me to have a hysterectome, not just to remove the mass so I told the oncologist/gyn's physician's assistant and she agreed and I believe that' what I'll be hainv. What was your down time with robotic surgery? This is my busy time at work and I can't afford to be out too long although my boss is being super supportive. Thanks again!
Winikor I just had robotic laparoscopic surgery via da Vinci...yes It is the better way to go...smaller incisions quicker healing, the magnification on the cameras are greater so the doctor gets a clearer look of ur insides, and the robotic arm has greater flexibility than the human hand...this is what saved my ovary my doctor said if he had went the traditional lap way he would have not been able to save my ovary, I had an 8cm dermoid removed this way...good luck if u have any questions inbox me...deb
My obg/onc will be doing the robotic surgery laparscopically (sp?). In any event, is this a better way to go? Does anyone have any comments on this? I trust him but the more information, the better my questions to him.
Thanks and good luck to all of you.
Thanks and good luck to all of you.
hi. I was looking at older posts. How are you doing after surgery? Hope all is well. I'm in a similiar boat. I had a hysterectomy in 2000 at the age of 30, one ovary left. Having trouble with the ovary. My aunt had ovarian cancer so im a bit worried. They found a mass on ovary going to ob gyn next week said it was not a cyst but a tumor . the doctors office also said they couldnt say it isnt cancer so now its just the waiting of the unknown and what the next steps will be. If u have any input i would appreciate it.
I will definitely let you know how it goes. I'm scared of the results more than I am of the surgery itself. The number one thing I don't don't to ever experience again would be chemotherapy. I hate the feeling of it burning mr inside out, and I swore, even if I would have cancer again, I would never take chemo again. So it better not be cancer, cause I won't go through that again. Good luck ladies!
woah! lot of things you're having. But don't worry, you survived once, you would also conquer this one.
:)
:)
I am sorry to hear that you are dealing with so much.... I am scheduled for surgery on the 31st ( Halloween ) and am very nervous... I have not had cancer, but my Mom and her Sister died at a young age from Breast Cancer and another Sister Died from Ovarian Cancer.... Glad to atleast have a place to vent... Good Luck to you and let me know how it goes.... Priceangeld
I met after the 24th I won't have to worry anymore :) sorry for the typos, stupid phone. Lol good luck ladies.
Uck ladies
Uck ladies
Update continued: I'm not that worried about a hysterectomy because I never planned to have more kids, i have 5. What does bug me is that he is taking my cervix too. He said that if it is cancer he is taking it all out, but if it borderline, then he will leave me my right ovary. Oh, that's another thing...my doctor here in my town said it was the right ovary, turns out to be the left :D...i told the student sonographer, that she should never trust a diagnosis coming out of Clinton, Iowa. Our doctors here have jobs because nobody else would hire them elsewhere. Lol...anyway, so I'm
guess Fter the 24
guess Fter the 24
Update: So, I drove the 2 hours. This doctor knows so much more than mine back home, I'm glad I came.
He told me that my cyst or mass is 15 cm and that it holds suspicious debris. He scheduled my surgery for the 24th of this month. He said that he wouldn't be as worried as he is, but the fact that I already had cancer once, he is worried that this could be a secondary cancer. I also have liquid in my uterus, and he said that it would be best just to do a hysterectomy.
He told me that my cyst or mass is 15 cm and that it holds suspicious debris. He scheduled my surgery for the 24th of this month. He said that he wouldn't be as worried as he is, but the fact that I already had cancer once, he is worried that this could be a secondary cancer. I also have liquid in my uterus, and he said that it would be best just to do a hysterectomy.
hi! good to know that you have surpassed lymphoma!
well i understand if you are in such a worry, i had an ovarian cyst on the left ovary and had it removed last august 2011. they told me that it was benign but when the biopsy came out, it turned out to be an APST or a bordeline cancer.
be sure to ask you gyn onc to make sure if yours are benign or listed on my type so your operation would be accurate and would have no worries afterwards.
goodluck! :)
well i understand if you are in such a worry, i had an ovarian cyst on the left ovary and had it removed last august 2011. they told me that it was benign but when the biopsy came out, it turned out to be an APST or a bordeline cancer.
be sure to ask you gyn onc to make sure if yours are benign or listed on my type so your operation would be accurate and would have no worries afterwards.
goodluck! :)
I think your doctor and his nurse are reacting to your telling them that the mass has been there for a while. If you're really worried, then the best thing for them to do is send you to a gynecological oncologist.
As Deb said, the gyn onc has more training and experience -- and you'll likely get better results by having a gyn onc do any surgery you need, even if it's probably a benign condition. The gyn onc will probably recognize the difference, even though only a pathology report after surgery can tell for sure what you have.
Please be sure that the gyn onc has the ultrasound report when you see him. If there's time, you could ask your doctor about having the CA-125 blood test and even a CT scan before you take that 2 hour drive, too. That's probably overkill, but I don't want you to feel you wasted the trip.
Chin up. And remember that the vast majority of masses near your ovaries are benign cysts.
Good luck.
As Deb said, the gyn onc has more training and experience -- and you'll likely get better results by having a gyn onc do any surgery you need, even if it's probably a benign condition. The gyn onc will probably recognize the difference, even though only a pathology report after surgery can tell for sure what you have.
Please be sure that the gyn onc has the ultrasound report when you see him. If there's time, you could ask your doctor about having the CA-125 blood test and even a CT scan before you take that 2 hour drive, too. That's probably overkill, but I don't want you to feel you wasted the trip.
Chin up. And remember that the vast majority of masses near your ovaries are benign cysts.
Good luck.
Sorry to hear that you have to go through this stress...you are young and most cysts in premenopausal women are benign...your symptoms can also be from a cyst, especially of it's big it can press on your bowels, bladder, and other organs and cause pain and discomfort. Even if the doctor saw something suspicious on an us like a cyst with septations, solid components, Papillary projections, or vascularity it doesn't necessarily mean it's cancer, the only way they know is through a biopsy. Did they give you the Ca125 blood test? I don't know why your doctor is sending you to a gynoncologist without much description of your cyst, but it is always better to get a second opinion and these doctors have much more training than your average gyn. Also from what I read on this forum it's better to get a cyst removed by gynoncologist that waytheyget it right the first time.
Best wishes and God bless, deb
Best wishes and God bless, deb
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