symptoms

[kania0512]

Hi,

Anybody here with OC have abdominal distention, fatigue, and/or digestive issues as their symptoms? If so, was the abdominal distention continuous or did it come and go?

Thanks,
Kristina

[kania0512]

Thanks - I can't wait to get the ultrasound. I tried to get in this week but my NP was already booked.

I will post the results when I have them.

[milashka]

By the time I was diagnosed my insides were "jam-packed" as my oncologist put it. I assume some tumors were pressing on the intestines causing gas and waste to back up. I also had ascites (fluid in abdomen). At any rate, I came out of surgery nice and flat :)

Good that you get checked. Better be vigilant.

[kania0512]

Hi - thank you all for your replies.

Trudie - I do have digestive issues like gluten intolerance, other food intolerances, and impaired digestion, as well as bacterial imbalance. But this seems different. Normally when the abdominal distnention is from something I ate it's gone the next morning. Now it's just 24/7 except for a few days. The only carbs I eat are veggies but even when I have left those out my stomach has still been swollen. I have however never heard of SIBO and will look into it.

nyc lady and milashka - I did make an appointment for an ultrasound. I find it odd that the abdominal distention went away for a few days. It makes me think it's other hormonal imbalance but I have spent more days swollen than not. Initially it was 29 days with fluid retention in my lower body (FR) and abdominal distention (AD). Two days I was ok then 9 days with FR and AD, 4 days ok, 8 days with FR and AD, only one day ok, and now I am on the 3rd day of FR and AD again. I am almost hoping they will find something with the US just so I have an answer.

So does OvCa cause bloating due to the size of the tumor? My GYN exam in May was perfectly normal and the nurse practitioner said my ovary felt perfectly normal.

thanks again ~ Kristina

[milashka]

I had IBS constipation so when I had bloating it was nothing new to me, just a tad more persistent maybe. The fatigue I blamed on the summer heat. The urinary incontinence on perimenopause. Etc.etc. I had an ovarian ultrasound 2 years prior and all was normal. My gyn assured me, at the time, that this is a rare disease especially for someone my age (then 40). He totally put me at ease, and I wish he hadn't. 2 years later I was diagnosed with OvCa stage 3C. The bloating was caused by six tumors, one of which was the size of a grapefruit.

I can only advise you to get checked. Most likely it is benign, but you won't know unless it's been checked.

[nyc lady]

The symptoms of Ovarian Cancer are, bloating, unexplained weight gain/loss, change in urination/bowel habits, fatigue, feeling of fullness, distended stomach.  It is now recommended if these symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks the individual seek medical attention, preferably by GYN......now all that said, OvCa is a relatively rare disease.  It is important to pay attention to your body, and if the symtoms do continue, please seek medical attention....no one should spend their days not feeling well....like Trudie says, it could very well be something digestive....just pay attention.

[TrudieC]

It's possible you do have ovarian cysts (your symptoms are typical) but generally the distention and bloating persists unless your cyst has burst.  If it is still there you should arrange for an ultrasound.  Your symptoms can be many other things as well.  My husband is suffering from abdominal distention, pain and digestive issues and thought he had it solved going on a gluten free diet but it keeps coming back.  We are now investigating SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) which causes those symptoms when carbs are eaten.  If it is SIBO they test with a breath test and treatment is antibiotics and probiotics.  You can do a mini test yourself by avoiding all carbohydrates for a couple of days and see if you feel better.  Then eat some and note the difference.  Good luck.