Understanding this process etc.

[msheatherw]

. In July of 2006 I started feeling very poorly. Always running fevers, intense stomach pain, food coming up, bloating, irregular bleeding, anemia, Hip pain so bad at times I felt my hip would just break. I started an abundance of tests everything from ct's to mri's bone scans more imaging etc. The only think present this whole time was cyst. Int he beginning it was labeled as a functional simple cyst. Other incidentals were found such as lymph node enlargement thoughout the mesentery and peritonium (sp?) Nobody including myself every put it together that it may have something to do with ovca. So now I have been diagnosed at stage2 ovca a laparotomy proved this.. The complex cyst has been confirmed as the same "simple" cyst found over a year ago at 1cm and now is 2.3x3.4 cm. I asked a week ago if this small cyst could cause all the symptoms I was having and they said absolutely. I  can not fathom a cyst so small could cause the severe bloating, pain and fatigue I was having. I'm only 25. I am facing another sugery. no one expected this and I wasn't able to be seen by a gyno/onc. they did very little to me in hopes that this specialist could do a better job. Please, explain how a so tiny cyst could make me miserable. If its the same cyst as they say, that means that even at 1cm it was making me feel poorly with fevers, bleeding, pain and  bloating. Oh and the rashes?? anytime I get in a shower I would have these rashes all over me. My fear is that I have additional cancer in the lining perhaps that is wreaking havoc on my immune system. Replies apprecaites and may god bless us all.
_H

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Hi There,

The symptom of bloating may come from irritation to the intestines.  The intestines are muscular tubes with a constant motion in one direction. So from the mouth - esophagus- stomach- small intestine - large intestine - there is a long continuous motion bringing food and its digestive components to the rectum. this process is called peristalsis. If there is a slow down from whatever cause - a person will experience gas, discomfort, constipation, and possibly pain. Any commotion in the abdomen that can irritate the bowels will give this sensation. It may be as trivial as stress which releases stress hormones which impact bowel motility to something very significant such as an actual mass that is structurally blocking the bowel.

Ovarian cancer spreads by surface shedding of abnormal cells. These cells float around the abdomen and can coat the surface structures of other organs such as bowel, peritoneal lining,, liver, bladder, and so on.

A stage II ovarian cancer can mean a range of things from involvement of the fallopian tube plus ovary to a full coating and involvement of the pelvic floor, rectum, and bladder. This can most definitely cause a sensation of bloating even in the absence of ascites.

All chemotherapy can treat ascites. Avastin can be helpful in the treatment of chemotherapy resistant cancer that is causing ascites.

Ascites is not always an indication of malignancy- there are 2 main types: exudative ascites from malignancy or infection and transudative ascites from liver disease and heart failure .

take care all!

[JIyer]

That is great news. Good luck.

[PF_PVD]

My ascites went away completely with one carbo/dosetaxol round.  (What a relief!)  I am still in treatment, and it has not returned.

[JIyer]

Can one get rid of the ascites with chemo treatment? Avastin is the only drug I am told will get rid of the ascites. Affordability is the real question. Thanks

[Casey06]

Dr. Goodman, I was also wondering what causes the bloating in absence of ascities or when the cyst is relatively small (because I too had symptoms with a 4 - 5cm LMP tumor).
What causes ascities and are they always an indication of malignanacy?

Thanks.