Question for you all...

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outdoorgirl
outdoorgirl Member Posts: 1,565
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi. My user name is Outdoorgirl and I will be a 2 yr. breast cancer survivor in September.I usually post on the bc board,but I have a question for you all.
I know that having had bc ,there's a possibility that I could get ovarian cancer also. No,it doesn't keep me up at night,I'm just aware of it.
Here is the question. I've heard that oc is hard to detect because the symptoms are so vague-so what were your symptoms that made you make that phone call to your doctor? Just curious.

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  • Cindy54
    Cindy54 Member Posts: 452
    #2
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    For You
    Hi Outdoor Girl, we talked on the breast cancer board before. I had no symptoms of ovarian at all. My Mom passed away from it two years ago. Exactly one year ago after I was done with the rads from the breast beast, I went for a gyno exam. They thought I had one ovary that had a cyst. So I did the CA125 blood test, and the internal and external sonogram. The CA125 was at 19, which the doctor said was okay being under 20. The sono showed the cyst. We made arrangements to have a hysterectomy, due to my Mom having had ovarian, and we were going to do it with laprascopy. Well, it became a cutting surgery and the biopsies were sent out.This was in October. They came back positive for ovarian and I had the staging surgery in December. That was the extent of any symptoms I had.

    Mom had a lot of intestinal problems. We went for all the tests except the internal sono until it was too late. She had bloating and tightness. She often said that her stomach felt like there was a lead ball inside it. She got full quickly when eating and had diahrrea a lot. Then she started losing weight. She had persistent low back pain. Headaches. Lots of heartburn. Fatigue. SHe was always, always tired. When they did the internal sono was when they found the problem. But by then she was stage IV.

    They say ovarian whispers. It mimics many other problems. And it also likes to hang out with breast cancer. Especially if there is a history in your family. It often seems like it is Chrohn's disease or a nervous stomach. I had none of those symptoms and I knew what to watch for. Yet I had a cyst that had attached to my stomach wall in a matter of a few months.

    If you are having any kind of concerns or symptoms, ask your gyno for an internal sono and a CA125 test. That would be a good start. Keep us posted. Hugs, Cindy
  • outdoorgirl
    outdoorgirl Member Posts: 1,565
    #3
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    Cindy54 said:

    For You
    Hi Outdoor Girl, we talked on the breast cancer board before. I had no symptoms of ovarian at all. My Mom passed away from it two years ago. Exactly one year ago after I was done with the rads from the breast beast, I went for a gyno exam. They thought I had one ovary that had a cyst. So I did the CA125 blood test, and the internal and external sonogram. The CA125 was at 19, which the doctor said was okay being under 20. The sono showed the cyst. We made arrangements to have a hysterectomy, due to my Mom having had ovarian, and we were going to do it with laprascopy. Well, it became a cutting surgery and the biopsies were sent out.This was in October. They came back positive for ovarian and I had the staging surgery in December. That was the extent of any symptoms I had.

    Mom had a lot of intestinal problems. We went for all the tests except the internal sono until it was too late. She had bloating and tightness. She often said that her stomach felt like there was a lead ball inside it. She got full quickly when eating and had diahrrea a lot. Then she started losing weight. She had persistent low back pain. Headaches. Lots of heartburn. Fatigue. SHe was always, always tired. When they did the internal sono was when they found the problem. But by then she was stage IV.

    They say ovarian whispers. It mimics many other problems. And it also likes to hang out with breast cancer. Especially if there is a history in your family. It often seems like it is Chrohn's disease or a nervous stomach. I had none of those symptoms and I knew what to watch for. Yet I had a cyst that had attached to my stomach wall in a matter of a few months.

    If you are having any kind of concerns or symptoms, ask your gyno for an internal sono and a CA125 test. That would be a good start. Keep us posted. Hugs, Cindy

    Cindy,
    Thanks for your reply! I don't want to become a hypochondriac,but yes when you've just been through 1 cancer and treatments-you start wondering about what else and when sometimes.
    I haven't had any family history of ovarian,just breast cancer.
    I'm sorry about your mom.Fortunately I haven't lost a parent yet,though my foster mom gave me a scare last year. I had just gotten through with my treatments for bc and treated myself for everything by going to visit family in the state where I grew up. When I got there,my mom told me that she had been bleeding from her uterus. I tried not to let it show on the outside(don't know how good I was at that),but I was freaking out inside-wondering the worst. They did surgery(she had a mass)and had to do a hysterectomy, thankfully it was benign.
    I can't imagine what that was like for you.
    Thanks for taking the time to reply. It was something I could always ask my medical onc or nurse,but it's a whole nother thing to talk with someone who's been there.
    See you back on the bc board!
    Patty
  • jane65
    jane65 Member Posts: 277
    #4
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    outdoorgirl said:

    Cindy,
    Thanks for your reply! I don't want to become a hypochondriac,but yes when you've just been through 1 cancer and treatments-you start wondering about what else and when sometimes.
    I haven't had any family history of ovarian,just breast cancer.
    I'm sorry about your mom.Fortunately I haven't lost a parent yet,though my foster mom gave me a scare last year. I had just gotten through with my treatments for bc and treated myself for everything by going to visit family in the state where I grew up. When I got there,my mom told me that she had been bleeding from her uterus. I tried not to let it show on the outside(don't know how good I was at that),but I was freaking out inside-wondering the worst. They did surgery(she had a mass)and had to do a hysterectomy, thankfully it was benign.
    I can't imagine what that was like for you.
    Thanks for taking the time to reply. It was something I could always ask my medical onc or nurse,but it's a whole nother thing to talk with someone who's been there.
    See you back on the bc board!
    Patty

    outdoorgirl
    Hi,
    First of all, you're not being a hypochondriac, you're being intelligent with your health issues.

    I'm sorry you've had to deal with breast cancer, I'm BRCA2 positive and BC is a greatly increased possibility for me.

    In 2007 I began telling my internist that I felt bloated, felt full after eating just a little, I was going to urinate frequently and steadily losing weight.
    For 6 months he told me that it was probably a side affect of a medication, I was taking.

    I saw my GYN for a routine visit and he discovered the mass during an internal. He did a CA125 and a transvaginal ultrasound and I had surgery, a port installed for chemo, and was staged 4B with mets to the lymph nodes.

    If the internist had put the classic OVCA symptoms together, I would have been diagnosed and started on treatment earlier.

    I hope you stay in the best of health, and remember, knowledge is always a good thing.
    Jane
  • JanQ
    JanQ Member Posts: 236
    #5
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    symtoms
    I had no symtoms that I knew of at the time, I was going for my yrly. but now after the fact, the bloating ,tired, if I sit down I was asleep. I had always had some lower pain but didnt think alot about it. I had been to my gyn. 14 months previously and when I went back I was already stage IIIC... so it is just hard to tell.
    I had a good friend that worked with me, she had breast and was cured and like 6 months later she had ovarian, so keep a watch for sure,

    God Bless,
    Jan
  • outdoorgirl
    outdoorgirl Member Posts: 1,565
    #6
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    JanQ said:

    symtoms
    I had no symtoms that I knew of at the time, I was going for my yrly. but now after the fact, the bloating ,tired, if I sit down I was asleep. I had always had some lower pain but didnt think alot about it. I had been to my gyn. 14 months previously and when I went back I was already stage IIIC... so it is just hard to tell.
    I had a good friend that worked with me, she had breast and was cured and like 6 months later she had ovarian, so keep a watch for sure,

    God Bless,
    Jan

    Thanks guys for your replys!
    I really appreciate you responding to me.Now I know of the symptoms to watch for.
    Breast cancer was and still is "doable"for me as we like to say on the bc discussion board. I wouldn't want it back tomorrow,but I'm honestly not afraid of it anymore-until I have to go in for my mammo every year(and I'm sure you guys feel the same way with your tests and scans after treatment!).
    Come over and visit the bc board sometimes-tell them outdoorgirl sent you!
    I hope for good health for all of you as well!
  • mom of jcs
    mom of jcs Member Posts: 7
    #7
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    Cindy54 said:

    For You
    Hi Outdoor Girl, we talked on the breast cancer board before. I had no symptoms of ovarian at all. My Mom passed away from it two years ago. Exactly one year ago after I was done with the rads from the breast beast, I went for a gyno exam. They thought I had one ovary that had a cyst. So I did the CA125 blood test, and the internal and external sonogram. The CA125 was at 19, which the doctor said was okay being under 20. The sono showed the cyst. We made arrangements to have a hysterectomy, due to my Mom having had ovarian, and we were going to do it with laprascopy. Well, it became a cutting surgery and the biopsies were sent out.This was in October. They came back positive for ovarian and I had the staging surgery in December. That was the extent of any symptoms I had.

    Mom had a lot of intestinal problems. We went for all the tests except the internal sono until it was too late. She had bloating and tightness. She often said that her stomach felt like there was a lead ball inside it. She got full quickly when eating and had diahrrea a lot. Then she started losing weight. She had persistent low back pain. Headaches. Lots of heartburn. Fatigue. SHe was always, always tired. When they did the internal sono was when they found the problem. But by then she was stage IV.

    They say ovarian whispers. It mimics many other problems. And it also likes to hang out with breast cancer. Especially if there is a history in your family. It often seems like it is Chrohn's disease or a nervous stomach. I had none of those symptoms and I knew what to watch for. Yet I had a cyst that had attached to my stomach wall in a matter of a few months.

    If you are having any kind of concerns or symptoms, ask your gyno for an internal sono and a CA125 test. That would be a good start. Keep us posted. Hugs, Cindy

    what size was your cyst when you were diagnosed?
    I know this is an old post, but just wanted to find out how large your cyst was when they found it on the ultrasound?
  • dorion
    dorion Member Posts: 183
    #8
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    Love all u guys
    Again thank you to all you wonderful ladiea I was trying to remember all your names but by the time I sign in and then go to the reply...........gone out of my head.....cos I wanted to address all of you by name....what I should do is write on a peice of paper and I won't forget. But to the sweet lady that wrote about her Mom, yes please try to get her involved with this site and get to know all these wonderful women here. I would have lost my mind a long long time ago if it wasn't for them. As you see, they are always there to comne to my rescue and obviously we are here for each other.

    And thank you for the referral to that book......forgot the name but will refer back to the board. I will definately go and find it.

    To the rest of my Darlings, it's so good to hear from all of you and so wonderful to reconnect to my old friends. To let you know I am feeling back to my ole self again and back to my fight and possitive attitude. Can't crumble now eh? Came this far........but again, I couldn't have gotten through my moment of being terrified without all of you and forever I'll be grateful and love you all. Each of you are in my thoughts and prayers. I realized that I can't become conplacent in my journey with this damn disease and more importantly I can't be without you, I need you every step of the way, that includes the good, not always showing up when the tough times are here. So again thank you so much and I continue checking in everyday and I promise to be here for you too.

    Your friend always

    Linda

    P.S God bless you and our new friend with the stage 4. Good luck with your procedure and let us know how you are. So they do do surgery after chemo eh? Here they make it sound like they don't do surgery. I asked why not just go in and cut out this tumor that's blocking my bowels and eureta....no definative answere. Now I go back and kick ****!!!
  • charity73
    charity73 Member Posts: 4
    #9
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    my experience
    Not long ago my mother was diagnosed,had surgery and is already on chemo treatments. All within a month. Her symptoms were a swollen abdomen, abdominal pain after eating, Severe gas pains, abnormal blood work. Of course her cancer was not diagnosed quickly. It took over a year before being diagnosed. The cancer had matastasized into her intestins and colon. The doctors were unable to come to a conclusive diagnosis until the time of surgery. They say her abnormal numbers in the bloodwork was the only hint that it was cancer. Since mothers diagnosis I have been doing alot of research. Symptoms may vary from woman to woman. My best advice is to keep up regular check ups and pay attention to your own body. Dont always take the doctors word for it. Get second opinions, get third or fourth if you feel any type of differences in your normal body functions. My best to you and so happy to hear of your triump over breast cancer.
    God bless and stay well!

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