Ovaries

confused1

I have stage 4 colon cancer. It has metastisized into my lung's, liver and now ovaries. By the cat scan's it has been going away in my lung and liver but is growing on my ovaries. They say that the ovaries should be as big as almond's but that mine are as big as gratefruits. And the doctor say's they don't want to take them out unless they are giving me pain. Which they aren't I just look like I 9 months pregnant amd I have a problem that when I cough I go to the bathroom in my pants. Which they said that that would cause that. All they want to do Is change my chemo to zap the ovaries and hopefully it will take care of my lung's and liver. My question to u guy's is don't u think you'd want to take the ovaries out since they are so large. It just seem's like the doctor's don't know what they are talking about lately. In input on this would help.
Thanks Colleen Wilkie

kimby

Ovaries
This is at the very, very least a quality of life issue. I would go immediately for a second opinion, or third, or 100th. Find a NCI cancer center and RUN for another opinion.

And, this is just my opinion.

Kimby

msccolon

I agree with Kimby
get a second opinion! My last recurrence was on my ovaries; when I got in for surgery, the tumor on my right ovary was the size of a soccer ball! If you're looking 9 months pregnant, that is probably from ascites (fluid in your abdomen); ask your onc if they can drain it and get you some relief! I would definitely want those ovaries OUT! But again, it's just my opinion and i'm no doctor!
mary

krystiesq

baby making kit
If you don't need it, get it out. I agree, go see second, third opinion docs at a major cancer center. Good luck.

rwkeach

Please go slowly and thoughtfully
Hi Colleen,
I too had a metastasis, but on one ovary only. I spoke with two gynecologists and both assured me that it would not change my life if I had a complete hysterectomy. I was too old for kids, so no problem there. I specifically asked about libido (because this was important to me) and was asured by both drs that nothing would change, so I went ahead with the total hysterectomy. If I had known the truth, how truly devastating the loss of estrogen was, I would have probably opted to take my chances with one ovary. I am very angry at the lies I was told, but it's too late for that. My sex drive is nonexistent, I can't get over the hotflashes and feel pretty miserable mentally about this. This of course is my story but if I could do it again I might do it differently. Talk to as many drs as you can, maybe somebody can offer something better than being neutered.
Regine

traci43

get a 2nd opinion
When I was first diagnosed I had huge ovary (5 lbs) and so I had surgery thinking it was ovarian cancer. Turns out they found the colon cancer (1 in tumor) during surgery. I also had mets to the omentum. Nothing in liver or lungs. I've since had one recurrence with mets to pericolic fat, still nothing in the liver or lungs.

When you have mets to liver or lungs it's generally via the lymph system. When you have mets to the peritoneum it's generally through the fluid found in the abdomen. The cancer cells are sloughed off and float through the abdomen until they find somewhere to land - in your case the ovary. This causes ascites and is likely the reason you feel 9 months pregnant - your abdomen is filling with fluid. My ascites (total almost 6 liters)caused a pleural effusion (fluid aroung the lungs) making breathing painful.

Definitely go for a second opinion, find a doctor that knows the difference between the two modes of transport. Good luck to you, Traci

CherylHutch

rwkeach said:

Please go slowly and thoughtfully
Hi Colleen,
I too had a metastasis, but on one ovary only. I spoke with two gynecologists and both assured me that it would not change my life if I had a complete hysterectomy. I was too old for kids, so no problem there. I specifically asked about libido (because this was important to me) and was asured by both drs that nothing would change, so I went ahead with the total hysterectomy. If I had known the truth, how truly devastating the loss of estrogen was, I would have probably opted to take my chances with one ovary. I am very angry at the lies I was told, but it's too late for that. My sex drive is nonexistent, I can't get over the hotflashes and feel pretty miserable mentally about this. This of course is my story but if I could do it again I might do it differently. Talk to as many drs as you can, maybe somebody can offer something better than being neutered.
Regine

Geez Regine! How could your
Geez Regine! How could your doctors have missed something so incredibly well-documented?? You don't even need to be a doctor to wonder... if you remove the two ovaries, the part of the body that produces the most estrogen hormones, then obviously there is going to be some kind of reaction to this. The fact that a complete hysterectomy will throw you into immediate menopause... that has GOT to have some kind of effect on you and your life. For those who go into natural menopause, over time, I'm not saying the symptoms are any easier to handle, but the body has had some time to adjust to the changes as they happen. Surgical menopause, you are fine prior to the surgery and then when you wake up, boom, you are in full-blown menopause... and the gynies figure this wouldn't have any impact on your life??

I'm not sure when this happened to you but if you are still suffering major menopausal symptoms, you might want to look at talking to your doctor about some kind of estrogen therapy to ease the symptoms so your body can adjust at a slower pace.

I was put on C.E.S. which is a plant (soya) based estrogen therapy while I was still in the hospital after the hysterectomy surgery. I only recently weaned myself off of it and so far (knock on wood) I have absolutely no return of the menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, mood swings, dryness, etc). I probably was on them a lot longer than I needed to be (my surgery was in 2001)... but lucky me, I never have had to suffer the nastiness of menopause symptoms

Hugggggs,

Cheryl

PS: I weaned myself off of them because I figure I'm on enough meds.. the ones that aren't really necessary, I want to get off of. Mind you NEVER EVER just decide to stop meds. If you are on them, then you were put on for a reason, and if you want off of them, then do so with your doctor's supervision, just in case it may have an effect with other meds you are on.

Madre

get them out if you don't need them
I had a complete hystectomy before I was diagnosed with cancer. doc said if I didn't have them out then that I'd porbably have cancer there too. I started with cyst on my overies that were painful when they reuptured and then spread endometreosis everywhere (cause for hysterectomy)If you are that swollen an dyou are up to surgery I would have them removed, why give the cancer more to feed on, Definately get a second opinion.