I don't want my wife to get misdiagnosed, advice please

SharonVegas
SharonVegas Member Posts: 189
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Got some new news yesterday regarding my wife. She has had right side pain for a couple of months but has been busy taking care of me and with work so she put off seeing a doctor. She got an ultrasound yesterday and the ultrasound guy said she had a 1 1/2 inch cyst on her liver but not to worry because it looks like a liquid filled cyst which is pretty common. He said it didn't "look" like cancer. She searched the internet and assures me that it's common. I was misdaignosed for about a year before the doctors found my colon cancer. I don't want her to waste precious time getting the run around. Does anyone have any advice on what she should ask her primary care doctor to test for? I'm not saying the lady is incompetent but it doesn't hurt to throw a few ideas out to her. I posted on the Liver cancer discussion board also. I have my regularly scheduled appointment with my oncologist on Tuesday (chemo day) and we are going to get us thoughts. Call me parinoid but I don't want to make the same mistake twice.
Thank you all for your advice,
Ron

Comments

  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #2
    Best to check
    I would think that a CT with contrast should be able to give you and your wife a better picture.

    Praying that it is something of little concern.

    Marie who loves kitties
  • jasminsaba
    jasminsaba Member Posts: 157 Member
    #3
    I don't mean to alarm you ...
    hemangiomas and cysts are quite common ... especially in females and more specifically in peri and post menopausal women.

    With that said, I would encourage you and your wife to seek further studies ... don't mean to alarm you but exactly one month, to the day, prior to my mom's diagnosis, she had an abdominal ultrasound for inexplicable abdominal pain ... the only finding was a small 7mm lesion which was reported as "likely to be hemangioma" by the radiologist.

    One month later, she had a colonoscopy which found a small tumor in her sigmoid colon which was followed by CTs and MRI which both confirmed that the 7mm hemangioma was likely to be something a bit more sinister ... a biopsy confirmed it to be a met.

    I will forever KICK MYSELF for not having pushed harder to learn more about that hemangioma ... I hold her PCP solely responsible for being dumb enough to miss the correlation between her pain, her age, this ultrasound and her actual illness.

    All the best to you and your wife.
  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #4
    If it was me,
    I would push for further testing just to confirm that it is, indeed, nothing to worry about. I was misdiagnosed for months by multiple doctors, including a GI specialist who assured me that I didn't need a colonoscopy. I'm a little jaded when it comes to doctors, I think. Good luck~Ann Alexandria
  • Chelsea71
    Chelsea71 Member Posts: 1,169 Member
    #5
    I have done extensive
    I have done extensive research on liver lesions, due to my husbands new development. Based on my readings I would say it's nothing to worry about. Cysts, hemangiomas etc are very common. Persue the issue until your completely comfortable with it. You don't want to have any regrets. I understand exactly what you mean. My husband and I have learned the hard way that just because a specialist says, "It's okay. Nothing to worry about." does not mean there isn't a problem. Doctors can be wrong. I think it's fine. Don't worry. Your onc will likely put your mind at ease.

    Take care,

    Chelsea
  • SharonVegas
    SharonVegas Member Posts: 189
    #6
    Thank you all for your
    Thank you all for your replies. And a special thank you Jasmin for sharing the story about your Mother. It's nice to have a place where we can share experiences, lend an ear, and provide support. My wife has had intensinal problems for quite some time which she manages with her own potions. Time for that colonscopy.
    My best to you all,
    Ron
  • Farm Girl
    Farm Girl Member Posts: 17
    #7
    SharonVegas said:

    Thank you all for your
    Thank you all for your replies. And a special thank you Jasmin for sharing the story about your Mother. It's nice to have a place where we can share experiences, lend an ear, and provide support. My wife has had intensinal problems for quite some time which she manages with her own potions. Time for that colonscopy.
    My best to you all,
    Ron

    Hello Ron
    I am so sorry to hear that your wife is now facing some health issues. How are you doing on the Zaltrap? Update on my sister...Is having her 5th treatment Monday..Her last Cea increase slightly and she became very depressed hoping that this new Zaltrap was the answer..Last week she started with really bad rectal pain and thought maybe she obstructed. Her oncologist ordered a pelvic scan right away only to find out the she has a fistula and that is probably why the increase in the CEA level. I am taking that as good news until her other scans in January. Other than some constipation post treamtent she looks great. I hope you are doing well on this drug as well. I feel so lucky to have found this board for my sister..Please let your wife know that I will be thinking of her... Belinda
  • SharonVegas
    SharonVegas Member Posts: 189
    #8
    Well we talked to my onc
    Well we talked to my onc today. BTW I had treatment number five of 5FU + Zaltrap and my CEA dropped to 100 from 209 a few months ago. Good news.
    My poor wife cried for no other reason than she has a hard time asking for help. She's a strong woman but the past few years have been hard on her. She was kinda hesitant to ask our onc to take a look at her stuff but he was nice enough and did. She is the caretaker and is not used to asking for help, it takes all she has so it's emotionally exhausting she says. He said he sees liver cysts all the time and her blood work looks good. He really thought it was nothing but for our own peace of mind, he suggested she might ask for a CT of abdomen and pelvis with and without contrast. We will ask :-)

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