Ca125 and CEA And Terrified

Hello TruRed:

The first thing you need to do is breathe!   You must be beside yourself.  Waiting for the unknown.  You probably feel like screaming, crying.  Thats all normal.   But whether or not it does come back cancer, it doesn't mean you need to fall apart.   You are the same person you were last week and will be the same person next week.   Deal with the issue at hand.   Keep yourself busy.  I know this is sooooo hard to do.  Every time the phone rings your heart jumps.   No one else knows what you are feeling or going through but know that you have this site to vent.   We have been through this.  It is terrifying - but it is doable.

Please vent here during the week.  It helps to write it down.  Get it out of your head.

Sending you thoughts and prayers,

Kathy

TruRed said:

Thank you Kathy for the

Thank you Kathy for the encouraging words! 

That is what I feel and yet feel guilty because so many here have the diagnosis and I do not. I am just surprisingly scared. 

 

Don't feel guilty.   This is the right place.  Everyone here is nice and have been in the same spot at one time or another.   

Sending you hugs.

Kathy

Dear TruRed,

I love the color of your hair. I am 59 years old and five years ago thought I was going through menopause as I was having lighter to no periods over a 9 month timeframe. I wasn't mad about that. But an annual checkup addressed my question and my doctor said, well lets do a blood test to see what your hormone levels reveal.  Well, the results came back I was in Peri-menopause and not fully menopausal. She put me on the Pill to get me started on my period again (ugh) but when the 6-9 month rx ran out. The periods ended and again I checked in with her. I was chubby so a swelly belly or other symptoms was hard to dx as anything abnormal signs regarding lumps or bumps can be so vague and subtle as reports have stated. So she decided to run another blood test and run a CA-125.  CA=cancer-125 measures a protein of sorts that the cancer cells sluff off (my words) a normal reading is 0 to 35.

Mine came back at 70. Not alarming and some results are not super accurate. Some women need a second test and the readings can be well above 70 into the hundreds.

A vaginal untrasound revealed an enlarged ovary or perhaps a fibroid tumor, both of which could be benign. Then a CT scan which revealed it was on or in my left ovary and to be safe my obgyn suggested surgery but via an ob/gyn oncologist in case cancer was found they would have the ability to biopsy and remove while I was in surgery with their expertise (thereby avoiding 2 surgeries). I went in unconcerned and not fearful, because I never felt ill or sick and knew the possibilities could be:

1) Benign fibroid or tumor

2) Maglignant but very early stages                                my faith played a huge role in having peace and the process

3) Advance stages with aggressive treatments to cure

Woke up from the surgery more grateful that I was not nauseous since it was an open abdominal surgery. Then the news that it was cancer and that they are staging the lymph nodes and biopsied area tissues after an abdominal washing to be able to stage it. Later on it was staged at 1A (between 1ABC 2ABC 3ABC 4ABC and then there are substages which describe how advanced and type of cancer or malignancy it is. I had epthilial cell carcinoma of the left ovary the size of a cantalope or those small watermelons. She removed my omentum a layer of fatty tissue that serves as a drape under the skin but over the lower abdomen, cervix, uterius, tubes, and ovaries. 2 1/2 days in hospital, I went home.  A consult with an oncologist suggested to be safe 3 treatments of carbo-platinum and Taxal over 8 weeks.  Was not sick, mild bone aches, lost hair after the first treatment but did not loose eyebrows or eyelashes. I did not realize I could qualify for temperoary disability starting the day of the surgery, a good thing to note until all treatments and procedures and doctors ok me to return to work or return to pursue --whatever.  Another amazing blog Hyster-Sister shared she had an incisional hernia about 6 months after her open hysterectomy surgery. And almost to the day just to the left of my incision near my belllie button I discovered a buldge, soreness and sure enough it was an incisional hernia and needed to pursue a repair of that. It's been 6 years or so and now with monthly CA-125's within the 1st six months, then every 3 months, then every six months and now annually. The levels decreased down to 17 then 13, then 6, then 3, then -0-. Recently, it shows 4.5 but again normal is 0-30, so I don't get excited until it closes in on 70 or higher. Now with these 3 -lesions of a recent CT scan I wonder?? Again, if you can share your earlier symptoms, tests and how you were diagnosed with peritoneal cancer, it may help me pursue mine and get approval when I appeal for a PET scan which I assume you have had or will soon have.

It is ok to be scared of the unknown, so many help sites and support groups....take advantage of them as some folks --friends, etc. don't know what to say or appropriately respond. And sometimes you end of comforting them when it's you who needs the comfort and calm. It's ok to tell them what you need (just be there for me, or I need a ride, or ....... it's about you now, it's your time and pace yourself as it may be a long journey but growth and healing no matter the result will always be part of your journey. You are not alone, you did nothing wrong, you don't deserve this, but God is good and can create wisdom from our wounds. I am here if you want to connect further. Jayne

you've come to the right place for we all know how terrifying waiting for results can be. We'll be here waiting to hear your news and continue to be here if you need us. Best of luck....    (((( hugs)))) Maria

TruRed said:

Negative

I am so blessed as my surgery was Monday and several cysts and both ovaries removed. Dr office called and lab results came back negative for cancer. 

Thank you all for the support when I was so scared! Everyone of you is such a Positive spirit. God Bless You! 

I am so happy for you!    Now take a deep breath and breathe!    

Hugs!!!!

Kathy