No bloating and pain?

Cecee3
Cecee3 Member Posts: 1
edited March 2022 in Ovarian Cancer #1

Hello. I apologize for posting questions - I'm sure this is asked a lot. I've spent the last 2 days reading through posts here and I'm finding that most had symptoms of bloating and pain prior to diagnosis. I'm desperate for help and I've been passed from doctor to doctor. I'm going to a second GI doctor this week. They all want to run painful tests and prescribe medication to "try and see if it helps" that makes my symptoms worse.  My GP referred me to an ob/gyn. I explained my problems.  She did a quick feel on my abdomen and sent me on my way.  I was diagnosed with skin cancer earlier this year. I had it removed and have been on a topical chemo cream since. June I started losing my appetite and getting waves of nausea. We paused the chemo cream thinking it *may* be the cause and because I dropped 5 lbs quickly. I was 150lbs and now (3.5mo later) sit at 125lbs...still dealing with no appetite, nausea, and feeling nauseously full after barely eating. I don't think I've had any pains either. 

 

Disclaimer: I don't know that I fully understand what bloating is. I asked my doctor if it was feeling full without eating and she said yes.  So, I have felt that sometimes... almost like my stomach is hard (not all the time though) .  But what yall describe sounds like a full distended belly.  With my weight loss, I have a flatter belly (but I would say I have a little fatty pooch).  Is bloating the tell tale of ovarian cancer?  Sorry again for dragging on and rambling. I'm just tired of medicine being thrown at me, causing constipation and more nausea ...and being told "everything looks ok" on my cbc bloodwork and gallbladder ultrasound - so I must be ok. Why do I feel so sick though??!  :(  I've decided to take my health in my own hands and figure this out!!  I realise this "could be a lot of different stuff" (including non cancer diagnoses), but I'm approaching this one thing at a time. Thank you for your help.

 

Comments

  • SandyWL
    SandyWL Member Posts: 1 *
    #2
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/324194/no-bloating-and-pain

    I just joined this group and see that your post was several months ago, I hope things are going better now. I would be sure to see an Oncologist GYN specialist, they specialize in gynecological cancers.

  • soundsaroja
    soundsaroja Member Posts: 15 Member
    #3

    As mentioned in previous post its better to consult a specialist. From our experience bloating , also called ascites, came all of a sudden and they usually drain it and send it for test to find if there are any cancer cells. This bloating was accompanied by a nausea and lost appetite. But apparently this may also happen due to other benign causes which in our case was unfortunately not. What about your ca125 levels?..

    Better consult a doctor...

  • MCavelli
    MCavelli Member Posts: 13 Member
    #4

    My presenting symptoms were abdominal/digestive. Modest pain near my navel November 2020. Ruled out ulcer (h. Pylori), but placed on Omeprazole trial for six weeks. Developed excessive gas, but advised to ignore it. When issues didn’t resolve (and gastric distress became associated with episodes of heart palpitations) I was referred to a GI specialist, but because of a Covid backlog, it took 8 weeks to get in. Ruled out celiac disease, lactose intolerance and the like. Started me in the summer of 2021 on a low FODMAP diet which I adhered to for several months—while slowly dropping weight. When, in late October, I began experiencing pain in my lower left quadrant that didn’t resolve, I went back to my primary provider (I couldn’t get in soon enough with my GI); primary got me in for a CT scan that same afternoon. Everyone was shocked by the results. Needle biopsy confirmed scan. Fortunately for me, a neighbor was 18 months post OC diagnosis and shared info about her treatment and gynecological oncologist. Her onc made me get the CA-125 test before agreeing to see me, while everyone else was still trying to figure out where to send me in the midst of the pandemic. So it took a year to get the diagnosis. But gyn oncology was the key in all of this.

    As for bloating, I ve always construed that as when my intestines feel full of gas/air. That’s different than the full feeling you have when your intestines are backed up with unpassed stool. When it’s my stomach that feels full, I’ve always characterized that as dyspepsia. I think ascites is specific to the fluid build up in tissues associated with the growing cancer. I think it’s associated with later stage cancers.

    you don’t say if you’re high risk for OC. I was but never recognized it. Nor did my providers. Ask if they’ll refer you for a CA125. It’s a cheap blood draw. It’s not necessarily conclusive, but can’t hurt. So wish they had done that with me early last year.

  • JennieW
    JennieW Member Posts: 2 Member
    #5

    I let my bloating and abdominal pain go for a few months and then one night it was strong so I called an online nurse who told me to go straight to the E.R. I thought she was crazy -- the emergency room for bloating? I realize now how blessed I was. 1. I'm sure she knew that there was a high likelihood of it being ovarian cancer at my age and with that symptom and 2. They gave me all the tests right there right away (first a sonogram then the CT scan that showed the tumor.) Had I gone to a regular doctor it would have taken months more of them "ruling things out" while my tumor grew. Given the sad state of our medical system, with insurance companies trying to deny every test they can, I urge all of my women friends to go to the E.R. if they are over 40 and experience abdominal pain and bloating that doesn't subside in a few days. My cancer was caught at Stage 2B and I am so grateful to now be fully healed and recovered. Don't give up! And consider going to the emergency room.

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