Did any of you have a problem convincing your GYN something was wrong?

savvywoman
savvywoman Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
I posted a couple of weeks back when I first went to my GYN about the problems I was having. I originally went to see her for abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, painful bowel movements, and persistent nausea. At that time the nausea was of least concern to me. Now it has become so pronounced that it is my primary concern and I've now lost over 10 pounds in the last 2 weeks because I can't eat much.

Since my first visit to the GYN I've had a sonogram which showed a small cyst (probably functional) but there are growths on the outside of my ovaries. I was told they could be scar tissue or endometriosis. I did previously have my uterus removed about 2 years ago for fibroid tumors and endometriosis. I also had a slightly elevated CA125. It was right at 25 which for this particular test is the threshold for abnormal. In other words, if it had been 24 it would have been considered normal. That is up from 17 a year ago.

At my GYN's insistent I had a EGD and a Colonoscopy done. The results of that found nothing to explain the problems I"m having other then a Hiatal Hernia which the Gastroentologist said would not explain any of my symptoms other than the occasional acid reflux I've been experiencing.

Anyway, my GYN now wants to remove my ovaries. She doesn't think there is any validity to my concern about the possibility that I may have ovarian cancer and that a laparoscopy could cause it to metastasizes if not done by someone trained in oncology. My gut is telling me I should go to an oncologist and have them make a decision on whether I should be concerned or not. I'm having trouble getting a referral though and when I spoke with an oncologist office they said an initial consultation could run into the thousands of dollars since they would want to run test. They suggested I go directly to my insurance company to request the referral. Did any of you have a problem like this with your GYN?

Some of my family is starting to get inpatient with my insistence that something is wrong and I'm afraid that if I insist on the oncologist and it turns out to be a false alarm no one in my family will ever take me seriously again. I'm also afraid if I don't it could be a death sentence. I have two small girls to raise. This has already been going on for several months. The nausea is getting worse and I'm not getting any answers that make sense to me.

Comments

  • imoan
    imoan Member Posts: 7
    #2
    Hi there,
    Just read your email & i feel that as a survivor of Ovarian Cancer I must reply. My symptoms were very similar to yours. The Drs. were not listening to me. It took 8-9 months for the cancer to be discovered. It is not a silent disease, it does wisper. But you must listen & act. Do not be embarrassed by your family. It is your LIFE. You must see a GYN Oncologist. They look at the symptoms with very different eyes. Just taking out the ovaries does not necessarily eliminate the occurance of Ovarian cancer. Ovarian cells still remain in your body. You need a transvaginal Ultrasound, a pelvic exam & a rectal exam plus a CT scan. You just have to insist. Go for it. Let me know,Imoan
  • jamilou
    jamilou Member Posts: 200
    #3
    Good luck with your Doctor. If your family gives you a hard time have them read some of this website. We all know that the symptoms can be subtle and a good doctor can help diagnose the trouble whether it is ovarian cancer or not. I will be thinking of you and hoping for a good result.
    Jami
  • groundeffect
    groundeffect Member Posts: 639 Member
    #4
    I remember your previous posting, and still find your ob/gyn's reluctance to recognize the possibility of OVCA amazing. I would go so far to say that if your ob/gyn doesn't refer you and you do go to the insurance company, try to get a gynecologic oncologist that is not affiliated with your ob/gyn in any way. Your records belong to you, and you can request they be sent to another doctor, or you can carry them yourself.

    I really think you should have a consultation with a gynecologic oncologist, and that you should talk to your insurance company if your ob/gyn is reluctant to refer you! You're the customer of your ob/gyn, and your insurance company, and the insurance company has a lot to lose (the almighty $$$) if you are diagnosed with ovarian cancer - the worse it is, the more $$ they lose.

    Please talk to your insurance company-if they want you to see a gynecologic oncologist, it should help quiet any family doubts.

    I agree with Jami-have any doubters read some of the postings on this website (Personal Web Pages tell the stories, too). All doctors can't know all things. I'm very grateful that both my family practice doctor and ob/gyn stuck with me until my diagnosis-I saw them both many times between tests and my surgery.

    You should probably consider finding another ob/gyn, in any case. It doesn't sound like you have a very good relationship with her.
  • savvywoman
    savvywoman Member Posts: 5
    #5
    You should probably consider finding another ob/gyn, in any case. It doesn't sound like you have a very good relationship with her.

    Thanks everyone for all the replies. I'm coming to the above conclusion myself. She's alway been a bit testy but I never really worried about it before. I just figured it was a personality trait. However, after speaking with my sister in law who was diagnoised with breast cancer a bit over a year ago I have decided to change GYN's ASAP. My sister in law used to go to my GYN but had trouble with her not going along with her oncologist treatment methods after the diagnois was confirmed. I have an apointment with her (my GYN)for the 14th to discuss treatment options and I'm going to insist on the referal at that time. If she refushes I'm going to talk to the insurance about it directly. Then I'm going to go looking for a new GYN. Unfortunately, we have a shortage of them around her and many aren't even accepted new patients. That makes switching difficult and its why I never really did it before. I now think its imperative I do. I do appreciate all the support here. Its the only place I've found to get some answers while I'm going through this.

    I should get my pathology report from the gastroentologist by the end of next week. I'm anxious to see if any thing comes of it. I'm suppose to call him (the gastroentologist) tommorow for a personal chat to see what he thinks I should do next. Perhaps I'll have some more answers then.
  • lapdog122005
    lapdog122005 Member Posts: 1
    #6
    savvywoman said:

    You should probably consider finding another ob/gyn, in any case. It doesn't sound like you have a very good relationship with her.

    Thanks everyone for all the replies. I'm coming to the above conclusion myself. She's alway been a bit testy but I never really worried about it before. I just figured it was a personality trait. However, after speaking with my sister in law who was diagnoised with breast cancer a bit over a year ago I have decided to change GYN's ASAP. My sister in law used to go to my GYN but had trouble with her not going along with her oncologist treatment methods after the diagnois was confirmed. I have an apointment with her (my GYN)for the 14th to discuss treatment options and I'm going to insist on the referal at that time. If she refushes I'm going to talk to the insurance about it directly. Then I'm going to go looking for a new GYN. Unfortunately, we have a shortage of them around her and many aren't even accepted new patients. That makes switching difficult and its why I never really did it before. I now think its imperative I do. I do appreciate all the support here. Its the only place I've found to get some answers while I'm going through this.

    I should get my pathology report from the gastroentologist by the end of next week. I'm anxious to see if any thing comes of it. I'm suppose to call him (the gastroentologist) tommorow for a personal chat to see what he thinks I should do next. Perhaps I'll have some more answers then.

    I know how you feel. I will not go into details but I did have and am still having problems with doctors who refuse to believe that I know my own body. I had to yell, scream and rant and rave to get anything done. I am still doing that about another problem. I do have cervical cancer and am undergoing treatment finally. It took 5 months to get diagnosed. Keep up the fight and let us know what happens. I wish you the best.
  • murphysmom
    murphysmom Member Posts: 1
    #7
    jamilou said:

    Good luck with your Doctor. If your family gives you a hard time have them read some of this website. We all know that the symptoms can be subtle and a good doctor can help diagnose the trouble whether it is ovarian cancer or not. I will be thinking of you and hoping for a good result.
    Jami

    Thankfully, I did not have trouble with my doctor. My only symptom was increasing incontinence but I had a gut feeling that things were just not right, bloated and unable to suck my stomach in, like things just weren't in the right place. My doctor did listen. She said maybe a fybroid which I had had for years had grown, pressing on my bladder. She ordered a sonogram and found no fybroid but a cyst on my right ovary and recommended a full hysterectomy since it looked like endemetriosis and I'd probably get more and I was heading towards menopause anyway (53). Noone was thinking cancer but I privately was. My gut feeling saved my life. I had cancer stage 1-C and went through 6 rounds of chemo. It is rarely found this early and the doctors didn't expect it for a second. So please perservere. I think our gut feelings are the first sign of this silent cancer. Good luck!

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