Bleeding has stopped

lhusband
lhusband Member Posts: 15
edited March 2014 in Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine) #1
My wife is 50 years old and has had a range from spotting to very heavy mensus vitually every day for almost years. She had an ultra sound, pap, blood tests done by GP about 3 months ago. He indicated most likely a fibroid. Other symptoms include painful and frequent urination, pain and bleeding after sex, pelvic pain, gas and bloating after meals, constipation, fatigue, look of being 3 months pregnant (bulge at lower ab), sometimes legs and ankle swell, sometimes pain just below right rib cage. She found some “miracle enzymes” on an internet sight and starting taking them about 2 weeks ago and the bleeding totally stopped, but the other symptoms continue. My fear is that these products mask the real symptoms and give a false sense of security while the real underlying problem, such as some form of cancer continues to spread. Has any one else had a similar experience? Is it possible for the bleeding to stop and it still be cancer?

Comments

  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    #2
    Hi again,

    PLEASE have a colonoscopy done. Also, PLEASE have an endometrial biopsy done.
  • groundeffect
    groundeffect Member Posts: 639 Member
    #3
    Her symptoms are truly scary to me, and the fact that the bleeding has stopped means nothing. Until she has a really good exam by a gynecologist (NOT a GP), I would not be comfortable with the fibroid scenario. I had large fibroids removed (totally unrelated to the later cancer; they were tested), and the symptoms were nothing like those of cancer.

    Here are the classic symtoms of ovarian cancer:

    Bloating
    Pelvic or abdominal pain
    Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
    Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

    Women with ovarian cancer report that symptoms are persistent and represent a change from normal for their bodies. The frequency and/or number of such symptoms are key factors in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Several studies show that even early stage ovarian cancer can produce these symptoms.

    Women who have these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks should see their doctor, preferably a gynecologist. Prompt medical evaluation may lead to detection at the earliest possible stage of the disease. Early stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis.

    Several other symptoms have been commonly reported by women with ovarian cancer. These symptoms include fatigue, indigestion, back pain, pain with intercourse, constipation and menstrual irregularities. However, these other symptoms are not as useful in identifying ovarian cancer because they are also found in equal frequency in women in the general population who do not have ovarian cancer. (this is from the National Ovarian Cancer Alliance site.)

    I just spent time with a female relative who, despite her doctor's desire to do a biopsy some months ago, has yet to make an appointment to do it. To bury your head in the sand and pretend it's not happening is just not an option. I've spent too much time with women who did not have the low stage diagnosis I had to not appreciate my good fortune, and I can't understand why a person would ignore obvious problems. I was diagnosed with fibroids for a second time just a month before my cancer diagnosis, but my overall health indicated some much more serious.
  • lhusband
    lhusband Member Posts: 15
    #4
    kmygil said:

    Hi again,

    PLEASE have a colonoscopy done. Also, PLEASE have an endometrial biopsy done.

    Thanks again, Kmygil. I am make little or no progress with this stubborn gal.
  • lhusband
    lhusband Member Posts: 15
    #5
    groundeffect said:

    Her symptoms are truly scary to me, and the fact that the bleeding has stopped means nothing. Until she has a really good exam by a gynecologist (NOT a GP), I would not be comfortable with the fibroid scenario. I had large fibroids removed (totally unrelated to the later cancer; they were tested), and the symptoms were nothing like those of cancer.

    Here are the classic symtoms of ovarian cancer:

    Bloating
    Pelvic or abdominal pain
    Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
    Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

    Women with ovarian cancer report that symptoms are persistent and represent a change from normal for their bodies. The frequency and/or number of such symptoms are key factors in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Several studies show that even early stage ovarian cancer can produce these symptoms.

    Women who have these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks should see their doctor, preferably a gynecologist. Prompt medical evaluation may lead to detection at the earliest possible stage of the disease. Early stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis.

    Several other symptoms have been commonly reported by women with ovarian cancer. These symptoms include fatigue, indigestion, back pain, pain with intercourse, constipation and menstrual irregularities. However, these other symptoms are not as useful in identifying ovarian cancer because they are also found in equal frequency in women in the general population who do not have ovarian cancer. (this is from the National Ovarian Cancer Alliance site.)

    I just spent time with a female relative who, despite her doctor's desire to do a biopsy some months ago, has yet to make an appointment to do it. To bury your head in the sand and pretend it's not happening is just not an option. I've spent too much time with women who did not have the low stage diagnosis I had to not appreciate my good fortune, and I can't understand why a person would ignore obvious problems. I was diagnosed with fibroids for a second time just a month before my cancer diagnosis, but my overall health indicated some much more serious.

    Thanks groundeffect. The relief was short lived, maybe a couple weeks and most of the symptoms have returned. She is still in denial.
  • MoeKay
    MoeKay Member Posts: 495 Member
    #6
    Only you know whether there is anything more that might work to get your wife to obtain the medical care she needs to properly diagnose and treat her symptoms. No one can make another competent adult seek appropriate medical care against her will. I have heard of other similar situations to yours where an individual refused to acknowledge or deal with potentially serious medical issues that the spouse ultimately backed off from trying to control the situation and just requested that their partner be sure to have any life insurance policies updated so that the the children could be provided for in the future. I wish you the best of luck and certainly don't envy your current situation.

    MoeKay
  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    #7
    lhusband said:

    Thanks again, Kmygil. I am make little or no progress with this stubborn gal.

    Hi again,

    Have you shown your wife this site with the responses? I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that she take care of business! Ask her if she would ignore an abcessed tooth or a sore that wouldn't heal. This is the same thing, only deadlier if it goes on too long. Use every weapon in your arsenal to encourage her to do the screenings. Best of luck and God bless!
  • lhusband
    lhusband Member Posts: 15
    #8
    kmygil said:

    Hi again,

    Have you shown your wife this site with the responses? I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that she take care of business! Ask her if she would ignore an abcessed tooth or a sore that wouldn't heal. This is the same thing, only deadlier if it goes on too long. Use every weapon in your arsenal to encourage her to do the screenings. Best of luck and God bless!

    Oh my kmygil, I have pages and pages of responses I have shared with her: yours, and many others. I spent several hours filling out a comprehensive questionare on Diagnos Me. They sent back a huge report that gave about a 40% chance of EC based on her symptoms, and even higher risk of breast cancer. I have had a doctor review these symptoms at another site and he recommended the immediate attention of an Gyn. I have responses of at least 5 forums like this one from at least 10 people with similar experiences. My wife has talked about her problems with her sister, who read an article in the paper about ovarian cancer. Her sister called and told her that her symptoms were a perfect match to the article and she better see a Gyn. It is not for lack of trying or for her not having the information she needs to make an intelligent decision. Thank you so much for your response. You are right on the money.
  • lhusband
    lhusband Member Posts: 15
    #9
    MoeKay said:

    Only you know whether there is anything more that might work to get your wife to obtain the medical care she needs to properly diagnose and treat her symptoms. No one can make another competent adult seek appropriate medical care against her will. I have heard of other similar situations to yours where an individual refused to acknowledge or deal with potentially serious medical issues that the spouse ultimately backed off from trying to control the situation and just requested that their partner be sure to have any life insurance policies updated so that the the children could be provided for in the future. I wish you the best of luck and certainly don't envy your current situation.

    MoeKay

    Thanks MoeKay, You bring up some good points and I have thought about the possibility of the worst outcome. I am thankful that my kids are nearly grown, and that I do not have to worry about raising them alone. I am also thankful that my wife can carry on a somewhat normal life right now, but that could all change soon. I don't know if it will be too late by the time that the symptoms affect her ability to function daily or not. She seems to get better for awhile, then hope is diminished when they go the other way. I don't know if this is typical for these issues to increase and decrease as the thing progresses? She has not seen a doctor since March or so, and as many of the stories I have read, he did not communicate enough sense of urgency that she be further evaluated beyond his exam.
  • tlva
    tlva Member Posts: 56
    #10
    lhusband said:

    Thanks MoeKay, You bring up some good points and I have thought about the possibility of the worst outcome. I am thankful that my kids are nearly grown, and that I do not have to worry about raising them alone. I am also thankful that my wife can carry on a somewhat normal life right now, but that could all change soon. I don't know if it will be too late by the time that the symptoms affect her ability to function daily or not. She seems to get better for awhile, then hope is diminished when they go the other way. I don't know if this is typical for these issues to increase and decrease as the thing progresses? She has not seen a doctor since March or so, and as many of the stories I have read, he did not communicate enough sense of urgency that she be further evaluated beyond his exam.

    God bless you for trying so desperately to get your wife to the doctor. I communicated with you in your earlier quest for info and didn't want to scare you but maybe this will help her understand the urgency of being evaluated.

    My radiation oncologist had also been my mother's doctor before she died of lung cancer 14 years ago. I knew that his wife had died...at age 50...shortly before I consulted with him for my treatment. After several appointments and establishing a friendship with him, I got the courage to ask how she had died.

    She had died of a "non specific primary cancer of the pelvis". The reason it was non specific, was because by the time she was diagnosed, the cancer had involved everything to the point that they could no longer tell what the primary cancer had been. Rather ovarian, uterine, cervical or vaginal. She had only low back pain for a symptom and had complete metastatic cancer upon diagnosis.

    She left behind 20, 17 and 15 year old children and a devastated husband. They went everywhere for treatment and she entered several studies to no avail.

    She is my guardian angel, as her husband has made sure that he has me covered and informed if anything new comes down the tubes for followup.

    Please remind your wife that I also had endometrial cancer that I had absolutely no symptoms of. I only had an irregular pap at my annual appointment that my doctor kept after to make sure I was okay. We were all shocked to find that I had cancer, but I am healthy now and my gynecology oncologist told me the other day that he would see me in a year!!!!!

    You still have all my prayers going for you and your wife that she does not have cancer, but please go to a specialist!!!!!
  • lhusband
    lhusband Member Posts: 15
    #11
    tlva said:

    God bless you for trying so desperately to get your wife to the doctor. I communicated with you in your earlier quest for info and didn't want to scare you but maybe this will help her understand the urgency of being evaluated.

    My radiation oncologist had also been my mother's doctor before she died of lung cancer 14 years ago. I knew that his wife had died...at age 50...shortly before I consulted with him for my treatment. After several appointments and establishing a friendship with him, I got the courage to ask how she had died.

    She had died of a "non specific primary cancer of the pelvis". The reason it was non specific, was because by the time she was diagnosed, the cancer had involved everything to the point that they could no longer tell what the primary cancer had been. Rather ovarian, uterine, cervical or vaginal. She had only low back pain for a symptom and had complete metastatic cancer upon diagnosis.

    She left behind 20, 17 and 15 year old children and a devastated husband. They went everywhere for treatment and she entered several studies to no avail.

    She is my guardian angel, as her husband has made sure that he has me covered and informed if anything new comes down the tubes for followup.

    Please remind your wife that I also had endometrial cancer that I had absolutely no symptoms of. I only had an irregular pap at my annual appointment that my doctor kept after to make sure I was okay. We were all shocked to find that I had cancer, but I am healthy now and my gynecology oncologist told me the other day that he would see me in a year!!!!!

    You still have all my prayers going for you and your wife that she does not have cancer, but please go to a specialist!!!!!

    Thank you again, Tammy. I do remember you from my previous posting. I still beleive that there is an immediate need for further evaluation, but for the past couple of weeks my wifes symptoms have subsided a bit. This, I am afraid has given her a false sense of security. I have seen this cycle occur a few times over the past year, that she gets better, then worse again. As I had stated, she found some "magic cure" suppliment that she attributes to making her feel better. The only symptom that seems to stay is a dull pain under her right rib, and either daily discharge or spotting which she now calls incontinence. I think now that the only thing that will wake her up is if there is a major change in her symptoms, but then it may be too late, if not already.

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