What were your symptoms of Ovarian Cancer?

emptyboxcars
emptyboxcars Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
I was recently diagnosed with Stage I Bladder Cancer. However, my pain began with ovarian pain. When I saw the gynecologist in April 2009 (ovarian pain began around October 2008), they did an u/s and said that the left ovary (where my pain was) had numerous cysts that were unidentified and my right ovary had hemorraghic cysts. She said that the cysts looked like they were in the process of resolving and that I should be fine. I had an annual appt. a few months later whereby the gyn. said the ovaries felt and looked (tothe naked eye) fine. The gyn. suspected I had interstitial cystisis (bladder problem) even though I said my ovaries STILL hurt and that most likely my cysts were still in the process of resolving.

So, I saw the urologist in December 2009, they found the cancer and claimed they removed it all during an outpatient cystoscopy I had about 5 weeks ago.

So, here I am now, wondering if I have Ovarian Cancer that spread. Here's the progression of my symptoms that began around October 2008:

General abdominal pain
then
Left Ovary pain
then
Bladder tenderness/burning with urination/frequent desire to urinate
then
Right Ovarian Pain

The pain increases with intercourse, exercise, and lifting heavy objects.

I've been dealing with all this for over a year now. I've been frustrated at the doctors not taking me seriously because I am 32 years old and do not fit the profile for Ovarian Cancer. HOWEVER, I didn't fit the profile for bladder cancer one iota outside of being Caucasian, so I think it's just as reasonable to think I might have Ovarian Cancer.

In any case, just wondering what kind of pain everyone has experienced and how bad the pain was for you.

I have scheduled yet another u/s with teh gyn. since receiving news of Stage I Bladder Cancer, but am strongly considering requesting the gyn. refer me to a gyn. oncologist.

Thanks for taking hte time to read this.

Comments

  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #2
    Ask for a CA125 test
    While not definitive as a diagnostic tool, a CA125 test should be very helpful. And it's relatively cheap, even if your insurance won't cover it.

    As for symptoms, I had NONE until shortly before I was diagnosed with stage 3c OVC. Then, in a short time, I experienced all kinds of little, but unexplained, things: severe constipation, urinary urgency, on-and-off discomfort in my midriff area.

    My doctor said I had probably had the ovarian tumor (softball-sized) for a year or more. It was on my left ovary; my right ovary was not diseased, but was removed anyway. The cancer had, however, spread to my abdomen and intestines. I had "caking" of the stomach lining (omentum), which my GYN Oncologist described as looking like "someone had thrown mud into a shoebox". My omentum and 8-10 inches of my intestine were removed during my initial surgery.
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #3
    symptoms
    I was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer Sept.08. I too had severe constipation starting about April 08. My lower abdomen seemed to be getting bigger. I thought I was just gaining weight. I was not diagnosed until I had a full blown bowel obstruction. Coincindentally, I had my annual GYN exam Jan. 08. At that exam I asked for and recv'd an transvaginal ultrasound because I had a small cyst. In feb. 08 I did have a small ovarian cyst. In Sept. of that same year I am stage IV ovarian. Go figure!
  • ten101
    ten101 Member Posts: 14
    #4
    Hi, I am new to this site
    Hi, I am new to this site but was diagnosed with Stage IC in May of 2009. I had abdominal pain and frequent urination as my main symptoms. I also had fluid in the abdomen. Diagnosis started with CT scan, ultrasound then pelvic MRI. I think the most important thing to do if you suspect you might have ovarian cancer is to see a gynecological oncologist. They are the best equipped to figure out what is going on and set you in the right direction. Don't waste your time with someone who may be skeptical of your symptoms and concerns or does not take them seriously. And as these wonderful ladies on this site would know, early diagnosis is very difficult but sometimes you get lucky. My surgeon was able to remove all of my tumor (very large) and with six rounds of chemo, (carbo and taxol) and I am in complete remission.
  • saundra
    saundra Member Posts: 1,370 Member
    #5
    CT scan
    I would get a confirmation with a CT scan..... The ultra sound didn't pick my Stage IV up so I have little faith in them.... Saundra
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #6
    Yes,
    definitely see a onc/gyn. You need a CT and CA125 to confirm, but it sounds a bit suspicious. I had no symptoms and was 3C, found by a vaginal US initially. I was post-meno but cysts on both ovaries 4 and 6 cm. I was sent for a scan the next day.
    Take care,
    Kathleen
  • Shadow58
    Shadow58 Member Posts: 4
    #7
    I had Stage 1 ovarian cancer


    I had Stage 1 ovarian cancer clear cell... symptoms
    pain in my left side complex cyst
    pain during intercourse and fatigue...I mean totally exhausted
    and frequent urination...
    I also had CA 125 test and now learn that test cannot tell
    you if you have clear cell cancer. Definitely see a GYN
  • groundeffect
    groundeffect Member Posts: 639 Member
    #8
    See a gyn/onc
    I hope you will see a gyn/onc as soon as possible to really get to the bottom of this! Any female human that has ovaries has the possibility of OVCA-there are pediatric cases.

    I had a transvaginal ultrasound and a CT scan in the months before I had a hysterectomy-the only thing they showed was uterine fibroids (that I already knew I had); that surgery was because my gyn had found uterine cancer.

    My symptoms were swelling of the abdomen, excessive bleeding, and leg swelling. The leg swelling was due to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which didn't hurt. I foolishly didn't point it out to my family practice doctor or my gyn because I didn't want to know what it was. After I was admitted to the ER with a pulmonary embolism (blood clot) to my right lung, my gyn came to the hospital and did a mini-biopsy of my uterus and found cancer. The reason she did it was because she was aware that DVT can be a symptom of lower-body cancers, something I seldom read about when reading about DVT or cancer.

    One thing that I've heard suggested by a noted gynecologic oncologist is that a color doppler vaginal ultrasound is a much better tool for finding ovarian cancer, but they are very seldom used. This is a shame, because it's my understanding it's a flip of a switch to turn on the color imaging. I watched it in action recently hen I had an echocardiogram. Cancer shows up as a "hot spot".

    OVCA is a real problem to diagnose because so many of the symptoms can be taken for other problems. I think that, in light of the fact that cysts are known to be present, you really need to get an opinion from a gyn/onc. You are NOT too young to have OVCA, and the sooner you have a definitive answer, the better. Time is of the essence, especially if your hormones are still very active.

    Good luck, and please let us know how things work out!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #9
    groundeffect said:

    See a gyn/onc
    I hope you will see a gyn/onc as soon as possible to really get to the bottom of this! Any female human that has ovaries has the possibility of OVCA-there are pediatric cases.

    I had a transvaginal ultrasound and a CT scan in the months before I had a hysterectomy-the only thing they showed was uterine fibroids (that I already knew I had); that surgery was because my gyn had found uterine cancer.

    My symptoms were swelling of the abdomen, excessive bleeding, and leg swelling. The leg swelling was due to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which didn't hurt. I foolishly didn't point it out to my family practice doctor or my gyn because I didn't want to know what it was. After I was admitted to the ER with a pulmonary embolism (blood clot) to my right lung, my gyn came to the hospital and did a mini-biopsy of my uterus and found cancer. The reason she did it was because she was aware that DVT can be a symptom of lower-body cancers, something I seldom read about when reading about DVT or cancer.

    One thing that I've heard suggested by a noted gynecologic oncologist is that a color doppler vaginal ultrasound is a much better tool for finding ovarian cancer, but they are very seldom used. This is a shame, because it's my understanding it's a flip of a switch to turn on the color imaging. I watched it in action recently hen I had an echocardiogram. Cancer shows up as a "hot spot".

    OVCA is a real problem to diagnose because so many of the symptoms can be taken for other problems. I think that, in light of the fact that cysts are known to be present, you really need to get an opinion from a gyn/onc. You are NOT too young to have OVCA, and the sooner you have a definitive answer, the better. Time is of the essence, especially if your hormones are still very active.

    Good luck, and please let us know how things work out!

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • msfanciful
    msfanciful Member Posts: 559
    #10
    Hi,
    For me I had heavy
    Hi,

    For me I had heavy bleeding cycles and then there were times that I had none at all. I also had a very distended lower abdomen and attributed it to mid-life spread. For 7 months prior to my actual diagnosis of ovarian cancer I had developed a sudden backache that just would not let up no matter what I tried.

    When I would lie flat on my back, I began feeling actual lumpy areas in the pelvic region and that's when I contacted gyn, had an exam and discovered I had huge fibroids, but before I could have a colcoscopy performed; I had landed in the hospital with pneumonia upon which my cancer was then discovered. Sigh...

    Of course hind-sight is 20/20 and all of the above are some of the very common symptoms of ovarian cancer. The cat-scan is what picked up my lymph-nodes, and tumor masses, so I would definitely look at the cat-scan if at all possible. Believe me, you don't want to guess with this cancer, you most definitely need to know.

    I had a complete hysterectomy, debulking and my omentum removed; all of which registered that the cancer cells were indeed present.

    This is your body so you want to be as proactive as possible

    Praying for you,

    Sharon

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