Just had biopsy yesterday - long family history...

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brandyb
brandyb Member Posts: 1
in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1

Last year I had multiple CT scans for some upper abdominal pain/overactive gallbladder - all showed a Ovarian cyst measuring 1.9cm

Transvaginal and Abdominal Ultrasound in Feb 2015 showed the following:

Uterus measures 9.4 cm x 6 cm x 7.2 cm. Neutral position. Endometrial stripe is a little thickened at 1.6 cm. Probable small uterine fibroid in submucosal region posterior body region measures up to 7.8 mm. Another probable small uterine fibroid measuring measuring up to 1 cm posterior body.

Small amount of free fluid demonstrated.

Right ovary measures 3.1 cm x 1.8 cm x 2 cm. Follicles present. Vascular flow demonstrated. Left ovary measures 2.5 cm x 1.8 cm x 2.8 cm with a 1.9 cm complex cyst with internal echoes.

 


They scheduled a follow up for that cyst but I declined because I've always had them and I was dealing with so much other stuff. I really regret not going back in April for another Ultrasound.

 

So I went to my PCP on Friday to get a refil on Thyroid meds - I had to have blood work first, and she was stern with me about getting another ultrasound - when I told her I would but the cysts have always been there she said "I'm not worried about the cyst, Brandy, I'm worried about your endometrial stripe.

On Tuesday I went to have my follow up transvaginal ultrasound the results showed:

Uterus: 9.2 x 5.6 x 5.8 cm. Retroverted position. Endometrial stripe measures
1.6 cm. Multiple fibroids again noted. Submucosal fibroid measures 6 mm.

Right ovary: 3.6 x 2 x 3.9 cm.Right ovary appears unremarkable. Vascular flow to
the ovary demonstrated.

Left ovary: 2.3 x 2.6 x 2.6 cm.1.8 cm complex cyst with internal echoes.
Vascular flow to the ovary demonstrated.

Small amount of free fluid.

 

Thursday (yesterday) I met with my gynecologist to clue her in on everything and she immediately laid me back and did an endometrial biopsy. I bled profusely all over her office and she thought she started my period for me, but today there is no bleeding.

I go in Monday for an ultrasound performed by her so that she can see things for herself.

I thought the problems I was having with my period were all due to my hashimotos thyroid diagnosis as they started somewhere along the same time - I've always had 25 day cycles but in the past 6 months or so they've been 17 days, 27 days, 22 days, 40 days with bleeding in between here and there and a lot of discharge (no smell, white, thick and sometimes clear/watery) and a lot of pelvic pain.

At 36 I wouldn't be so concerned BUT I'm the only one in my family's maternal side over the age of 25 that hasn't had a hysterectomy - there's a long line of family history:

Relationship What Age Side
Grandmother Ovarian Cancer- Metastisized to Uterus, Cervix 41 Maternal
Great Aunt Ovarian Cancer - cancer everywhere so unsure of exact origin 67 Maternal
Great Aunt Uterine Cancer 57 Maternal
Mother Excessive polyps - Hysterectomy 34 Maternal
Cousin Breast Cancer 28 Maternal
Cousin Adenomyosis & Endometriosis - Radical Hysterectomy 24 Maternal
Cousin Complex ovarian cysts, ovaries removed as a toddler 1 Maternal
Grandmother Breast Cancer 57 Paternal

 

Anyway, I have lost 30 pounds since July and was really feeling proud of myself for getting my health back in order and was surprised at how easy I was losing weight, etc - I was ignoring the female symptoms because I honestly just assumed it was thyroid related.

Having been told I had 5 years to live in 2000 at the age of 20 due to congestive heart failure from child birth, I have a lot of health anxiety - and I'm always super on top of doctors appointments, etc - but apparently me dropping the ball on this one could haunt me.

I know my Gynecologist is now speeding up the process but we won't be able to make up the 10 months of lost time that I created.

 

Anyway, thanks for listening to my story - while I haven't been diagnosed, it's the top concern on my PCP/GYN's minds and my doc said "you have cancer until I prove you do not in a situation with symptoms, extensive family history and image findings so we're not going to waste any time"

I know they're doing their job, I'm just a bit scared, and kicking myself for the time I wasted.

 

Brandy

Comments

  • EZLiving66
    EZLiving66 Member Posts: 1,482 Member
    #2
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    Don't beat yourself up over

    Don't beat yourself up over this.  I think most of us put off finding out - I know I did.  I had to fight to get a biopsy since my insurance wouldn't pay for a gynocologist until my primary recommended it.  Since my PAP came back normal and I didn't have any other symptoms, she wouldn't.  I had to change primary doctors but....I kept kicking myself because I SHOULD have pushed harder.  I didn't want there to be anything wrong.  There's nothing you can do about it now except concentrate on getting a firm diagnosis and figuring out a plan of attack.

    Let us know how everything goes!

    Love,

    Eldri

    PS. By the way, I'm Eldri, 63, and I just had my third chemo out of six for UPSC, Stage II, Grade 3.

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
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    Don't look at the if only's

    I procrastinated about a little pink spotting, mostly pink ting in white discharge in April/May.  I told myself it was atrophy, because I never drink enough fluid.  When it changed to mostly watery discharge in September, I went to my gynocologist.  I think he, like yours, figured we had to rule out cancer first, so I had a biopsy.  Two months later, I've had a total hysterectomy, and am diagnosed with stage 3 grade 3 UPSC.  I kicked myself thinking I could have avoided the stage 3, if only I had went to the doctor sooner.  But then my doctor said in my case, USPC was probably spread to my lymph node before I had any symptoms.  I also talked with another lady who went immediately to her doctor when she first had spotting, and she was still stage 3.  So keep the thought and blame out of your mind.  Any you don't know yet if it IS cancer.  Don't borrow trouble from tomorrow.  Wishing you negative biopsy results. 

  • Kaleena
    Kaleena Member Posts: 2,088 Member
    #4
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    Brandy:
    Don't beat yourself

    Brandy:

    Don't beat yourself up for not doing something, because even if you did some stuff not might have shown or they may not have given you the tests you needed.  I complained for a whole year visiting my PCP and gyne even having a colonoscopy and a laparascopy and internal ultrasound only to say that I needed a hysterectomy.    After the hysterectomy, they found cancer in my cervic, uterus and left ovary.   

    The thing is like Nancy says, don't dwell on what you should have done.   Find out what you have and then take the next steps that you need to do.   And don't worry about what it could be  That doesn't help either.

    Wishing the best for you,

    Kathy

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