Mid Cycle Bleeding, is this Ovarian Cancer

[russet]

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who writes on these forums, I’ve read many posts and although the symptoms are not exactly like mine it does give me some comfort that I’m not the only one out there feeling like this.

I’m 37. I’ve always suffered from pretty bad health anxiety but had been coping much better over the last few years. Until a month or two ago.
A while ago (maybe 18 months) I started to develop some hip pain which I was pretty sure was muscular – focused around my lower back and glutes. Some of the pain was intermittently around the ovary area but I dismissed this as part of the issue and it went away for a few months and I relaxed. It came back two or three months ago and then I became hyper focused on that area. I had put it down to my usual over-focusing but then I had some mid-cycle spotting (day 19 of cycle, very light and only for one day)!!! Arrrgggh. To say I’m anxious is a huge understatement. I’ve never had this symptom before.

I went to the doc who examined my cervix (took a swab) and said it looked ok to her. She’s referred me for an ultrasound which I’ve decided to do privately to get it done asap (if not it was going to be 4 weeks). This is next Thursday. The swab came back positive for BV!!! (not sexually active atm) which I was prescribed antibiotics for. But I don’t think this would cause my symptoms.

My brain is on overdrive and I can’t seem to calm down. My obvious fear is cancer, and mostly terminal cancer. I’ve done so much research that I go from feeling better to starting to plan my funeral!! Google is not my friend. My periods are pretty regular and I’m not on the pill and never had children. This seems to always be one of the risk factors for all the gynae cancers (sigh). And all mid-cycle bleeding seems to be related to the pill which I’m not on and never have been.

I’ve stopped worrying so much about Cervical Cancer as the doc said my cervix looked ok, but I’m petrified this is Ovarian Cancer. I have no bloating or abdominal symptoms apart from this niggle in my hip/left groin. The odd thing is this pain isn’t present whilst lying down and sleeping (never felt it in bed). I mostly only feel it when at work, sitting down, when overthinking.
Anyone have any thoughts or reassuring advice? I guess I need to prepare for a more negative outcome but it’s so draining 

[nervousnell]

Sorry you are going through this! Female health problems are my main source of anxiety so I understand how rough it is. That said...

This does NOT sound like anything I'd be overly worried about (and believe me, I freak out at the drop of a hat). Mid-cycle spotting is so, so common as you get closer to perimenopause in your mid-thirties and beyond. It's usually hormonal or, at worst, a benign polyp. Notice I said benign - my gyno told me she has never had a polyp come back malignant.

If your hip/back pain is positional (e.g. goes away when you lie down), I'd bet it's a musculoskeletal issue. A strained or tight hip flexor, for example, can cause pain in your lower back, pelvis and elsewhere in the general region. And yes, like with most symptoms, overthinking has a way of intensifying it.

From everything I've ever heard and read about cancer pain, it would be incredibly unusual for it to come and go depending on whether you sit or lie down, and it wouldn't go disappear for months and then flare up again. Bad things tend to get worse, not better.

Keep in mind that musculoskeletal pain is ridiculously common and ovarian cancer is very, very uncommon...Have you ever heard that old medical saying "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras?" That may give you a little perspective and comfort.

I totally understand your fear. But I'd bet you are perfectly OK. Let us know how you are doing and how the U/S goes.

[russet]

Thanks so much for your reply, it does really help to have a less-anxiety fuelled perspective on things.

I think you might be right about the left hip/pelvic pain. It’s just the coincidence that keeps bugging me and worries me re: ovarian cancer. I have no bloating whatsoever so I need to see that as a positive.

One forum poster on a cancer website had stated that her only symptom of ovarian cancer was mid cycle bleeding and i can’t seem to get past that.

Hopefully it’s just a late 30s thing and the US doesn’t show anything that will drag this whole thing out any longer.

[russet]

On a side note, does anyone know what happens if the US comes back normal?

If they find something I'm fully expecting that I'll get referred either routinely or urgently (fingers crossed they don't).

But if it does come back normal am I likely to get referred anyway? Trying to prepare myself for the outcome/next steps.

Only 3 more days to wait