View Full Version : Trying not to go overboard with new C worry
I read something last night about ovarian C now I'm getting more and more concerned about my symptoms.
I've always got a bloated tummy. It feels like tight, or hard to relax the muscles. I've always had trouble with my tummy and my anxiety, like feeling sicky or whatever. But I've only really started paying attention to the bloated feeling recently, then I read that and I'm going into panic again. I don't have pain, I definitely don't have appetite problems or not being able to finish meals. I'm just debating whether to make yet another doctors appointment. I've actually got worse with this HA. It's been out of control for about a month now I'd say.
I had a full blood count and other tests done lately. Would something flag up if I had a problem? My thyroid result was abnormal and I'm being retested for that in May. I've read that can cause bloating problems. But I don't even know if I have a thyroid issue yet until I'm retested.
I don't want to Google anymore because the symptoms are just too easy to freak over. Is bloating quite a normal thing? I've also read ovarian C is almost symptomless until it's bad...would I be ill? Not looking for a diagnosis, just any advice would be great.
So sick xx
Did you also read that the chances to develop ovarian "C" before age 45-50 are 1:10000000? :)
Oh really? No, haha, I did not read that. Wow, that is pretty rare.
---------- Post added at 14:26 ---------- Previous post was at 14:24 ----------
Is that a real statistic? I am shocked!
Oh really? No, haha, I did not read that. Wow, that is pretty rare.
---------- Post added at 14:26 ---------- Previous post was at 14:24 ----------
Is that a real statistic? I am shocked!
If you're under 30 (as your nickname suggests)-that's right. Ovarian cancer is mainly older and middle-aged women's disease. All internal organ cancers (ovarian, bowel,stomach,esophagus,lung,pancreatic...) occur almost always in age 50+.
Cheers for that Andrash:D
Thanks Andrash! Made me feel lots better. X
Ok...I'm panicking again. I feel stomach discomfort again, and I've not even had my dinner yet. Does this warrant another doctors trip without any pain/loss of appetite and stuff? She must be so sick of seeing me but I'm worried.x
clover1201
13-02-14, 19:41
The only type of bloating that is associated with ovarian cancer is the bloating that doesnt go - it sticks around and within weeks looks like your 6 - 7 months preggers. If its not like that then dont worry :)
Haha, well I definitely don't look that bloated. Just a bit, but that still concerns me! Can't believe I read that article. I read it kind of by accident, I didn't know it was going to be a full symptom list until it was already in my head!
I think looking back I've always had tummy discomforts because of my anxiety. I'm sure a doctor told me years ago it was IBS related, but HA is making me doubt myself.
If it was a new symptom, you'd notice it wouldn't you? I just can't remember how long I've had this bloated sort of, tense feeling in my stomach. I lay awake trying to recall other times in the past but I can't get it into my head.
Really stressed x
---------- Post added at 23:08 ---------- Previous post was at 19:52 ----------
Sorry to post again. I'm really panicking now.
I've just looked in the mirror and I am that bloated I think I could definitely pass as pregnant. I've put a bit of weight on but I'm not fat, if this makes sense. It looks like bloating, not fat. Are there other reasons for bloating aside from ovarian C? I'm so upset about this. I'm trying to pull info out of my head about how long it's been like this that I can remember back to and I cant think.
I am able to 'suck in' the bloating. Does that mean anything? Sorry I'm just really panicked now. My tummy doesnt look right
It absolutely boggles my mind with what HA does :(
Hope you feel better soon...
Positive thoughts
It boggles mine too. You'd think a person would learn after the first few times not to jump to conclusions. Once there's a symptom matched, that's it, hooked in.
I'm so at a loss with this now. My therapy sessions are on hold indefinitely and I'm just not coping at all.
Right now I'm pretty much certain I have this new C. I'm going to make yet another appointment to see my doctor. I was there a week or so ago with my heart issue. I'm starting to lose hope to be honest. I'm scared I'm going to feel like this forever.
You not gonna be like this forever. With time you will tell yourself all of those just anxiety. Some time when i not feeling good. i still thinking the big C. But i try to tell myself i can't. I have 3 kids. Just anxiety.
stop panicking, it becomes a horrible cycle, you can't figure out any symptoms if you panic as they ALL could be related to anxiety!!
Think of all the symptoms you get for anxiety ...
Headaches
dizziness,
blood pressure issues
ringing in ears
breathlessness
bad stomach
indigestion .... the list goes on and on, now look up almost all Cancer symptoms!
Wham .... haha ... that probably doesn't make you feel better actually - it gave me anxiety but the thing is is that more than likely it's all related to anxiety.
I just went through the Ovarian Cancer too, I"m 37 -bloated stomach, but it goes down in the morning, and most people with anxiety have IBS ... so really it doesn't sound like Ovarian cancer, most people lose their appetite and look 5 months if not more pregnant .... it does't go away it stays as it's the tumor growing, all scary right but I really doubt you need to worry about it, what you do need to worry about is controlling those spiraling thoughts.... like all of us. ;)
Thanks for the replies.
Yeah, it's the big C this week, last week my heart.
Tans, it has kind of gone down this morning but not completely. I don't feel bloated at the moment. Could it be just a little belly I've developed maybe? I don't know. It pokes out but it can be squidged. I know this is major TMI but I don't really want to start ringing my girlfriends and asking about their tummies!
How would you know the difference between a bit of fat and a bloated tummy? Cos I think it looks bloaty.
Should it be completely gone in the morning?
I'm gonna make an appointment but just need girly advice til then I think! X
LF, all of the reassurance in the world is not going to make you feel better or convince you long term that your symptoms are not cancer related or heart related. Why go to the doctor again? Is that going to be the final piece of resolution that makes you feel better? I think not.
Acceptance that you have an anxiety related illness is what it's going to take to rid yourself of this plague called anxiety.
What are you doing on a daily basis to help your disease: anxiety? Are you getting therapy? Are you working on your irrational thoughts with CBT? Are you doing meditation or relaxation therapy? Breathing exercises? Journaling? Exercise?
This is not going to go away nor is it going to get better on it's own. The folks that are saying it won't last forever can be wrong. It can last forever. But it's all within your control. What are you going to do about it?
Tanner i can accept my anxiety. But still back of my mind always thinks. How about the symptoms i have is not anxiety. :huh:
Thanks tanner. Your post prompted me to call the psychology department and ask what was happening regarding the abscence of the psychologist I see. He said they'd call me on morning about phone support or seeing someone else while shes off sick.
The problem I have is, the current symptoms are very genuine. I do always feel bloated and feel discomfort in my tummy. It's just up until 2 nights ago, I didn't realise that was a cancer symptom. And there lies the problem. Until I have someone tell me it's not ovarian C, or something like that, I can't be sure. So I have to have it checked to be on the safe side. Until then I just obsess. I've even started to feel like I'm having pains in the pelvic area. Bit I'm not paying attention to those, not too much, because I'm now aware of how I seem to develop new and very coincidental pain when I've read up on something. So that's a small progress. But the bloating thing I find hard to ignore. My partner says in the nicest way possible that ice just put weight on. He says it doesn't feel hard, therefore it's not bloating.
But I'm going round in circles. How do you know it's just anxiey?
How do you know it's just anxiey?
LF,
Go back and read your prior posts.... not one of those fears became reality nor will this one. Women are just squishy... it's one one the wonderfully awesome things about them. So you discovered you have a squishy belly after all these years? :) You could have just asked your hubby.
Positive thoughts
I am pretty much always bloated and I am still alive. I saw someone with ovarian cancer bloating on TV and she looked 9 months pregnant all the time, rock hard stomach. I have IBS so mine is related to that. Not being able to eat. Also with OC once you have symptoms it's far along, you would be very noticeably ill, to others like your family too.
Did you know that when you are anxious you take in more air apparently and that can cause a lot of symptoms like this? don't ask me how I know this.
I am 32 with five kids, I figure my chances are stupidly low.
Yours are too.
Haha. Well that's the thing, I'm used to having a flat stomach. And over the past year I've put on a bit of weight. I'm 5'8 and usually weigh about ten and a half stone. I've gone up to 12 stone and have this funny little belly going on. It's probably just fat though, maybe? Because it can be squished? It doesn't really feel hard?
I know. I've gone through so many different worries now it's staggering. In the last year or so, I have believed I've had oral C, breast C, then I worried about my teeth falling out for a week or two. Then it was my brain, then the heart, and now it's the ovaries. Just don't get it!
---------- Post added at 17:28 ---------- Previous post was at 17:21 ----------
Just read your post Hypo, thanks. Yeah I read that the once the symptoms come it all happens quite fast. My tummy isn't rock hard. It just looks a bit bloated. Maybe I eat too much of something my body doesn't like? Seems to be worse after pasta anknow rheuff like that, which unfortunately is my favourite food.
It's good to know I'm not alone with the bloating. I'm going to ask my doctor about possible IBS. Because I've always had a very nervous, anxious tummy. Even when I was young I remember not wanting to go to school because I felt sickly.
I know its very rare. Why can't I just keep that in mind!
---------- Post added at 17:29 ---------- Previous post was at 17:28 ----------
Serious typo there, stupid phone! *pasta and stuff like that
GlassPinata
15-02-14, 21:13
Did you also read that the chances to develop ovarian "C" before age 45-50 are 1:10000000? :)
That's right; it is generally post menopausal women who get it.
I believe the average age is 60 plus.
The only time younger women ever get it is when they have an extreme family history of it (mom, sisters, etc) due to a genetic mutation such as the BRCA gene, or if they have lynch syndrome or some other disease that causes cancerous tumors to grow unchecked. And even in those cases, it is much more likely that cancer would strike elsewhere first (breast for the BRCA mutation, colon for lynch syndrome). So, I mean... you'd know if you had these things. Ovarian cancer out of the blue would not be the first indication. That is one cancer I have never worried about (and I worry about ALL of them), because I know I am too young for it.
Please don't worry about this further. It is a virtual impossibility.
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