Ovarian cancer fear

[louise123_uk]

A woman at work has been diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer at 52, I've went from being really upset to panicing as well :-( She basically had being going to docs off and on for a year with blood in urine, bloating, IBS like symptoms and they always put it down to things like IBS, menopause etc etc Anyways she got a diagnosis a week or two back that she has ovarian cancer which has spread to her liver, and now shes in intensive care.

I'm devestated as she is one of the nicest people I know and I cant get over the statistics that only about 20% of people with ovarian cancer which has spread live for 5 years and even if they do your never really cured of it, its just in remission!

I have posted on here a few times with symptoms such as bleeding between periods, excessive discharge,frequen and very long periods, pain with sex, redness in lady regions etc. My docs have put this down to just the way I am! I also have blood on the tissue most times after a bowel movement and my bowel movements change from being hard to soft, my doc puts this down to fissures and diet. Recently I've also started to have mre of an urgent need to urinate and I cant go as long as I used to if I need to go. These symptoms are all sounding frighteningly like those of ovarian cancer, which I know is very hard to diagnose since ths symptoms are so non specific and do not even seem particularly serious on their own. Sat here crying for my friend and with my own anxieties :-( I know if I tell all this to my doc and try and link things she will just look at me like Im mad!

[pearl79]

have they not referred you for a ultrasound? to check where the spotting is from? xx

[macc noodle]

Sorry but your symptoms are not typical of ovarian cancer. I am sorry I do not know how old you are but Ovarian Cancer is rare in young people and is most definitley more predominant in age over 50 and, statistically, the highest percentage of those who have it are much much older.

I am sorry for your friend at work - it sounds awful. Sadly these things do happen but not to everyone, just in rare instances. If you have seen any of my posts in the past you will see that fear of ovarian cancer has been a recurrent theme with my HA and I completely understand where you are coming from with worry over her symptoms being ignored - I am amazed though that they had not sent her for an ultrasound earlier just to check.

I finally had an ultrasound (I was offered one by my doc over a year ago to put my mind at rest but I was too scared to get it done) and it revealed fibroids and a cyst on my ovary. I too have periods of feast and famine in the toilet department coupled with painful bloating and indigestion. Now that I have had the ultrasound (and will have another one in 9 weeks to look at the cyst again to see if it has grown or hopefully shrunk) I know what I am dealing with.

If you are really worried about these symptoms,I would go to your GP and ask for an MOT "down below" - have you had a smear test? that would be a good place to start since the spotting is not a symptom of OC. Then ask for a u/s and see what they say.

Good luck and love to your work colleague - she is in a bad place at the moment and I feel for her.

Macc
xx

[jarmummy123]

Hi

My mum was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2005, she was stage 3. Her symptoms for months before diagnosis was bloating which didn't go away over night, urge to wee, constipation or diahorrea, unable to eat large meals, backache, indigestion and out of breath doing simple things. She also looked pregnant. She didn't bleed at all. She was 54.

Ovarian cancer does generally occur in postmenpausal ladies and it is a rare cancer. I think its very unlikely that you have it.

I thought I had it 2 years ago and requested a CA125 blood test. CA125 is normally under 30 but over 30 can inidcate ovarian cancer but so can endometriosis and other ladies problems so even if yours comes back over 30 is doesnt mean you have it. Also, an ultrasound, my GP knows about my mum and my HA so sent me for one. I was fine.

Hope that helps.