Hi.

I've been feeling really sick for quite some time, and honestly I just decided it was because I was depressed because of certain things about my appearance, like my teeth and stretch marks.

However, occasionally I'll have pain around my belly button and extending down. Sometimes, like right now, it is also on my lower back. My belly feels and looks swollen when the pain happens, but *only* when I have pain. It used to be this would happen a week before my period, but my period ended a week ago, and this is really terrible pain. My mother tells me that it's not cancer and I'm just being crazy because if it was, the symptoms would be constant, and also that nothing would make the pain go away, and pain pills help a little and hot baths make the pain go away completely. Is my mother right? At most, the pain usually only occurs once a month for a couple of days, or not at all for some months then all of a sudden for a few days.

Could this be ovarian cancer, or something less serious, or is my mother right and I'm really just being crazy?

[This message has been edited by Araminta (edited 06-16-2002).]

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Disease Introduction
Publish Date: 01/21/2000
Review Date: 09/12/2001


Introduction

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Being diagnosed with ovarian cancer can lead you to feel many
emotions, including shock. We want to help you by explaining what
ovarian cancer is, the treatment options available, and their possible
side effects – and by offering you some suggestions on how to
manage the challenges you’ll face.


Cross-section of the Female Reproductive System (Courtesy of Jones and
Bartlett Publishers)


If you learn you have ovarian cancer, you join a group of more than
23,400 women who have been given the same news in the past 12
months.

What is ovarian cancer? Our bodies are made up of tiny building
blocks called cells. Normal cells grow and multiply when the body
needs them and die out when they are not needed. Cancer is made
up of abnormal cells that multiply constantly, whether they are
needed or not. In most cancers, the abnormal cells grow so they
form a lump called a tumor. Ovarian cancer is when cancer forms in
a woman’s ovaries. The ovaries are where eggs are stored and the
female hormones estrogen and progesterone are made.

Any woman can develop ovarian cancer. But a woman is particularly
at risk if her mother, sister, or daughter has had the disease
(especially if they were diagnosed before menopause), if she has
never been pregnant, or if she has had breast cancer, colon cancer
or ovarian cancer before.


The Female Reproductive System (Courtesy of Jones and Bartlett
Publishers)

Ovarian cancer may grow for a long time before you experience any
symptoms. When symptoms do occur they can include gas,
indigestion, nausea, swelling of the abdomen, and weight loss. If the
tumor is large, it may press on nearby organs, such as the bowel or
bladder. This can cause diarrhea, constipation, or frequent urination

Hi, thanks for answering. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

I know all of the symptoms, but what I would like to know is if they are constant. That information you posted does not say...

Hi, I was recently dx'd with a borderline ovarian cancer - a rare cancer with an excellent prognosis. I had a large (size of large grapefruit) ovarian cyst with tumor on the left side. I only had constant pain if I slept on my stomach, otherwise I only had a slight pressure and a bad backache from time to time. It was NOT constant. Please go see your dr. and ask for a pelvic exam, a pelvic ultrasound and a CA125 blood test. Ovarian cancer is very treatable if caught early. Your symptoms could also be from a benign cyst or benign tumor, both are very common in young women and still warrants a trip to the dr. Ovarian cancer is more common for ages 50 and up although I'm 33.

Good Luck.

And did your period was always normal having that large cyst?

I gotta tell you people I love this boards. Im a poster of the acne boards and I have found the cure for my acne problem lurking on these boards. Now I have been freaked out by stories of this ovarian cancer from my friends because im 29 years old and i have never had a gyno check. Man I had to schedule an appt because now I dont have my counscious in peace. I hate to feel fear because i know its a thing from the devil. I wonder if i shouldnt lurk anymore in the boards..

God bless all!

Good point about my period. No, I had regular spotting between periods since I was about 19 (I'm now 33) I saw Dr after dr and only the first one did a pelvic and found nothing wrong. All other drs told me don't worry about if it's happening regular then its not a problem. No one even asked me when my last pelvic was - until my cyst was discovered I hadn't had another pelvic exam! Please have a regular yearly pelvic exam I know if I had had one my cancer would have been caught early and maybe I wouldn't be having the problems I"m having now. I'm fortunate to be able to share my experience with others even though I can't go back and change the clock for me maybe I can help others to discover problems early.

Don't get to excited about what you read but be smart about your health.

Ugh, my mother won't pay for me to have a screening. I also have a weird lump under my breasts, but my mom keeps telling me it's just a benign cyst and that they run in the family and to not worry about it.

How can I not? http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

Would she rather pay for your funeral!?

See a doctor. There are no screenings for ovarian cancer. A doctor must evaluate your symptoms and go from there.

Good Luck.