Need advice on symptoms - Cancer: Breast Message Board

Ski_G · 10-06-2003, 11:22 AM

Hi. I need advice on symptoms. For the past year and a half I've been extremely constipated and bloated. My lower abdomen is puffy, bloated and/or huge at times! Oftentimes, this is accompanied by soreness in the same lower ab area - especially when I'm bloated and puffed up. For the past year I've been in and out of doctor's offices thinking that I may have IBS with constipation. I've tried every OTC laxative in the stores and they help, but never restore regularity. Recently, a friend who is a nurse gave me an article to read from Newsweek on Ovarian Cancer. I'm 23, exercise regularly, eat well and have always had healthy pap tests. I've never had a pelvic exam, only the standard GYN visit pap test. I've been on Ortho-Cyclen 28 for the past two years, which is a relatively high-dose BC pill for BC purposes. I made an appointment with my GYN who discouraged an ultrasound and pelvic exam because of my age. What should I do and is this something to be concerned about?? I've recently read that constipation/bloating and soreness can be a major symptom of something ovarian going on!!

serenityelf · 10-06-2003, 02:37 PM

I've had ovarian cancer and while it usually strikes women after or during menopause (55+), it struck me in my late twenties and went on for 8 years until it was finally taken care of. As far as good pap smears: Ovarian cancer will not show up in pap smears unless it has spread to the cervic or uterus, etc. Also, it does not run in my family, I was very athletic and participated in many sports, had only had one sex partner (my husband}, never smoked and didn't drink. So, apparently those things don't necessarily matter in the case of Ovarian Cancer. I'd also never had a bad pap smear in my life and ended up with a 21cm malignant ovarian tumor and a smaller one. They did several pelvic exams because of my symptoms, and it was never found. I was not overweight and they still could not find such a big tumour in my pelvic exam. It was found after the smaller one burst and after a ultra sound, I got emergency surgery to clean up the other one. At the time of the US, they never believed it was anything but a cyst or benign tumor because of my age. Never say never, right? I had one US previously, and it was misread. I believe firmly in several opinions. Come well prepared to your appointments with your symptoms and questions written down. They treat you with more respect and you don't get rushed or nervous and forget something. My final treatments and the good US were all performed in a teaching hopsital. If you can, get a referal to a clinic in a teaching hospital. Good luck!

[This message has been edited by serenityelf (edited 10-06-2003).]

Ski_G · 10-06-2003, 04:07 PM

Thank you very much for the advice. I'm so glad that I'm not alone!! I guess the fact that I too, lead a healthy lifestyle and have only had one sexual partner (my fiancee) and have been so careful about my health scares me because I've tried so hard to stay healthy. I have another appt. with a different OB/GYN next week, hopefully she'll listen better than the last one when I ask for an US or Pelvic exam.

april69 · 10-11-2003, 07:57 AM

isnt it ridiculous how doctors rule out the big "C" thing because of your age. nobody knows your body like you do and you know if somethings not right, even after tests are done., and you get no answers. I had tests and procedures done 18 months ago and i've just made another appt with a new doctor this week. My symptoms have slowly got worse and new ones have come to the party. Don't lay down and just think that you have to live with the pain, even if it takes a few different doctors to diagnose the problem. Good luck and keep us posted.

april69 · 10-11-2003, 08:00 AM

serenityelf: why was it that the US couldnt see one of your ovaries.