Do ovarian cancer sufferers always have bloating?

[April_May]

As above, if someone has ovarian cancer will they always have bloating? Or can they suffer pain with absolutely no bloating?

I am waiting for follow up with GP after blood tests, smear and tests for infection and am expecting them to say I can't have ovarian cancer as my only symptom is pain. I am not bloated at all, am quite slim and muscular with strong defined abs, have no digestive problems and my CA125 was apparently normal. But I do have pain in my right side that has lasted 6 months, is persistent and does not go away day or night, no matter what I am doing. Its not severe in the grand scheme of things, but its been getting a little worse over the last 6 weeks. It hurts more if I do squats at the gym or if my cats jump on or lie on my lower abdomen. If it can't be ovarian cancer, and it probably isn't, that's brilliant but if there is a chance it still could be despite normal CA125 and no bloating then I want to make sure that I get the appropriate scans to be sure, rather than just being told to go away and come back if it still hurts in another 6 months! So I guess I'm looking for advice on what to talk to my doctor about and what I should and shouldn't accept from them. (I got told a prolapsed disc was a pulled muscle previously so I now like to question everything!). Thanks

[Hidden]

No, they don't. Not does everyone have any of the eating related ones. I didn't and have never had on any of my recurrences. My initial symptom felt more like a pulled muscle - and indeed this will have be down to the muscle pulling against the inflamed ovaries when I moved.

The trouble with CA 125 tests is that you - and your GP - don't know what has been normal for you. The upper threshold is taken as 35 but you don't know how close to that you are. Get precise data or a printout from the GP which will show normal ranges.

Other things go on in the same area, like ovarian cysts and these are much more common that OC. The initial diagnosis of these follows a similar path. So it might be worth asking for a pelvic ultrasound perhaps.

Good luck

[April_May in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply. I will ask for the exact numbers when I see her. I'm hoping they will offer me a scan anyway as the pain still exists even if not caused by anything cancerous. I'm not particularly stressed out about it as I think the chances of it being cancer are tiny but I do have a habit of ignoring things (hence waiting for 6 months of pain before going to doctors!) and I'd hate to miss something that could get worse later.

[Hidden in reply to April_May]

Cancer is not the only disease to fear. But waiting 6 months if you do fear it is too long. Early diagnosis for many cancers, including ovarian, is critical for prognosis.