Worried sick - need reassurance and hand hold, worried for nothing?

[Rookierunner229]

Hello ladies, i by no means want to offend anyone with my stupid worries. But I surely need a hug. I’m 23 and my dream is to be a mum in fact me and my partner had started to look into it when Jan 5th I felt cramping akin to diarrhoea / period cramps after jogging. Followed by the tiniest streak of blood in my discharge when I wiped (nothing on my panties liner) next day brown mucus. Next day nothing. Went back to normal. Now that I can tell it was probably my ovulation, it was coincided with the day.

But the cramp never went away. It then spread to my back, lower back, so I rushed to GP 5 days after the pain began, luckily she’s very attentive. By then I felt pressure on my bladder or a dragging sensation? I was extremely gassy and uncomfortable. Sent me to A&E to rule out masses or appendicitis, nothing found on pelvic/ abdominal ultrasound, bloods okay. But I wasn’t satisfied, and I’m fully convinced I would’ve never thought OC if I hadn’t googled. Nothing on abdominal ultrasound they looked at every single organ kidneys bladder ovaries uterus stomach pancreas liver. Smooth like butter.

No urinary urgency. No change in bm in fact they’re the same. So I was able to get a private gynae appt (from UK but living elsewhere) or else I would’ve gone insane. Gynae was incredibly understanding, I told her I’m concerned about cancer so please listen to me, please don’t disregard me because people think young people can’t get cancer but they do. She was so understanding and nice, said don’t worry we will check everything. She’s one of the best gynae in my city.

So she palpated (3rd person in a week) felt nothing. She did pelvic ultrasound + Transvaginal (a first for me but it was ok) and couldn’t find anything at all. No fluid. Nothing. Nada. She did find a tiny cyst that corroborated with the ultrasound at the A&E, A&E doc took a GOOD look at everything and said (there’s a tiny cyst in your ovary, very small) and everything ok. Gynae also checked blood flow to ovaries, everything normal. The TVUS showed a clearer image no doubts. The part that hurts when pressed is not my actual ovaries rather around the belly button…

My periods always very regular except last month it lasted 1 day longer but it could’ve been because I was so stressed due to another situation. As of now back pain has almost subsided. The cramps ache is no longer there but my iliac crest hurts if that makes sense, it’s a very faint pain. GP is on the ball, she will call in 15 days to check how I’m doing, have a follow up scan ultrasound and x ray in 3 weeks time. Maybe I’m worried for nothing, yesterday I had a panic attack and my partner had a hard time calming me, I couldn’t breath, crying etc. i do feel a lot of air moving around in there. And I would say the pain isn’t always there either. Judging by my discharge my period is due in the next 4-5 days I’m not on birth control.

I’m so scared terrified, mortified even, can’t bring myself to trust docs. I know it sounds ridiculous compared to what you ladies went and are going through. I was fully prepared to be told the worst news in A&E. Need some reassurance, 3 scans, pain is better but still scared 😔 Also no bloating.

[Lyndy]

Hello, well done for sticking to your guns and getting a proper review. You are right, young women can get OC. However, now you have had the results, your next challenge is to try to accept them.

My daughter suffers from anxiety and I did too… I know it’s horrible and a panic attack feels like you are dying but it’s trying to give you a message: that you need to listen to your own distress and maybe find some help.

You have done so well at getting help when you thought you had cancer…. now apply that determination to your anxiety.

If anything else happens on the gynae front you have people to call…you know that now xx

[Rookierunner229 in reply to Lyndy]

Hi lyndy, your response is very much appreciated. This has never happened to me, to be convinced I have something. Now on top of that I’m losing weight not sure if I’m not eating enough because I feel like I’m eating a lot. I haven’t had the ca125 but I can’t stop reading about women who went through scans they found nothing 😢😢 the pain is mostly gone now but I’m so scared.

[Frenchhouse3]

Hi there, I’m so sorry to read that you’ve had such a frightening time, you did right to get things checked out thoroughly because although unusual, younger people can get OC. However, you’ve had scans which show you are clear and healthy which is great news, plus you have a follow up you say? I think maybe the stress of all this has left you with severe anxiety but this too will get better in time, but definitely worth getting some support with. Also, meditation is really helpful.

My friend’s daughter was in a similar situation to yourself just over a year ago and after Googling thought she too had OC.

( she had pain in her pelvic area too).

Scans showed nothing but she felt anxious for a while afterwards too. She has recently had a baby girl ( she was also worried about conceiving) and is on cloud nine!

I wish you all the best with your future plans too.

You did right to reach out and ask for support and being aware of your own body is a good thing.

Sending a big virtual hug

Best wishes

Denise xxxxx

[bamboo89]

When you say you haven't had the CA125, do you mean you haven't had a result yet, or that it's not been done? If it hasn't been done, request it - it can be a good guide to whether or not you have OC. I'd be very surprised if no one has done that particular blood test - its standard procedure as one of the checks for OC, to see what the levels are, so please get that done asap if it needs to be done. Otherwise, you've been checked pretty thoroughly it seems, and you have somewhere to go if you experience more problems.

Miriam

[Rookierunner229 in reply to bamboo89]

Hello Miriam, thank you for your response. Doctor didn’t order it even though she suspected mass. I had to go to the ER yesterday, pain hasn’t gone and I’m uncomfortable, a little less but still. I asked about a CT, they ordered one. Nothing could be seen, I’m at a loss. Next step, colonoscopy.

[bamboo89 in reply to Rookierunner229]

I can't believe no one has checked your CA125, its a simple blood test for heaven's sake. Yes, have a colonoscopy by all means, just to check your bowel, but please, get a CA125 done. If it's within normal limits (below 30, 35) that would be very reassuring, though its fair to say CA125 can be slightly raised for other reasons, its not a 100% guide for OC, but its worth doing. At your age, its much less likely you have any kind of OC, ,but posts on here are littered with stories from (usually older) women who were told they had irritable bowel, or it was hormones, or menopause, or the moon was full or whatever... so please, get the test done. When I got checked my CA125 was 91, and I had a very enlarged inguinal lymph node - the gynaecologist told me he didn't think it was anything to worry about when he examined me, didn't think the lymph node was significant and because the second CA125 showed a slight fall down to 86 he thought that was fine - but following intra vaginal US , then CT and finally a biopsy of the lymph node, it was OC, and advanced at stage 4b, technically end stage, and that lymph node was cancerous. I should add I had no pain at any point, no troublesome bloating, nor unusual bleeding in the previous two years; I found the enlarged lymph node by accident when showering, don't even know how long it had been enlarged.

OC is difficult to detect in the early stages, but a CA125 is part of the checks. I reiterate, at your age, its extremely unlikely to be OC, so if you get a normal CA125, fine, forget about it, especially if you get an alternative explanation for your symptoms.

Good luck with it all...

Miriam

[Rookierunner229]

I know I was dumbfounded when my GP mentioned mass and didn’t order a ca125 immediately. It’s most likely something with my bowels, so only a colonoscopy will tell. My mum had her ca125 checked every 3 months, she was high suspicion for breast and ovarian cancer, lots of polyps in uterus, clogged tubes… and tons of cysts. However never diagnosed with PCOS. Same with my 2 aunts. They saw something on my ovary indeed, they couldn’t tell wether it was a cyst, hemorrhagic cyst or follicle. I’m guessing that if my pain continued/continues they would’ve sent me for a cat scan anyway. Which I now regret getting because I feel so dumb! What is causing this comfort!

How are you doing now Miriam? I’m so sorry to hear about your diagnosis 🥺