Advice needed

[Helen1971]

I am 40 years old and have been experiencng severe swelling of my stomach recently, to the extent I look pregnant, together with abdominal pain and back ache. I have put on half a stone in the last 2 months and cannot zip up my jeans (size 8) . I am extremely tired and could lie down at any point of the day and struggle to get up in the morning. I constantly need to urinate and experiencing diahorrea, often several times a day. Although I know I need to eat, when I do I feel full after a small amount and feel nauseas. I have been backwards and forwards to the doctors over the years and each time have been diagnosed with IBS. I had two cysts removed from my ovaries 2 years ago, although the one on my right cyst was not picked up by both internal and external ultrasound....all tests were clear. I feel really low at the moment which is just not me. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

[Hidden]

Hi Helen,

As you are on this forum, you are probably fearing that you have undiagnosed ovarian cancer. The only way to get this checked out as far as I know, is to demand a referral to a gynae-oncologist. Your GP should be happy to do this, but if not, ask to see another GP and explain why you are worried, taking the list of common symptoms with you. Have you had o. c. in your family?

It is very hard to diagnose, but bloods, a scan, and an examination by a specialist should give you an answer.

Best wishes,

Isadora

[wendydee]

Hi Helen

Good advice from Isadora, you need to know what's going on. Your experience sounds similar to mine, about 9 years ago now. I was on holiday and had to keep sitting down to rest, I ate a few bites of a meal and had to rush to the loo with diarrhoea, I knew something was wrong. If you have a hospital appointment for further investigations, try ringing the gynae/oncology specialist nurse in the hospital, they are so helpful and have more time to talk than the docs and they all seem to be really understanding people. The advice to take things one day at a time is great advice. Try not to look so far ahead. You only have to deal with one step at a time. Keep in touch on here, it's a great way of getting the info and support you need right now. The time when you are waiting to know what's ahead of you, is in my mind, the worst time. Once you have a diagnosis, you can concentrate on getting well again. I felt immensely better as soon as I came round after my op. It was as dramatic as that, I didn't realise how much the illness had been dragging me down.

Good luck

Love Wendy xx

[Suzy]

You seem to be showing classic symptom of OC .....so your doctors really should have checked this out already . I think therefore that you now need to get quite firm with the medics you are consulting and make sure that referral happens quickly . I was fobbed off for months with diagnosis of IBS and a later false diagnosis of diverticulitis (I knew that was impossible for me) but 3 separate doctors continued to prescibe antibiotics and paracetamol (really helpful as a cancer treatment !) then when tests for bowel cancer proved negative ,their reaction was "well that's all right then " meanwhile I am left with the same symptoms and feeling very ill. Also should checks for OC prove negative ... then ask for further tests. My ovaries tested perfectly clear following an internal vaginal check .............. so the "well that's all right " was repeated . It was not until I had 5 litres of ascites in the abdomen and 2 litres on my chest that I was sent for an ultrasound . Eventually primary peritoneal was diagnosed . I first saw my doctor in Feb 2009 . I did not receive a correct diagnosis until Feb 2010 by which time i was stage 4. You could still turn out to have something that is not sinister at all but check everything out and do it as quickly as poss. It couild turn out to be nothing ...... but I sense that you know something is wrong.

best wishes

[lucy1dog]

Hi Helen there is a test called BEAT that you can look at and see if your symptoms are indicative of OC. Personally I think you should just ask your doctor if it could be OC and can you be refered for tests. Better to know as early as possible. I am now 3.5 years down the line had all the treatment and feeling good. Please let us know how you are doing.

Linda x

[MargaretJ]

I do agree with everyone else. I had all your symptoms for years and assumed I was just growing old! As my dad had the same symptoms before he died OC did not occur to me now I keep telling everyone to get tested and be firm with the Dr as my cancer was stage 3c when diagnosed and thus incurable.

[Helen1971 in reply to MargaretJ]

Sorry I posted this as a response to my own message, so not sure whether you would have all received this as a reply....

Ladies I thank you all so much for your advice. I have tonight been to my doctors who felt my stomach and did an internal. She said my uterus is enlarged and has moved higher up in my stomach(??) and that I have an enlarged left ovary. I am back for bloods on Friday and she is arranging for the secretary to organise an ultrasound for me. I did a urine test and this showed blood in my water and I think the nurse said enzymes? I thank you all so much for your responses and I will keep you all posted. Helen x

[Helen1971]

Ladies I thank you all so much for your advice. I have tonight been to my doctors who felt my stomach and did an internal. She said my uterus is enlarged and has moved higher up in my stomach(??) and that I have an enlarged left ovary. I am back for bloods on Friday and she is arranging for the secretary to organise an ultrasound for me. I did a urine test and this showed blood in my water and I think the nurse said enzymes? I thank you all so much for your responses and I will keep you all posted. Helen x