glitterberrys.livejournal.comHello, group -
I have a history of ovarian cysts and also of IBS, so the last few weeks' worth of bloating, gurgling, cramps, diarrhea and heartburn didn't seem all THAT out of place. However, I had some weird new symptoms - dark brown discharge before and after my period, pain in my sides, occasional bouts of very bad pain - and my regular doctor said it sounded like a GYN problem, so off to the doc I went.
The ultrasound revealed a 10 cm something hanging out in there. He said it looks like a fluid-filled cyst (unsure if it's the 5 cm one I had two years ago that never went away and just started growing again - I stopped monitoring it after a while because, well, the symptoms were minimal and I kind of forgot about it - or if it's a new one) and and is probably not cancerous, but he did want to do some blood tests (cancer marker and what I'm guessing were hormone levels though I didn't hear all he said to his nurse) and for me to have a CT scan done. I got all that done today (despite not being able to drink the contrast stuff...I have something the size of a grapefruit crowding my internal organs! Hopefully the results will be readable) and will find out what's up in a day or two. A urine test revealed protein in my urine - I'd been having UTI symptoms - which I know can also be a sign of ovarian cancer (or, you know, a sign of having a UTI.)
I'm 28 (just had my birthday a week ago, this is not the most awesome gift ever), no history of ovarian cancer in the family, but I know people in my position can and do get ovarian cancer (I knew someone who died of it - at least I THINK it was ovarian to start with; might have been cervical? It always seemed awkward to be like "so what's the genesis of your crotch cancer?" since she'd been sick before I knew her, and then after her relapse, well, even more awkward - and she was younger than I am now at the time of her diagnosis). So my question is, how hard should I be freaking out right now? I have all the symptoms of ovarian cancer but it seems that a lot of the symptoms of really big cysts are pretty much the same. He said he's "99% sure" he's right about it being a fluid-filled cyst and not something to worry about, but he seemed a bit concerned about it all, so I don't know. (And my friend's doctor told her she was 98% sure my friend didn't have breast cancer. My friend did.) I'm not sure if I'm looking for reassurance or to be prepared for bad news...I guess I just want to know if anyone else has been here and how it turned out for you.
ETA: thanks everyone...doc says nothing seems malevolent. All the same I'd like to get this thing out of me fairly quickly but I'm glad to know it has no plans to take over my insides.