Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Posts: 1 Location: Massachusetts
Very Scared - Tender Ovaries Extreme Fatigue Posted: 12-16-05 19:17pm
I am posting here because I feel as though
I have no where else to turn. I am 22
years old, and have always been in good
health, up until about two months ago. I
first noticed a pain in my left side above
my hip which crept around to my back and
down my pelvic region. The pain was not
severe, but very noticable. After which I
got my period which lasted for fifteen
days (normally seven days) at the end of
my period I had "new" bleeding compared to
the normal brown end I normally have.
After my period, the pain started again in
the area next to my right hip. I went to
my general practitioner, who performed a
pelvic examination and didn't find
anything unusual at that point. I was
also having trouble taking a full breath -
my blood pressure was normal, my blood
oxygen level was normal, and she said it
was my anxiety. After a week of no
improvment, I went back to her, and she
did another pelvic exam, found nothing
wrong, and put me on amoxicillian on the
off chance I might of had an infection.
Three days later, I got a stabbing pain in
my lower back, and went to the er. They
checked my kidneys, which were normal, and
checked my cell count, also normal, and
sent me home. I went to a chiropractor,
who ran x-rays, which showed that I have a
curved spine, but showed no other
abnormalties with my organs except for an
excessive amount of gas in my intestines.
I then went to a gynecologist who again
did a pelvic exam and found that my
ovaries were tender to the touch. When he
touched them, a shooting pain shot up my
back. He said I most likely had
endometriosis, though he couldn't tell for
sure. He based that on the fact that sex
has always been painful for me, i've
always had heavy periods (though never
prolonged, and never had any pelvic pain).
He also did an ultra sound, but didn't
say if he found anything abnormal. He put
me on birth control pills. My pain is
continuing up into my ribs, and severe
pain underneath my shoulder blades,
particularly my left shoulder blade. It
is to the point where I have to take
massive amounts of ibuprofin to get
through the day.
The pelvic pain is now on my right side as
well, I am extremely fatigued, and my
period this month only lasted three days,
which has never happened before. I have
no health insurance and have paid over a
thousand dollars so far for no answers. I
am very scared and just want to know what
is wrong with me so I can start to correct
it!
I am fearful of ovarian cancer because of
my symptoms, also my grandmother passed
away from ovarian cancer (though she
didn't develop it until her late
seventies). Can anyone with any knowledge
of ovarian cancer inform me of the symtoms
- everything I find online is very vague,
listing only "abdominal discomfort" and
"irritated digestion" - this has gone on
for two months, and the doctors I have
gone to see tell me that ovarian cancer is
nearly impossible to detect, yet I keep
reading that if it is not diagnosed early,
the chaces for survival are minimal. I am
aware that ovarian cancer in someone my
age is very rare, but with my symptoms I
want to make sure it is not something more
serious, and begin any treatment I would
need immediately.
Any insight would be sincerely
appreciated. Thank you.
|
trilliumblue
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 1
Ovarian Cancer Posted: 01-09-06 12:18pm
Dear shaharazad,
i was diagnosed with ovarian cancer last
oct. For about a year I was more tired
then usual but attributed to my job, as I
walked 4-6 miles a day on the job. The
true symptoms didn't show until around
last july and august. I was extremely
fatigued, lost my appatite, felt sick
24/7, lost weight, and started having pain
in my lower abdomen. By the end of
september, I was begging my doctor for a
colonoscopy. After a battery of tests,
they found the cancer. It was already in
stage 3. That's the problem with ovarian
cancer. By the time they find it, it has
reached stage 3. I had my ovaries and
tubes removed and I am now doing chemo.
They got most of it with the surgery. I
will have my 3rd chemo session tomorrow,
then will have 3 more after that. We
don't know yet if it is working or not,
time will tell. I feel great. I don't
feel like i'm sick, or like I have cancer
except that I get tired easily. The
months of oct, nov, and dec. Were the
worst. I am driving again, and have
recently moved to a smaller place with no
stairs, and am determined to beat this.
A woman I know went into remission for 10
yrs, got it back and has been in remission
for another 10 yrs. I hope I will be as
lucky and I am almost 62yrs old. I hope
you do find out soon what the problem is
and I pray you don't have or ever get this
cancer. Good luck to you dear.
