Ovarian Cancer Signs?

Sorry I haven't been here in a while, due to trying to survive the last few weeks of my Junior year in college.
My concern this time is not for myself, but for my sister. I am very very worried about her. She was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome at age 19. She is now 22. This morning she called me saying that she is not going in to work today due to the amount of pain she is in. She said that her whole left side is severely swollen and hard as a rock. She is having trouble standing up and walking around. Her next step was going to the hospital. I was just wondering if any of you ladies could let me know if there are any tell tale signs of ovarian cancer. She hasn't called me back yet, so I am worried and waiting. Thanks for the help.

Barbie

s Barbie

Most likely your sister is suffering with an ovarian cyst. A benign process that is not uncommon in young women. She should definitely visit her gyn.
But since you asked, the following link will tell you more about the symptoms of ovarian cancer.

http://www.ovarian.org/pages.asp?page=symptoms

karenann

Hi Barbie,

I also tend to agree with Karenann. I woman that I work with also has problems with ovarian cysts and she too says that the pain is, at times, so strong that she cannot stand up straight.

It is the swelling and hardness of her side that concerns me but hopefully that is due to something else.

Keep us up to date on how she is doing.
Rosalie

Been there done that and absolutely do not want any tee shirts. My bet is she has an ovarian cyst. Lost my first ovary in 1997 and then my other 2 weeks ago when I had my hysterectomy. My right ovary was covered in ping pong sized cycsts and the pain was unbearable at times. Have her get checked out.

Ally

Hello - Before I had my hysterectomy, the symptons of my uterine cancer, was severe bleeding......blood clots and blood clots. I just sat on the toilet and let them plop out.....ughhhh. Scary too. Dr put me on hormone pills to control the bleeding. After a while they did'nt work either....

Hare Krsna, love, Martha

I hope it is an ovarian cyst. But I do want to mention that it's important to press the doctors into doing the correct tests.

During my chemo session on Tuesday, I shared the chemo room with a young, slender, vibrant girl who was undergoing Carbo/Taxol for Stage 3 ovarian cancer. And she was SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD.

I asked her about her symptoms and what it took to get diagnosed, and it took a good long while. So be sure that the doctors do the appropriate tests for your sister. I hope it is a cyst. But other things can and do arise in younger women, even though they are rare.

Keep us posted!

I had been tested for several things before they found out what all was going on w/me.

I had serious bloating, crampy feeling and low back pain...all the time...

I had 'signs' for ovarian cancer... I looked up more information on it on some internet sites and it's the 'symptoms' are similar...
However, symptoms can be the same for a BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS it could be ...

So, just go to the ob/gyn and have him/her do a complete exam...
I also had several TRANSVAGINAL ULTRASOUNDS over a period of months...also a CA 125 and CEA (tumor marker) blood tests...
Make sure to ask about having these tests !

Well, AFTER ALL those tests, and waiting and wondering...I ended up electing a TAH/BSO...which turned out to be adenomyosis, cysts...no cancer!

And all the symptoms slowly disappeared with my healing over the past few months!

Just getting proactive with your health can help you deal with whatever it is...that much better... and I'm 'stronger' for it all !!

Good luck to you!

To update everyone-
My sister could not get into her gyno for about 5 days, so she decided to take a trip to our local hospital. When she arrived she was given a pap smear, abdominal exam, and blood work was done. She was released about 2 hours later. Their diagnosis- One of her ovaries were about to burst. She was to go home and wait it out. It has now been a little over a week and she still is in a lot of pain. The hospital said that when it bursts she will be in extreme pain and then the ovary will just absorb into the rest of her body. This diagnosis seems fishy to me. Anyone have any thoughts.

Barbie

Dear Barbie,

I'm sorry but that does sound fishy because a ruptured cyst can have bad consequences. PLEASE have her call her Gynecologist right away. She needs to tell them it is an emergency. Please let us know how she is.

Bertha

Since reading this hystersister site I am amazed and appalled at some of the things I am hearing coming from medical professionals. I don't have any medical training but a bursting ovary seems like something that should be monitored a little better then to just send someone home to deal with it on their own. I hope your sister got a hold of her gyno on this one right away. Good luck and keep us posted.