Fat belly? No. Ovarian Cancer belly (pt 2)

[TwitterQueen1]

The story of my ovarian cancer discovery is here

This is such an important health issue - there's a reason why OC is called the 'silent killer'. I really want more women to be aware of what few symptoms there are (I wasn't).

This is my story. I hope it's a long one.

I think gravelling over your front garden is a good idea. Low maintenance is surely a good idea with all the treatment you are having you must feel exhausted a lot of the time. You should do whatever you need to make yourself feel better. Nothing worse than feeling shattered and all these jobs which need doing staring you in the face.

Hope you are feeling ok.

How're you doing TQ? Did you get the gravelling done?

Having blood tests next week. Am bloated and have a cyst on my ovary. No other symptoms but I’m only in my mid thirties and petrified :-( sorry to post on this thread but I need a handhold and some perspective. MN really highlighted OC to me thanks to TQ

Sorry to hear that Can't. Mid-30s is young for OC - it normally kicks in around menopause but that's not to say you don't have it of course. The trouble with OC is lack of symptoms - and also lack of pain.

If they've identified a cyst it could 'just' be a cyst of course. I don't know anything about them unfortunately, my 'mass' was 24cm x 20 x 14 if I remember correctly - so not really a tumour but a whole mess of cancer all over my insides. If your cyst is cancerous then hopefully it is contained and can be treated more easily.

I'm glad you're more aware of it than I was. Looking back, I can't believe I was so ignorant and ignored my symptoms for so long. Feel free to rant away here and ask any questions. I will be keeping everything crossed for you so do keep me posted.

Hi Curtains
the gravelling is due to be done w/c 2nd July so I'm looking forward to that. The bamboo has become triffid-like and is about to engulf the entire neighbourhood I fear.

I'm OK otherwise tx - limiting myself to one or two exciting tasks each day. Yesterday was change bedsheets and do some washing. Tomorrow is clean fridge. Today was talk to my pension administrators about cashing it in. I'll be glad when the DDs return from uni. The rat (Yorkie) is no company - I've obviously done something wrong because she keeps yapping at me in disgust.

TQ I was on your first thread when cashews were the sustenance of choice. Just waving to say hello, I’ve thought about you quite often but have neglected to come and visit. Wishing you well with your gardening & dd2’s return from uni. ,,,, and tea for you as I can’t deliver anything better.

Cross posted - is there a new dog in your life? I seem to recall your sister having your puppy (pls forgive me if I’ve misremembered).

Thanks Big! Lovely to hear from you. My main job right now is
avoiding thinking about the next scan and results on the 25th... Cashews till very much in evidence, as is Dolcelatte in the fridge...

Hello TQ, thinking of you . I’m overwhelmed by my garden, thinking of grassing over a major flower bed . Gravel sounds a great idea . Talking of cashew nuts, have you tried those coated with black pepper? Delicious!
Glad dd3 will be home soon but hope you are not doing the long drive . Don’t exhaust yourself .

Thanks so much TQ. I feel ridiculous being so upset when I haven’t even had the test results yet. I’ll post when I know. It’s just that I’ve been told I’ve got ‘stomach issues’ for months despite never finding a cause and my heart just sank when I read the symptoms of OC and coupled with my cyst I thought it needed investigating. My gp has been fabulous.
My mum had breast cancer and so did two of my best friends quite young and so it feels more of a real fear as I’ve seen people I love go through the waiting period.
Sorry for moaning but I feel lonely as I’ve only told 2 people in RL about my concerns.

May I jump on the bandwagon with questions about your tummy TwitterQueen?

I'm lobsided atm waiting to see a consultant on Tuesday - I have lost weight/inches everywhere else but put 8 or 9 inches on my tummy & I have a visible lump on the upper right (I also have gallstones)

Were you even - same each side or lobsided like me? My CA125 is relatively unbeleiveably low at 46 so I'm concerned rather than panicking atm

Hi Gonegrey no I haven't tried the black pepper ones yet! Next time.
ExH is bringing DD3 back this time so thankfully I don't have to drive. I'm waking up too early - I think it's the rat - it was before 5am today. It does mean I need my afternoon (and sometimes morning as well) nap.

KatyMac my tummy was 8+ litres of fluid, so it was evenly distributed. I never felt my 'mass' at all, despite it's size, but it's because it was all over ovaries, stomach lining, spleen, liver, lung lining etc.

CA125 markers aren't always accurate in terms of indicating an inflammation or cancer. 35 is the 'norm' I think. 46 is higher than this but I wouldn't have thought it was high enough to signify anything. Mine was over 500 I think. Not sure about a visible lump in the upper right - again, I wouldn't think that's to do with the ovaries.

Thankfully you don't have too long to wait to talk to someone about it. Fingers crossed for you!

Thanks, I thought the level was fairly low (despite being 'high') iyswim

My lump is in the middle of nowhere there is nothing behind it (except Bowel) and it's quite soft really - Roll on Tuesday

Thanks again

Hand hold from here for your scan tomorrow TQ. And some

Thanks Gonegrey, much appreciated. I always cry - not because it hurts but because I'm scared of what it's going to reveal - even though I won't find out for 2 weeks...

I do feel for you, wish it was not like this plus the ghastly wait . There will be others like me keeping everything crossed for you . I hope the realisation of that is a little comfort .

Best wishes for tomorrow

Thinking of you this morning TQ. Sometimes the kindness of nurses/technicians is enough to make me cry. Hope you managed to sleep a little later.

All done! And no tears this time, thanks to you lovely lot. Annoyingly (to everyone else) I was that person who walks into the x-ray waiting room with about 16 people in it, sits down for maybe 3 minutes and then gets called before anyone else...

Well done, as the Italians would shout, “Brava”!

Best of luck today TQ, I am thinking of you.

Another one thinking of you today TQ

Thank you Gonegrey and curtains!

I had good news today! My consultant told me to go away for 3 months! Apparently I have responded very well to the Caelyx and the tumour that was 1.9cm then 1.6cm, is now not visible on the CT scan. There was also a question around the kidneys but that looks OK now too.

The cancer hasn't gone away. It will grow again. I will need chemo again, but for a couple of months I can relax and recuperate. I have no stamina and can do very little physically so I am keen to build up my resilience.

I'm going to try to eat more healthily - if you've had chemo you'll know that sweet stuff keeps the nausea at bay and carbs are comforting and I have put on weight. I'm not going to try to lose weight, just to be as healthy as I possibly can and reduce the sugary stuff (tricky this week when DD2 demanded 2 cakes - 1 for her 21st and 1 for graduating).

I'm trying to take things a day at a time - today was a good day.

Whoop! That is great news!

Now you need to think of small things you can do in the next 3 months while you don't have to worry about chemo/cancer

So pleased for you!