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Original poster

Testing for ovarian cancer at 29

14 replies

buddhasbelly · 03/02/2018 21:58

As the title says really, was at an appt today with something unrelated and mentioned to my GP a few things (extreme bloating, lower back pain and needing to pee A LOT).

My GP is brill, he had a quick feel of my stomach and then said he was ordering blood tests (I've booked in for a couple of weeks from now).

He said he we just being on the safe side as it's rare in women under 50s but on the way home I had a sudden thought, my mum was adopted and her birth mother died of ovarian cancer.

I know I'm silly to get worried, what will be will be and all that but a bit of an odd day, just wanted to get it out without coming across as a drama queen to my RL friends!

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Original poster
buddhasbelly · 03/02/2018 22:13

Bumping Smile anyone else had any similar experience?

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Teaformeplease · 03/02/2018 22:13

Much more likely to be fibroids, endometriosis or an ovarian cyst I would have thought.
Blood test is for a tumour marker CA125 which can be elevated for reasons other than cancer. Level should be less than 35. The test results should be back the same day so could you phone the surgery for the results rather than wait a couple of weeks and worry about it? It's good that the GP is testing to rule ovarian cancer out but it would be very unusual in someone your age. I can understand why you're worried though.
I had mine tested this week and was convinced it was going to be bad (strong hypochondriac tendencies) but it wasn't and gp thinks I may have some fibroids.

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 03/02/2018 22:19

Thanks for your response Smile

The next available appt for bloods was Valentine's day so got a wee bit of a wait. I know how celebrate! only sort of seeing someone so will but myself chocolate and ignore the commercialised day

I had a cyst that to me sounded quite large (diameter 9cm I think) when I was pregnant with dd but no idea if this is large or not and didn't get any follow ups about it.

Glad bloods come back quickly, that was going to be my other question!

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Teaformeplease · 03/02/2018 22:35

Why do you have to make an appointment for bloods? Can't you just go to your local hospital?
If the GP thought it was urgent he would have got you seen quicker so that must be reassuring anyway. Still seems a long time to wait though. Please try not to worry (says me who was planning my funeral - such a drama queen!). And try not to Google either (I should follow my own advice).

Teaformeplease · 03/02/2018 22:36

It may well be the cyst. They should have followed up on that.

AllButterShortbread · 03/02/2018 22:43

It’ll be the cyst. 9cm is quite large.

Disclaimer - I’m a random person on the internet. But it’ll be the cyst Flowers

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 04/02/2018 08:03

Thanks all Smile

Procedure at my GPs seems to be just to make an appt for the practice nurse to take bloods.

Yes probably just my overly cautious GP. I really can't fault him, works on a Saturday so he can see more patients and has done home visits to me before when I had PND and had to wait for CBT. He really is the best!

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LoniceraJaponica · 04/02/2018 08:52

"Why do you have to make an appointment for bloods? Can't you just go to your local hospital?"

You can't just turn up at our local hospital or GP for a blood test. We have to make an appointment at the GP with one of the nurses.

OddBoots · 04/02/2018 08:56

If you have symptoms it is absolutely right to get the tests done just to be safe but as others have said, there are other causes for the blood test to come back positive so if you do get a higher result don't panic, the cyst is a likely cause. They will probably follow up with an ultrasound.

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 04/02/2018 10:41

Thanks all, putting my mind at rest. I have a job interview next week, PT currently, this would put me FT and off working tax credits! So already a bit of a stressful week ahead!

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TwitterQueen1 · 04/02/2018 10:50

Bloods don't come back the same day or even the next day in my area. And you can't just turn up at hospital and demand a test. But if results should show anything out of the ordinary your GP will ring you. An 'out of ordinary' result does not mean that you have cancer at all, it's just a marker for some kind of inflammation somewhere.

If you've had one cyst already I would suspect another one, not OC.

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 04/02/2018 10:56

Thanks TwitterQueen, this cyst was about 4 years ago, had a lot of bleeding early on in preganany and it was attributed to that, I was told as baby grows it would start to shrink if I recall rightly..

Lost quite a bit of weight recently without trying but can look 6 months pregnant not a great look

Och on the positive it's great to have a GP that is on the ball. Will just keep focussed on the job interview! Thanks again all Smile

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Teaformeplease · 04/02/2018 21:05

I live in Wales. If you need a blood test GP gives you a form which you take to the local hospital phlebotomy department any time between about 8.30 til 5, no appointment necessary. Blood is taken and goes to the lab. Most tests are done that day. Some will be batch processed or sent away to specialist labs and will take a week or more to come back. Ca125 will be processed usually within 24 hours and the results sent to the GP by computer link.
I work in pathology.

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 05/02/2018 07:57

Thanks tea - interesting to see where all the differences lie in the NHS. I'm scotland so GP practise nurse for me!

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