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Ovarian cancer symptoms starting again after surgery/maintenance treatment

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Hi just after some advice. In early 2024 I was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. I started treatment before surgery, had surgery finished the rest of treatment and now am on maintenance. During the maintenance we got the result that I am brca positive. 

about a year and half before finding out about the cancer I had terrible back pain that did eventually go away and the gp just fobbed me off with physio (I am in my early 30s so not of average ovarian cancer age)

since December I have had on and off back pain but in the last month it has got worse and is constant. At my appt with the oncologist last week I mentioned this and after feeling my back she said there was something she could feel on the bone and was going to book in an urgent mri scan. I am now in complete panic. Googling obsessively and terrified something has come back. My last scan just before Xmas there was no sign of disease but I was told that wasn’t to say it was gone. 

am I panicking for no reason ?! Has anyone else experienced similar after surgery/treatment? Any advice would be appreciated

TIA x 

  • Hi Tia and thank you for posting,

    I am sorry to learn of your situation and that you are now experiencing pain and are waiting on further tests. Waiting for tests and test results can be stressful and cause anxiety.

    Unfortunately no one can say what is causing the pain and whether or not this is being caused by cancer until you have the MRI scan.

    I can imagine this is very difficult because there is so much uncertainty and it can be a time where you may not feel you have any control. I do understand you are constantly searching for answers on the internet, unfortunately you will not be able to find the answer there and this can also heighten anxiety, so if you can try and avoid it.

    There is no right or wrong to deal with this, for some people it can be helpful to distract themselves with their daily activities such as working or meeting friends for other this does not help.

    I hope you can have friends and family that you can lean on at this time, also if you would like to talk things through with one of our nurses on the helpline, we are available between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and the freephone number to call is 0808 800 4040.

    Take care

    Jemma

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