Scared awaiting diagnosis

Hi

so about a year ago, I started having intermittent problems passing urine. I could still wee, it was just a trickle rather than a flow, and it seemed to come and go with my cycle, so I just ignored it.

My periods have always been extremely heavy and seemed to get worse during this time. Flooding pads within an hour, and started lasting longer, 8-12 days. 
 

Late last year, I started my period a week early, and then again in Jan. I put this down to stress (my mum died suddenly in jan) and my age. (42).

Last week I had pains in my stomach, back and hips that got better with a bowel movement so I put it down to wind. Then sat just gone, I woke up and I could NOT wee. At all. I ended up in A&E on a catheter and referred for an ultrasound the next day. I was then admitted to hospital for more tests. (Where I currently am) 

ultrasound showed a 14cm ovarian cyst and blood test showed tumour markers of 326.

the first doctor yesterday said it was an ovarian endometrioma but I needed an MRI to make sure. He said he doubted it was cancer and said he'd expect my tumour markers to be in the thousands rather than the hundreds if it was cancer.

this morning, another surgeon came round and said he hadn't had the MRI results yet, but he was concerned it might be cancerous because of its size, my tumour markers and the fact it had other cysts inside it. 
 

he said he wanted a CT scan to rule cancer out elsewhere in my body and then would know more in a couple of weeks and had referred to oncology aswell. 

I then spoke to the junior doctor and she said she'd be surprised if it was cancer as it'd be rare and on probability, it's probably benign but they need to rule out cancer before deciding on treatment, as if can spread if it is cancerous and they don't remove it correctly.

The surgeon this morning though when I spoke to him, and asked him what he thinks said 'it can go either way.'

My thoughts are that if it was a 14cm cancerous tumour I'd have had other health issues and my tumour markers would be through the roof! I put this to him and he agreed but said they have to rule it out.

im terrified and I don't know what to think!! I have very bad health anxiety and I'm absolutly beside myself! Has anyone had similar please or got any advice? 

  • Hi SITC80,

    Welcome to Cancer Chat. I'm sorry to hear of what you're currently going through - I can understand this must be concerning, especially with some of the mixed messaging it sounds like you've been getting.

    Only the necessary tests will give the information you need, so hopefully it won't be too long to wait for these and any results to follow. You'll then have an opportunity to talk things through with the specialist.

    In the meantime, try to take things a day at a time and keep busy where possible to help with distracting from any worries. Of course if you experience any difficulties, give your doctor a call.

    And if anyone here has similar experience to share then hopefully they'll be along soon.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Ben
    Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Since I last posted, I had an MRI scan and saw the doctor again. He said the MRI looked ok and just showed endometriosis and all signs point to it being benign but he just can't rule out cancer totally yet. Said 'low chance but not no chance' and 'try not to worry'

    he said I'll have a CT and then it'll be discussed at the MDT on Tues next week and decide from there what it is and how to treat it.

    I was quite reassured by that, as it seems they're ruling it out, rather than confirming it, and they said they'd be surprised if it was cancer especially considering my age.

    I spoke again to a doctor yesterday and they were again on the fence about it and indicated my blood markers were the reason they were going down this process.

    I had my CT scan yesterday lunchtime and I was discharged a few hours after that, and told someone will be in touch next week following the MDT.

    I've been Googling still all day today and I'm still frantic! I'm so afraid I'm dieing and I know it's a bit irrational cos I think rationally, after all my tests, if they'd detected malignancy they'd have told me about it by now. I know when I left hospital no one had reviewed my CT results but I think if I'd 'lit up like a Christmas tree' like I feared I would, someone would have contacted me by now.

    does anyone have any advice/reassurance/similar situations please? The waiting is driving me crazy!