I’m feeling a bit lost and not sure who to talk to. My husband is worried and my dad is elderly with his own health issues, so I’m trying not to burden them.

I had a total hysterectomy in 2023 but kept my ovaries as I was 42 at the time. Last November, blood tests confirmed I was post menopausal and I started HRT. I’ve had a long history of polyps and large submucosal fibroids (up to 15–16 cm), all benign, so I really thought my gynaecology issues were behind me.

Recently I developed urinary frequency, bloated all the time, pelvic/period like pain despite no uterus, left sided back and hip pain, painful intercourse and severe constipation. I thought it was a kidney infection or stones. After seeing my GP and then attending hospital, scans showed a mass on one of my ovaries.

Further scans and blood tests showed raised CA/tumour markers and a solid mass. Surgery was cancelled and I was told it’s been referred to the MDT and would need to be removed by a cancer specialist, which was a huge shock.

I’m now at home on pain relief and laxatives with a two-week sick note and no real idea what happens next. I’ve been told there’s a 6 × 7 cm hard mass on the ovary with raised markers.

My questions are:
Can tumour markers and CA levels be raised with a benign cyst?
Has anyone experienced anything similar?

Sorry for the long post, I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been through something like this. Thank you    ️