Hi Sue,

I know exactly how you're feeling - I went through a similar situation earlier on this year. Please, please don't worry until you know what you are worrying about. I know that is easy for me to say, but what they are doing at the moment is making sure they know exactly wheat they are dealing with. As for them not being able to find you're ovary, the same happened to me in 2007 when I had an internal ultrasound (they eventually found it hiding behind my stomach - I guess it was camera shy!).

I can't give you any medical advice, but I can hopefully hold out a helping hand and lend you an ear. Your situation sounds very similar to mine, although I didn't have any symptoms. I'm not gonna go into too much detail about my situation unless you want me to, as I don't think it's right for you at the moment. Don't despair, don't worry, and remember that there are others who have been through this that are here to help you!

Just shout anytime you need to talk

Yorkie1 xxxx

Hi Sue,

I know exactly how you're feeling - I went through a similar situation earlier on this year. Please, please don't worry until you know what you are worrying about. I know that is easy for me to say, but what they are doing at the moment is making sure they know exactly wheat they are dealing with. As for them not being able to find you're ovary, the same happened to me in 2007 when I had an internal ultrasound (they eventually found it hiding behind my stomach - I guess it was camera shy!).

I can't give you any medical advice, but I can hopefully hold out a helping hand and lend you an ear. Your situation sounds very similar to mine, although I didn't have any symptoms. I'm not gonna go into too much detail about my situation unless you want me to, as I don't think it's right for you at the moment. Don't despair, don't worry, and remember that there are others who have been through this that are here to help you!

Just shout anytime you need to talk

Yorkie1 xxxx

Hi Yorkie1, I would like to know what they will do next and how long I should expect to wait. I don't want to make a nuisance of myself but I don't want them to put me on a back burner either! The hospital I have to go to doesn't have the best reputation :0(. Could u tell me what happened to you next, it doesn't matter if it was worse case senario as I am expecting bad news anyway as cancer runs in my family. I would just rather now what I am dealing with.

Thanks for your reply

Sue

Hi Sue,

Sorry if I seemed a bit vague before, it's just difficult to know how much to tell someone when you don't want to worry them. Also, every case is different, so what happened to me may not happen to you, but maybe in some way it may help put your mind at ease a little....I hope so anyway.

My case is a bit strange, and to be honest due to a string of circumstances I have been very lucky. However, the main thing for you is that your case is being dealt with. My tumour was found purely by chance, and initially they didn't think it was malignant (I was told that I was the wrong age for ovarian cancer at 34!). I had an ultrasound in March this year, in preparation for being referred for IVF treatment. During the ultrasound they found a cyst on my left ovary. I relayed this information to my fertility nurse, who then rang back a couple of days later to say that it wasn't a cyst, it was a 'mass', roughly 3.5cm's in diameter. I, like you, was asked to come in asap for the blood tests that tested for the CA125 marker (which I believe picks up on most types of ovarian cancer). I had 4 sleepless nights waiting for the results, and was over the moon when thye came back negative. My consultant still had to identify what my 'mass' was, they thought it may be a dermoid cyst. However, the IVF clinic we were going to be referred to asked that it should be left if it was a cyst, but should be removed if it was solid. I had an MRI (I think it was in May or June) which showed my 'mass' was solid. They now thought it was a fibroma (although still couldn't say for sure!) I therefore needed the 'mass' removing, along with my left ovary, as it would be impossible to remove just the 'mass'. My consultant operated after about 6 weeks, so we could get on with our IVF, so I had it removed on 9th August.

About 4 weeks later we got a call from my consultant's secretary to say that he wanted to see us urgently, and that I should take my husband with me!!!! We saw him the next day and the histology report showed that I had had a malignant tumour on my ovary, specifically a granulosa cell tumour. That was the bad news. Now for the good news (and there can be good news!) - the only treatment is removal (which they had already done), I didn't need chemo or radiotherapy, they had caught it very early on (bear in mind I didn't have any symptoms, although my consultant now thinks this may have been why my periods were irregular), and I now need monitoring every few months to make sure it doesn't come back in the other ovary.

They didn't suspect this type of tumour because I am the wrong age (34 years old, and this tumour is mainly found in teenage girls and post-menopausal women), and one of the indicators is a high level of oestrogen, which I didn't have. Also, the test for this type of tumour is apparently very expensive, so they will not test randomly, unless they suspect this type.

This has all seemed a bit surreal to me, as I know that I have had cancer, yet I am no different now than I was before I knew about it. I still have to go to work everyday and do all the household chores, my life hasn't changed one bit.......other than this being the first thing I think of when I wake up and the last thing I think of when I go to bed. I hope in some way my story may give you a little bit of hope that even if it is cancer it doesn't always mean all the nasty stuff we associate with this disease. I may not have gone through the pain and suffering, but I still have the worry that it may come back, but more than anything I am grateful it was found, purely by coincidence.

It's all very scary when they suddenly start doing tests for cancer, but if you actually look at the symptoms for most 'women's problems' it's very hard to distinguish between any of them...................heavy bleeding, abdominal pain, tenderness, bloating, most women suffer that every month!!!! I remember not even feeling that concerned about what they had found, until the nurse told me I had to be tested for cancer, I think I went through every emotion and back again then, and was extremely scared and frightened because then you are dealing with the unknown. I have watched close family members suffer with cancer, but nothing prepares you for medical people suspecting you may have it!!!! I know exactly where you are right now, and those few days of waiting and not knowing were the worst.........but this is your time now to take stock and decide how you are going to deal with this, no matter what the outcome. And above all try to stay positive.

If you need to know anything else, or just want to chat, let me know. I have everything crossed for you and hope everything gets sorted soon. And if your hospital doesn't have a good reputation make sure you are in control of what is happening..............don't let them exclude you!!!! If it's any consolation I don't like my GP's surgery.....last time I saw a GP there I cried :'(

Take care and keep me updated on your results, etc,

Yorkie1 xxxx

Thanks for that yorkie. You had to wait quite a while for your operation didnt you?. I'm so glad u r ok now. I Will keep u updated and it would be good to have someone to chat to when I'm scared. Thanks for that offer.