We are a little concerned now about my aunt. For a long time she's been suffering from constipation and other stomach problems. The doctors kept telling her this is "normal and nothing to be concerned about". She's been able to keep her stomach problems under control. Lately she's been having some abdominal pain and the doctors again told her that it's nothing to worry about that it should go away on its own. She's been away for a week in Ecuador and she called us this week to let us know that the pain has not gone away. She went to the doctor there and they ran a series of tests and found a mass on her right ovary!! The doctor told her it could be ovarian cancer but we'll know for sure on Friday. Of course she's terrified!
Having gone through all the ups and downs with my mom's dx and the fact that her OB/GYN also failed to diagnosed my mom for years, I'm so mad and angry. Thank God my mom is doing ok now, but it has and continues to be a scary road and pray everyday for energy and the knowledge to keep fighting this disease..
Why do doctors continue to avoid the symptoms.
In my aunt's case, I'm thinking that they didn't take her seriously or didn't want to deal with her because she has no medical insurance?? I don't know I'm just so confused..
This gives me more reasons to continue raising awareness about OVC. Do we need to start educating doctors too??
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Concerned
- By CindyV
- Posted November 19, 2008 at 12:18 pm · 7 replies
- In What, me worry?
- Shared with the public
7 replies
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- By FavoriteAunt
- Posted November 19, 2008 at 12:52 pm
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You should be frustrated and angry. And yes, the doctors absolutely need to be educated. The even have a program now where ovca survivors speak to residents during training - to give them first hand info which most doctors seem to brush off. The only doctor I know who pays attention is my current rheumatologist - because his wife had the same cancer. His senior partner, who I was seeing prior to diagnosis, thought it was the new arthritis med I had started.
I hope your aunt get good news - but if not, I hope she gets the best care. Good wishes to all of you.
- By Favored
- Posted November 19, 2008 at 1:47 pm
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You have reason to be angry. Before I was diagnosed, I had been to the emergency room 3 times.
My OB/GYN decided to do a CA24 and that confirmed the ovarian cancer. The mass I had was on the right ovary and they told me it was like carrying a ten pound baby. It seems that any doctor should know the symptoms. The constipation is awful, but, what worked for me was cottage cheese mixed with a spoonful of flaxseed oil. I had a hard time at first eating, because, I usually felt full.
I hope things work out for your family.
- By patsybee
- Posted November 19, 2008 at 2:16 pm
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I too was diagnosed very late because my primary care physician and my obgyn doc did not catch this even though I kept all my regular appointments with them at Kaiser. I was having all the symptoms but was diagnosed with a "hot stomach" (inflammed stomach lining).
Then my brother died of esophageal cancer and in my intense grieving I decided to have everything checked out because after all, he and I have practically the same genes.
I went to KSR as soon as I returned from his funeral and asked for a sonogram and a CT scan. That is when they found the cancer but by then it was IIIC.
If it wasn't for my beloved brother, I don't know what might have happened.
Sometimes I think that, because of this unfairness with the discovery with our late stage diseases, we should have access to drugs that are working in phase III clinical trials. I'm not sure, but I think that during the AID's epidemic the gay community fought hard for that and made some progress. Does anybody know anything about this?
Patsy
- By Renfroe
- Posted November 19, 2008 at 5:49 pm
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Absolutely. I even found out with my wife that they generally do not even check for it in younger women unless there is a family history. She is stage 3!!! at 38. They kept telling her that she had acid reflux. Do you know she had fluid a month ago build up again and a doctor put on her chart diagnosis, "acid reflux." This is after she has been battling this for 11 months.
- By momanderson920
- Posted November 20, 2008 at 10:39 am
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Given the fact that her sister developed ovarian cancer, I think that is terrible that they didn't take precautions and test your aunt for the same, or at least rule it out. UNBELIEVABLE What is it going to take to get these doctors to wake up!!!
- By momanderson920
- Posted November 20, 2008 at 10:42 am
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I was visited by a retired GYN/ONCOLOGIST after surgery who now works in the research library at the hospital I had my surgery. The kind man, a volunteer, discussed at length with me all the info he had on my cancer. He told me that in his years and years of practice, most women present with GI complaints that are usually misdiagnosed initially. Now a man who has treated probably thousands of women with this cancer is someone whose experience and opinion I respect. I wish he would talk to some of these doctors out there. Fortunately my primary takes everything seriously or I wouldn't be here. Between him and my gyn nurse practitioner I might not be here now.
- By CindyV
- Posted November 20, 2008 at 11:09 am
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Thank you all for your replies. I spoke with my aunt yesterday and she saw a GYN/ONC in Ecuador. He doesn't want to do a biopsy in case it turns out to be cancer and he doesn't want to risk rupturing the cyst/tumor. The doctor wants to proceed with surgery asap. But my aunt doesn't want to have surgery in Ecuador as she'll be more confortable coming back to the states and because her family and children are here. I don't blame her. This was supposed to be a vacation and she's been to so many doctors in less than two weeks..
In the meantime, I'm going to make phone calls to see if we can find a doctor that will be willing to see her b/c of her medical insurance situation. I'm going to call my mom's GYN/ONC (who we love) to see if he can guide us in the right direction... I will keep you posted with any new developments..
Thank you all again..
~Cindy
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