Stage 2 Ovarian Cancer – How Leg Pain Saved My Life
I had never given a thought to ovarian most cancers, and why would I? On the subject of gynecological cancers you hear about breast cancer on a regular basis, uterine most cancers, and cervical cancer whenever you go to your annual Pap smear, but you by no means hear much wireless emporium coupon at all about ovarian cancer. I think it is getting just a little extra noticed today but a number of years in the past I really didn’t give it a thought.
I’m positive I in all probability heard the words earlier than in some unspecified time in the future however till I was identified with stage 2 ovarian cancer I was fairly ignorant of indicators and signs and had no thought what to look for. To not mention I was a really wholesome particular person – rarely even got the flu or colds – and the last thing I anticipated to listen to from my doctor was the dreaded phrase, “cancer.”
As it turned out, I had in all probability been having early warning signs for a while, possibly years, but I attributed them all as simply common outdated indicators of getting a bit older (however not that outdated! I was only 43) and entering that point in life the place various things start to hassle you or mainly crumble, type of like a automotive that is reaching the top of your warranty. You understand how that goes, your warranty runs out and you’re within the repair store every different week.
So I had been having very typical symptoms and had no thought, signs corresponding to indigestion (by no means had that earlier than), bloating, change in menstrual intervals (heavier), and some pelvic pain shortly after my periods. The pelvic discomfort/painIt was actually a wierd symptom I assumed because it wasn’t right together with that point of the month however a number of days after. However then it would go away and I might simply determine, you realize, getting older, et cetera.
But then I began having this annoying leg pain. It was sort of a radiating pain, so I figured it should be one thing to do with a nerve. I’ve a little medical knowledge so I thought, could or not it’s some form of again challenge like sciatica? No, I didn’t assume so, because it didn’t observe the same old M.O. for that sort of nerve pain. As an alternative of being alleviated by rest it was alleviated by getting up and walking. Possibly a muscle strain? How about fibroids? Sure, that was it, I made a decision, fibroids. I went on-line and researched all of the signs and everything added up! An enormous fibroid must be pressing on my sciatic nerve and inflicting this intolerably aggravating leg pain. I made an appointment with my gynecologist and she agreed, sure, that should be it. Whew, great, nothing that critical to worry about.
My gynecologist sent me for an ultrasound where a large mass was seen, so I was immediately despatched to a gynecologic oncologist. This was extremely scary however I used to be reassured by listening to that is the most effective individual for any type of GYN issues (not solely cancer but anything irregular) which can be out of the norm as a result of these docs are very specialized. However, it is vitally scary to be sitting within the oncologist’s workplace wondering if you’ll have cancer. You look across the ready room and see all the obvious chemotherapy patients, and it is quite overwhelming.
As quickly as I had my examination, my physician scheduled surgery, and shortly! My surgery was performed six days later and the diagnoses was stage 2 ovarian cancer.
I used to be then scheduled to start chemotherapy. I did not need to hear this! All I may consider was shedding my hair. In the grand scheme of things that is such a small factor, but imagine me, when you are faced this it just appears so terrible and dreadful.
However there was good news hidden inside the entire unhealthy, and that was that I solely had stage 2 ovarian most cancers and never a later stage which is most often recognized (on account of the fact that no one realizes they’re having any signs to be apprehensive about). It is only a very very tiny proportion of diagnoses which might be made at stage 1 or 2. The vast majority of all ovarian cancer diagnoses are made at stage 3 or 4. These later phases are a lot totally different when it comes to prognosis (but not hopeless! there’s always hope).
I’m happy to say I made it via it all and am now most cancers free. I do imagine although that if I had not had the leg ache I might not have gone to the doctor anytime quickly, most likely not for quite a while (I really dislike going to the doctor and always put it off), as my symptoms have been just so nonspecific and seemingly very benign, and my disease may have gone unnoticed and saved rising to stage III or IV.
So please heed your body’s communication with you and when you have something occurring that appears actually out of the unusual for you, even if it is abnormal for others, any early warning signs in any way, have it checked out by a doctor. It may make a huge difference in your final diagnosis.
