On 9/18/2007
Aileen Girl wrote:
I am new to this. My mother has not been diagnosed yet with ovarian, but I think that the results are pointing in that direction.
She has been going to the doctors to find out what the bloating in her stomach is all about. It has been about 4 weeks now. She finally had the fluid removed from her stomach and her GI doctor called her a couple of hours later that day to give her the results of the fluid. There were some white cells that usually indicates an infection. But he did not seem too concerned with that. It was the elevated markers they found in her fluid that indicates cancer.
My concern is that if it is ovarian and that it had spread, as in most cases with ovarian, 80% cases are in its late stages, what can be done??
She will be going to her primary doctor this week to talk with him and to discuss more follow-up tests,
If it is ovarian and in its late stages, what treatments, besides chemo, are out there? Any alternative ways out there?
I feel so scared and hopeless. I know from reading some of the stories on here and other web-sites, that even though it is usually the case of late stages, people do survive this deadly disease.
Any feedback, hope and support would be greatly appreciated.
I'm sorry your mom is going thru this. It's not easy. But, there is hope. I was diagnosed with stage 3C almost stage 4 in Jan of this year. I too had the bloating, and constipation, and stomach issues. I started with an ultrasound and went to a cat scan, which is where they found all of the tumors, and fluid called ascites, my cancer had spread to my omentum, and all the female organs.....surgery is usually indicated when that happens...... I've had 6 rounds of chemo, and a total hysterectomy. first I went to my primary care doc, then my ob\gyn and he referred me to a gynecologic oncologist, (which is the best place to be if it is ovarian ca.) My cancer has returned, and I'm now on another type of chemo for another 18 weeks. All of the research I've done does show that people do live through this. It's a long road......
It's ok to be scared. I'm still scared, but I have to have faith that the docs know what they are doing, and will do the best thing for me to be rid of this dreaded disease. And they will do the same for your mom. Please don't feel hopeless, there is hope for people with this disease...Have they done a CA125 test yet? That is a blood test that is used as a tumor marker in ovarian ca. What stage have they diagnosed?
I'm not sure if I was any help, but please know that there are a lot of sites out there, including the American Cancer Society, that will help you ,and send you information, they have been a lot of help to me. Knowing is half the battle.
Good luck, and my prayers are with you.