On 5/8/2008
Gct2-brenda wrote:
Since posting my message on Granulosa - Chemo? I have had a couple of requests for symptoms I experienced in recurrence of Granulosa. So I thought it would be a great idea to post them here for all to view.
I am heading for the OR on May 15th for my 3rd surgery in 6 years. I have been able to catch the tumours early because I have been aware of my own symptoms. I hope my experience will help someone else. Here is what I have experienced each time:
First occurrence (complete hysterectomy in July 2002) (Stage 1C): Extreme pain in the lower left abdominal area that doubled me over and resulted in my going to the emergency room for meds for pain and nausea. For the next 4-5 days, the muscles across the front of my abdominal area felt like they had been exposed to too many situps! I had constant aches in both shoulders which the ER doctors felt were related to a gastrointestinal problem. They were very wrong. I experienced excessive gas & bloating, was tired and had frequent naps, a discomfort in the abdominal area with some tenderness, slight nausea on occasion, and even when I was extremely hungry I felt full after only a few mouthfuls of food. I did not experience any weight loss. Also experienced urinary incontinence and a persistant cough that hung with me for over two months.
First recurrence: Surgery January 28, 2007: Pain in abdomen returned but not as severe as first time. No pain in shoulders, but all other symptoms were the same. No weight loss.
Second recurrence: Surgery scheduled for May 15, 2008: Pain in left abdomen was the first sign that something was not right. I had very few other symptoms appear until a month later when I started a new job and then the nausea, headaches, and achiness made their appearance. I quit my job (which I wasn't enjoying anyway) and after a month, only the occasional headache and the need for naps remained until this past week. (Based on this, I expect that the symptoms of this disease are enhanced by stress.) Over the past couple of days I find that I am experiencing more gassiness, tenderness and discomfort in the abdominal area. No weight loss.
CT Scan has been used to confirm the diagnosis of GCT for me. I keep a journal of symptoms for reference which I would suggest everyone do. Be aware of changes in your body - although we all may have similar symptoms, there are some that may be more prominent for each of us in the early detection of this cancer.
Please add your symptoms by responding to this message so others can benefit from your experience. Add anything that you think would be useful. With so little known about GCT, we need to pull together to make it more easily recognized.
Brenda