Scared & just need some reassurance!!!!

[Lizizurtx]

Hi there,
I try and keep my story brief!! I am 30, 2 miscarriages, no kids, no other gynacological problems in past (i.e. normal paps, normal periods).
I had a miscarriage in early March, natural, no D&C, everything was shown to be fine.
A month later I had my first period, it was fine.
A month later I had another period that lasted 11 days.
14 Days after that I had a period that lasted 2 months. I had been to my family dr throughout this time and she ordered an ultrasound which showed that I had a very small cyst that was looking like adenomyosis and some endometrial thickening but neither she or the radiologist thought the findings were significant and thoughts were that I was having some difficulty with hormone regulation.

Now up to this point there was no pain at all (usually I do have moderate mentrual cramps and can usually feel when I was ovulating but my Dr. informed me that after a preg/miscarriage sometimes a womans cycle can change).

I ended up going to the ER one night because the bleeding was getting significantly worse. He took some swabs which came back fine and did an internal which he said seemed fine. He ordered me on a 5 day course of a highly concentrated birth control pill called Ovral 21. He said this should trigger my body into ovulating and assured me that the bleeding would stop.

It did stop but only for about 3 days and then I started experiencing cramps and pain. My family dr was going away on holiday and she said that if the Ovral didn't work then she wanted me to start on the BCP Marvelon. So I did and have been on it for the last 3 months.

Since I have experienced painful periods (like nothing I have ever been through...the miscarriage was easier). The bleeding is heavy but the pills seem to control the flow and make the fresh blood stop within about 7 days.

The reason I am posting to a cancer forum is because I am terrified I have cervical cancer or perhaps even ovarian cancer. Even though the fresh blood stops on the Marvelon, I still have this dark brown discharge that lasts pretty near my whole cycle. Even when I bled for those two months, alot of it was this old blood/brown discharge. I am thinking that if it is a hormone imbalance then why is this discharge still happening? Shouldn't it be controlled like the fresh bleeding?

Further I feel my symptoms are worsening. A lot of pain has developed on my left side (around the ovary area and it feels like something is stuck or is in there--sorry the only way I know to describe it). I recently had another ultrasound on Aug 20th and it came back clear...no cyst like they saw in the earlier scan, no thickening or anything.

I am waiting for my Gynacology appointment which is in November (the earliest I could get and I have known about it since August) and the waiting is so unbearable. Not to metnion this has been hard on the psyche because I haven't been able to fully get over my loss.

I have done tons of research on endometriosis, adenomyosis, cysts and now things like cervical cancer and I am worried that it's going to be it for me and my desire for kids.

I have so long to wait before my gyno appointment and I thought of seeing if my family dr could order some other tests and perhaps redo the pap but she is now away for 2 weeks too.

As you can see I am suffering a little bit from anxiety. I just need to let it out and perhaps someone can say the right words to make me put this all in perspective and help me get through the next few weeks.

Thank you so much for reading and getting through all the details.

[rockstar]

HI Liz,

Sorry I did not write a response to your story sooner. (busy and all)

It sounds like you have been going through a world of headaches with the bleeding and not really getting a formal diagnosis as to WHY everything is happening. I'd be interested to see why your doctor will say in nov when you go see him/her.

As far as my medical opinion is concerned, I'm not sure what is going on. There are soo many different possibilities and answers that I don't know where to begin to suggest beyond what you are already thinking. all I can suggest is that you don't freak out and think it is cancer before we have any definite test results. One thing I guess you can say is nice about cervical cancer specifically is that it is so easily tested for. So say your gyno does another pap (in addition to the one that your fam dr took) and it comes back normal, you can scratch that concern off your list.

And I too was told that a woman's cycle can change after a miscarriage. I had a miscarriage also a couple years back. I began to be able to feel when I was ovulating. weird. So I can understand what you were going through.

So I hope this helps in some small way. I'm not entirely sure if that post was necessarily coherent. lol I kinda jumped all over the place.

[Lizizurtx]

Thank you, your words do help...so much.

I know I probably look like a total idiot worrying when I don't even have a diagnosis yet. I am trying to stay positive but I am finding it so hard. I am finding it so hard to be patient for my upcoming Dr's appointments. Ughh, there are so many things I am finding hard.

This is horrible, here I am whining for nothing yet when I have been reading so many stories from people who have been through hell & back and have good reason to whine. I promised myself I would stay off this forum until I knew for sure what I was facing. I think am just searching for someone who has had the same symptoms and made it through and reached their goals & their dreams.

I know it seems crazy but I am convinced that it's cancer, even though my rational self is saying it could be anything at this point. I guess I am looking at the glass half empty right now when really I should just be enjoying the time I have and save the worrying for when and if I get an actual diagnosis. But this is so much easier said than done.

I'm sorry, I know I just let it all out there and I know there is nothing to say. I guess I just needed to vent. This has been going on since April and I just want answers and it feels like I still have so long to wait.

Anyway, coming here helps and so did your words so thank you Rockstar.
Hope you & everyone reading this is in good health.
(Sorry if this post was a touch on the negative side )

[farrahscreations]

Hi Hun I just wanted to let you know that I too had problems with bleeding and it was not related to anything other then hormones. I've been on Provera which is a HRT for several months now and it works perfectly! As far as the chances of it being ovarian cancer, bleeding is not a symptom of OC at all. I had a huge solid mass on my left ovary and it only effected my bowels, since your bowels lay right on top of your ovary. I also have a friend who had stage 4 OC and bleeding was never a part of that so it would be safe to say you can cross that one off your list. As for brown blood, that's old blood that could've accumulated in your uterus after the miscarriage or from all the bleeding you've been having. As for the pain, your ovary is located right above your pelvic bone not so much on your side. I do know that I have quite a bit of cramping while on the hormone therapy so that could be the cause. Ovarian tumors are easily seen on an ultrasound and since your were clear I wouldn't worry. As for the cyst seen on your cervix, I have one too but it's nothing more then a cyst which is a fluid filled sack. I had a cone biopsy in June for severe cervical dysplasia but it wasn't anything to do with that cyst.
Try to relax and see what the doc says in Nov.
I hope this has eased your concerns a bit.

[rockstar]

hi liz,

remember....don't worry....be happy

I know it has just been a frustrating process trying to figure out what is going on with your body, and you aren't an idiot for worrying without a diagnosis. that is very common. but it just does you no good.

What I can recommend for staying positive is trying to keep your mind off of it by doing something else, like a hobby or just doing something you enjoy. That can help keep your mind off of it, and if it is something productive, then you have something positive at the end to look at!

[Lizizurtx]

Hi Gals,

Thanks for the encouragement. I am trying to keep positive & busy today and just carry on as usual, even though I am still experiencing symptoms.

I also posted in the uterine/endometrial cancer section and the message I got there was that no matter what I need to rule it out...so that means I have to buck up and face this.

I have been trying to reach the gyno's office to see if they have an earlier appointment available (tried this about a month ago but they told me they rarely get cancellations but I could be put on a 'short notice' call-in list) but have not been able to get anyone on the phone, even though they say they are open.

Have a good day & thanks for the response!

[Lizizurtx]

Yes, posting again!
I managed to get through to the gyno and I got an appointment for the end of October!

It is only a week earlier but it's a week earlier to finding some answers!

[Lizizurtx]

Hi there,

I been waiting patiently for my gyno appointment for months now and today was the day.

As for whether the appointment was a success or disappointment, I am not sure how I feel. In some ways I felt rushed (after waiting over an hour) and like I didn't get all the details out that I wanted but he also seemed to know what to ask and didn't want to get bogged down with the nitty gritty details.

Based on my history he feels that I am not ovulating and that there is a hormone imbalance. In fact he said he is "positve" I am having hormonal trouble and it is the cause of all my symptoms. He also said that based on the ultrasound I had in June which showed the adenomyotic cyst and endo thickening it is most likely I have adenomyosis but he said that will not affect my fertility or ability to carry a baby to term. He said that 30% of his patients have this and don't even know it and to top it off he has delivered their babies...so it can be done. He asked about prior paps and cancer history in my family but that was it.

So he ordered a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) to see if there are some fibriods causing trouble and to see if my fallopian tubes are clear (as opposed to blocked) as well as a whack of blood work to check on my hormones. In order to have the hormone blood work done I have to go off the pill and have the blood test 6 weeks later. I understand why, no sense in checking my hormones if the pill is controlling everything but it is is scary because of my problems with bleeding that I was having before.

I don't know...I got home and felt like I should have pushed more to rule cancer out. At the same time he did make me feel confident when I was in his office that I was in good hands and that he was going to help me get to the bottom of things. I think the relief that I was going to get help just flooded over me and I just dropped everything I wanted to cover. It has been such a burden of worry to carry these past 8 months.

Anyway, that is where I am at.

Anyone had an HSG that can give me some real life experience/info/tips about the procedure? The gyno assured me it's nothing to be worried about and I did a little web searching when I got home but some real stories would be nice.

Hope everyone is well.
Liz

[rockstar]

Hi Liz,

So glad you are getting results and answers! I know sometimes it doesn't feel that way, but they are doing tests to find out whats wrong.

I know you are worried about going off the pill because of the bleeding, but if it will help get answers, then it would be worth it in the end. (Easier said than done, right? :P)

And I know you didn't feel like you concerns for cancer were dealt with, but cancer is on the more unusual side of diagnosis. I know doctors like to rule out other options besides that. And maybe your doctor genuinely feels like it isn't a proper diagnosis for you. Whatever the case, and distant as your doctor may seem, I feel that there is progress!! so stay optimistic!