Feeling jittery, could use some good wishes....

Been going through some testing and I can't lie, I'm getting a bit apprehensive (a bit, ha!).  It began last June at my annual gyno appt.  Have had large fibroids on my uterus since my forties which were always checked on yearly, never any symptoms, so a hysterectomy was never recommended.  This year she decided, since it had been five years since my last hospital sonargram and transvaginal (she did her own on each of my visits, but wanted everything checked again and sized on the big hospital machine), that I should have it done by the Womens Center.  It found that I had a minimal amount of fluid in my pelvis, and they thought a fibroid had grown a bit.  Then I had a pelvic MRI which assured that the fibroid did not grow at all, but that I had a tarlov cyst in caudal area and a mild amount of fluid in pelvis.  Suggested another sonar and transvaginal in 3 months.  Had the second one in September.  No problems other than mild amount of fluid in pelvis, another sonar and TV at end of year.  Just had it done last week and now shows that there appeared to be a left adnexal cystic mass and small amount of fluid in pelvis.  She had all the reports reread by her favorite interventional radiologist, who suggested another MRI as the left adnexal mass was not there on last MRI, but he didn't feel it was a "cystic mass" at all. 

Edited by LRM216 - Jan 02 2012 at 12:23pm

Hi Linda,

Tons and more tons of good wishes.

Have 2 responses:
Objective response.
Based on:
"Had the MRI on this past Friday afternoon with Dr. Levy, my gyno's friend standing by to read it (how's that for service!) - and he said there is definitely no mass. There is a small pocket of fluid in the left adnexal mass that he is not concerned about at all. However the free fluid in my pelvis is a little bit more than last MRI, so he suggests just watching it and doing another sonargram and TV in six months."
Based on this, seems very, very little to be concerned about objectively.
Subjective response:
With any situation that has the slightest possibility for being a problem, I and think most any one
with a history of cancer would be concerned. Guess instead of the usual......give the cough or
muscle pain 2 weeks.....this will take a 6 month sonagram to confim all is well.
Think with what Dr. Levy said I would try (easier said then done) to concentrate on there is
no hard evidence of a problem ( and of course, whatever your MD says).   


Regarding the CA-125 test.
Am sure you know this test result can sometimes raise concerns when there are none.
From    http://www.medicinenet.com/ca_125/page2.htm
For general info about the test.
Is CA 125 testing useful as a cancer screening test?
Although CA 125 is a useful test in monitoring women who are being treated for ovarian cancer, a single CA 125 test is not considered to be a useful screening test for cancer. Some women with ovarian cancer (up to 20%) never have elevated CA 125 levels, while most women who do have elevated CA 125 levels do not have cancer. In fact, because CA 125 can be elevated in so many non-cancerous conditions, only about 3% of women with elevated CA 125 levels have ovarian cancer.
REFERENCE:
Hussain, Fazal. "Gynecologic Tumor Markers." eMedicine. Mar. 30, 2009. <http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/269839-overview>.
Last Editorial Review: 10/22/2009
There are probably better references for the CA-125 test but think above gives some generally
held information. The 3% sounds like it is referring to a screening use.

With caring and hopeful thoughts and hugs,

Grateful for today..............Judy

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Linda,

Genie:

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LRM216 wrote: I love you all and thank you all for being here for me.  Amazing to know that faces I have never met, and hands I have never held, could shelter me from my own fear better than those that I have loved all my lives.  I know they are scared too, but they just can't grasp why a cancer-patient can't just push it away and not worry.  Only another sister or brother can truly understand  - and  boy, am I sure grateful that I have each of you to come to!   Love, Linda

Praying for good luck and hoping your anxiety is wiped away soon.

Awww, Again, thanks so much my dear sisters.  Mainy, I too have always kept a supply of Ativan on hand just for these moments, but the only time I have needed any was when Tiffany passed away.  I have been taking a half in the morn and a half at night.  It does quell this dang anxiety a bit, thank God.  And I do keep in mind that this will be my first CA-125, and will remind the gyno also, which actually, she is also aware of.  My regular onc (who I see on the 20th) always does a CEA also, but my last one was in late September and was fine, as was the CA -27-29, but as we all know, this monster can change in a heartbeat.  I'm hanging on to "no symptoms, no cysts, no masses" - just can't let go of that small amount of fluid thats in the pelvis floating around.  It would be normal if I wasn't 10 yrs. postmenopausal.  Oh well, no way around it, just got to put on my big girl panties and go through it.  Acutally a bit embarrassed to even be posting this with all that so many of our other sisters are presently going through, or have gone through.  I don't even have any results yet, and I'm burying myself.  Geez, sometimes I think the anxiety this disease produces in us is worse or just as bad as the disease itself.  Yuk.

Linda, have your doctors discussed the cause of fluid in your pelvic area? .


Edited by krisa - Jan 06 2012 at 6:07pm

Dear Linda