My story ... Large cyst

hi all 

some weeks ago I was on here quite i bit as I had a very large ovarian cyst. My purpose in writing my story isn't to worry anyone but to follow up my earlier conversations in case any of the lovely ladies I was chatting to are still here and also to raise awareness. 

I found  a lump at at christmas about the size of an egg ... Not any real symptoms but I had been fairly bloated over christmas and did not enjoy al the usual treats etc. the doctor that I saw said he couldn't find the lump and put all my discomfort down to overindulgence, even though I told him that wasn't the case. Anyway it took me 6 weeks to pluck up the courage to go back and by then the lump was significantly bigger. This time the doctor referred me for an urgent untrasound but reassured me that she was pretty sure it was a huge fibroid.

The untrasound showed it was in fact a 15cm complex cyst. So I was then referred to a gynaecologist oncologist who said that he was absolutely sure there was nothing to worry about, I am premenopausal, 48yo, ca125 was only 44 - just outside normal, and no other symptoms other than the bloating at christmas (which had long since cleared up) and the obvious discomfort of having such a large cyst. He said they would do an MRI and then probably referr me to the general hospital to have it removed. Two weeks after the MRI I was given an date for the operation - full hysterectomy, all done at the cancer hospital. I was still not overly worried as it could well be benign. I was told to go for a CT scan the day before the op and the surgeon told me they were hoping for keyhole surgery that would take a couple of hours.

i woke up after 5 and a half hours to discover they has also removed a bit of colon as they had found a small tumour there as well. They removed the cyst but all so removed lots of other bits to biopsy. Last week I found out the results and it turns out I had an endometrial cancer that they have removed and cured but also there was ovarian cancer in my cyst. Diagnosed stage 1c because the cyst had ruptured so I need a follow up of chemotherapy to make sure no cells are left. The colon tumour was benign!

i don't tell you this to worry or stress any of you but to inform, it is possible for there to be a low ca 125 and it still be cancer BUT it has meant mine was caught really early and has hopefully a good chance that it may never come back. It is not the end of the world ... This was my worst nightmare as an outcome which is why I had spent many hours on here trawling stories to make me feel better. But do you know, it is okay! I am okay and I will survive this. 

If nothing else take from this... Don't put of going yo your GP, don't let the doctor fob you off, don't stop hassling people. I am so lucky, found early ovarian cancer is curable, but not so good if it is found late. If the first doctor hadn't just said I was overweight maybe I wouldnt need the chemo!!!

feel free to ask any questions, but most of all don't dispair just make sure people listen to you.

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