Please go for regular check ups

Not all cancers are preventable. And some cancers are especially aggressive. But regular check ups can go a long way in catching things before it is too late.  A friend of mine who religiously goes for her annual check up was diagnosed with stage 3B ovarian cancer a few days ago. I shudder to think what could have happened if she hadn’t been so vigilant.

She has decided to start a blog, to write about her experience. Please send some positive vibes her way. She is an amazingly brave woman.

Comments

[Linus]

Wow, what a brave woman Alida is. I read the blogs and she is sounding so positive. Her blog is great, will keep reading it for sure. Makes you think about your own health and how important checkups are. Am looking forward to reading about her journey.

[Geohde]

Ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to detect early. Sadly. It is also nasty,

I hope that your friend does well and I'll be sure to check out her blog,

J

[mary ann]

My mom has stage three ovarian cancer. She also was religious in her check-ups, almost fanatical. It's a horrible, horrible disease.

[Andrea]

I have not been going in for regular check ups. At all. I hate it, I fear it, and I have PCOS, so I am really just stupid. I need to do this.

[Emma]

childhood cancer - also, just happens. Very sadly, it just happens.

['wishIknew']

I had my Gyn do an ultrasound this year just to make sure all the IVF drugs had not caused something to start. They saw a cyst but it imaged with a line (half dark /half light)- most likely just blood that pooled after a follicle ruptured during ovulation.
Had me go back in 3 months just to be sure. I did - it was gone. (I was thinking it would be but still glad to get the ok)
I'm glad I had the check-up. An "let's just make sure the fertility drugs haven't started cancer" type scan is not going to be covered by insurance in general but it's still worth paying out of pocket to do. I had one instance of mid-cycle bleeding so it was justified with "abnormal bleeding" as the reason in my case but I would have paid for it if I needed to just to get it done. For those of us who have had their share of the cooter cams, it's just another one of those type scans but it could save your life so if you've had a lot of fertility drugs in the past, get a scan. (vaginal ultrasound)

I hope your friend gets through this with flying colors. It sounds like she has been on top of things from the beginning so let's hope all goes well. (will try and post well wishes on her blog)

'wishIknew'

[Orange]

I hate that fucking ovarian cancer with the fire of a thousand suns, honestly.

Every woman should read the "some cancers" link in Tertia's post. It's the Mayo Clinic info page about ovarian cancer. The early signs of ovarian cancer are vague and nonspecific and often make a woman think she's got digestive woes, not reproductive-organ woes. From the Mayo page:

Recent studies have shown that women with ovarian cancer are more likely than are other women to consistently experience the following symptoms:

Abdominal pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating
Urinary urgency
Pelvic discomfort or pain
Additional signs and symptoms that women with ovarian cancer may experience include:

Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea
Unexplained changes in bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation
Changes in bladder habits, including a frequent need to urinate
Loss of appetite
Unexplained weight loss or gain
Increased abdominal girth or clothes fitting tighter around your waist
Pain during intercourse (dyspareunia)
A persistent lack of energy
Low back pain

If you have these symptoms and they're persistent enough to worry you, insist that your doctor examine you properly. That means a pelvic exam that includes the doctor putting one finger up your cooter and one up your bum, in order to feel the ovaries from both sides. A transvaginal ultrasound (hello, cooter wand!) and CA-125 blood test are also helpful in detecting (or ruling out) ovarian cancer.

[GiftGuru]

All cancer is difficult to deal with. My mother had breast cancer , a mastectomy and survived, thank God.
As women , regular check-ups on all aspects are extremely important. I will pray for your friend and I will pray for you because this type of situation is extremely difficult for EVERYBODY involved. Be strong.

Take Care

[angel]

i was just thinking this week that i haven't had a check up in a looong time...