Ovarian cancer? Bloating, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Update:

Doctor actually did three medical tests (Blood counts CBC with auto differential, comprehensive metabolic panel, C-Reactive Protein) -- ALL were 100% normal. (And, as stated before, ultrasound was normal.)

Pain is still bad -- unable to sleep bad but not ER bad.

Belly is now significantly extended -- I look a couple months pregnant.

And I've lost multiple pounds in the past week.

Gallbladder is out -- no jaundice at all.

I have an OB appointment on September 12th.

Meanwhile, I am thinking it is celiac. As I mentioned, my maternal grandmother died of ovarian cancer relatively young (under 50 and before menopause) and I recall being told that it put me at somewhat higher risk for ovarian and colon issues, including celiac.

Just because I am in so much pain and discomfort, I would love to know WHAT to do while I wait to a GI appointment (which I am going to try to make ASAP). Besides completely eliminating gluten (no, I didn't do the barley water and don't eat that much gluten in general), how do I reduce the pain?

My concern is that I didn't eat one bite of anything that could even contain gluten yesterday. I had oatmeal (organic, steel-cut, high quality brand), celery with hummus and cream cheese, and coffee with nonfat milk, and yet I still was major bloated, crampy, and gassy. Do I need to avoid all dairy and legumes too? What food ideas to people have? I have almost completely lost my appetite anyway but I need to eat.

Does exercise help? Cardio or strength? Does lemon in water help? I will do anything.

My mom had a blockage, or not quite a blockage yet but a giant mass that was quickly on its way to being one. She had diarrhea so didn't immediately think blockage since so much was still making its way out. Nothing showed up on her scans except an old fashioned x-ray, that revealed a grapefruit sized mass. Her symptoms were very similar to your's -- including the quick weight loss and no appetite. Enemas in the hospital didn't work and she ended up on a mix of Miralax and laxatives. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your PCP can do a blood test for celiac. It will run around $40.

+1 have your doctor run the celiac panel and in the meantime, keep eating gluten. Are these symptoms recent? Celiac tends to have a gradual onset.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry, OP. Whatever it is, I hope you can get it resolved and that your pain goes away quickly. There's nothing worse than being in pain and not knowing what degree of anxiety to attach to it!

[Anonymous]

Oats are often cross contaminated, so unless the oats are certified gluten free they are probably not. Re the cream cheese and hummus, is someone else in the house eating gluten. All is takes is for someone to put a smear on a piece of bread, then go back to get a second scoop and voila the cream cheese is contaminated. Welcome to the life of a celiac.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried a castor oil pack and heat? That can stimulate peristalsis and soothe gut. Then massage all of abdomen in a circular motion.

Please do get checked. A dear friend had bowel obstruction that ended up being a mass. It did not show in initial testing. Not wanting to disturb you, hoping it’s food intolerance or something more easily remedied. .

More info http://www.kimdeering.com/blog/how-i-do-an-abdominal-castor-oil-pack

https://youtu.be/3ezbgqwusaw

[Anonymous]

I'd go to the ER and have them do the imaging you need to check for a bowel obstruction or anything else going on. Are you still constipated and not eliminating regularly? This really sounds like more than you should have to cope with for the next week and a half while you're waiting to get in to be seen.

[Anonymous]

Try the barley water. It works quickly, like in a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Update:

Doctor actually did three medical tests (Blood counts CBC with auto differential, comprehensive metabolic panel, C-Reactive Protein) -- ALL were 100% normal. (And, as stated before, ultrasound was normal.)

Pain is still bad -- unable to sleep bad but not ER bad.

Belly is now significantly extended -- I look a couple months pregnant.

And I've lost multiple pounds in the past week.

Gallbladder is out -- no jaundice at all.

I have an OB appointment on September 12th.

Meanwhile, I am thinking it is celiac. As I mentioned, my maternal grandmother died of ovarian cancer relatively young (under 50 and before menopause) and I recall being told that it put me at somewhat higher risk for ovarian and colon issues, including celiac.

Just because I am in so much pain and discomfort, I would love to know WHAT to do while I wait to a GI appointment (which I am going to try to make ASAP). Besides completely eliminating gluten (no, I didn't do the barley water and don't eat that much gluten in general), how do I reduce the pain?

My concern is that I didn't eat one bite of anything that could even contain gluten yesterday. I had oatmeal (organic, steel-cut, high quality brand), celery with hummus and cream cheese, and coffee with nonfat milk, and yet I still was major bloated, crampy, and gassy. Do I need to avoid all dairy and legumes too? What food ideas to people have? I have almost completely lost my appetite anyway but I need to eat.

Does exercise help? Cardio or strength? Does lemon in water help? I will do anything.

My mom had a blockage, or not quite a blockage yet but a giant mass that was quickly on its way to being one. She had diarrhea so didn't immediately think blockage since so much was still making its way out. Nothing showed up on her scans except an old fashioned x-ray, that revealed a grapefruit sized mass. Her symptoms were very similar to your's -- including the quick weight loss and no appetite. Enemas in the hospital didn't work and she ended up on a mix of Miralax and laxatives. Good luck!

Was the mass cancer? Or what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try the barley water. It works quickly, like in a day.

Unless you have celiac concerns, in which case it will add to inflammation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My mom had a blockage, or not quite a blockage yet but a giant mass that was quickly on its way to being one. She had diarrhea so didn't immediately think blockage since so much was still making its way out. Nothing showed up on her scans except an old fashioned x-ray, that revealed a grapefruit sized mass. Her symptoms were very similar to your's -- including the quick weight loss and no appetite. Enemas in the hospital didn't work and she ended up on a mix of Miralax and laxatives. Good luck!

Was the mass cancer? Or what?

Not the PP, but from context, she had a mass of impacted fecal matter. Diarrhea was making its way around the impacted stool. She had to have Miralax and laxatives to clean out her bowels.

Not being able to have a bowel movement is a serious -- even life-threatening -- health issue.

[Anonymous]

How are you feeling today?

[Anonymous]

A bowel obstruction would show on a CT. My father had one when he was close to dying and it showed right up on a CT. Whatever is going on sounds gastrointestinal. I too rushed off to my ob/gyn experiencing similar symptoms last summer in a panic that I have ovarian cancer (mid 40s and jewish) and after a series of scans, ruled that out. I also ran off to my GI thinking I had colon cancer despite a recent colonoscopy or celiac or some other GI disease. I was tested and don't have celiac but have chronic IBS and my GI dr recommended IB Guard as a way to calm the system down. It definitely helped with the bloating and nausea until everything went back to normal. I think my system was off and just needed a reset.

[Anonymous]

Update:

Doctor tested for Celiac days ago. No results yet, but I guess it takes at least a week for Celiac results?

Still feeling awful. Bloated, fatigued, and weirdly -- scared to eat now.

Awaiting results.

If I have news, I will share it in case it can help someone in the future.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Still in pain. Celiac Results were Negative. My IgA Serum value was 290 mg/dL and normal is up to 310 mg/dL and antibody level was even lower.

Here's what I've eliminated:

Appendix issues (press test and blood test)
Gallbladder issues (no jaundice)
Ovarian issues (nothing on abdominal u/s)
Cancer (normal range of white blood cell count -- although elevated)
Infection (no fever)
Dairy (got off dairy and took lactaid -- nothing helped)
Celiac (elevated numbers but within normal range)
Diverticulitis (no blood in stool)

I still have nausea, fatigue, bloating, and abdominal pain on only the right side (like a cramp all the time day and night with no break). But it's not bad enough to go to the ER -- I would feel ridiculous.

I'm going to the Gyn on Monday so I will ask her to do more tests and refer me to a GI asap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're 48 - could these be menopause symptoms?

Pre-menopause? I still have a regular period but I have started hair loss and other pre-menopause symptoms. But this was kind of sudden.

I'm 50, and in the same boat. I also worried about ovarian cancer - and I supposed it could be as I still haven't been checked. But I will say all these symptoms now come pretty regularly monthly, so I've convinced myself it's peri-menopause symptoms.