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Newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer (OC) ~ looking for support

Gynecologic Cancers | Last Active: Apr 3 9:34pm | Replies (27)
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@ladawny1

I am glad I found this support thread. I am also almost 53, may. Not sure where I am at yet. Went to the ER last Friday, a week ago for nausea and chest tightness. Dr came out to tell me I had a positive pregnancy test, hcg, abnormal blood work, and i had a partial hysterectomy 3 yrs ago. Mentioned that I had something serious in my reproductive system. Dr notes said follow up for ovarian pathology and malignancy. Told me to get a fire under my butt and be seen in 2 days, well being a friday and not having a pcp yet, I spent all day doing just that. Got a gyn/onc willing to take me without referral. Been a week and still no appt. This waiting is killing me, not knowing what is going on. Current symptoms are feeling full quickly, bloating, constipation, some nausea, and a pressure in my lower pelvic region. Any thoughts on this anyone. Im scared and very anxious and tired of waiting for an appt. Much much love to all who have been diagnosed and receiving treatment for all cancers.

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Replies to "I am glad I found this support thread. I am also almost 53, may. Not sure..."
val64 | @val64 | Mar 30 2:20pm

I'm so sorry you're going through this. The worst part of this whole experience is what's happening to you now: they say you probably have cancer, you're shocked and upset, but then you have to struggle to get an appointment to find out what's actually going on.

I don't know how many health systems take your insurance, but it might be worth calling all of them, both to get a PCP and a gyn oncologist ASAP. Did they do a CT scan at the ER?

When I suspected I had a problem, I called one of the local hospital systems and asked for the soonest available appointment with someone in internal or family medicine (and covered by my insurance). They gave me an appointment with a 2nd year resident the next day. The resident girl wasn't the most knowledgeable doctor I ever met, but that doesn't really matter. She would make referrals when I asked, so I made her my PCP. The most important referral she gave me was for a transvaginal ultrasound. The result of that eventually got me an appointment with a gyn oncologist. But the whole process took way too long for my taste.

Good luck, be pushy, and let us know what happens.

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