Oh it's been going on a year and a half now, with no result or treatment in sight. Last June 2007, I experienced episodes of "global weakness", "slurred speech" "migraines" and "vertigo" for maybe 5-6 months straight. Luckily at the time I was able to collect short term disability from my company. My primary (who i will keep nameless) performed every test to the best of his knowledge...believe me it's not saying much for him. Lime disease, cancer, and a bunch of other blood tests looking for things they "thought" it could be. AND always glossing over the fact that I had NECK PAIN along with the symtoms. I was then referred to a Neurologist, who, performed an MRI, and discoverred a contusion in the right frontal lobe. It was referred to as scar tissue. Now, the episodes of weakness were considerred to be CATAPLEXY, or at least that's what I was being treated for. And still this pain in my neck was ignored. I actually felt better for a short time, 2-3 months tops. Still sufferred the dizziness from time to time, but I was able to return to work temporarally.It was in Dec 2007 that the pain in my neck started to spread into my arms and legs. At this point I orderred my primary to reffer me to Layhe Clinic in Boston for a "proper evaluation"! After a short arguement, he did. I believe he didn't want to reffer me, but I insisted. The Doctor at Layhe did an MRI of my neck and she discovered C4 & C5 discs were buldgeing and I had minor arthritis in the same area. She didn't really give me anything except anti-inflamatories and Motrin. Not much of a help I might add. It didn't help enough for me to return to work again, and by this time my company just gave up on me and laid me off permanently. So I suffered the rest of 2008 in pain. Curiously, my speech,dizziness, and weakness problems seemed to resolve themselves, just the pain remained along with the headaches. I managed to start with another company in July 2008, and then it happened. I was rear-ended by some woman who was not paying attention in Aug. Usually it would be her fault, but when the Police write up the report saying I had a brake light out, then it voids her responsibility. And yes, I was taken to the ER immediately. X-rays were done, but, nobody said "boo" about it. Shot of morphine and the sent me home. Ever since then, I have been in and out of the ER seeking help and a solution, and I'm in MASSIVE PAIN now. So bad that it's hard for me to put on a shirt, or sleep ,or sit up. Not to mention work!So now I come to it....thank you for reading my history...There is a grape sized lump at C1 that I can feel, hurts to touch it. Can't turn my head without shards of pain, or put my chin to my chest, or throw it back like a PEZ dispenser, too much pain!!! Nausia it always present, and lightheadedness and or dizziness. Very difficult to walk, never mind run. Tie my shoes...ya right!! The pain now radiates down my back, left arm, left leg and butt. And there is a popping noise only I can hear time and again when I move. Does anyone know what I can do? I've since lost my insurrance and employment, nobody will hire me (coz it's obvious when they look at me or see me walk) and the ER keep turning me away....that's right you heard me...turn me away. They think I'm just a "pill chaser". Nothing could be father from the truth. I just want my life back. I'm 39 years old.

I had the colop about 6 weeks ago and the LEEP three days ago.  Ever since the colop, I have not been able to have sex because of SEVERE pain.  Any other time, I feel fine, but sex has become unbearable since the procedure.  Then, when I had my LEEP, the speculum caused the same unbearable pain.  I never had pain before with sex or with the speculum.  I had some bleeding this morning so I went to see the doctor, and the pain caused by the speculum was even worse.  Has anyone ever experienced anything like this this before?  My doctor seems to be stummped.  I am wondering if something went wrong at the colop?  Or is this normal healing?   

Hi, I'm new here, so I'll try to condense my story as much as I possibly can.  I desperately want to hear from other OVCA patients about their experiences with tumors which metastasized from their inirial locations. I was diagnosed with large fibroids in 2000, which, upon surgery, turned out to be cancer in both ovaries.  The surgeon removed everything and said that I had stage 2(a) and that hopefully, they had gotten everything, but just to be sure, they put me on four rounds of - I think it was Cisplatin which eventually brought my CA-125 level from 99 to 8.  Since anything under 35 is considered "normal," I truly believed I was in remission.  Bottom line - I was mistaken.  It kept coming back at closer and closer intervals. Taxol worked well, but left me bald and very sick.  I missed a lot of treatments due to low blood counts.  Carboplatin was far easier to tolerate and didn't take my hair out.  But then suddenly, it stopped working.  My CA-125 more than doubled and the pain on my left side is  almost unbearable.  I use the 100 mg Duragesic patch, plus morphine sulfate. but it still feels like there's a knife grinding away inside my body.  I've seen three well-known surgeons who all have said that the tumor is too large to remove.  There is a protrusion almost the size of a ping-pong ball between my breasts with many smaller tumors surrounding it.   The CT scan shows it as rubbing against my heart on the left side and way over to my kidney on the other side.  I don't care about the inside - I just want to end the pain..  I've been told I have six months to live with out chemo and perhaps a year with one of the  "salvage" drugs like Gemzar or Doxil, which my doctor isn't even sure I could take because my blood counts tend to go too low too fast.  I am very anxious to hear similar stories/suggestions  from others who have been through this.  Thanks so much for listening,Fran Any information or

I had 2 large ovarian tumors removed in a hysterectomy and was successfully debulked to less that 1 cm of tumor left. That was followed with 25 radiation treatments and 6 chemo treatments of carboplatin and taxol.I tolerated all treatments well and feel as if the cancer is gone. I am concerned that the only test that my oncologist will do is a Ca 125 every 3 months as well as a vaginal exam. They tell me that if the cancer reappears it is there to stay. Statistically speaking, I have a 20 % chance of cure but I can not find any evidence that anyone actually survives mmmt. I also realize that repeated ct scans expose me to more radiation which can cause other problems. I honestly think that the doctors feel that it will come back but want me to have less anxiety about it and they know that anxiety is linked with tests so they are reducing the tests.  Has anyone else had this experience or at the very least is there anyone who has passed the 5 year point?

My mother is now suffering from recurring cervical cancer. She was diagnosed with stage 2b cervical cancer in june'07 and then after chemo/radiation/brachy she was clear of this disease. Still doctor did the 2nd round of chemotherapy and everything was fine(PETScan showed no activity). But last month in Nov 08 , she felt swelling in her leg and in regular checkup doctor found out that cancer had returned in paraotric nodes. According to doctors , situation is complicated and they are trying to control the disease rather to cure it, but they are hopeful and have started the chemo (docetexel).I was just wondering , if any one here can give me some suggestions towards other alternative way of treatments or any info that can help my mother.ThanksBinit

I am so scared right now. I just got the results of my yearly exam and they are bad,well they sound bad. I am so scared on what happens next and all these thoughts of dying keep coming into my head. The results said I was positive for HPV which considering I have not done anything in a loooooong while, it may have been in my system for years. The test came back saying high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion,severe dysplasia/carcinoma in-situ Now, I am in nursing school I know what a lot of these terms mean and I guess that is why I am so scared about it. Has anyone had this and have the testing done and everything be ok?  :(

hi, i'm 21 y/o and have been told that I have HGSIL. in 2006 i was diagnosed with high-grade hpv. i went through the colpo and the biopsy. because i was only 19, they told me that they will watch it, but it will most likely go away because of my age. about a month ago, i went for my yearly exam, she discovered an enlarged ovary and had me go in for ultrasounds. the result was nothing. a few weeks later, my doc called and said i need to see a regular ob/gyn. they found a pre-cancerous lesion and she thinks it may be that my hpv came back or whatever it does. i went in to see a regular ob/gyn and the only thing he did was look at my cervix. he said it looked normal but that i should schedule a colpo and biopsy. i saw him about 2 weeks ago and they said the only opening they have is for february 6th. i do not want to wait that long but they don't see it being an emergency that needs to be addressed immediately. however, my father's mother died of lung cancer, his sister died of vaginal cancer and her daughter is battling breast cancer. my mother's mother dealt with some sort of esophageal cancer and had to have most of her esophagus removed. she has not had any issues from that for 12 years. yesterday, i found out that my younger sister had an abnormal pap, has an enlarged ovary, which she needs ultrasounds done, and has lumps in her breasts.  i know i should be concerned because of my results, but with my family history and now my younger sister- what should i do? is cancer hereditary? i know it's because of mutated cells, but how/who passes it on? is it too late for me to get the vaccine Gardasil? i know it doesn't cure anything, but will it prevent the other types of HPV for me or do i only have one that it won't cure?i called my regular doctor and am awaiting a return call. i am going to ask her if it definitely HGSIL and in what stage as well as treatment and a future with children

Hello,  It appears the last entry posted was on July 2008 from Lin.  I certainly wish you all well and hope you are thriving.  It would be wonderful to hear from you all !!!  I read everyone's entry with much enthusiasm.I was diagnosed with OC/3C in June 2007, followed by surgery and Chemo (Taxol & Carboplatin, midway changed to Cisplatin & Gemzar).  My last chemo was in April 2008.  My last CA125 was 12.  I am due to see my oncologist in January 2009.  Recently, I came across a book entitled Anti cancer, A new way of life, by David Servan-Schreiber, M.D.,PhD.  While the entire book is very inspirational, what really captured my interest was his chapter on "Cancer's Weakness".  He talks about how disease is preceded by cellular inflammation.  He discusses this process from many perspectives and how we can create an internal body environment that is hostile to cancer cells.  Dr. Servan-Schreiber had a brain tumor himself and that post surgery after some time, recurred.  That is when he did his research and wrote his book.  It is a beautiful book on so many levels.  After learning of his brain tumor regrowth and being devastated by the news his internal dialogue went:  "O my body, my being, my life force, speak to me!  Help me sense what's happening to you.  Help me understand why you couldn't cope.  Tell me what you need.  Tell me what nourishes you, strengthens and protects you.  Tell me how we are going to make our way together, because alone, with my head, I haven't succeeded and I don't know what to do anymore."This "prayer" I include in my meditation each day.  The words caress and comfort my body & mind each time I read them.  The book is filled with much valuable medical information about cancer.I would love to hear from you. Karen 

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/12/24/mistletoe-cancer-02 I just found this on Yahoo news dated Dec24th 2008 very interesting article I am going to read more on this  they are saying cervical, breast and pancreatic cancers worth reading about.. Just wanted to share I have Multiple Myeloma so I am always reading.. Wishing you all Good Health in the New Year 

This is all new to me.  My mother was recently (last week) diagnosed with cancer - we don't know the extent of the cancer just yet - it's too soon to tell.  What I do know is that the tumor was cancerous/it was ovarian and it of the clear cell kind.  It was quite large.  She also had a "lump" on the top of her uterus, although nothing was said if that was cancerous.  The performed a hyserectomy and removed her lymph nodes, we get the full extent of stage etc. In a couple of weeks.  I don't even know what to ask the doctors.  They did say chemo is a definite must.Does anyone know about this sort of cancer?  I am at a loss and unfortunately on my own with this (no other family).  It's quite difficult as I am sure you all know.  I guess I would like to ask as well, if anyone knows where I can get some information for my mom to read.  You see, she has already sucummed to the thought that she is dieing of cancer and that she does not have long to live. She also is unaware of how this affects me - I just get "well pardon me, but I am  dieing of cancer" etc.  She's not realising that I too am scared, I may potentially be losing my only family.   Rambling here... please let me know.