My "Oh, s**t" moment.

[Tracer]

I haven't posted here for quite a while, because I truly wanted to put my cancer behind me. I felt extremely well and had all my usual follow-up appointments with my oncologist.

However, last weekend I was hospitalized. I had suddenly come down with severe abdominal pains and took myself to the emergency room.

They thought at first that I had a kidney stone and did a CT scan. The results showed that I had Acute Hydronephrosis caused by a "growth" that was pressing on my ureter.

I had a ureteral stent put in to bypass the obstruction, and now I have to get blood tests, a PET/CT scan, a biopsy, and another operation to remove the "growth".

My original cancer was Stage 1 Ovarian. My oncologist thought that I would have a very successful outcome due to finding the cancer at such an early stage.

Now, I'm gobsmacked that, after only 18 months since my last chemo, I've got a recurrence.

I'm incredibly pissed off ----- and scared.

[flamingyouth]

1. I'm so sorry.

When are your tests? I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. This disease sucks. :( Take care. :hug:

[ulysses]

2. keep talking.

:hug:

[pecwae]

3. I'm so sorry, Tracer.

It's a gut punch to hear recurrence. Keep us up to date and please let us know when your surgery is scheduled so we can keep you firmly at the top of our thoughts. Yes, and keep talking.:hug:

[Tracer]

4. It's probably better to be pissed off ...

... than scared.

I keep telling myself that it's probably lucky that the "growth" was pressing on my ureter. Because if it were someplace else, I would not have had any symptoms and nobody would have found it.

My biopsy is scheduled for next Tuesday and the PET/CT scan for next Friday. Until then, there's not much to do except keep on working and waiting.

[pecwae]

5. I agree about the fear.

I imagine most people think of dying immediately upon hearing the 'C' word and intense fear may follow. I know I went through some pretty dramatic emotions, fear being topmost, for a few hours the first go around. Then I sort of dug in my heels to do what I needed to do to get past it and on with my life after cancer. After a recurrance and a new primary, I'm looking at it like a chronic disease.

Know you'll be held tightly by us here next Tuesday and Friday.

[LiberalinNC]

6. Sending you my good thoughts and prayers!!!

You have every right to be mad as hell...you thought you had beat this horrible disease. I had my ovaries removed so I wouldn't have to face what you are going through. Good luck with your tests and surgery!!! And if you have additional treatments, I'm wishing you well!!!

[Imalittleteapot]

7. My hydronephrosis caused by ureter scar tissue from oophrectomy

During chemo, four months after they removed my ovaries and a benign ovarian mass (right after the bilateral mastectomy), I began to have back pain. Two months later I had a full body bone scan that showed that the kidney was not draining. The CT scan showed scar tissue obstruction to the ureter where it joins the bladder. Apparently, the injury occurred during the oophrectomy. A ureter stent was inserted and removed 4 weeks later. Tomorrow I am having a renal sonogram to determine if the stent expanded the injured site. The urologist is not confident that it worked. I may be looking at ureter stent insertion and removal every six months or Boari Flap surgery.

I tell you all of this because it may be that you in a similar situation. Could your growth be scar tissue? Ovaries are very close to the ureter and subject to injury from stitches or accidental pricks.

I wish you the best. Positive thoughts coming your way.

[Tracer]

8. I can only hope that it is scar tissue ...

... since I also had an oophrectomy.

But since my doctors have been referring to it as a "tumor", I think that's a faint hope.

[Imalittleteapot]

9. Well -

they were originally alluding to the possibility of cancer in my situation. I hope you get lucky.

[riderinthestorm]

10. My husband is not doing well with his stent.

There isn't any abdominal pain, he is having intense pain upon urination and it is always full of blood. The urologist took an x-ray to see if the stent migrated into the bladder but it looks to still be in place. He goes for more testing next week to try to see what is going on. They want him to keep the stent in for the 3 -4 months of chemo since his hydronephrosis was so advanced but he is in agony when he pees.

Did you have any stent trouble? I can't seem to find any information on it other than the usual complaints. My husband's pain progression with the stent is wierd - he was fine for 10 days after it was inserted - no problems at all, and now he's had 2 weeks of really excruciating pain.

[Tracer]

11. Stent trouble.

For the first day or so after I had the stent inserted, I had to run to the bathroom every 15 minutes. Fun!

Not.

Then my doctor prescribed two medicines to help stop that (Oxybutynin & Phenazopyridine).

I quite taking these meds after a couple of days because of the unpleasant side effects -- one of which was painful urination (where a painful, zinging sensation would travel up my front and land in my neck!). It was like being electrocuted with every pee.

Is your husband taking any medications? It could be the side effects.