The other day, I came home to find a message on my answering machine. A somewhat trembling voice said:
"Laur, it's Nancy. I just read your article on ovarian cancer. Last month I had some of those symptoms. I need to talk to you."
Concerned, but somewhat reassured by the phrase "last month" in her message, I called Nancy. After talking, we decided that the symptoms almost certainly were a result of other things, but it left me with the lingering question, "how do I alert people to the warning signs of ovarian cancer without scaring them unnecessarily?" It's a fine line to walk.
In Nancy's case, she had GI disturbances the week she went on the "McDougall Diet", which is very high in fiber and was a radical change to her system. The symptoms subsided when she moderated her diet. At the same time, she had back pain, but this went away after a few days of ibuprofen, and it seemed likely that she had strained a muscle while snowshoeing. To compound the scenario, she had vaginal discharge and a subsequent late period. The cause of this last is undetermined, although it's certainly possible that since she's pushing 45 (sorry, Nancy) that the first inklings of perimenopause are showing up. Certainly, if she has a repeat episode of this, she should probably see her doctor.
Nancy's cluster of symptoms contains some guidelines for when not to be concerned. If there is an obvious cause of the symptom (such as a change of diet causing a change in bowel function), then probably you need look no further. If the symptom goes away after a few days, never to return, it's probably no cause for alarm.
There's also the matter of the number of probable causes for a symptom. Gastrointestinal disturbances have many many causes, whereas pelvic pain with intercourse has far fewer. Although you would want to find out the cause of either symptom, the latter might legitimately send you running to your gynecologist at a faster clip. Likewise the feeling of "fullness" after eating a small amount isn't as common a symptom, so it's one you might want to follow up on sooner rather than later.
How long to wait before seeking medical attention? Recommendations vary, but most are in the 1-3 week range. For myself, I'm more comfortable with the short end of that range. After all, if I have something unusual going on in my body, I'd like to know what it is whatever the cause.
I've heard far too many women bemoan the fact that they waited so long to follow up on symptoms, wondering if they could have saved their lives by going to their doctors sooner. I'd rather scare myself in the short run in order to potentially save a lot of grief in the longer run.
|
GO TO |
Copyright © 2001 by Laura Dolson. All rights reserved. Please submit reprint requests to gyncancer@baymoon.com
The material on this page and Web site is for informational and educational purposes only, and should not substitute for medical advice. Anyone having questions about the application of information appearing here to a specific person or situation should obtain advice from a qualified physician.