Hi everyone, I apologize in advance for this bring so long. I am 41 years old and have been feeling unwell for months (well a couple years but seemed rheumatological). First off I have small % Ashkenazi Jewish decent and am of Eastern European decent. I have the BRCA1 SNP rs16942 which I know puts me at higher risk for breast cancer, and also rs 8176318 which puts me at higher risk for breast and ovarian cancer (yet it says “only African Americans” under ovarian cancer in this specific SNP??). My aunt had breast cancer years ago and I think she was age 60 or older... So I’m here because I feel awful, something is wrong, either that or I’ve gone completely mad! I’m tired of complaining and tired of waiting! I want to feel better. My question is how important is three weeks when it comes to waiting for an ultrasound? Should I push to get in sooner, tell the doc I feel horrible and am writing my autobio on the internet at 2:34AM because my symptoms are waking me?
I have had blood in my urine on and off for the past two years (I take seasonique my doc said I’m folinevto take all active pills to suppress my period...had horrible PMS). I’ve had pain in my right pelvic region that led me to the gynecologist visit two years ago. My ultrasound showed a very small cyst on my right ovary, and they never located my left ovary saying it was probably hidden behind my bowels. Fast forward to last October when I got at UTI (or so I thought), then another in January, and then another a month ago (Still have symptoms with no infection). Again I had blood in my urine and I was sent to the urologist due to urgency, inability to completely void, burning, old blood (brown on toilet paper) and tiny bits of tissue in Urine. He did a scope of my bladder and said it was normal for tissue from bladder to get into utine in pre-menopausal women. I want to say epithial cell tissue but not sure. The doc said he thinks I have interstitial cystitis and made me a follow up appointment.
Yesterday I went to my gynecologist and she did a pelvic exam. Lots of old blood. Bad pain in stomach area as she placed pressure. She said I could have really bad endometriosis, and at some point in the appointment she mentioned laparoscopic diagnostic procedure to find out the problem. She scheduled an intravaginal ultrasound check my ovaries Since it had been two years. The appointment is not until 6/19. I don’t want to wait that long. I am awakened at night with either heartburn, indugestion, or the need to urinate. My back hurts constantly, my stomach hurts, still blood flakes in my urine, i woke up in a puddle of sweat the other night which is not normal as I never get fevers. Not sure if it was due to my room being too warm, didn’t seem that way. I’m fatigued and I’ve had numb fingertips and electric shock sensation in my fingers. I have had what I feel to be a swollen protruding stomach. Not sure if it’s due to diet or lack of exercise since breaking my ankle In January? My blood tests have been relatively normal, C reactive protein high in January. CT scan of spine for spine pain (ruled out MS and other conditions) was normal, CT scan of urinary system (kidneys/urological) normal, but radiologist suggested contrast given my symptoms, and my urologist ordered it giving me the option of whether I wanted the extra radiation.
Given the symptoms described and length of time I’ve suffered them, should I be trying to get in to the ultrasound sooner? Also, none of my docs know about my BRCA1 mutation, or that my aunt had breast cancer (after age 60 I think). I am a mom of two teens, I am extremely busy and am in grad school. I need to know what’s going on. Thank you so much for sticking with me through this long story!
Stacy