10 Signs & Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer | What YOU Need To Know & Do!
Ovarian Cancer—I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know ovarian cancer was a thing. I knew there was breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, and the other more “common” cancers, but your ovaries getting cancer? No way!
Well, I learned that the hard way, on August 3rd, 2016 at the age of 23, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I had ALL the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer for a little over a year, was in and out of the ER for a little over a year and yet, I was misdiagnosed, time and time again (I understand that an ER isn’t trained for cancer but you shouldn’t miss a big massive tumor but I’ll talk about that later) and no one, not even myself, knew any of the symptoms I was having were related to ovarian cancer.
One of the reasons so many people go misdiagnosed or the reason ovarian cancer is undetected until advanced stages is because ovarian cancer is hard to detect (especially in the early stages). It is known as the “Silent Killer” for a reason, around only 15% of women are diagnosed during the early stages of ovarian cancer. Below are the signs and symptoms that are most common for ovarian cancer—fair warning, they are very common symptoms to other issues such as IBS, Endometriosis, severe period cramps, Crohn’s, constipation, etc. (all things I was “diagnosed” with before the cancer diagnoses).
10 Common Signs + Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer
- Bloating
- Feeling Full Quickly or Trouble Eating
- Pelvic or Abdominal Pain
- Frequent Urination (peeing every 20 minutes, waking up multiple times during the night to go pee, etc.)
- Fatigue
- Change in Bowel Movements
- Pain During Sex
- Menstrual Changes
- Lower Back Pain
- Throwing Up
These are just some of the few common signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, remember that everyone is different and may experience different signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer.
What to Do if You Have Persistent Symptoms:
If you are experiencing any of these signs and symptoms for 2 weeks or longer, it is important to go see your doctor. If signs and symptoms resolve themselves with your normal daily activities (diet, exercise, work, rest, laxatives, etc.), just be mindful of any changes that do not resolve themselves with normal daily activities.
When you are at your doctors appointment ( I would suggest seeing your OBGYN or a gynecologist oncologist), let your doctor know that you have been experiencing signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is rarely found in women under the age of 50, but in the last few years, ovarian cancer is becoming more seen in young adults (39 and under) and even in children as young as 3.
Symptoms typically occur in the advanced stages, when the tumor creates pressure on the bladder, rectum, and/or other organs.
Again, ovarian cancer is known as the “Silent Killer” because its symptoms are very common to those of other illnesses, constipation, and even stress—That is why PREVENTION + PAYING ATTENTION to your body is key. If you notice that you have any signs or symptoms of ovarian cancer that are lasting 2 weeks or longer, go get checked. Even if it ends up not being ovarian cancer (which uh, THANK GOODNESS!) it is better to be safe, get checked, and to have a peace of mind. However, if you feel like something is still off after getting checked, always get a second or third opinion.
A Pap Smear or Yearly Check Will Not Detect Ovarian Cancer.
There is currently no test that will 100% detect or determine Ovarian Cancer, besides a Biopsy.