BRCA1 doesn't only increase my breast cancer risk; I also have a lifetime ovarian cancer risk of about 60%.
This is the statistic that scares me, ovarian cancer is a silent killer; it is notoriously hard to detect and patients with ovarian cancer are far less likely to survive than those diagnosed with breast cancer.
But there are things I can do to tackle this risk.
Today I had an appointment with the gynaecologist. I really didn't know what to expect from this; would we be talking about my options? or going straight in for the internal exam?
Turns out it was a bit of both, the clinic was running 45 minutes late so the gynaecology registrar seemed to take advantage of my medical knowledge and kept explanations brief. I was fine with this; I know my risk, all the options available to me, the risks and benefits of each and I know exactly what I want to do.
It was reassuring to have the registrar agree with and support my plan for tackling my ovarian cancer risk.
I will have yearly blood tests and internal ultrasound examinations. The blood test is a tumour marker and the ultrasound will allow the doctor to view my ovaries and detect any anatomical changes.
I will have my ovaries removed aged 35-40, at this time I will have completed my family and won't be inducing menopause too long before its natural onset.
After our little chat the gynaecologist asked if she could conduct an internal exam.
This involved me undressing from the waist down and laying on a medical couch with a blanket over my lower half.
The registrar then looked inside my vagina with the aid of a speculum (a plastic tool that looks like a duck bill and opens up the vagina, making it possible to see inside). After this she used gloved hands to feel my ovaries by placing one hand inside and the other on my lower abdomen, this allows her to press my ovaries again my tummy and fell their shape and size.
This wasn't something I would like to do every day but it wasn't all that unpleasant. It was never painful, the speculum was slightly uncomfortable but over very quickly.
I had my blood test straight after my appointment with the gynaecologist and now I just have to wait for an appointment to have the internal ultrasound scan.
I don't really know how I go about getting the results...I presume, because of the sensitivity of the information, an appointment will be made to discuss them? I guess I will just wait and see!
This is the statistic that scares me, ovarian cancer is a silent killer; it is notoriously hard to detect and patients with ovarian cancer are far less likely to survive than those diagnosed with breast cancer.
But there are things I can do to tackle this risk.
Today I had an appointment with the gynaecologist. I really didn't know what to expect from this; would we be talking about my options? or going straight in for the internal exam?
Turns out it was a bit of both, the clinic was running 45 minutes late so the gynaecology registrar seemed to take advantage of my medical knowledge and kept explanations brief. I was fine with this; I know my risk, all the options available to me, the risks and benefits of each and I know exactly what I want to do.
It was reassuring to have the registrar agree with and support my plan for tackling my ovarian cancer risk.
I will have yearly blood tests and internal ultrasound examinations. The blood test is a tumour marker and the ultrasound will allow the doctor to view my ovaries and detect any anatomical changes.
I will have my ovaries removed aged 35-40, at this time I will have completed my family and won't be inducing menopause too long before its natural onset.
After our little chat the gynaecologist asked if she could conduct an internal exam.
This involved me undressing from the waist down and laying on a medical couch with a blanket over my lower half.
The registrar then looked inside my vagina with the aid of a speculum (a plastic tool that looks like a duck bill and opens up the vagina, making it possible to see inside). After this she used gloved hands to feel my ovaries by placing one hand inside and the other on my lower abdomen, this allows her to press my ovaries again my tummy and fell their shape and size.
This wasn't something I would like to do every day but it wasn't all that unpleasant. It was never painful, the speculum was slightly uncomfortable but over very quickly.
I had my blood test straight after my appointment with the gynaecologist and now I just have to wait for an appointment to have the internal ultrasound scan.
I don't really know how I go about getting the results...I presume, because of the sensitivity of the information, an appointment will be made to discuss them? I guess I will just wait and see!
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