Posts by quietscout85

Angela Wright said:It could be an endometrioma, a dermoid cyst, or something along those lines. Usually, an endometrioma is what triggers elevated CA-125 levels, though it isn't a guarantee.
In your case, there's a 99% chance we're looking at a benign growth, which might just cause some "mechanical" issues by pressing against your reproductive system as it grows, so they'll likely discuss a procedure to get it out.
Anyway, don't let it get to you; everything is going to be fine. Honestly, almost every woman deals with something like this at some point in her life.

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Thank you so much for getting back to me.
I'm also leaning toward it being something benign—you know, nothing catastrophic. I actually went out to seek a second opinion today, but since my bleeding started up again, I didn't really get any closure. So, it's just more waiting for now. My gynecologist was quite casual about it during the first exam, telling me that any woman can end up with a cyst once in a while. But after the second exam, she seemed much more serious about the situation, which is why I'm pushing for that second opinion. Regardless, thank you!

I realize this isn't exactly the right forum for this kind of thing, but it’s the only one where people actually show up and talk.
So, about a month ago, I went to see my OB-GYN because I was dealing with some mid-cycle bleeding—it dragged on for twelve whole days, which was just exhausting. During the ultrasound, they found an anechoic cyst measuring 40x26x28. My doctor told me not to sweat it, that it would likely just rupture or resolve on its own, and instructed me to come back for a follow-up in ten days.
Well, I went back for the follow-up ultrasound, and now apparently I have a hypoechoic ovarian cyst with opalescent contents, measuring 43x26x25? I immediately went and had my tumor markers checked that very same day—CA-125, CA 19-9, CA 15-3, and CEA—and everything came back perfectly fine. My Pap smear was also completely normal. How on earth is it even possible for a simple cyst to change its appearance so drastically in such a tiny window of time, and am I really supposed to be panicking here? After seeing the latest results, the doctor dropped this bombshell that "this is a different story now" and that we need to get to the bottom of it; she wants me back for another ultrasound after my period, and if the findings haven't changed, she's going to send me straight to the hospital. Why on earth would she do that??

Chris Perez4 said:Not even a tiny little lump or anything they could just feel by hand?

Well, look, my knee was looking pretty decent on the surface, I mean, there was this one little spot behind the kneecap that I hadn't even noticed until my physical therapist pointed it out, but honestly, everything seemed fine at first glance. Even the X-rays came back completely normal, which is always how it goes, right?
It wasn't until they finally ordered an MRI and then went in with an arthroscopy that the doctors actually realized what a total disaster zone it was inside my joint.

If I were in your shoes, I honestly wouldn’t spend too much time overthinking this. Just go see a decent orthopedic specialist right away. It is entirely possible you're dealing with something like Baker's cyst. I went through a nightmare with similar symptoms myself—I ended up paying out of pocket for all sorts of private physical therapy, only for doctors to dismiss me during exams, claiming I was far too young to be facing any serious knee issues. After two years of absolute misery, I finally had to undergo arthroscopy, and let me tell you, they were quite literally saving my knee at that point. It was a mess of softened, torn cartilage, osteochondritis, ruptured ligaments... the whole works. They didn't go the route of a total joint replacement, though, because the surgeon insisted I was way too young for a prosthetic.
Don't just sit there waiting. Honestly, looking back, I still find it baffling how I managed to walk at all with that kind of wreckage in my knee..

briskbison622 said:Does anyone have recommendations for an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic? I haven't been able to find anything useful online, other than the fact that a good chunk of the department is affiliated with the Republican Party.

My mother was just diagnosed with malignant breast cancer, and there are metastases in the lymph nodes; we don't even have the full pathology report yet because the hospital wouldn't hand it over—they said she’ll get it once she sees the oncologist... but based on what I've gathered so far, things aren't looking great. We are absolutely going to seek out more opinions from private specialists, but I am painfully aware that having a solid oncologist within the hospital system is incredibly vital. If anyone here has had any experiences, whether positive or negative... please, just let me know.

Dr. Josipa Flam and Dr. Suzana Eric

Alright, I know this thread has gone cold, but I’m really hoping someone might chime in here. We headed into the specialist's office today for an orthopedic follow-up after getting the MRI results back. The official word was increased thoracic kyphosis, but they didn't even let us linger there before referring us straight to a neurosurgeon because of what the scan showed: epidural lipomatosis.
The neurosurgeon is insisting on running some additional specific MRI sequences on the thoracic spine just to be absolutely certain about everything.
Now, get this—we’ve got conflicting advice coming out of one mouth and the other; the orthopedist told us to pull the plug on all physical activity, while the neurosurgeon basically said training is fine.
My kid is a serious athlete, mind you—we're talking a six-day-a-week grind, sometimes hitting the gym twice a day...
Has anyone else here dealt with this specific diagnosis?
Thanks!

darkrider6 said:My son was seeing Dr. Smith—who is truly top-tier, one of the best specialists out there—about a year and a half ago when he was 13. He was diagnosed with an unknown of 60 degrees, which is being tracked alongside Scheuermann's disease (basically some early spinal stiffening), so they prescribed him a Milwaukee brace. Once the brace finally arrived, he tried it on just once before bursting into tears. He got so frustrated that he started hitting the gym for bodybuilding every third day, following his trainer's advice. On top of that, he’s been training in karate for eight years now and just earned his black belt. Honestly, he just tucked that brace under his bed and never touched it again. Now that he’s 15, he’s developed such a great physique—he has the back of a swimmer and strong chest—it's just his posture... We went in for a check-up recently, and the doctor mentioned that the unknown is barely even visible now, almost unnoticeable, so he doesn't need to wear the brace anymore. We just said, "Okay, doctor," and honestly, we are all just so relieved at home! 🙂 I suppose willpower and determination can really change things; they can turn you into a beast... 🙂 I think most sports are great for correcting posture, provided you train consistently and stay dedicated.

The diagnosis is nearly identical here: unknown deformity and Scheuermann's. We actually walked away from hockey, gave up judo... My boy is into boxing now, and man, he is a powerhouse; he simply cannot function without training. We have an MRI scheduled for January, so we're going to be a bit more strategic this time around. Honestly, you wouldn't even notice any physical issues with him; he works out every single day and is as stubborn as a mule. He's incredibly muscular, way ahead of his peers for a fourteen-year-old, and I always pick him for school competitions, even if he doesn't end up competing much there... yet he always manages to bring home some kind of medal for the school. He's doing boxing and exercising daily, but he's doing it with blood, sweat, and tears...

I’m thirty-eight years old, and honestly, this battle against gray hairs has been waged for quite some time now. My natural hair color is brown, and lately, I’ve been making regular trips to the salon to get it colored, but those little silver beasts just keep popping up regardless of what I do. They aren't even subtle—we're talking about strands about an inch and a half long that are bright silver and practically shimmer, and they feel much coarser than my actual hair... It's maddening! I have been seriously considering just letting them grow out and quitting the dyeing process altogether, but there's a catch: I still have a pretty youthful face, and these stubborn silver streaks just don't sit right with my look at all...

Jeremy Bishop35 said:😕 I don't follow—why aren't you using your medication?

It is precisely because of what was mentioned above! Honestly, I am dreaming of having another child, and I want to do that without being tethered to all these medications and whatnot... During my first pregnancy, I didn't have asthma at all, but there has been a massive fourteen-year gap between pregnancies now. My asthma is just so incredibly unpredictable; one minute I feel perfectly fine for six months straight, and the next, I feel like I am literally dying. I’ve completely moved away from those steroid depots—the last time things got bad, I was dealing exclusively with Solu-Medrol injections from my primary care physician—but I have to say, Ventolin is my absolute best friend when things go south...

I have been diagnosed with non-allergic Asthma. I tossed my Seretide aside ages ago—nearly two years now—because I was absolutely convinced that this whole condition was purely psychosomatic, just a figment of my imagination... But now? Now I am dealing with this relentless, dry, hacking cough and what feels like a full-blown orchestra playing inside my lungs... all because I’ve spent the last year without any actual therapy. And let me be clear, this isn't some passing flu or a virus; it is a bone-dry cough with no fever at all, the kind that keeps me wide awake and pacing the floor all night. I find myself sitting there at 3:00 AM, turning on the TV just to have some noise, staring blankly at old reruns while I cough my life away... On average, I've been lucky enough to get maybe four hours of sleep a night for the last six months. Honestly, I keep ignoring it, making the exact same mistake I made before, just desperately hoping that those terrifying nightly choking fits won't return—those moments when I was utterly certain I was actually dying. I am avoiding any sort of medication because I am trying to conceive another child, and my gynecologist practically gave me a pep talk, assuring me that people with Asthma deliver perfectly healthy babies! :-)

Folks, I really appreciate all the advice you've thrown my way. I’ve already retained an attorney to handle the legalities, and once this whole ordeal reaches its conclusion, I will certainly provide an update on how everything shook out—perhaps some of those details might serve as a useful precedent for someone else facing a similar headache.

Nathan Moore6 said:I could probably make a killing acting like a loan shark if people just rushed to pay up before they even bother to look into what's actually going on with their money.

That is precisely the issue, though I refuse to be labeled as either naive or dim-witted! I spent my entire morning today calling the main switchboard at the Cleveland Clinic—I tried nearly ten different extensions in the accounting department alone—and not a single soul would pick up the phone, or worse, they just hung up on me mid-sentence. It was infuriating! So, I did what any reasonable person would do: I sat down and poured over the new consumer protection laws, and I even went so far as to retain an attorney. But now I am left facing this impossible hurdle: how on earth am I supposed to prove that I never actually received the invoice in the first place?

I suppose I misspoke earlier... I actually received a formal demand letter from a law firm, and get this—it didn't even include any information regarding my legal rights or how to appeal it! It’s absolutely ridiculous. I decided to do my own homework, which meant digging through the latest consumer protection regulations passed back in late 2015, and according to the law, I am under no obligation to pay these arbitrary collection fees. To make matters worse, I never even received the original bill in the first place! I spent an exhausting hour trying to get a hold of someone at the Cleveland Clinic to clear this up, only for the lady in accounting to just hang up on me mid-sentence when I mentioned the disputed bill. Honestly, the service is appalling. In the end, I went ahead and paid the principal amount plus interest just to get them off my back, but I certainly haven't paid those nonsense collection costs...

Back in June, I took my thirteen-year-old daughter for her annual cardiac ultrasound, just like we do every single year without fail. Well, wouldn't you know it, today I get hit with a massive bill for $167 from the Mayo Clinic (that's $40 for the actual service plus all those ridiculous legal fees), all because apparently, the referral wasn't "correct." Not a single soul at the hospital warned me about this, and since we undergo the exact same procedure every year, I assumed everything was perfectly fine! No warning, no heads-up, nothing... just this sudden, infuriating demand for money. What on earth am I supposed to do now?

I’ve got an MRI scheduled on the horizon, though I’m seriously doubting I’ll end up getting it done in New York City. I actually took the liberty of calling the Holy Spirit clinic just to check their availability, and goodness gracious, they told me the wait time is roughly six months! Can you believe that? I was reading this recent article about the massive backlogs for magnetic resonance imaging, and honestly, it's infuriating how long people have to wait for basic diagnostics. At this rate, I think I might just drive out to Boise or maybe head toward Portland to see if I can get it handled much sooner...