Re: Fwd: Please read .......... and send on

[Guest guest]

When I see a message that ends with something like this below; I have to really

hesitate before I " religiously " pass it on..Sometimes messages come that we

can't totally agree on the thrust of the message, and yet we are almost

persuaded to do so because we feel guilty if we don't..It's like some of those

messages that " bless you " if you pass it on; or " curse you " if you

don't..Yearghghghg...

What shall I do...What shall I do...What shall I do...???

I think that all of these tests that the medical establishment would like you to

take; are for the purposes of keeping their lucrative employment...that's what I

think..

melville..Hahahaha ;-)

<<IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FORWARDING SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THIS IS,

HERE'S A LITTLE HINT THAT MAY ASSIST YOU WITH YOUR DECISION ~ JUST PRETEND THAT

THIS IS A JOKE, WHICH IT CERTAINLY IS NOT, AND SEND IT OUT TO ALL THE FOLKS YOU

WOULD IF IT WAS. THANKS.>>

[ ] Fwd: Please read .......... and send on

Hi,

is there anything someone could say to invalidate this person's firm belief that

ovarian cancer can be prevented or healed by CA-125 BLOOD TEST and all that

follows, together with the belief that " TOTAL responsibility for one's own

health care " simply means religiously taking yearly exams? There has been much

material posted here as to the worthlessness of the mammogram approach re breast

cancer and I suppose similar data isn't available for ovarian cancer yet since

they haven't urged the respective exams upon women so far.

This has been sent to me and many others I assume and is certain to do the

rounds on the Internet. I would like to send a substantiated reply to possibly

make people aware of more valid and healthier options in personal health care...

Ulla

Thanks

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ovarian Cancer Screen

I hope you all take the time to read this and pass it on to all you can. Send

this to the women in your life that you care about.

Years ago, Gilda Radner died of ovarian cancer. Her symptoms were inconclusive,

and she was treated for everything under the sun until it was too late. This

blood test finally identified her illness but alas, too late. She wrote a book

to heighten awareness. Gene Wilder is her widower.

KATHY'S STORY:

As all of you know, I have Primary Peritoneal Cancer. This cancer has only

recently been identified as its OWN type of cancer, but it is essentially

Ovarian Cancer. Both types of cancer are diagnosed in the same way, with the

" tumor marker " CA-125 BLOOD TEST,and they are treated in the same way-surgery

to remove the primary tumor and then chemotherapy with Taxol and Carboplatin.

Having gone through this ordeal, I want to save others from the same fate. That

is why I am sending this message to you and hope you will print it and give it

or send it via E-mail to everybody you know.

One thing I have learned is that each of us must take TOTAL responsibility for

our own health care. I thought I had done that because I always had an annual

physical and PAP smear, did a monthly Self-Breast Exam, went to the dentist at

least twice a year, etc! . I even insisted on a sigmoidoscopy and a bone density

test last year.

When I had a total hysterectomy in 1993, I thought that I did not have to worry

about getting any of the female reproductive organ cancers. LITTLE DID I KNOW.

I don't have ovaries (and they were HEALTHY when they were removed), but I have

what is essentially ovarian cancer. Strange, isn't it?

These are just SOME of the things our Doctors never tell us: ONE out of every 55

women will get OVARIAN or PRIMARY PERITONEAL CANCER. The " CLASSIC " symptoms are

an ABDOMEN that rather SUDDENLY ENLARGES and CONSTIPATION and/or DIARRHEA.

I had these classic symptoms and went to the doctor. Because these symptoms

seemed to be " abdominal, " I went to a gastroenterologist. He ran tests that

were designed to determine whether there was a bacterial infection; these tests

were negative, and I was diagnosed with " Irritable Bowel Syndrome. " I guess I

would have accepted this diagnosis had it not been for my enlarged abdomen. I

swear to you, it looked like I was 4-5 months pregnant! I therefore insisted on

more tests. They took an X-ray of my abdomen; it was negative. I was again

assured that I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome and encouraged to go on my scheduled

month-long trip to Europe. I couldn't wear any of my slacks or shorts because I

couldn't get them buttoned, and I KNEW something was radical! ly wrong. I

INSISTED on more tests, and they

(reluctantly) scheduled me for a CT-Scan (just to shut me up, I think). This is

what I mean by " taking charge of our own health care. "

The CT-Scan showed a lot of fluid in my abdomen (NOT normal). Needless to say,

I had to cancel my trip and have FIVE POUNDS of fluid drained off at the

hospital (not a pleasant procedure, I assure you), but NOTHING compared to what

was ahead of me). Tests revealed cancer cells in the fluid. Finally, finally,

finally, the doctor ran a CA-125 blood test, and I was properly diagnosed.

I HAD THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS FOR OVARIAN CANCER, AND YET THIS SIMPLE CA-125 BLOOD

TEST HAD NEVER BEEN RUN ON ME, not as part of my annual physical exam and not

when I was symptomatic. This is an inexpensive and simple blood test!

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE TELL ALL YOUR FEMALE FRIENDS AND RELATIVES TO INSIST ON A

CA-125 BLOOD TEST EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THEIR ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAMS.

Be forewarned that their doctors might try to talk them out of it, saying, IT

ISN'T NECESSARY. " Believe me, had I known then what I know now, we would have

caught my cancer much earlier (before it was a stage 3 cancer).

Insist on the CA-125 BLOOD TEST; DO NOT take " NO " for an answer! The normal

range for a CA-125 BLOOD TEST is between zero and 35. MINE WAS 754.

(That's right, 754!).

If the number is slightly above 35, you can have another done in three or six

months and keep a close eye on it, just like women do when they have fibroid

tumors or when men have a slightly elevated PSA test (Prostatic Specific

Antigens) that helps diagnose prostate cancer.

Having the CA-125 test done annually can alert you early, and t! hat's the goal

in diagnosing any type of cancer -- catching it early.

Do you know 55 women? If so, at least one of them will have this VERY AGGRESSIVE

cancer. Please, go to your doctor and insist on a CA-125 test and have one EVERY

YEAR for the rest of your life.

And forward this message to every woman you know, and tell all of your female

family members and friends. Though the median age for this cancer is 56, (and,

guess what, I'm exactly 56), women as young as 22 have it. Age is no factor.

A NOTE FROM THE RN:Well, after reading this, I made some calls. I found that the

CA-125 test is an ovarian screening test equivalent to a man's PSA test prostate

screen (which my husband's doctor automatically gives him in his p! hysical each

year and insurance pays for it).I called the general practitioner's office about

having the test done. The nurse had never heard of it. She told me that she

doubted that insurance would pay for it. So I called Prudential Insurance Co.,

and got the same response. Never heard of it -- it won't be covered. I explained

that it was the same as the PSA test they had paid for my husband for years.

After conferring with whomever they confer with, she told me that the CA-125

would be covered.

It is $75 in a GP's office and $125 at the GYN's.

This is a screening test that should be required just like a PAP smear

(a PAP smear cannot detect problems with your ovaries). And you must insist that

your insurance company pay for it.

Gene Wilder and Pierce Brosnan (his wife had it, too) are lobbying for women's

health issues, saying that this test should be required in our physicals, just

like the PAP and the mammogram.

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO SEND THIS OUT TO ALL THOSE YOU CAN. BE IT MALE OR

FEMALE, IT SHOULD NOT MATTER, AS THEY CAN FORWARD IT ON ALSO TO THOSE LOVED ONES

THEY KNOW.

IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FORWARDING SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THIS IS, HERE'S

A LITTLE HINT THAT MAY ASSIST YOU WITH YOUR DECISION ~ JUST PRETEND THAT THIS IS

A JOKE, WHICH IT CERTAINLY IS NOT, AND SEND IT OUT TO ALL THE FOLKS YOU WOULD IF

IT WAS. THANKS.

[Guest guest]

I received this email last year and spoke to my oncologist about it.

he said that ca-125 is not perfect, that many things can give false

results including pregnancy. He said that's why it's not given to

everyone.

Virginia

> Hi,

> is there anything someone could say to invalidate this person's

firm belief that ovarian cancer can be prevented or healed by CA-125

BLOOD TEST and all that follows, together with the belief that " TOTAL

responsibility for one's own health care " simply means religiously

taking yearly exams? There has been much material posted here as to

the worthlessness of the mammogram approach re breast cancer and I

suppose similar data isn't available for ovarian cancer yet since

they haven't urged the respective exams upon women so far.

>

> This has been sent to me and many others I assume and is certain to

do the rounds on the Internet. I would like to send a substantiated

reply to possibly make people aware of more valid and healthier

options in personal health care...

>

> Ulla

>

> Thanks

>

>

> >Ovarian Cancer Screen

> >

> >I hope you all take the time to read this and pass it on to all

you can.

> >Send this to the women in your life that you care about.

> >

> >

> >Years ago, Gilda Radner died of ovarian cancer. Her symptoms were

> >inconclusive, and she was treated for everything under the sun

until it was

> >too late. This blood test finally identified her illness but alas,

too

> >late. She wrote a book to heighten awareness. Gene Wilder is her

widower.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Mel, Virginia, and Gaylen for your replies...

I will probably forward Gaylen's CA-125 test info with a few alternative

comments of my own ;-)

Ulla