A NOTE FROM AN RN:

I found that the CA-125 test is an ovarian screening test equivalent to a man%26#039;s PSA test prostate screen (which my husband%26#039;s doctor automatically gives him in his physical each year and insurance pays for it). I called the general practitioner%26#039;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 ——— Insurance Co, and got the same response. Never heard of it - it won%26#039;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%26#039;s office and $125 at the GYN%26#039;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 insist that your insurance company pay for it.

(ironheart.net/pleaseread.html) for more and post your reply here.|||yes i knew that.. i already planned on having that test done on the 27th! thanks for getting this info out there!

I have been experiencing pelvic pain, pressure, and cramping in addtion to lower back pain for the past few weeks. It feels similar to the uncomfort I feel during menstruation. I am only 29 years old but seem to be experiencing several of the symptoms listed for this particular cancer. I would appreciate any information you may have on the subject. Thanks.|||Hi. I am an OB/GYN. It is rare to have Ovarian Cancer at your age, but possible. Some of the symptoms associated with Ovarian Cancer can be a lot of things. What I strongly suggest is a visit to your Gynecologist. He/She will be able to order blood tests, and if needed an Ultra-Sound. I would not worry too much, but it is always better to be safe. Ovarian Cancer is usually Post-Menopausal, and does not show symptoms until later. Get checked. Good Luck.|||Ovarian Cancer:

Recognizing ovarian cancer symptoms

Ovarian cancer often shows no obvious signs or symptoms until late in its development. Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:

General abdominal discomfort and/or pain (gas, indigestion, pressure, swelling, bloating, cramps)

Nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or frequent urination

Loss of appetite

Feeling of fullness even after a light meal

Weight gain or loss with no known reason

Abnormal bleeding from the vagina

These symptoms may be caused by ovarian cancer or by other, less serious conditions. It is important to check with a doctor about any of these symptoms.

To help find the cause of symptoms, a doctor evaluates a woman%26#039;s medical history. The doctor also performs a physical exam and orders diagnostic tests. Some exams and tests that may be useful are described below:

Pelvic exam includes feeling the uterus, vagina, ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, and rectum to find any abnormality in their shape or size. (A Pap test, a good test for cancer of the cervix, is often done along with the pelvic exam, but it is not a reliable way to find or diagnose ovarian cancer.)

Ultrasound refers to the use of high-frequency sound waves. These waves, which cannot be heard by humans, are aimed at the ovaries. The pattern of the echoes they produce creates a picture called a sonogram.

CA-125 assay is a blood test used to measure the level of CA-125, a tumor marker that is often found in higher-than-normal amounts in the blood of women with ovarian cancer.

Lower GI series, or barium enema, is a series of x-rays of the colon and rectum. The pictures are taken after the patient is given an enema with a white, chalky solution containing barium. The barium outlines the colon and rectum on the x-ray, making tumors or other abnormal areas easier to see.

CT (or CAT) scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine.

Biopsy is the removal of tissue for examination under a microscope. A pathologist studies the tissue to make a diagnosis. To obtain the tissue, the surgeon performs a laparotomy (an operation to open the abdomen). If cancer is suspected, the surgeon performs an oophorectomy (removal of the entire ovary). This is important because, if cancer is present, removing just a sample of tissue by cutting through the outer layer of the ovary could allow cancer cells to escape and cause the disease to spread.

If the diagnosis is ovarian cancer, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of disease. Staging is a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to what parts of the body. Staging may involve surgery, x-rays and other imaging procedures, and lab tests. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.|||Is there any history of ovarian cancer in your family? Some women have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation which increases your risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Ovaries are a tricky thing to monitor. Your symptoms sound like it could be a variety of things - take a list of questions to your doc, get an ultrasound and report any changes to the doc. Many women with ovarian cancer feel very few symptoms which is why it is often not caught until a later more deadly stage. Listen to your body and be good to yourself. Any docs or women with histories of breast or ovarian cancer with early age onset out there that are not aware of BRCA1 or BRCA2- get educated on this mutation.|||Lower pelvic pain can come from many sources. Ovarian cancer usually does not show symptoms until it has advanced, thus it is known as a silent killer. If you have a family history (mother, sister) of either ovarian or breast cancer, you may want to request having a blood test (CA-125). However, this is also not an end-all test, as the numbers can be elevated if you endometriosis, infection, or other type of cancer.

First and foremost, you need to have a pelvic exam. If there is a growth, they MAY be able to feel it during this exam. If nothing can be determined from the physical exam, they will probably send you for a pelvic ultrasound (you can also request to have one done if your Dr. does not suggest it). During this exam, they will first use the ultrasound on your abdomen with a full bladder. Next, after you empty your bladder, they will use a wand (internally) to view your ovaries %26amp; uterus. They use color to see blood flow in your ovaries and anything that may be there. It could be something as simple as a cyst on the ovary. If there is a cyst, depending on the size, it could be a %26#039;wait and see%26#039; if it goes away after a cycle. If it does not or is extreamly large, it may be suggested that it be removed.

Also, what side is it on? If it is on the right, they will rule out everything first before jumping to the cancer conclusion. It could be the apendix, gall bladder, or the GI tract. If it is on the left, it could be the pancrease or GI tract.

The only way to KNOW it is cancer, and even endometriosis for that fact, is to surgically look at it and do a biopsy.

Otherwise, symptoms of ovarian cancer are:

Abdominal/pelvic discomfort or pressure

Back or leg pain

Bloating

Changes in bowel function or urinary frequency

Fatigue

Gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., gas, long-term stomach pain, indigestion)

Malnourished or wasted appearance

Nausea or loss of appetite

Unusual vaginal bleeding

Most of these are due to the growth on the ovary causing the discomfort. Just so you know, a motto most Dr.s go by is %26quot;if you hear hooves, look for a horse, not a zebra%26quot;, in other words, they will look for the common problem, the obvious, not the needle in the hay stack.

Many times, pelvic pain cannot be %26#039;diagnosed%26#039;, or it could be referred pain, coming from a totally different source, such as your back. There are nerves that run from your spine and wrap around to the front to the top of the inner thigh. If these are damaged or irritated, they can cause pain in the pelvic region.

The most important thing is to be your own advocate, because no one else will. If you don%26#039;t like an answer, get a second opinion. Until they can tell you what it is or until they can rule everything else out, don%26#039;t stop trying to get an answer.

I say this because I have just gone through the same thing. Back in May of 06, I started having pelvic pain. I thought it was a re-occuring cyst and just called my Dr. for some pain pills. She told me to come in since I hadn%26#039;t seen her for this in over 6 months. She sent me for an ultrasound. Well, I had no resolution at that point and it still really hurt (we did find cysts %26amp; a gallstone that had to come out). During the course of the next two months, I saw 13 different doctors and had just about every procedure done below the waist. We tried medical management with birth control to help the cysts and finally, on December 30th 2006, I had my right ovary %26amp; fallopian tube removed. Good news, no cancer, no endometriosis. It turned out to be a very fiborous cyst producing ovary. Now, a month later, my pain has subsided substantially.

Under my sources, I have included two web sites, one for ovarian cancer and one for endometriosis. Make an appointment with your gynocologist, write down ALL of your symptoms and take that list with you to your appointment. Write down any changes your body has shown, even if you don%26#039;t think it%26#039;s related. When you write it down and take it with you, it helps make sure you don%26#039;t forget to tell the Dr. everything.

Good luck! The chances are it%26#039;s nothing super serious, but make sure you keep those Dr.s working until you are satisfied with the results.

This is for my mother age 36, she recently found out that she has a syst on her overy and it may be cancer. About 5min ago she had major pain in her calf musle of her leg. Her discription of it was that it felt like the musle was being riped in half. I need to know if there is any possible medical correlation between the syst and the leg pain. Please only relivant responses from qualified and licenced medical workers.|||Yes, there can be a connection between leg pain and ovarian cancer. The only way to be sure though is to check with your physician. Also, are there any other symptons, such as fluid retention going on?

Your mother should check to see if she has any swelling in her legs. Sometimes with ovarian cancer (or any abdominal cancer) a condition called ascites can occur. This is a build of fluid produced by the tumor. Since you do not have a diagnosis for cancer yet, this may well be a symptom that you should not ignore. If your mother does seem to have swelling or fluid in her legs she should immediately contact her doctor. Do not be concerned that this is a weekend, doctors should be on call to handle this situation. If she has fluid build up they will instruct her what to do next, depending on how much is there. Do not ignore this though.

Ascites (with ovarian cancer)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/…

My son had abdominal and leg swelling because the tumors were %26#039;weeping%26#039;. He had over 40 pounds of fluid in the abdomen and feet and legs.

He was given lasix and was able to eliminate the fluid.

Check on this as soon as possible.

Good luck.|||More than likely not. Sounds like she had a charlie horse. Muscle will tighten and stiffen up and takes a while to let loose. But I would call a doctor and discuss it just to make sure you know. Not worth the risk.|||Only a physicial exam, some angiograms, some sonar exams, and an MRI will answer this question, hon. I%26#039;m as qualified as anyone, but without tests, no one can see into the vein,muscles nor into the abdomen….. not even a physician……..to see what is going on… So, on Monday, get another appt. with her doc.|||Ovarian cysts doctors say are normal thing: I say they are not …they not supposed to be there without a reason.

I had a cyst on my ovary and doctor told me that it is normal ..I insisted that he sends me for further test ..he did not like that….and what happen I had a Ocarian Cancer Stage 1, growing inside of me on my ovary with so called normal cyst.

Leg pain???yest it may be a sign of ovarian cancer association but not as severe as you described. Throbbing pain down the leg from your abdomen is more likely. What your mom had was a %26quot;Charlie horse%26quot; she is short of magnesium in her body. She needs to go and get herself checked for magnesium deficiency.

Also tell your Mom not to wait until the cyst gets bigger. As I said they are NOT NORMAL as they say. It is a sign of something happening in her body and her body is giving your MOM a lots of SIGNS. The sooner the better.

Take care of her…you are such a sweetheart|||Hi, I%26#039;m not a medical worker but know alot about cancers, survivor here for 13 years. Right now I have an ovarian cystic mass that is 10.1cm, I had the ca125 test and they keep watch on it, I%26#039;m on Lupron therapy. Has your mom had the cyst evaulated or the ca125 test? Anything under 100 is considered watchable but over 100 needs a biopsy. Mine was 75, then dropped to 41, normal is about 35. She needs that test plus an ultrasound and/or biopsy especially if cancer runs in your family. Cancer and cysts, anything in the abdominal cavity puts pressure on nerves and muscles and can cause leg pain, she might have a backup of lymph fluid too from the inguinal and/or iliac area too, does she have swelling in the legs or abdomen? The pressure from a cyst alone can cause leg or back pain. It sounds like a muscle cramp or spasm, sometimes those are really bad, back up of fluids can cause them too so she needs to watch her legs for any swelling.

Tell your mom that if the ca125 test is good, it%26#039;s her option to have removal by laproscopy of the cyst, the whole ovary, total hysterectomy, or trying something like I did, lupron therapy to shrink it, then watch it every 3 months.

I%26#039;m just wondering because my girlfriend had it. Then it was removed but it might be coming back again. I know it may sound insensitive but I mean its my health too. if we%26#039;re having unprotected sex and we%26#039;re monogamous can I get the cancer transferred to me? or would it increase the risk of it spreading in her? she doesn%26#039;t like to talk about it but her sex apetitie is voracious as always :D. I%26#039;m just worried about both of our health.|||NO! Cancer never has been or will be contagious. This is a wonderful way to show her you love her and care for her despite what she is going through and that you will be there for her. Enjoy yourselves!!!! :)|||NO|||No! No, no, no. Cancer is not an STD.|||Nope!|||No, there is no form of cancer that has characteristics of an STD.|||I%26#039;m sorry to here that it might come back.all most 100%that if its not a STD your safe.but you should call a doctor.|||Cancer cannot be %26#039;caught%26#039; from another person. But STD%26#039;s can. Protected sex saves a lot of problems, even lives.|||Oh my gosh is this how men think? No you can not catch ovarian cancer. That poor girl. Yes, you do sound insensitive and unintelligent.|||You have to be kidding…! We are talking about Cancer, Right? If she had Ovarian Cancer more than likely they would have removed one or both ovaries. Not saying it could not spread to other parts of her body but it deffinately is not going to spread to yours. This is not a STD .

My main symptoms are a new bowl movement cycle. I used to be fairly %26quot;regular%26quot;. Now I am constipated a lot. When I do go, it%26#039;s usually diareha or very soft. I am gasy, too. However, I don%26#039;t really have abdominal pain. These symptoms have been going on for a few months. My abdomen and stomach area haven%26#039;t grown (I%26#039;m about a 28-inch %26quot;true%26quot; waist), however, as soon as I eat anything it looks like I%26#039;m about 2 months pregnant. Also, my past two period cycles have been strange; very, very light and lasted for about a day. I didn%26#039;t even need a tampon or panty liner. My grandmother died from breast cancer. I get regular PAPs and pelvic examps and my PAP last came back with the HPV virus; however, i just went last month and the HPV is gone. I feel more tired than usual, but I havent%26#039; lost or gained any weight and my appetite is the same. Sorry for the detailed explaination, but I wanted to provice as much information as possible in hopes of the best answer as possible:)|||No one here can answer this question based on the information you%26#039;ve provided. This could be many different things . . however, you should know that in general, ovarian cancer has no symptoms until it is advanced.

The best thing you can do is go to see a doctor for a thorough

examination . . sooner rather than later.

Good luck.|||Something is obviously not right in your body.

What you are experiencing is not %26quot;normal%26quot; for you.

The only way to find out what these changes mean are to see a Dr and get an accurate diagnosis.

Possibly it is a form of cancer,possibly not. If it is, your best prognosis is from early diagnosis and treatment, so don%26#039;t waste time asking strangers on the internet with dubious qualifications.

Your health is too important to take risks with!|||Gal they are some things going on…but I feel you need to consult a good gastroenterologist some of these things may be gastric issues. Some gastric problems do cause fatigue, bloating bowel problems pain etc….

It is impossible to diagnosis anyone that is written symptoms on the net but I will assure you that a good gastro and a good GYN will help you find your answers.

Good luck to you.

i%26#039;m only 22….

my husband and i have been together for 6 years. married for 2, and we tried to start a family and with no luck i sought out a doctors opnion. and found cancer. i had regular pap%26#039;s done from age 16-20, then they told me that i could come every 3 years because they always came back clear. NOW I HAVE CANCER. AND MY SECOND OPNION TELLS ME THAT I HAVE TO HAVE A HYSTEROCTOMY!!! i don%26#039;t feel like life is worth living now. i wanted more then anything in the world to have my own children. will this pain grow stronger or lessen after i have my surgery?|||I hope you%26#039;re going to check with additional doctors whether this is absolutely necessary… I recently read a story of a young woman who had a hysterectomy due to severe endometriosis %26amp; it turned out that her uterus was fine. Don%26#039;t go ahead with it until you%26#039;re convinced that it is the right choice.

Be strong %26amp; pls visit infertility support websites like fertilitystories..|||First off, I%26#039;m very sorry to hear that. I will keep you in my prayers. I think having the hysterectomy is the best thing to do if you don%26#039;t want the cancer to spread. It%26#039;s tough knowing you won%26#039;t ever have children of your own. Have you considered a surrogate? Not sure if this is possible but maybe they could take your husband%26#039;s sperm and your egg and have someone carry the baby for you. You wouldn%26#039;t get to be pregnant, but it would still be your own child. If all else fails, you can always adopt. No matter how you feel now, I%26#039;m sure you would love an adopted child as your own. Good luck and God bless.|||You will most certainly have to work through these feelings. There are support groups like Resolve for couples who have gone through infertility problems. I will tell you (from experience) that your feelings will last for a while. I am now an adoptive mother of two children who I consider very much %26quot;my own%26quot;, and now I can tell you that the feelings are totally gone and I do not care how I got my children, they are so mine. I wish you the best.|||Give it to God honey. Thats the best thing i can tell you|||Ask the Dr. if you can freeze your eggs, there%26#039;s a lot of families that need help with their kids maybe you can become a nanny.|||I have know idea how painful this must be for you and I%26#039;m very sorry. I wish I could say life is fair but obviously it is not there are so many unfit parents out here who have children and really don%26#039;t deserve to have them. Don%26#039;t get discouraged maybe you have other options like maybe A family member can carry A baby for you using your eggs and husbands sperm I really don%26#039;t know much about that just throwing it out there. God Bless.|||I feel so bad for you. I too had cancer but I had Cervical cancer. I feel after some time and you come to realize that you can%26#039;t have kids you%26#039;ll get used to the fact. Have you thought about having some of your eggs extracted and your husband%26#039;s sperm and and you could have someone else carry your baby for you???? VERY COSTLY - BUT, IT%26#039;S AN OPTION.|||I feel so sorry for you. That is a horrible thing to find out. Kill the person (not really) that told you that every three years is acceptable, it%26#039;s not. Even a perfectly healthy woman can develop problems, cysts, fibroids, and you got the worst one, cancer.

It will probably get worse before it gets better. The pain will lessen with time, but I doubt it will ever fully go away.

Talk to your husband about options. You can adopt, you can have eggs removed (if the cancer is in your uterus not the ovaries) and do an implant into a surrogate mother, or another woman%26#039;s eggs for the procedure if you can%26#039;t use yours. You would still have a child to raise, even if it wasn%26#039;t your blood. When you and your husband figure out what you want to try, talk to your doctor for recommendations and your limitations. Also get a referral to good fertilization clinics and family adoption agencies.

Good Luck.|||Don%26#039;t be discouraged there are many blessing in store for you. Life is worth living everyday. and don%26#039;t , don%26#039;t don%26#039;t let a MD tell you you%26#039;ll never do something, if you want a baby of you own it is possible by so many means you can harvest eggs now before your op, you may not be able to physically carry this baby but s/he is already in your heart you can adopt you can even have a friend family member carry the baby for you. you should call cancer treatment centers of America and see if they can give you any info. it may seem like a dark time but believe me please although i haven%26#039;t walked in your shoes we all have to walk through a dark valley before we get to the brighter side of the mountain. seek (spiritual) counseling for the situation together, but don%26#039;t stop living …|||So sorry to hear about that diagnosis. What I would say to my own daughter%26#039;s is to get a 3rd opinion to see if you have to get a complete hysterectomy. If so, why don%26#039;t you talk to your doctor about the possibility of harvesting some of your eggs so that when you are ready you will still have the option of having children. Your first priority has to be getting healthy and even if there is absolutely no possibility of having your own biological children you can be a blessing to other children who are in need of adoption. It won%26#039;t matter so much how the child comes to you once you realize that they all need a mothers love.

Also I have suffered with bowel cancer and have recently had a radical hysterectomy and 85% of my bowel removed. My life is devastated. I have 2 small children and I have still cancer remaining. Approx 4 doctors failed to find this as I have had extensive tests but none of them found this. What should I do. I am 43 years old and my family and I have suffered immensley. I just want to to know what is the right thing to do. I feel that it should have been found much earlier. My symptoms of this dates back to 2001.|||I feel for your misfortune. You have no options left excepting carrying on with the treatments viz. Removal of he tumor by surgery, Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy. If your oncologist have confirmed that you are having Ovarian and bowl cancer you have to carry out the treatments.

Many a times the disease spread very fast from one organ to another anytime, before detection of cancer in one organ, or during treatment or after treatment and all the 4 doctors can not misdiagnosed. You say you have found the symptoms in 2001, that means 6 years back still you are above to live on means the treatments given to you have been effective and acted on your body.

So there is no point in blaming any one at this stage by going to Court etc. and you have to ensure that at least now you are in the hands of a able and good Oncologist to continue your treatment. Considering your status and your children, i suggest this. The side effects of these treatments will be just horrible and toilsome and you have no option but to continue with them as CANCER IS STILL AN ENIGMA-

Also I have suffered with bowel cancer and have recently had a radical hysterectomy and 85% of my bowel removed. My life is devastated. I have 2 small children and I have still cancer remaining. Approx 4 doctors failed to find this as I have had extensive tests but none of them found this. What should I do. I am 43 years old and my family and I have suffered immensley. I just want to to know what is the right thing to do. I feel that it should have been found much earlier. My symptoms of this dates back to 2001.|||I feel for your misfortune. You have no options left excepting carrying on with the treatments viz. Removal of he tumor by surgery, Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy. If your oncologist have confirmed that you are having Ovarian and bowl cancer you have to carry out the treatments.

Many a times the disease spread very fast from one organ to another anytime, before detection of cancer in one organ, or during treatment or after treatment and all the 4 doctors can not misdiagnosed. You say you have found the symptoms in 2001, that means 6 years back still you are above to live on means the treatments given to you have been effective and acted on your body.

So there is no point in blaming any one at this stage by going to Court etc. and you have to ensure that at least now you are in the hands of a able and good Oncologist to continue your treatment. Considering your status and your children, i suggest this. The side effects of these treatments will be just horrible and toilsome and you have no option but to continue with them as CANCER IS STILL AN ENIGMA-|||Connect all the dots of your life one at a time and re-live them to the fullest…meanwhile it%26#039;s back for treatments…you have no other choice unless you just want to give up, but why do that since you have made it this far??|||Just so you know, I read your post just not sure what you should do. I hate to be negative but my guts thinks the court would side with the doctors. I can think of so many reason and medical mumbo jumbo the doctors could go into as to why the diagnoses was missed.

I feel really sorry for you. I hope things get better.|||I guess you have two choices

1.spend every waking moment going to lawyers,in and out of court and try to sue the Dr who was irresponsible in the first case……or

2. spend every waking moment fighting this disease accept every possible bit of medical help and enjoy and live for each day with your family as much as you possibly can

also get support

http://www.disability.vic.gov.au/dsonlin…

http://www.ovacome.org.uk/Home

God bless you and your family|||Spend your time with your family and fighting the cancer. If you would like to email me my mother would be more than happy to talk to you about alternative diet with herbs to help in conjunction with the traditional treatment you are and have received. She has literally watched people with late stage advanced cancer heal through this.

Get well first and foremost and try not to dwell on this because stress is so very disruptive to your system. I am so very sorry that you and your family are going through this. I feel for you all and will keep you in my prayers.

Have a good cry and then start fighting this. Make sure you get a little fresh air and sunshine everyday and take a short walk as much as your body can handle and believe that none of this is happening in vain. Get strong and be proactive about making other women aware of this and to help them to become proactive with their own health.

God Bless and Be Well!

We believe that as well as bone density loss, depo may be responsible for causing cancer as well.|||My dearest friend Cassie was put on depo for ovarian cysts and polycystic ovarian disease and now she is battling cervical cancer… and its definately not from a sexually transmitted Virus like HPV either… she is a virgin.|||I don%26#039;t know anyone who%26#039;s developed cancer from the depo alone. But I do know for a fact depo can cause a woman to develop a disease called PCOS which DOES cause ovarian cancer in some of her sufferers. I%26#039;m one of the people that depo provera has caused polycystic ovarian syndrome in and it%26#039;s terrible. Please don%26#039;t take depo if you%26#039;re considering it! It%26#039;s side effects outweigh any good to be benefited.|||Nope. No one I know. Including myself.|||no i have been on it for 7 years and LOVE it but i know of women who have diverse reactions to it i guess it all depends on family and med history|||I severely doubt that Depo Provera shots can have anything to do with Ovarian Cancer. Right after having a tumor and my right ovary removed, my doctor put me on birth control pills to help regulate my estrogen. Later she put me on Depo Provera to control my periods and have a hand on my estrogen.

I doubt very seriously that my doctor would have put me on a drug to treat Ovarian Cancer, if it had any kind of doubt that it would cause cancer. They would just be adding to the cancer cells in my body instead of killing them.

i had stage 3C ov ca diagnosed june 07 i had intraperitoneal chemo plus IV chemo. ca 125 was 4 after treatment ended in november I am now waitnig for results of ca125 drawn yesterday. I need some encouragement and to hear from some women who have survived this ! ( without losing their minds!)|||My friend did. You should go online and check out different countries and have them help you. Go to your nearest Herbal store they will help you. The woman I know did that and it was gone.|||not me, but I wanted to say good luck and I%26#039;m so happy to hear you are a survivor :-)!!!!!