Fit and healthy pharmacist Taylah Oehme was diagnosed with ‘rare’ ovarian cancer aged 26
A young woman who experienced crippling pain and unexplained weight gain but was told by a doctor to simply “cut her meals in half” actually had ovarian cancer.
Taylah Oehme, 26, also experienced spotting, long periods and fatigue from March 2022.
She visited her local GP who brushed off the symptoms and told her to take medication to shed the excess pounds that had suddenly accumulated.
But little did she know that the symptoms were early warning signs of something far more sinister.
“Cancer was the last thing on my mind, and I didn’t know what ovarian cancer was,” Taylah told FEMAIL.
The biggest “warning sign” was the pain of a tumor growing on her right ovary and about the size of a golf ball.
It was only after she had surgery to remove the ovary that she was diagnosed with endometriosis and cancer.
Taylah Oehme (pictured) was diagnosed with endometrioid adenocarcinoma ovarian cancer in mid-October 2022
The 26-year-old pharmacist suffered months of symptoms that doctors dismissed – including cramps, spotting, long periods, fatigue and weight gain
In August and September she had two ‘episodes’ of agonizing pain and was taken to hospital.
“I was throwing up and could barely walk, but the doctor was convinced I was having a reaction to the only alcoholic drink I had the night before,” Taylah said.
After deciding to see a new doctor who performed scans and an ultrasound, the young pharmacist was finally diagnosed with endometrioid adenocarcinoma ovarian cancer in mid-October.
“The ultrasound found the tumor that had taken over my right ovary and was 5.6 cm by 6.7 cm (about the size of a golf ball). I’m only 1.74 so on the scans it looked huge on my pelvis,” she said.
She then had blood tests for tumor markers deemed “extremely high,” so doctors investigated further.
“I then went to a gynecologist and had surgery about three weeks later to remove my ovary, which was a big decision because I was concerned about my fertility,” she said.
“I thought to myself, ‘How can this happen? I’m only 26! I’m not ready to start a family. Will I even be able to have children?'”
Ovarian cancer can only be detected through an ultrasound, not a pap smear. It is believed that the cancer on Taylah’s right ovary originated from endometriosis
Taylah anxiously waited two weeks for the biopsy results.
Her parents accompanied her to the doctor and unfortunately it was not good news.
“The doctor said, ‘It’s cancer, it’s not the cancer we thought it was. It’s endometrioid.’ My parents just burst into tears and that’s when I realized I needed chemo,” Taylah recalls.
Endometrioid is a type of ovarian cancer associated with endometriosis – meaning Taylah was told she had both cancer and endometriosis in the one prognosis.
Fortunately, the cancer was in the early 1C stage.
Taylah also underwent a second surgery to rule out any other cancer in her uterus, and doctors confirmed it had not spread there.
However, some cancer cells were found ‘floating’ near the ovary, so chemo was needed.
It is believed that the cancer originated from the endometriosis.
“The doctor said, ‘It’s cancer, it’s not the cancer we thought it was. It’s endometrioid.’ My parents just burst into tears and that’s when I realized I needed chemo,” Taylah recalls
Before starting treatment, Taylah had to make the life-changing decision to save her eggs.
“It was a huge choice, but I chose not to go ahead with the egg collection because it would have delayed my treatment by six weeks,” she said.
In an effort to protect her only remaining ovary from any damage, doctors put Taylah into menopause.
“It was horrible — I had hot flashes, mood swings, I gained weight and felt every joint and bone in my body,” she said.
She then underwent three rounds of chemotherapy for nine weeks, and the doctors said the cancer responded “well” to the drug.
Unfortunately, after the second dose, Taylah had an allergic reaction and the nurses came running to help.
“It was such a stressful time, my blood pressure went out of whack and I had extreme chest pain,” Taylah said.
December 28 was her last day of treatment.
Taylah (pictured with boyfriend, Brady) had her right ovary removed and a biopsy confirmed the tumor was cancerous. She was put through menopause to protect her remaining ovary and then began chemotherapy
Today, Taylah tries to live a normal life as much as possible, and says the experience has changed her perspective.
“I definitely feel less stressed about the little things and took everything so seriously,” she said.
“Given the circumstances, I consider myself lucky that the cancer was discovered so early.”
Before being diagnosed, Taylah, she exercised in the morning, worked 10 hours a day, and had little time for herself.
“Now I’m going to make sure I take the time to go on vacation when I want to, spend time with loved ones and do things for me.”
March 17th is her first follow up appointment and if all goes well she will continue to have checkups every three months to make sure the cancer has not returned.
Today, Taylah tries to live a normal life as much as possible, and says the experience has changed her perspective
Of the whole ordeal, Taylah said the part she struggled with the most was the chemotherapy.
“I was going to have surgery 100 times compared to chemo – it was terrible. Losing my hair was something I really struggled with, too,” she said.
“I used to have long hair down to my waist, but I lost a lot of it, it was pretty daunting. I bought a wig to make myself feel better.’
Looking ahead, she hopes her story inspires others to never ignore symptoms and always get a second or third opinion from doctors.
“I’ve shared my story on social media to raise awareness — I want other women to know that this can happen to young people too, and that Pap smears don’t detect ovarian cancer,” she said.
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