This one's for the ladies---anyone ever have ovarian cysts? Did you have to do anything about them or did they go away on their own? I have 5 of them right now and let me tell you, it ain't too much fun. . .

Long story short, this all started the week before Thanksgiving and got progressively worse last week to the point where I was in severe pain and bloated to the point of looking pregnant. Ultrasound revealed 3 cysts on the left, 2 on the right, and since my GYN doctor is taking his usual lax attitude, I overstepped him, had my reports faxed out to my oncologist in Boston for review, and the plan is to get me through the holiday and if I'm not back to normal/things cleared up, by the 27th when she's back in the office, then I'll be scheduled for removal of both ovaries.

Fine with me--I'm done with them anyway, and while I'm still bloated and cramped, but not doubled over in pain like last week, those friggin' girl parts are more trouble than they're worth at my age.

Thoughts and stories, ladies? Yes, you too Alan--I know your mind is going all sorts of places right now, so let it all out! LOL

As if I would joke about something like that. I'm not always a smart ass so seriously, I hope you can get this cleared up like yesterday. None of the women in my life have had this problem *knocks on wood* but my step mom had cysts in her breasts years ago. Nothing serious but she's been off everything that has even a hint of caffeine ever since.

Alan Smithee wrote:

As if I would joke about something like that. I'm not always a smart ass so seriously, I hope you can get this cleared up like yesterday. None of the women in my life have had this problem *knocks on wood* but my step mom had cysts in her breasts years ago. Nothing serious but she's been off everything that has even a hint of caffeine ever since.

I know you're not always a smart ass, but I do love black humor--LOL! And yes, I'm actually hoping for this not to clear up for next week so I can just have the little bastards removed. My oncologist isn't worried, but that's also the next likely area for metastasized breast cancer to pop up as a recurrence. Better to eliminate that possibility than to always wonder if there's any surprises lurking.

Hyacinth Girl wrote:

I know you're not always a smart ass, but I do love black humor--LOL!

Me too! Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock...they're great!

Shale wrote:

My wife had what she said was a total hysterectomy at a young age.

However, she never needed hormone replacement and would get quite wet.

I suspect they left her ovaries in, but I guess there are other sources for hormones to cause the lube. Maybe you have researched this impending, abrupt menopause you may be facing with an ooectomy.

I'm actually already in somewhat of a menopause state--all that stopped 3 years ago when they hit me with chemo. Aside from a burst polyp a year ago that required a D+C, I haven't had any monthly stuff since 2009. I can't do hormone replacement therapy because estrogen was what was fueling the breast cancer I had, and I'm actually on Tamoxifen which is an estrogen blocker. I have 5 years on that, 2 left to go, then they switch me to an aromatase inhibitor for another 5 years, so I'm in it for the long haul because of my young age when all that happened at 42.

I suspect that they may change my meds if I lose the major source of estrogen with ovarian removal, if they are even producing any at all anymore. Basically, I'm already messed up! LOL

No I haven't. I don't think I've known anyone with ovarian cysts, but my cousin did pass away from ovarian cancer. I've know quite a few women with fibroids. Those things ain't no joke and I hope I never have to encounter them. They're more common in black women than anyone. Hope you feel better....

Nystyle709 wrote:

No I haven't. I don't think I've known anyone with ovarian cysts, but my cousin did pass away from ovarian cancer. I've know quite a few women with fibroids. Those things ain't no joke and I hope I never have to encounter them. They're more common in black women than anyone. Hope you feel better....

Thanks! I'm not doubled over in pain like I was last week, but still bloated and cramped, yet able to function only at a slower pace than usual. At this point, I almost hope I'm feeling the same next Thursday so they schedule me for surgery. Not that I want another surgery, but it would be a final fix, and I'd never have to worry about if this will happen again, or if there are unpleasant surprises lurking, at least in that area.

Hoping you never have to encounter these either, NY--they hurt like a mother! Ooooch!

Update: going for a consult with s GYN oncology surgeon in Boston on January 14, so now I just suck it up until then. Ugh. I feel like I've been kicked in the ribs and the damn nausea is back.

Are they supposed to tell you if they are cancerous or not?

Nystyle709 wrote:

Are they supposed to tell you if they are cancerous or not?

This is just an initial consult to see if removal is the way to go, which I hope it is, then when and if the ovaries come out, they'll be sent for histology analysis to determine if they're cancerous.

And you're going to give them to me as a Christmas present? Sweet!

Bumping this thread for the big update: Just got back from Boston, and after a month plus, of all this crap going on, and a gushing hemorrhage that started 3 days ago, I'll be having surgery at the end of March.

Yep, they're doing a radical hysterectomy with ovary removal and taking everything out. They did some biopsy work today and if that comes back bad, then they'll get me in sooner, but for now, I have to use the time to build back up my blood levels, because I've lost too much blood this past weekend. Have to take iron supplements, and at least this will buy me some time to get through 8 weeks of teaching classes, which start up next week.

So there you have it, and Alan, I'll throw in my uterus and IUD along with the ovaries, for the full set of stuff, for you! LOL


Ugh--never a dull moment. . . .

Damn, that sounds dreadful. You're pretty calm (or at least your typing seems calm).

Hope everything comes out OK.

BTW "gushing hemorrhage?" What caused that?

Hyacinth Girl wrote:

Bumping this thread for the big update: Just got back from Boston, and after a month plus, of all this crap going on, and a gushing hemorrhage that started 3 days ago, I'll be having surgery at the end of March.

Yep, they're doing a radical hysterectomy with ovary removal and taking everything out. They did some biopsy work today and if that comes back bad, then they'll get me in sooner, but for now, I have to use the time to build back up my blood levels, because I've lost too much blood this past weekend. Have to take iron supplements, and at least this will buy me some time to get through 8 weeks of teaching classes, which start up next week.

So there you have it, and Alan, I'll throw in my uterus and IUD along with the ovaries, for the full set of stuff, for you! LOL


Ugh--never a dull moment. . . .

Hey I hope you get though it with no complications. Did the cysts erupt and is that what caused the hemorrhage?

The cysts could have burst or are twisting the ovaries causing the bleed and my uterus has thickened suggesting possible fibroids there. So it's a combo of the two and the flow has slowed a bit today but it was pouring out for the past 3 days and enough to drop my blood counts to where they can't do surgery until I make more blood . This is all basically after effects from the chemo 3 years ago, with my body trying to right itself and the tamoxifen I'm on, fighting it and messing everything up. Gotta head to work now but more when I can get back in here !

Hyacinth Girl wrote:

...I'll throw in my uterus and IUD along with the ovaries, for the full set of stuff, for you! LOL

Mmmmm, I've got a new recipe I've been eager to try!

Hugs (but not too tight lest I break something) for a speedy recovery and favorable biopsy!

Gosh, I totally missed this thread the first time around. I hope it all goes so well for you dear. xoxo

Hope everything goes ok!

i missed it too. hope all goes well.

neither i nor my sisters have had cysts. my mom had fibroid tumors and gall bladder problems at the same time... they did a total hysterectomy and a gall bladder removal at the same time and she was like 70 at the time.

one of my sisters has a "floating ovary". she used to get doubled over in pain.. and for YEARS they could not figure it out. hospital visits and doctors found nothing. then one day, the hospital took an xray.. and the doctor told her hubby, "your wife is full of shit... literally". apparently she was suffering from IBS and her colon would wrap around her ovary... this caused a kink in her bowel, and prevented anything from going through... so not only was she extremely constipated, but her ovary was being squeezed.

^^LOL and thanks all! Surgery date is April 12, and while I'm not looking forward to a 6 week recovery, I'll be glad to have it all out and be done with it.

Be easy. Hope everything turns out okay....