QUESTION ABOUT CYST/OVULATION

Question

My question is if it is normal to have a little blood and discharge when you ovulate (brown colored). I have been monitored for the past few months through ultrasounds by a gyn/onc (because my CA125 has been 60, 50, 80). She sees nothing that concerns her so far and the cysts appear completely normal to her. I get another u/s this week. A few weeks ago I had very very sharp pains and thought the cysts (2 small on L ovary) may have ruptured. Anyway, it is time for ovulation and according to the kit I bought, I am ovulating (I tested it because I have pcos and am diabetic so I've had trouble ovulating in the past). So far the gyn/onc feels good about what she sees despite the elevated CA125. I was a bit concerned this month about the sharp pains and now concerned about the brown blood/discharge. Is this normal? I do have a lot of abdominal and low back pain, but my onc's nurse says they don't get too concerned unless it is pelvic pain. My internist just tells me that I'm a hypochondriac and overweight and that's whats causing my pains and to get out and exercise more and it will solve it(although I've weighed the same for 7 years and never had trouble with these pains).

NikkiPoo · Answer

I would get another internist... Doctors make me so mad, my sister is over weight and has been for more than 20 years, but she is healthy and active. It makes me angry when doctors assume that if you are over weight that your lazy. I gained over 30lbs in a year (always a sz 7 till now) and all my doctor had to say was "you are over 40 now" and ignored all of my complaints (tired all the time, nauseas, pain & just not feeling right, 6 months later I found I had cysts on each ovary. I'm currently still searching for a doctor, I've been asking my nephrologist to refer someone in the area and he has ignored me for a month. Needless to say I will not be using him for my kidney problems. Best of luck to you....

LILYBUG · Answer

I also forgot to add that I do have a fibroid. My gyn/onc really is not concerned yet about my ca125. I have not called her yet about the brown spotting/discharge though. i wonder if that is normal with cysts or ruptured cysts? My gyn/onc is very good though and says she will continue to monitor or find a cause for my pains if the internist can't provide an answer. My regular gyn thinks the melanoma I have may have spread to my abdomen and is causing the elevated ca125. I feel like something is going on and having my internist tell me I'm either overly sensitive or just fat and out of shape doesn't help.

NikkiPoo · Answer

How can she tell that the cysts look normal? My gyn said that a biopsy has to be done to determine if cancer or not.  Is the internist the one handling your melanoma? Last year I had pain 3 seperate times that was so bad I could barely move, I couldn't stand straight, I could barely walk. The first time it happened I had fever/chills/nausous/shakes, it was horrible, I went to the ER and they assumed it was my kidneys (I have PKD) and sent me home with antibiotics.  The next two times I refused to go to the ER since they didn't help the first time, after the 3rd time I realized that each time I was on my period so I knew that it had something to do with it. Went to gyn and found out I had cysts.

LILYBUG · Answer

The internist is not handling my melanoma. I chose this internist because my primary care physician told me for months that my appendix was not bad and that I didn't have melanoma. I ended up in the E/R and had my appendix out in July. Then I insisted on having my new growth removed and it turned out to be melanoma. So I sought a new Dr. and chose this internist since I'm diabetic. I've been discussing these new issues with her and she's been working with my gyn/onc. I went back in to her and she basically told me I was crazy and out of shape and to get moving an exercise. The gyn/onc has done 2 ultrasounds (each time a regular and tv u/s) and just tells me the cysts are normal/functional cysts due to ovulation. She's not totally letting me go and maybe when I have my 3rd u/s's this week she might feel differently, but so far she does not think anything looks abnormal on my ultrasounds. The cysts are very small. I'm anxious to see if they are gone and ruptured when I had those pains. My gyn also thought my first u/s looked perfectly normal but because she could not give an explanation for my elevated CA125, she sent me to a gyn/onc.

MickeyVicki · Answer

I have two guesses as to what might be the cause of the discharge.  The first is that a cyst, or more if you have them, has ruptured, and some of the fluid has leaked through reproductive system. 
  
However, my best guess is that the blood spotting at the time of ovulation is due to hormonal imbalance.  I have had this type of spotting myself, and testing showed my hormones to be out of balance.   This to me happened nearly 6 years ago, and at the moment, I cannot recall if I had too much estrogen, or too little estrogen.  It can be a common problem for perimenopausal women.  You get the general idea, though. 

Since you have PCOS it is very likely that you do have abnormal  hormonal fluctuations associated with ovulation, and any treatment that you had for your melanoma might have made the situation worse.

LILYBUG · Answer

Thanks for responding. I have read elsewhere that even normal ovulation can cause the spotting. I'm very anxious to see if these two small cysts ruptured because I really think they did. And I already know I have hormonal imbalances. I take progesterone to offset the excess estrogen. And I take levoxyl for my thyroid. I don't do any treatments for melanoma. I just had surgery and they leave it at that with stage II (extensive check-ups of course). Thanks for your thoughts and ideas of what it might be. I get the u/s this week and see the oncologist next week.

QUESTION ABOUT CYST/OVULATION

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