Does anyone have ovarian cysts with NO symptoms

Question

Hi, I have 2 cysts on my right ovary. Had the left one removed due to multiple cysts in July of 05 & I'm only 26. The reason I had the surgery was because the cysts got to be so big.  My question is does anyone out there have cysts with no symptoms. The cysts I have now range from 4 to 5 cm & I couldn't even tell you that they are there. They never bother me. I'll find out excatly what size they are today when I go to the Dr. If anyone out there has cysts with no symptoms could you tell me what kind of cysts you have and how has your Dr. treated you.

Bananie22 · Answer

I had no symptoms either...I had a dermoid on my ovary that was BIG and I didn't know!  Then this past winter I had a couple of complex cysts on my ovary (they were smaller) but they were only picked up by the GYN...I didn't have one symptom.  When they resolved I did have symptoms...just quick jabbing pains and then it was over.  That's the only time I felt anything...when they went away!  I also have fibroids with very few symptoms as well.  I consider myself very fortunate not to have the pain that so many women have with these cysts.  The only downside to that is not picking up something that may need our attention.  That's why it's so important to see your GYN regularly, you never know if you're missing something when you have no symptoms.
So to sum up...I had two complex cysts (never got bigger than 3cm) that I never felt and they did resolve on their own (3 TVU's later confirmed this), and a large dermoid (7 pounds) that needed to be surgically removed along with one ovary and tube.  
I hope your appt goes well today and you get good news.

slan26 · Answer

Do you mind if I ask you how old you are and did your Dr. ever try to find out the reason you developed your cysts.  My Dr. thinks its because my body does not produce progesterone. I started the progesterone in Dec. & my one cyst did shrink from 6.2 to 5.1, but on my last check up I developed another cyst that was 3.3cm and the orginal one stayed the same. My Dr. doubled my progesterone, which made me very hormonal - ugh & I find out today if it worked. So nervous!

Bananie22 · Answer

I don't mind at all...I'm 42.  My GYN never mention why she thought I developed these cysts.  I can tell you that every time I have gone to the GYN I have had a cyst.  Once a year I have an U/S and a follow up U/S...this is the first time that surgery was ever considered because between my first and second U/S it grew a little.  I pushed for a 3rd U/S while waiting for surgery and it was discovered that the cysts had gone away so surgery was not done obviously!  I know your fear, waiting and wondering is just awful.  I can tell you that almost every woman here has been through this phase of it and can relate to you 100%.  I do hope you get great news today and that the progesterone worked.  I'm actually considering going on this cream because I've heard a few good things about it.  I'm curious if it helped your cysts (crossing fingers for you).  Keep us posted...and GOOD LUCK!!

Gatsby · Answer

Well, I had symptoms, but did not realize that I did (does this make sence??)  I had lower back pain, just figured I was over doing things, odd periods - thought it was just perimenopause, severe acid reflux, etc.  It wasn't until I found this forum that I realized what the symptoms of my two softball sized dermoids were.  I hope this helps.
~Tascha

lionsfan · Answer

I had an 8 cm cyst on my right ovary, they originally thought it was on my left ovary however during the laproscopic they found it was on my right. (Imagine my surprise when I woke up with pain in my right side instead of my left). I never had one symptom! I feel blessed about that but like the poster before me said, I wish I would have known about it sooner. Mine turned out to be benign thank God!

Please don't hesitate to ask any questions that you may have!
Tammy

Cat40 · Answer

I agree.  My symptoms were very vague as well....everything was intermittent...off and on back ache, occasional dull achy type pain, etc. Only in the last few weeks have they become more persistant.  The pains I felt I would consider as normal ache and pains at 40 until joining this site.  Now I am more aware of what I may be feeling could be something and sure enough, I have a simple ovarian cyst....not overly big but big enough to have it taken out.

Sometimes symptoms are there....we just don't realize it.

nanik · Answer

When I was 19 my periods just stopped. During Christmas break from college I say a gyn and they discovered two ovarian cysts (one the size of a grapefruit and the other the size of an orange!!) I had no pain, no nothing other than no periods.
I had them removed surgically and didn't have any other probs til my 40's and 50's.

slan26 · Answer

When you were 19 and had surgery did you have the only the cysts removed or did you have your ovaries removed. If they just removed the cysts were they able to save your whole ovary. I heard of women having the cyst and some of there ovary removed but not all of it.  The reason I'm asking is I had multiple cysts last summer that equaled the size of a grapfruit and they removed my whole left ovary. Now I'm praying I am able to keep my right ovary

slan26 · Answer

When you had your surgery did they save your ovary or did they have to remove it & how old are you?

Nat2 · Answer

Hi,

I had a cyst that was 25cm and did not have one symptom.  My periods were regular and everything felt normal, at first I thought I had picked up weight and started watching what I ate - when I started loosing weight everywhere else apart from my stomach I went to the Doctor, which was when it was discovered.

nanik · Answer

Yes, at that time they kept the ovary. Eventually (when I was about 47 years old) that ovary was removed due to another cyst...my memory escapes me now on what "type" of cyst, all I know is that it was benign. Hope this helps you.

Mel22 · Answer

Are cancerous cysts more painful than benign ones?

Nat2 · Answer

No I don't think so - someone probably knows more about this than me.  My cyst was not painful at all and was borderline (as diagonosed by frozen section during surgery) - they are still completing the final pathology to confirm this. There seems to be no other 100% way to test for cancer than pathology of the actual cyst - I don't think pain is an indicator.

slan26 · Answer

What did the Dr. recommend for your 25cm cyst? Did you have surgery to remove it and were you able to keep your ovary?

Nat2 · Answer

Hi - I had a laparotomy (abdominal surgery with a vertical cut from pubic region to belly button) and had it removed along with my left ovary, they did a frozen section during the surgery to determine whether is was benign, malignant or borderline.  If it was benign they just take the ovary and cyst, if borderline the ovary, cyst and appendix and if malignant they take the ovary, cysts, bioposy of the lymph nodes, appendix and the fatty tissue around the stomach area.  As it turned out my was borderline so they took the appendix too.

D'arcy · Answer

I'm 19 and had a laparotomy last week to remove a grapefruit-sized cyst and they were able to reconstruct my ovary, so I now have a teeny one. It depends on whether there's any healthy tissue left and how good your gyno is. My gyno told me that the cyst had stretched my ovary so much that there probably wasn't very much to salvage; though they did go on to save some.

LitDoc · Answer

I had no symptoms that I RECOGNIZED as associated with ovarian problems either. However, once I was diagnosed, I realized I had multiple symptoms, most of them the same as the other ladies on this site: weight gain around the waist, very bad acid reflux, and a change in bladder and bowel habits (constipation and frequent urge to urinate).

However, I also had another symptom that nobody else has mentioned: BREATHLESSNESS! I'd get winded for no real reason, sometimes just sitting at my desk or writing on the board. I'm in fairly good shape, so it did make me wonder. However, having recently moved to Laredo (sub-tropical climate), I figured it was a reaction to the enormous heat. 

Now I know that difficulty catching one's breath can also be a sign of ovarian trouble.

Does anyone have ovarian cysts with NO symptoms

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