would ovarian cyst cause rib/chestwall pain?

[Treeclimber246]

Ive been diagnosed with 10cm ovarian cyst and Im awaiting for a date for an operation to remove it. They will assess if there is any other damage anywhere and if anything else needs removing, including my ovary. We are trying for a baby and have been for over 2 years with no success, so we went to see a fertility specialist and that is how the cyst was discovered? Im just hoping this doesnt hamper our attempts at being parents.
I have also been unwell for over a year now with all sorts of symptoms including pains all over, but especially my ribs and chest(more so on the left which is the side of the cyst), shoulder pain(front and back) and aching thighs and legs, to name just a few. Ive had blood tests which say my hormones are a bit off, I am assuming that the cyst is causing that??? But Ive also have symptoms of hormone imbalance and anxiety(which it is, I dont know?) These are very similar in symptoms so its a bit of a mystery to me. Ive been to drs and a&e with rib and chest pain, feeling truly awful, crying because aIl I want to know whats wrong with me and just not feeling very well at all, to the point I was afraid to sleep incase I didnt wake up. I was convinced it was my heart, and still am to some extent.
My main complaint is the rib discomfort, this can range from a dull heavy ache, to stabs, electrical impulses or pain travelling along ribs round to my back. The more I have these pains, the more I panic which in turn makes them and my symptoms worse. Are these pains related to the cyst, and has my anxiety about them just made them far worse than what they were to start with???
I just hope all these other aches and pains and me feeling so unwell will go away once the cyst has gone and my hormones get back to normal.
Any advice would be grateful
Thanks
Vic x x

[Melshea]

I too am having terrible rib pain and back pain on my left side. The first visit to the er I was told my chest wall wad inflamed.  Then 2 weeks later a visit to a different er I was told I had ovarian cysts.  I'm just scared this is not the problem.  The pain has also shot up my neck and down my arm before.

[KelSayyy]

Hi everyone, I'm 15 now but have been dealing with a ovarian cyst since I was 14. It's so terrible I've been dizzy, nauseous, had rib pain, back pain, anziety and feel so out of it all the time which makes me so depressed it feels as if nothing helps. I've had 3 ultra sounds, MRI, ct scan, soo much blood work, allergies tested thinking its something more when it all comes back normal, leading me back to the cyst. It's so terrible that I've had to take a trimester off of school and be homeschooled till I figure out if I have to get it removed or not. My gynecologist doesn't want to remove it right now she wants to wait and see if it can go away on its own(ugh) because having surgery could make me potentially lose a ovary. This has by far been the worst experience I've had. I know everything happens for a reason I just hope something good comes out of this.  

[Trmchck]

Also may be worth looking up costochondritis (not exact spelling)

[Trmchck]

Hi All, I have some information that may be helpful and my symptoms are similar to yours; I've had On and off rib/chest pain for 2.5 years. I'm 25. I saw a physician, chiropractor, and osteopath. It is agreed that I have chronic intercostal neuralgia- a type of chronic nerve pain that effects mostly women (apparently of neurotic nature). Mostly occurs on the left side (either front chest, underarm area, or thru back). I get stabbing, radiating pain and muscle spasms, as well as shooting pain down my arm into elbow and even hand knuckle pain of the left side. However. mostly just dull pain. Its mostly triggered by muscle use (upper body or ab) or sometimes it seems like stress or even indigestion trigger it too. last year I decided to try going off birth control to be more natural and it was discovered that I have pcos, a hormone imbalance tht causes many ovarian cysts. This is the first time ive been able to connect the rib pain with pcos. I've been able to control my rib pain for the most part by reducing activities that trigger it, but I am a very active person and enjoy playing sports so this makes me really sad sometimes. I'm very curious to ask my obgyn about a connection b/w rib pain and pcos. I want nothing but to be past all of this. I also wonder if I had a cyst when then pain started 2.5 years ago. Can cysts survive while one is taking birth control? I'd think not because it's what my dr prescribed to keep the away. Best health to all

[Kristensavage]

I had a 23cm ovarian cyst but since I don't have insurance, it took me forever to find out what it was that was causing my symptoms. (I looked 7mnths pregnant for about 3 months). By the time I got the ultrasound results it had ruptured, because my stomach had gone down in size. I was also in extreme pain for 3 days and couldn't MOVE/ walk/ anything. There was also a strange muscular pain in my ribs. I thought I had pulled a muscle somehow but turns out this is related to the cyst rupturing.
It seems to me that a mass that big, rupturing on its own, would NOT be good.... My right ovary still hurts and my stomach is kind of inflamed but not nearly as huge and distended as when I had the cyst.

My question is.... Is it likely my ovary is damaged???? Does the fluid from the cyst harm other organs after it ruptures???

[Defqon1Queen]

Hi, My name is Christine and I'm a recent college student. I'm eighteen years old and i have been having the same problems. I'm going to get checked for an ovarian cyst on wed. because i have pelvic pain but also have been having chest pain that is around my heart and has moved to my whole left arm. I also have sensations in my neck. I feel like im dying, pelvic paiin and chest pain do feel good having at the same time. I went to the doctor for the chest pain and they said it was that i pulled my cartilage in my ribs i dont think that is the case because its been a month and a half to 2 months of this sensation. I feel horrible.

[bamapride1]

I was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst 3 months ago.  It has grown almost 2cm since then.  I also have the chest pain.  It starts in the middle of my back and moves to the left side.  It also shoots down my arm sometimes and up into my neck.  Feels like someone has beat me in my ribs.  My ovary is on the left side so all the pain I experience is on the left side of my body.  I just don't know if the chest pain is related to my cyst.

[melloyello1]

Hi again
Had my surgery for cysts yesterday.  2 cysts inside my left fallopian tube so I've had that removed plus they found Endometriosis so that's gone too.  Surgery took an hour.  After I went into recovery I went into sinus tachycardia and my heart rate went up to 225bpm.  Very scary.  I had adenosine to reduce it.  When it eventually subsided I was moved to a ward room and it went again but this time less at around 150.  I had 2 shots of adenosine to reduce it again.  Awful stuff .  It sat at 125 until 3am when it dropped to 85 and I finally fell asleep.  My surgery had been at 10am the previous morning.  It was an awful awful night with people surrounding me all the time and so much hustle and bustle.  I have 3 keyholes and they are pretty painful.  I'm really hoping for a change in how I feel when I start to recover from this.

I hope your surgery went well and that you have some resolution from your problems also. :)  

[melloyello1]

Hi and thanks for your reply.

Since my last post I became so ill in work they took me to the emergency department and I was started on a course of antibiotics for a uti although my urine test came back inconclusive.  I had been to my GP's about 3 weeks previously and asked for a urine test because I thought I had an infection but they dip sticked the sample and threw it away without sending it to the lab because it looked normal.  The emergency doc thinks I've probably had it since back then.

Needless to say after just one of a course of 3 antibiotic tablets I am a new woman.  I'm scheduled for a laparoscopy, cystectomy etc in 2 weeks and, like you, just want it all over and done with so I can recover and hopefully begin to feel a difference in myself after so long.

Interesting you should say about the antidepressant.  I have often wondered whether taking one would make a difference to my condition.  Incidentally I am a psychiatric nurse and, like you, am far from depressed but am aware of the benefits of taking such medication in these circumstances.

All the best for your operation this week.  I hope it all goes well for you.  

  

[Treeclimber246]

Hi There,

sorry to hear of your troubles you poor thing. I have every sympathy with you.
For such a long time I felt that the drs were not listening to me and that I was banging my head up a brick wall!
In the end, I gave in and took their advice and took some antidepressants which have worked a treat.
Now if you asked me a few months ago I would of said that I was no more depressed than the dr was and had already refused to have them once already, but they are used to treat various other things such as pain which is why I was put on them. Its worth looking into. It took a while to work but I am less worried about things now, and I feel much better in myself.
I am just about to go in for my operation this week actually. I just want it over and done with now.
I am worried about having an op but it needs doing. Lets hope I feel much better afterwards.
You take care and I hope you get sorted out soon

[melloyello1]

Hi there.  I have just stumbled upon this site having been desperately searching the web for the past 2 weeks for current threads on this subject.  I read your thread and could easily have written it myself.  Your symptoms are identical to mine.  I also have been unwell for at least the past year with all sorts of passing complaints including chest difficulties which lead to a short stay in hospital (I was found to have pvcs and sent home), random body aches, malaise, difficulty in recovery from minor illnesses.  I was also found to be deficient in vitamin D from which I recovered after a short course of tablets.  The malaise etc continued however and I began to feel period like pains between my periods.  I already experienced some between period bleeding.  My periods were extremely short, just a couple of days, usually excruciating and the pms symptoms were becoming impossible to live with.  

I'd started seeing an endocrinologist who diagnosed adenomyosis and I believed all pain I experienced since then  was due to this.  About a 5-6 weeks ago I began feeling extremely unwell, unbelieveably fatigued, constantly dizzy and nauseated, heavy abdomen, increased random body aches and pains, mood swings with increased tearfulness, metal taste in my mouth, groin pain, shooting pain and numb feeling in leg, shortness of breath (the worst).....  the list is endless.  

I was given an abdominal ultra sound and a trans vaginal ultrasound.  The results showed I have a cyst adjacent to my left overy - I thought it WAS my left ovary and "another cystic area".   I was told the larger cyst had not grown since it was last measured - a year ago!!  I wasn't told I had one.  I had no idea.  My endocrinologist has referred me to a gynaecologist but the wait is killing me.  I have been so unwell,  battling my way through work each day and lying around at home whenever I can.  I am a single mother of a 7 year old so there's not much time to rest.

After a couple of trips to the emergency department  where they tested all my vital signs, took my obs (all normal) and also did a ct of my head (as I had recently been there with a head injury and this hadn't been done) and a chest xray  I was sent home.  They told me they wouldn't do anything about my abdominal pain due to there already being a referral in to gynae.  Last week I went to my GP complaining that I couldn't go on in this much pain and discomfort as I was now also experiencing muscle weakness all over that was making me want to lie down all of the time.

I had been scheduled in with the gynae. dept. for June but now go next week on Tuesday.  I am almost crippled with worry which I know will be exacerbating my symptoms.  

Any thoughts or experiences would be welcomed as I feel very alone fighting this.