Complex Ovarian Cysts-- worried?? Plse respond asap

[AutumnMiller]

Hi everyone. I've posted here before -- and i tired to find my old post for some background info.. However i'm not too good on this site yet.. So.. Here goes.....

My name is Krystal. I have one child ( son- 2 and a half) and my bf and i have been trying to conceive for like 6 mo now... well I got my last period on 10/8 then like 16 days later I started having abnormal bleeding ( sorry if its tmi- but dark brown/black only on the toilet paper for about 5 days) I thought i could possibly be pregno since we were trying... Then I started experiencing a lot of pain so i called my dr....... got in the next day and they ordered labwork and a pelvic/tvag ultrasound

The findings came back that I have two large complex cysts --- the actual measurements are in my last post.... on this forum. The dr told me to wait and do anouther u/s in 6 weeks.. However the next week after the first u/s i started experiencing even more pain ( to the point that i couldn't walk and i also had pain on my lower - lower back) but the pain would shoot up at times.. so it wasn't always that bad. I went in for a second U/s a week after my first one. She also gave me Percocet for the pain. Well I got a call last night from my dr saying she wants me to come in tomorrow and that the second U/s showed that the cyst on my Right ovary has gotten bigger -- she didn't tell me how much bigger though... and she wants me to come in to get another exam(ugh) and to talk about my next options. She said we could continue to follow it -- which i would hate to go throuhg another u/s they are very painful when you're already in pain... she said or do lapascapy surgery (sp?)

Cancer does run in my family.. Heart... and skin.. breast however not ovarian that is known.

Can someone please give me some advise on this. I'm alittle nervous. I know i shouldn;t worry about things i can't control but its hard not to. Is there any point for me to wait and "monitor" the cyst if it grew in ONE week? and can someone explain to me what that laposcopy surgery is? I'm 23 years old.. and i'm trying to have another baby... Is it possible that if the cyst is bad they will possibly have to remove my ovary?

I have so many questions and i know i should be directing them at the drs however i would like the advice from people that have been there... Not from the professionals that sometimes don't tell you "everything"
The dr told me to call and make an apt for today.. can someone please give me alittle advise if possible.

Thanks again in advance

also.. My mom had endometriosis and also had fibroids.. Im not sure if that even matters i'm just trying to give alil more backround.. AND one more thing. I know my dr said that normally she'd put me on Birth control... HOWEVER.. i had a stroke when i was 13- so can't do that.

Thanks everyone.. and i'm sorry if its too much blabbing or too much info.. i just didn't know what anyone would need to give me advice!

[AutumnMiller]

So.. My doctors are great.. However the Btch that schedules the surgery is getting on my nerves.... I called yesterday first thing and she said i'll find your chart and get back to you..... well nothing so i called today and she said sorry i still don't have an answer for you. I'll call you later tonight or Monday.

So.. I asked her to transfer me to the front desk so i can see if  i can have  a dr call me back. I need to know how much percicet i can take. i've been taking 2-3 pills. 5 mg each and i've still been in a great deal of pain. So .. still no reply. So.. i'm considering going to the Emergency room. I hate to go there for this... but maybe they will give me something better for pain-- what do they normally give?? Pain is an ER visit right? what will they do? call me doctor?/ and also... what if the ca125 didn't come back yet.. i just got it done yesterday.. ?

[AutumnMiller]

Thank you. Yes, I've had it go through my family -- however i do know lung isn't hereditary BUT my Mom mom ( mothers mothers mother) had a mass removed and they thought she was pregnant ( they didn't know what kind of cancer it was because it was so long ago) but its in the same area.. so its a little scary.. ( well.. everything is alittel scary) however i'm good at holding things together. This pain just really sucks.. I've taken 3 percicets and i'm still in pain but i'm scared to take another. I think 15 mg should actually make me feel great-- ya know. Pam is the 16 year old girl that was posting about her mother.. right? My heart goes out to her. Its such a hard thing to deal with...the hardest thing is knowing... the only thing you can do.. is -be there- It breaks your heart and tears you to pieces.. but you do what you have to do for the people you love.
But this pain totally sucks. and i feel soo fat. and i am thinking about the brighter side. When i make the appointment today i'm going to ask them what the max amount of percs i can take is and what the earliest date is..why wait til after the holidays if i won't even be able to enjoy it.. ya know.

You had these cyst removed-- or are they tumors? Was yours cancer -- if you don't mind me asking?

also.... my dr said if the ca125 is elevated we'd have an oncologist in there with us... what do you think about that? In women with cancer-- is it always elevated? or is it possible for the ca125 to come back normal and it still be cancer? I'm alittle concerned that they don';t do a "cancer operation" and then it turning out to be...

what do you thinK?

[Anna-maria74]

Your Mom has lung cancer - now thats scary. My Grandad had lung cancer and ill tell you what even the term breaks me out in a cold sweat - as Pam knows.

You have had more than your fair share of cancer in your family - wow you poor thing its almost beyond belief. I think you have earned the right to be absolutely paraniod. I hope you have had councilling for everything you have been through.

It is absolutely normal to look at least 6 months pregnant. I had people coming up to me in the street asking if I was pregnant and it still didnt ring any alarm bells. I just thought I was fat - despite the fact the bulge stayed even when I was led down (and I only weighed 8 stone duh)

You are in the right place just keep us informed of every step and any questions ask away.

Anna X

[AutumnMiller]

I thank you for getting back to me as you did. It really made me feel a lot better. I always try to not worry about these types of things that are out of my control.. However, My sister passed away at age 19 from a drug OD, my brother is 25 and has a very rare heart cancer and skin cancer, and my mother has a really really bad case of lung cancer.. Also my Grandmom had breast cancer and in aug 2007 i had a scare there ( but ended up being benign. ) i'm only 23... so i'm trying to keep my sanity. lol. Thank you so much though. im waiting back for the ca125.. i'll let you know what it says.. I'm hoping its fine.. we shall see..
I am def looking forward to it. The dr said we could wait and do an mri.. however your in pain and they are growing so its up to you.. but i think...... ( she's a really good dr)

RIght now i feel like... i have a gut ( gained 10 lbs) in 3 weeks.. and even if i try to suick it in.. well i cant. Its kinda like being pregnant befoe you get fat.. Is that normal?

[Anna-maria74]

Well I wanna give your doctor a big thumbs up you are having the very best of treatment - and quick. Let me know what the CA125 results are but dont be to worried if they are a little elevated because it sounds like you have plenty of irritation down there. Rather than worry about surgery - maybe you're not anyway - look forward to how much better you are going to feel after. I know I did and the best part was the little tummy I was left with (which is now long gone of course)

Anna X

[AutumnMiller]

Well i had a apt at 3.. an hr.. she explained that the right cyst is now 5.9 x 4.3 cm. and my left is now 3.3 x 2.9cm and contains a focal echogenic focus within the cyst that measures 1.2cm. this is stable ( she said something about a patch of blood) and there is now a small amont of free fliud

Because of the pain she wants to do the surgery asap. she said that she could give me painkillers til after the holidays however if we wait to long it may need to be an emergency procedure..

She said we could watch it.. but by the rate it looks like it will just get bigger....
She ordered ca 125, pt, ptt ( i was on a blood thinner in the past) cbc with differential/platelet and fibriogen. She said we will cover everything.. and that if the ca125 is higher we will have an oncology dr in the or with us... Does this all sound right? I go for the bloodwork tomorrow. it will take 2 days to get back ( so she said) and then tomorrow i call and make an appointment for the surgery.. Anyone have any in put? Thanks

[Anna-maria74]

Hello again tristiansmum,

I honestly wouldn't worry about the midcycle brown spotting - so common you wouldnt believe. You have 2 small cysts, one on each ovary. Not technically large enough to initiate surgery but if you are having horrible pain I would concider it. I would imagine you are a candidate for a 'laparoscopy' which is a small insision (an inch or so) preferable to its Laparotomy counterpart - 7 inch open surgery. Ask if its possible to have a cystectomy as you want to preserve fertility. You could have a laparoscopy using local anasthesia and sedation - hmmmm - personally I would recommend being knocked out lol. I wouldnt think to far ahead at the mo. There is so much info and I dont want to bombard you with it all. Lets see what the doctor suggests.

Anna X

[AutumnMiller]

anyone?

[AutumnMiller]

I thank you so much for geting back to me. Yeah I know. I have to stop being so worried about this... and do what i have to do. I'm looking for the measurements right now. OK found them. Heres the info form the questions you asked me
- There is one complex cyst on each of my ovaries.
  - sizes from my report
  
  Uterus( not sure if this matters) 8.4 x 4.5 x 3.8cm
  Endometrian stripe 12 mm
  Right ovary 3.9 x 3.3 x 2.7cm and contains follicles, the largest of which   meausres 1.6 x 1.3 cm
  In addition there is a complex cyst in the right ovary that measures 2.0 x 1.9 cm. THe left ovary is larger measuring 5.6 x 2.5x 2.1 cm and shows a complex cyst measuring 3.3 x 3.5 x 2.6 cm. No free pelvic fluid. ( this is all the meaurements from my report- if that helps.
- I'm not positive if they gave me the ca125- i will ask her today.
- Yes, going on the pill now would be useless.. however if it cleared up my pain i might consider it. ( but bc of the stroke i can't use b/c)
The thing is.. I missed this part in mind-- the brown blood i was having was 16 days after the first day of my last period... So it wasn't during my period. I know the exact date for the past 6 mo... and its always been 28 days -30 --- so it would def be too early for my period.. So my period was due on 11/5-- however to this day.. still no period. --- I also took a preg test and its neg. So these cyst are really screwing up my period and i'm guesisng i'm not ovulating. ( but i of coures could be wrong) I know that d.brown/black blood wasnt my period bc of the fact that it was only on the tiolet paper.. and when i would wipe ( sorry tmi) I only needed to use a tampon like 2-3 times. and it wasn't like a heavy to light.. it was just really weird.

My great grandmother.... had some kind of women cancer... but back then they didn't know what. she had a tumor that just kept growing . and they thought she was prego.. but wasn;t. ( but that sounds like uteren cancer to me)

My thing with the surgery i'm worried about losing my ovaries.. because i have really bad pain on both sides.. not just one since its both ovaries..
any other advice or comments for me? and that surgery.... is it a cut? do they go inside? ummm general anesthesia? or ??

[Anna-maria74]

First of all deep breath : )

I am so sorry you have been in all this pain - a cyst sure does play havoc with your insides. Are both cysts on one ovary? I cant find your other post so I dont know the size but if they are over 5 cm there is no way you need to be waiting for another U/S - talk to your doctor about surgery (laparoscopy was the word you were looking for). In fact if they are complex and you are in this much pain I would suggest surgery regardless of the magic 5 cm cut off point. Have you had a CA125 blood test? If not ask for one of those. Not the most acurate test in the world but the best there is at the moment. It detects a protien in your blood called cancer antigen and is 'sometimes' elevated in woman with ovarian cancer - among other benign conditions. Its the appropriate test to have at this point. Going on the pill now if you are trying for a baby is a bit of a useless suggestion isnt it? The reason it is advised is because cysts are caused by ovulation. Since the combi pill supresses ovulation - no cysts! The brown blood you are having during your period is old blood, I dont think there is anything to worry about with that but it could be connected to the cyst. Skin and heart cancer is not connected to Ovarian so again no extra health risks there.

My questions would be: Size, composition, are they both on one ovary, other factors such as ascites, ask for a CA125 blood test - ask her what her instinct is - she will have one.

Even if they remove your ovary you can still go on to have children (here is hoping lol thats where I am)

I dont know if I have helped but feel free to ask any more questions!

Anna XXXXXXXX