First time diagnosis of cyst and fibroid.....Need info

[gochoosy1]

About eight months ago, I noticed it was painful to have intercourse, so I had less of it.   About 3 or 4 months ago, I started getting pain in my lower pelvic area on the right side.  A throbbing  on and off  it seems to get more intense after exercise or during my menses..  I went to the my OB/GYN  6 weeks ago and he had an ultrsound done of my uterus only.  It showed a fibroid the size of a golf ball on the right side of my uterine wall.  My PAP  was also normal at this time.  My Dr told me that my firbroid was benign, and it might cause a little bit of discomfort during my menses, and he told me it would shrink with menopause, which is probably 10-15 years away for me.  SO anyhow, I went home and the pain seems to be getting worse.  I now have shooting pain down my groin, my back and my thigh.
I went back to  my Dr, and he did an exam where he felt my right ovary and we discovered this was culprit area.  He told me he  believes I have a cyst, gave me some pain pills and told me to come back in two weeks.   SO MY QUESTION is,  I am 40, I have 4 kids, and my periods are very regular, I have no mid cycle bleeding, no heavy bleeding, nothing like that.  I don't understand how I could even get a cyst, I though my chances were like 20%.  But anyhow, is there anything else I need to know, or any tests I need to have done, what symptoms should I be looking for?  How long can a cyst stay around?  I thought they popped or dissolved?  Also, I dont even know how big or small mine is, because my previous ultrsound was of the uterus only and the tubes were not visualized.  I also have a suspiscion that I may have had a cyst before, about 6 years ago, (The pain is similar)  but it went away after one month.  This is going on for almost a year.  Perhaps It is the same cyst? or could it be a different one?  ANY CLUES or advice would be of tremendous help and relief to me if anyone can find the time to write!!!

Thank you          Lisa

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Hi there,

Fibroids are very common. They are being smooth muscle growths in the wall of the uterus. Many women have no symptoms at all. For other women, the fibroids, because of their location, distort the endometrial cavity enough that the uterus cannot contract symmetrically during a period. For these women, they have very heavy periods.

Pain can occur with fibroids when they are big enough to push on other structures such as the bladder, rectum, tail bone (sacrum) or the pelvic side walls. Pain can also occur if the fibroid infarcts. this means the fibroid loses its blood supply and dies. that hurts alot. However, the pain will slowly get better over time.

I am uncertain about whether you really have an ovarian cyst unless this has been seen on an imaging study. When a women has fibroids, it is really hard to tell what is what by physical exam alone.

I  would suggest that you ask your gynecologist about another study such as a pelvic MRI. This test can sort out where the fibroid is, does it look infarcted? do you have other cysts. Yo9ur pain has been going on too long. If it is from the fibroid, you should consider having it removed surgically .
take care

[olderstudent]

It seems to me that a lot of your questions could be answered with a little research online. I found out very similar results for me. I am 44 and have 3 children with the inability to conceive by evidence of the past 14 yrs of no other pregnancies, though I had not prevented one and even longed for more children. I was told by a pelvic ultrasound that I have an enlarged uterus because of a fibroid a little bigger than yours and because I've had 1 other ultrasound I was told it had not grown in 3 months. (I guess I am curious how long i've had this thing and what is the progression of growth normally..if there is such a thing as normal fibroid growth) My right ovary is enlarged also because of 2 cysts within it, one of which is simple (they go away) and one is complex (with protein solids within...probably blood). My doctor wants to take out my ovary. Yea. Well God put it there for a reason so I was not quick to agree with her and consent, I am waiting on another ultrasound next week to see about my ovary. My advice to you is do not be quick to yank your insides out unless it's life or death and even THEN be certain it is.