Ovarian Removal cause of Teratoma Tumors

Hi my name is shanna...when i turned 13 years old, i started experiencing back pains, stomach pains, side pains, i couldnt keep down food,all these things went on for 6 months,i went from weighing 160 to 125 i felt like i was goin to die at the age of 13. I went to many doctors and they told me, that i was jus fine and everything would be ok as long i take this medicine but, the medicine didnt do anything for me but made it worse. So one day my mom decided to take me to the children hospital cause i was going to waste. They used ultra sound and told me that i had tumors on both ovaries, on my right side it was as big as a gratefruit and on the left side it was as big as a gulf ball, so they did surgery and removed both ovaries with the tumors to...and my question is should they have removed both ovaries and what are the effects of that i will endure when i get up in age...i am now 18 yrs old now.. your response means the world to me.

[hopeshell]

Sorry to hear you have been through so much at a young age.  You should see a good gyn and discuss these issues.  Unfortunately, so far after the fact it is hard to guess the answer to these questions.  I do know, however, that teratomas (aka dermoids) can invade the ovary to a level they have to remove the entire ovary.  At the sizes you mentioned, I can see that would be the case.  I am guessing that since you were so young, the doctors did all they could to avoid removing both ovaries.  Life kind of stinks that we sometimes don't get choices in these matters.  It sounds like you were pretty sick and you are lucky they got them before they caused major infection or took your life.  As far as the long term complications, you and your doctor should sit down and talk about your hormone replacement.  I think with proper HRT, you will be fine.  The surgery you had will in no way leave you at increased risk for ovarian or a gynecological cancer.  In fact, it lowers your risk.   Best wishes to you.