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Progesterone instead of surgery- my cyst is gone!!
Hi,
for anyone who is interested- I posted several times in 2005, when I was diagnosed with a 4 cm, partially solid cyst in February. I was told by two different doctors that it wasn't going to resolve on its own (because it didn't just contain fluid stuff), and one of them even said that it was endometriosis. Both doctors wanted to send me to the hospital to have it taken out. I opted against surgery, however.
Last November, 9 months after finding out about the cyst, I still had it, though it hadn't increased in size. That was when I decided to consult a 3rd doctor. After doing an ultrasound exam, he said that he didn't think I needed surgery, just a 30 day treatment of progesterone tablets (5 mg, the medicine was named "Orgametril"), and he said he was sure my cyst would be gone by January.
Even though I got criticized by some on this forum for trusting this doctor (who is a surgeon, the other two doctors I went to weren't) and "just postponing the necessary", I chose to give the progesterone a try. I went back for my check-up yesterday, AND THE CYST IS GONE!! My doctor said that my ovaries look perfect, as if I had never had this cyst there.
I wish everybody on this forum the very best, and I especially keep my fingers crossed for those waiting to have surgery!
Mary
for anyone who is interested- I posted several times in 2005, when I was diagnosed with a 4 cm, partially solid cyst in February. I was told by two different doctors that it wasn't going to resolve on its own (because it didn't just contain fluid stuff), and one of them even said that it was endometriosis. Both doctors wanted to send me to the hospital to have it taken out. I opted against surgery, however.
Last November, 9 months after finding out about the cyst, I still had it, though it hadn't increased in size. That was when I decided to consult a 3rd doctor. After doing an ultrasound exam, he said that he didn't think I needed surgery, just a 30 day treatment of progesterone tablets (5 mg, the medicine was named "Orgametril"), and he said he was sure my cyst would be gone by January.
Even though I got criticized by some on this forum for trusting this doctor (who is a surgeon, the other two doctors I went to weren't) and "just postponing the necessary", I chose to give the progesterone a try. I went back for my check-up yesterday, AND THE CYST IS GONE!! My doctor said that my ovaries look perfect, as if I had never had this cyst there.
I wish everybody on this forum the very best, and I especially keep my fingers crossed for those waiting to have surgery!
Mary
Great news! It's always nice when we can avoid surgery and still receive that clean bill of health. With love, Deandra
First of all, To Rootietootie...I wanted to say hello and also thanks for your kind words regarding the hormone information which was posted a few weeks ago. I did post a message on the profile of Nolabean and hopefully she saw it. But, I wanted to thank you for the encouraging words you sent to me.
********************************************-
Just a quick comment since when I saw this post I thought that I must not have been posting much at that time since I usually remember all the Mary's!....especially if they have a similar screen name.
I looked up this type of progesterone, and it is actually a Progesterogen or Progestin, meaning it is a synthetic although it seems to be in a different forumlation when compared to the progestin I am a little familiar with, Provera (part of Prempro)...none-the-less, I am glad it worked for the origional poster.
Yet, it warrants the continued research regarding Natural or Bioidentical (or what used to be called Botonical) Progesterone as a protectant agains endometriosis, fibroids, etc. Since Bio Progesterone cannot be patented though, many health care practitioners do not use it...tney use the drug formulation instead.
Anyway, I noticed this is a very old post and not sure if the poster still visits us. Hopefully things are going well with her.
Mary
********************************************-
Just a quick comment since when I saw this post I thought that I must not have been posting much at that time since I usually remember all the Mary's!....especially if they have a similar screen name.
I looked up this type of progesterone, and it is actually a Progesterogen or Progestin, meaning it is a synthetic although it seems to be in a different forumlation when compared to the progestin I am a little familiar with, Provera (part of Prempro)...none-the-less, I am glad it worked for the origional poster.
Yet, it warrants the continued research regarding Natural or Bioidentical (or what used to be called Botonical) Progesterone as a protectant agains endometriosis, fibroids, etc. Since Bio Progesterone cannot be patented though, many health care practitioners do not use it...tney use the drug formulation instead.
Anyway, I noticed this is a very old post and not sure if the poster still visits us. Hopefully things are going well with her.
Mary
Hi, progesterone has been known to reduce endometriosis. Maybe your cysts, since the doctor said your cyst contained both fluid and solid components, was a small endometrioma from the endometriosis. That could be why it went away. Progesterone can be great and I am glad you got relief!! Hugs Shannon
That is good news. Surgery is never fun.
There is a woman asking about this issue on another post. She said she posted one time before and did not get a response. I have 3c ovca, but don't know a thing about progesterone and cysts. I tried to reassure her, but it would be nice if someone who knows this subject could look at her post and address it. The link to the post is below.
Thanks Mary, and I am VERY glad you won't have to have surgery.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/401307
Jan
There is a woman asking about this issue on another post. She said she posted one time before and did not get a response. I have 3c ovca, but don't know a thing about progesterone and cysts. I tried to reassure her, but it would be nice if someone who knows this subject could look at her post and address it. The link to the post is below.
Thanks Mary, and I am VERY glad you won't have to have surgery.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/401307
Jan
are there any side effects of taking progesterone (orgametril medicine)? I am worried it can influence my metabolism, growing hairs, and inlfuence possibility to birth?
thanks
thanks
Hello Mary :-)
oh, I trust my doctor who didn't think that my cyst was cancerous, therefore taking the progesterone really wasn't a decision that involved any bravery at all on my part :-)) It was just the next logical step for me.
I truly agree with you that options are usually quite limited for women that are not thought to have OVCA, but whose cysts don't resolve naturally. In my case, surgery seemed like a rather harsh "solution" for something that wasn't even giving me any symptoms at all. In fact, since my cyst was only 4 cm, some doctors would probably have opted out of surgery just because it wasn't even 5 cm, which seems to be the "magical size" for surgery.
It would indeed be nice if some medicine could be developed that helped most women get rid of their cysts. But I read that at this point it's not even understood very well what causes endometriosis for example, and that would probably have to be the first step in the lengthy process of treating it...
Thanks for pointing out PennyP's and heidigrl27's posts. I'm very grateful that I didn't have any symptoms or pain from my cyst, and I feel really bad for all these women that do.
By the way, the word you were looking for in your post to Heidi is "mittelschmerz". It is a compound noun, comprised of "mittel" (middle) and "schmerz" (pain), so it refers to the pain in between cycles. I know because I can speak English and German equally well, as a native speaker :-)
Mary
oh, I trust my doctor who didn't think that my cyst was cancerous, therefore taking the progesterone really wasn't a decision that involved any bravery at all on my part :-)) It was just the next logical step for me.
I truly agree with you that options are usually quite limited for women that are not thought to have OVCA, but whose cysts don't resolve naturally. In my case, surgery seemed like a rather harsh "solution" for something that wasn't even giving me any symptoms at all. In fact, since my cyst was only 4 cm, some doctors would probably have opted out of surgery just because it wasn't even 5 cm, which seems to be the "magical size" for surgery.
It would indeed be nice if some medicine could be developed that helped most women get rid of their cysts. But I read that at this point it's not even understood very well what causes endometriosis for example, and that would probably have to be the first step in the lengthy process of treating it...
Thanks for pointing out PennyP's and heidigrl27's posts. I'm very grateful that I didn't have any symptoms or pain from my cyst, and I feel really bad for all these women that do.
By the way, the word you were looking for in your post to Heidi is "mittelschmerz". It is a compound noun, comprised of "mittel" (middle) and "schmerz" (pain), so it refers to the pain in between cycles. I know because I can speak English and German equally well, as a native speaker :-)
Mary
Lilybug,
good luck with your cyst, I hope that taking the progesterone again will make it disappear!
I had never taken any kind of birth control pills or progesterone before, that's probably why my body reacted to it as strongly as it did (it got rid of the cyst, even though I only took it for 30 days). But if you were doing well on the progesterone in the past, it seems logical that taking it again should have a positive effect on your health.
Also, how much did your cyst shrink already? The fact that it's shrunk is also a good sign.
I read a recommendation in a health magazine, that a largely vegetarian diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is especially good to keep endometriosis in check. I have been eating lots of nice green vegetables since I read the article, and who knows- maybe that helped my body get rid of the cyst, along with the progesterone.
I keep my fingers crossed for ya!
Mary
good luck with your cyst, I hope that taking the progesterone again will make it disappear!
I had never taken any kind of birth control pills or progesterone before, that's probably why my body reacted to it as strongly as it did (it got rid of the cyst, even though I only took it for 30 days). But if you were doing well on the progesterone in the past, it seems logical that taking it again should have a positive effect on your health.
Also, how much did your cyst shrink already? The fact that it's shrunk is also a good sign.
I read a recommendation in a health magazine, that a largely vegetarian diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is especially good to keep endometriosis in check. I have been eating lots of nice green vegetables since I read the article, and who knows- maybe that helped my body get rid of the cyst, along with the progesterone.
I keep my fingers crossed for ya!
Mary
Hi MickeyVicki,
actually, I was worried about YOU, because I read that you have new cysts- hopefully, they'll resolve on their own this time!! I just had a lot of stuff to do, that's why I didn't get around to posting anything for a while, sorry :-(
I took the progesterone for one 30 day treatment course only, I already got done with it a month ago. Other than my last period being 16 days late, I didn't have any side effects. My doctor doesn't think that my cyst indicated endometriosis, therefore he is not expecting the necessity of more progesterone in the future.
Sooo- I'm really grateful that I found this very friendly and competent doctor. When I walked into his office for my check-up on Monday, he could see I was kind of worried, so he said (before he even did the exam): "I'm certain that your cyst is gone". And he was right :-)
Take care,
and thanks so much for your great posts.
Mary
actually, I was worried about YOU, because I read that you have new cysts- hopefully, they'll resolve on their own this time!! I just had a lot of stuff to do, that's why I didn't get around to posting anything for a while, sorry :-(
I took the progesterone for one 30 day treatment course only, I already got done with it a month ago. Other than my last period being 16 days late, I didn't have any side effects. My doctor doesn't think that my cyst indicated endometriosis, therefore he is not expecting the necessity of more progesterone in the future.
Sooo- I'm really grateful that I found this very friendly and competent doctor. When I walked into his office for my check-up on Monday, he could see I was kind of worried, so he said (before he even did the exam): "I'm certain that your cyst is gone". And he was right :-)
Take care,
and thanks so much for your great posts.
Mary
Hi, Mary, thank you so much for letting us know how you are! I worry things are going badly for those who just stop posting here and don't let us know otherwise.
I remember some of your posts from last year, and that you wished to avoid surgery if at all possible. I am glad the progesterone worked for you. It did not help me at all - I had been taking it for several years when I developed my cyst.
Will the doctor have you continue to take the medication, or now that the cyst is gone can you stop the medication?
I remember some of your posts from last year, and that you wished to avoid surgery if at all possible. I am glad the progesterone worked for you. It did not help me at all - I had been taking it for several years when I developed my cyst.
Will the doctor have you continue to take the medication, or now that the cyst is gone can you stop the medication?
Mary,
I'm so glad to hear the good news. I have taken progesterone for years and we were trying to see how not taking it would go. I took it for ovulation problems. I then developed a few cysts. My onco says it has nothing to do with stopping the progesterone, however I've read otherwise. After a month back on the progesterone, the cyst is smaller. I'm anxious to see next month. Right now my onco and internist don't believe I have ovca, but we're monitoring me with ultrasounds due to an elevated CA125 and other ab issues I have going on. I'm so glad to hear your cysts are resolved. I hope my progesterone helps even more after a few more months.
I'm so glad to hear the good news. I have taken progesterone for years and we were trying to see how not taking it would go. I took it for ovulation problems. I then developed a few cysts. My onco says it has nothing to do with stopping the progesterone, however I've read otherwise. After a month back on the progesterone, the cyst is smaller. I'm anxious to see next month. Right now my onco and internist don't believe I have ovca, but we're monitoring me with ultrasounds due to an elevated CA125 and other ab issues I have going on. I'm so glad to hear your cysts are resolved. I hope my progesterone helps even more after a few more months.
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