10mm thickening of uterine wall

[cleocat]

I just recently found out that I have a 10 mm thickening of the uterine wall along with cysts. My left ovary did not even show up on ultrasound either. What does all of this mean? Primary doc thinks I am headed towards haveing a hysterectomy. I go see the gyn on Sept 13, but until then this is bugging me. I have extreme pain, sometimes it feels like it is shooting down my right leg and in my lower pack but maily in the pelvis area. any advice?

[hopeshell]

You should call the facility where your CT was done and ask for a copy of the report.   It is your right to have copies of all test reports and it helps to have copies in case you need them in the future.   Good luck at your appointment.

[cleocat]

My PCP did the CT first and just said I had cyst and did not mention where, the size, or what kind they were. He did not say anything about left ovary not seen until the US was done 3 weeks later, so I am confused about it all. He is kind of an idiot so I requested to see a GYN and we will go from there. Thanks

[hopeshell]

OK...so your cysts were seen on the ovaries on the CT first.  Then you had us came later?   Are you missing the ovary on the same side where the cysts were seen? Or, is the missing ovary on the opposite side?  Did your original CT indicate the size of the cysts and if they were complex?

[cleocat]

Thank you for you advice. I forgot to mention that I am 44 and still have periods so not post menopause. I had a CT scan first and that is when PCP noticed the cysts and put in for me to see a GYN. But I went back to PCP for pain issues and he ordered the ultrasound which showed the thickening and no left ovary. My concern right now is the extreme pain I am having with all of this. My whole pelvic area hurts. Sometimes the pain shoots down my right leg and into my lower back.Oh and no I nev er took HRT. I have never even had bad cramps with my periods at all until about 7 months ago which prompted me to go to the dr. I am so worried about all of this, and dont know what else to do until I get in to  see GYN on the 13 of Sept.

[hopeshell]

Are you post-menopausal?  If you are post-menopausal, then your uterine thickening is a concern.  Have you been taking HRT?  HRT can cause uterine thickening, but yours is still above the usual range for post-menopausal women.  If you are pre-menopausal, then it is less of a concern.  Where are your cysts located?  Often an ovary will not show up on a exam if a mass is covering it.  This happened to a friend of mine who was later diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  Other times, the ovary won't show because of a technical issue from the ultrasound.   I have also heard of women who were born with only one ovary or that one was removed without their knowledge in a prior surgery.  

I would think your doctor would have sent you for a MRI or CT to get a better picture of what is going on, especially since your ovary was not visible.   It is my opinion that you should insist on being seen sooner than Sept. 13th.  Tell them you are pain and don't feel it can wait.   At the very least, your primary doctor could have ordered the scan for you while you are waiting to see the gyn.  If your primary care doctor made the gyn appt for you, the gyn may not realize you are in pain.  If you call them, they may work you in sooner.    If you don't get anywhere with that, then you can go to the emergency room.  They will almost certainly give you a MRI or CT right then and there.  This will give you much more information about your condition.  

Both uterine and ovarian cancers can spread quickly.  If you are pre-menopausal, I would be less concerned about it being malignancy based on the given test results.   The pain level would then be the greater concern.  But, if you are post-menopausal, in pain and have those results, then it is more concerning for malignancy.   Please keep us posted on how you are doing!

Take care,

Shelly