Large ovarian cyst (reposting in correct forum)

I am 41 years old. Still having normal periods. I went to my gyn. last june and during the exam he said he thought my uterus was enlarged and thought it could be fibroid tumors. He scheduled an ultrasound. but I ended up having to cancel the appt. I'm a procrastinator, so 10 months later, I called for an appt. I was having back pain and my stomach had a good size bump on the right, and was bloated. I went in and they discovered a 16 cm cyst on my right ovary. the dr. and ultrasound tech said it was fluid filled. but he doctor wants to do a CT scan and possible blood work to make sure. I put my faith in God's hands and I'm not too concerned. but this is all very new to me. another problem I have is I don't have health insurance, so my dr. referred me to university medical center. which I am fine with. the only problem is, it make take longer to get me in. all this was discovered last friday, so tomorrow will be a week.
I blame myself for letting this get so big. my son is 9, and when I had him I had complications afterwards, with the placenta still being connected and I was hemmoraging (sp?). after that, I didn't return for any follow up visits or any check ups. so before last june, I had not been to the dr. in 9 years. I'm wondering how long it took for that cyst to grow, and how long has it been there? I don't have any pain. except for the bloating, I feel fine. the nurse said she don't know how I'm walking. but I walk several miles a day, with no problem.
one more question...the nurse said it was 16 cm. she did not give me the exact dimensions. how big (cantelope, grapefruit, etc.) could that be?
any information will be greatly appreciated.

[Morrowville]

Wow, that does seem like a big cyst.  My cyst was 8.5 x 6.5.  You don't mention any other dimensions, but the doctor said mine was the size of an orange.  I had mine removed via open surgery (hyst & ooph).  Hard to tell how long it took your cyst to grow, kinda depends on what kind of cyst it is.  Early in your message, you mentioned back pain--I had that too, like a lumbar pain on the side where the cyst was.

Please follow up with the university hospital.  Your 9 year old needs a healthy mom, and you're not at your best while dealing with this situation.  It affects you mentally, and physically.

Please follow up, and keep us posted!

Blessings & prayers for you to do what you should,

Morrowville

[Sandymac]

That is quite large .. Zoeh, the blood work they may be talking about is a CA-125. Sometimes Dr's order it to help rule out Ovarian Cancer.. NO, I don't think it's cancer.. But if that's what the test is, it's not really accurate in pre menopausal patients from what I've learned in the Ovarian Cancer forum.But some doctors still like to order it.. better than nothing they feel.  By the way; did you go to the Ovarian Cancer forum as well? We do refer ladies back and forth..(Don't mean to scare you)..But that's the only forum we had regarding these things until just a few days ago and they added the cyst forum. Sometimes the symptoms do overlap so we try to cover all the bases. Also, was the ultrasound a Transvaginal Ultrasound? I'm sure between the Ct scan and the blood work they'll have a much better idea as to what they're dealing with. I had a small cyst found during the transvaginal ultra sound and they did send me for a CA-125 but I'm post menopausal and the rules are a little different.
How long will  you have to wait before your appt? Try not to worry too much.. cysts are pretty common at your age and usually benign.. but I know your Dr.s just want to rule out anything else., and please follow up with these appointments
Please let us know how you're doing and probably someone from the other forum will see your post and comment also. Glad you dropped in

Keep us posted
Sandy

[SimplyStar]

I am breaking my silence for you, this is a large cyst and needs attention  from you ASAP, it is probably benign, but there are other reasons that  demand that you get this taken care of. A cyst that large can cause the ovary to twist, the cyst can rupture and cause many serious problems in the abdomen,  I do not want to scare you but to put off medical attention because of lack of insurance or money usually causes more financual burdens in the long run.  Thi cyst will not "heal" itself, you do need it removed.  This has absolutly no relationship to you placenta being retained and I am fairly sure the cyst has not been "growing" for 9 years,  Do not blame yourself, but you do need to take charge of your health now and quit thinking other things are morre important.  The individual states  have in place many different places to receive free  to low cost medical care, never let pride get in the way of asking for that help.  In any case, if acute pain was what took you to finally,  try to get this taken care of,  follow through with it now that you have gotten a push out the door from these ladies.

[Sandymac]

Star--- was hoping you'd check in over here ! Zoeh, I told you someone from the other forum would check and Star is one of the best.. so now you have the best of both worlds .

Thank you Star.. I was going to send you a message but knew I couldn't .. Please continue to check here !

Zoeh, best of luck and keep us ALL posted. We care about you,

Sandy

[Jan214]

The ladies are right, you do need to have this seen to quickly.  Even with a university hospital, (some are really good. UT has one of the country's best trauma centers) I would think that they would want to get you in fairly quickly.  That is a VERY large cyst.  Mine were 12 & 14 cm.  Cysts grow at different rates.  Looking back, my husband and I know that mine started with a pea size lump in June 2005, but I did not go to the Dr about it until Sept 2006 when they found my cancer.  The awful thing was in November of 2005 when I had my annual, my Dr didn't feel anything so I just thought maybe I pulled a muscle or something.  So, it took mine a year and a half or so to grow to that size.  Yours could have been longer or shorter there is just no way of knowing.
Don't blame yourself for waiting, we all do it. It sounds like your Dr is doing all the right stuff as far as tests go.  Do you have a CT scheduled or is that something the hospital will do?  Did the Dr take any blood while you were at his office or is that something else you have to do?  They won't know what the next step is until you have those tests done most likely. I am sure they will want to do surgery, but don't worry.  Although I have cancer now, I had numerous cysts (5 operations) that had to be removed and some of them were VERY large and VERY benign. :-)  Good luck to you. I am so glad you found your way to this site, it is a good forum and you will find a lot of answers here.  I hope you don't need the cancer forum, but it is here too if you do.
Kindest Regards,
Jan

[zoeh]

I thank everyone for their response. I appreciate it more than you know. this is all so new to me. I've NEVER been sick or had any problems of any kind. I am blessed for that. I didn't even know what questions to ask when they told me what I had. The CT scan he wants to do first, then the CA-125 ( I could not even remember that until someone mentioned it). my dr. will call UMC and they will set up an appt. for the CT scan and then whatever else follows. as soon as I can speak to someone I will push for this to be done ASAP. I want this thing out!
I did not do any blood work at the dr's offfice. he just did a pelvic exam and said "it" (wasn't exactly sure what "it" was at the time) had gotten bigger since last june. and then we did the transvaginal ultrasound. the tech first thought I hadn't emptied my bladder all the way, but I told her I did. then she told me about the cyst. she showed it to me, but didn't really know what I was looking at. she just said it was 16cm but no other dimensions, and I didn't know any better to ask. she also said it was fluid filled (and that that was a good sign). she said it was coming FROM my ovary. and I'm not sure what that meant. I researched a bit and am now thinking that it may be a mucinous cystadenoma (sp?). those grow large and seem to have some of characteristics of what she told me. but I'm not a professional, so I won't assume to know.
also why is the percentage higher if you are post menopausal? and does it being very large make it worse?
this was a HUGE wake up call for me. I always put my trust in God and knew he would keep me safe. but I know now, that you can't be a dummy about certain things. God will keep you safe, but you have to do your part. and that is what I've learned from all of this.
I will get my regular check ups from now  on. I promise!
thanks so much for taking the time to write.
Wendy

[zoeh]

darn....one more question.
my dr. said if all the test come back ok, then it should be a simple process that should only take about 45 minutes. what could that be? and how could something so large be taken out that fast?
please forgive my ignorance, I'm really new to this.

[Morrowville]

Thanks for the invitation of friendship.

I don't know how the doctor could give you a 45 min timetable, but with all my factors included, my complete hyst & ooph (where they take out your ovaries) only lasted 3 hours.

I can't answer the other questions either, but if you keep us filled in on what's going on, we'll know what to pray for!

Blessings,
Morrowville (Donna)

[Jan214]

Wendy,

It could be taken out that fast if they decide it is not cancerous before surgery.  I know people say that they can't tell without a biopsy, but that isn't really true.  I have had 5 surgeries for cysts and now cancer and when it was just cysts they knew it before surgery (even with the other 12 we let pop) and when it was cancer they knew it before surgery so...

If they decide it isn't cancer they may bag the cyst, break it and let the contents drain and than remove the cyst.  They also have some new techniques that involve sucking the stuff out so none of it goes into the abdominal cavity and they also don't have to cut you wide open. It could go really fast if they don't have to take out anything besides the cyst.  I would not get to hung up just yet on what kind of cyst it is although with her saying it is coming from the ovary, it does sound like it is on the outside.  I know it is hard not to worry, but the odds are astronomically in your favor.

I am very glad you have learned your lesson about going to the Dr.  I learned mine the hard way and I don't want anybody else to go through this.  It ain't a picnic.

Thanks for the invite.  That was nice.
I am praying fervently that it is just a cyst and nothing more.  
Jan

[ireneo]

16 cm is about 6 1/4 inches. Mine was 10 cm, was removed laparoscopically along with my ovary and tube and turned out benign. Plus I am menopausal. Please keep us posted and keep asking questions. We'll do our best to help out.

[SimplyStar]

CAN LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY BE USED TO TREAT AN OVARIAN CYST?
Instruments are now available that enable the gynecologist to remove a cyst through small incisions in the abdomen. This type of procedure, known as laparoscopic surgery, provides the benefits of outpatient surgery and a quick recovery. Using a telescope placed through the navel and small instruments placed near the pubic bone, the gynecologic surgeon can remove either the cyst alone or the entire ovary.

An ovarian cyst, which looks like a small balloon filled with water, grows from within the ovary and stretches the normal ovarian tissue over it. Removing the cyst, called a cystectomy, is like taking a clam out of the shell. The thinned out ovarian tissue is cut open, and the cyst is gently peeled away from inside the ovary. The cyst fluid is then removed with a suction device. The cyst now looks like a deflated balloon and can easily be removed through the small laparoscopy incision. If a cyst has destroyed all the normal ovarian tissue, it may be necessary to remove the entire ovary. A number of ways have been developed to allow the removal of the entire ovary with the laparoscope. Using either special sutures or surgical staples, the blood vessels going to the ovary can be tied, and the ovary cut away and removed. In most situations, the operating time for laparoscopic surgery takes no longer than standard surgery. However, the benefit of laparoscopic surgery is that you may leave the hospital the same day and return to normal activity within a week or two.

[gma718]

Welcome to our new forum on ovarian cysts...Last year it was discovered that I had 2 very large cysts 12 and 10 cm..causing me back pain and pressure...because they were large and because they were complex they decided to take them out through abdominal incision ....i ended up with a total hysterectomy due to extremely advanced endometriosis and scar tissue and adhesions...But prior to that I was always a sufferer of cysts and had laproscopic surgery many years ago...they took the one cyst out and the recovery was so easy....the ca125 will give the Dr an idea about the cyst and also the ct scan may see more of it ...please dont wait to have it removed because it will continue to get larger and can cause more problems the longer that it is there,,,Good Luck and keep me posted,,,,Gia :)