3 months after surgery - cycles not anywhere close to normal

[bluefaery]

I had surgery on 12/22.  I've been keeping a chart of my cycle.  The first month went okay, nothing weirder than post surgery pain.  Then I spotted midcycle, assuming I was ovulating or attempting to and something burst (I had an evening of some major ovarian pain around this time too, but can't remember if it was the same day).  The next period was weird, heavy and clumpy, then light, then heavy again on and off for a week.  Now it's mid-cycle and I should be ovulating but I think I just started my period again, I've been spotting for a couple days and now it's heavier.  It's been only 16 days since the beginning of my last period.

I know, go see the doc, but I'm a bit tired of being poked on and would love to just get some feedback first.  Let me know if this is normal, or if I really do have to worry about the cysts coming back.

And for history, the doc drained the cysts instead of opening my ovaries to take them out.  They were like 6cm and 4cm at the time.  Oh, and I've gained weight (could be those girl scout cookies) and have been having a harder time dealing with my depression.  I assume they're both symptoms of hormonal imbalance.

[bluefaery]

Thanks, that's what I was thinking might be happening (that they might be coming back).  My breasts have been itchy-sore lately too, which is NOT normal.  My husband is trying to convince me that it just takes time for my body to get back to normal.  I think I'm going to wait another cycle and see what happens, unless of course I'm in a lot of pain or something.  BUT, I would love to get any feedback from others still.

I have not taken bc pills with this issue at all.  I tried them once when I was younger and it just made me sick.  I don't trust my hormones and don't want to even try it again.  The doc mentioned maybe switching my paraguard for a mirena IUD might do the same as the pill without dosing my whole body with hormones.  And I've had my IUD for 8 years, and very very rarely get any spotting from it at all, so I'm like 99% sure that this issue is not related.

[JessRae]

Of course I would go and get checked out for sure, if you're having abnormal bleeding, or having it last too long there will also be a concern of you're iron levels getting too low etc. Even if its not a heavy amount all the time, it can still make iron levels too low.

For me, I had my period just before having my laparoscopy last april, so by the time my next period came around it was fine. But i was also still on birth control as normal.

However, my doctor did the same thing, and just drained them. My right ovary was 7cm, my left at 5cm. I lost weight post surgery, but within 3 months post surgery i noticed my weight gain starting again ( i had lost about 10 lbs). Sure enough, I went for a follow up scan, and both ovaries had cysts again. My left side responded to birth control to help shrink the cysts. However, my right side had not... and in the end, on Feb 2nd, i had to have a laparotomy, with the removal of my right ovary(size of cyst at surgery was 5 cm, but my ovary walls had collapsed).

So I would absolutely go and get checked out again I know what its like being poked at all the time. From Dec 09, til Oct 2010 I had multiple ultrasounds done monitoring cysts etc. IT is not fun. But I would recommend going and getting it done to be sure that the cysts are not coming back.

I know sometimes it can take awhile to get a regular cycle from some women, I just dont know how long for a laparoscopy vs laparotomy like myself.