Repeat Ovarian Cysts

[PinkDucky]

Greetings!  I am 33 and possibly facing my 4th ovarian cyst removal surgery in 17 months and feel lost.  I have an extremely high pain threshold and my cysts were getting to 9 cm before I felt them.  Now I believe its back at 3 cm in the 4 months since my last surgery.  They keep appearing on the same spot.  We decided to go on the pill this last time around in hopes that would help, and well it looks like I it didn't.

Has anyone else had a similar problem?  I just don't think my body can take another surgery and this time around she might want to take the ovary.

[PinkDucky]

Thank you all for the replies.  I had another ultrasound done in Nov 2009 and the cyst had not grown.  We are just going to watch it at this point.  I am hoping it that it corrected itself cause it did not grow and I have not had many symptoms.  The cyst issue is so frustrating.  Its so different on everyone.  Its aggravating that I spent time that I could have possible gotten pregnant on birth control that didn't help keep the cyst from returning.  So now its just a waiting game of trying to get pregnant before the cyst grows.  All I can do is take it one day at a time.

[Lizbeth48]

I am 25 and facing my 3rd surgery for ovarian cyst and the possiblity of losing my left ovary. My first surgery was April 2006 with a 20cm cyst. A couple weeks before my surgery I started the depo shot. I had no problems until I decided to go off of it. Within 2 months I grew a cyst I started on birthcontrol pills and for the first two weeks it shrank a little bit but after that it grew again so I changed pills and once again it worked for a little bit and then grew. I finally had surgery to remove it and it was 6cm. It has only been 2 months since my surgery and I have another one. It is currently 2cm. My doctor feels like I will continue to have this problem and I really need to consider removing the ovary. I asked to go back on the depo shot to see if it works before removing the ovary. I will have another ultrasound in 6 weeks.

[soonersgirl99]

I am 29, and I am about to go in for my 5th surgery for ovarian cyst. I haven't had my left tube and ovary for 6 years. I had a cyst that ruptured and caused serious internal bleeding. I was on birth control pills and then the doctor decided to give me an iud to stop my periods. Then 1 year to the day later, I ended up back in the ER with the same symptoms as before but on my right ovary. And sure enough I had another cyst that ruptured and caused internal bleeding again. I This time I was lucky and they didn't have to take my right ovary out. Since then my right ovary has been operated on 2 more times and friday will be the 5th time. I have been on birth control since and it obviously isn't helping.

[cyster727]

I too have had multiple cysts, but not in such a short time period.  At my last surgery we (the doctor and I) discussed ovary removal if necessary and it was, so we did.  My remaining ovary picked right up where the other left off with no delay.  Like Trudie suggested I now take BC pills to reduce cysts on remaining ovary so that I hopefully won't face surgical menopause in the near future.

Good luck and keep us posted

[TrudieC]

Many women continue to get subsequent cysts.  Some will get a couple and then it stops while others keep on going like you.  If your issue is only with the one ovary keep in mind that losing it will not affect your fertility - your other side will pick up the slack.  After this next surgery I would still encourage you to do the birth control, it could be that your body needs a little more time on the hormones before you stop ovulating.