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Avatar universal

This is all happening way too fast

   Im 20 and roughly 3 weeks ago I found out I'd been lied to by a doctor a year before. I went in a year ago for pain in my right lower abdominal area and was told that I had a bad case of food poisoning, I was fat and should go exercise and learn to eat properly.

3 Weeks ago I went in for basically the exact same reason and got a totally different response. I had to go for Blood work, and an ultrasound (which was hole horrid because the ultrasound technician did not speak good English and refused to believe me about that date of my last period)

   So It turns out i have a HUGE (2 different doctors and my GYN exact word not mine) ovarian cyst on my right ovary  that's about the size of a cantaloupe or the equivalent size of a 22 week pregnancy. And I'm scheduled for surgery on the 19th.

Its going to be a vertical incision and a three day stay in the hospital. Im going to loose the ovary.

This thing and its removal has effectively made it so I can no longer perform (I'm a belly Dancer) in any capacity that isn't on a volunteer basis. And no one is willing to say when or if I can even return to dancing. Its allways “we have to wait and see”

I'm absolutely terrified at whats going to happen. I hate hospitals they scare me so much, i haven't been in one for myself since I was born. I hate needles and having blood drawn.

I've been given almost no information about this thing that's hijacking my abdomen. I'm tired of trying to explain to people no I'm not pregnant leave me alone, but i either get rude remarks or “oh shes just hormonal from her pregnancy”

I keep having to run off the the bathroom during the day to cry and I can't sleep.

I hate this thing and whats Its doing to me. And it sounds melodramatic but it almost feels like im starting to hate myself and I have no idea what to do, and no one wants to sit and hear me out all I get for anyone I talk to “you don't know whats going to happen so stop bugging me about it!”

Im sorry to go on like this but im just a little freaked out!
Best Answer
Avatar universal
My surgery story is in my profile.  My surgery is similar to what they plan for you.  I was (and still am) terrified of hospitals, needles and anything else medical.  My story may make the hospital visit easier for you.

Recovery is another thing.  It takes many weeks.  A vertical scar will always be visible (from below the belly button downwards) but it fades a lot with time.  For your surgery, you might want to ask for a horizontal incision since you are a dancer, although there are benefits to the vertical for access and healing (vertical heals better).  You should be able to dance again, but probably not for 3 or more months. It takes time for everything to heal.
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134578 tn?1693250592
Heffmeister, what a sad story.   I'm so glad you made it through.

Linda, it's sure neat that you wrote.  I've been wondering how it all went.  You're so right, sometimes a surgical scar can be surprisingly neat.

Helpful - 0
1337047 tn?1275914064
I can sympathize with you.  I too was diagnosed with a football sized ovarian cyst, and they operated via. vertical incision and did a hysterectomy and an omentectomy at the same time, plus removing lots of samples as they think that the centre of the cyst was cancerous.  I wait and hope for good results.  I too was very frightened as Annie knows, and she was a fantastic help to me.  I don't know about the scar, but the healing is doing great and the pain management is something that really helps.

I was misdiagnosed too at the first time.  I went to emergency and was seen by a nurse practitioner, who did not introduce herself as such.  I had pain in my right side, quite bad actually, and it hurt when I went to the bathroom to pee.  The symptoms had only been there for a few days (we were visiting my son in Toronto when they first appeared) and as soon as we got back, I went down.  Now I have to say that I do have a phobia about hospitals, so for me to go in the first place signifies that there must be a problem.  I thought at first I had a kidney infection, so they did all the usual tests and all came back negative for kidney infection.  She then asked me if I had been doing anything strenuous, and I told her that I was working out 4 - 5 days a week, hard, as I had put so much weight on around my mid section I was really trying to rid myself of this.  She told me I had pulled a muscle and to go home and take ibuprofen, and if the problem didn't resolve itself within a week to go back again and they would do an ultrasound.  The ER nurse just rolled her eyes when she said that, so I did what I was told and did that.  

The pain went away within a week so I didn't bother returning, but did see her again for a pap test.  We spent the winter in England and I had to call from England to make an apt. in Canada to see a doc. as soon as we got back, as the pain had returned and I was the size of a pregnant woman.  Upon returning I was amazed at the diagnosis that followed.  I have not mentioned this to my GP since my surgery as I don't want to get into anything.  I do not wish for compensation, only that this person try to do a better job next time.  Should the biopsies come back in a bad way, then I really think that surgery 9 months ago might have changed the outcome.  I'm not saying that it would but it really grew in the last few months.  

After surgery, my Gyn came to visit me and told me that a D & C I had when I was 17 which was carried out by a Gyn in England had been botched terribly and thereupon subsequent abdominal surgery had been carried out.  No one questioned doctors back then (I'm 61 now) and so you just went along with them.  My doc now says it is a miracle I had kids after this mess they found me in thanks to this doc in England.

I really hope that you get the surgery soon, and that all will be well for you.  I had some of the staples out today, and I must say it is not the nasty looking line I thought it would be.  Actually it is quite neat.  The rest come out in 5 days, as I have a little bit of infection going so I'm on antibiotics for now.  

Take care my friend, and remember that all things pass.  Lots of ladies on here are really helpful.  I was very frightened and they helped me out lots.  Take care and hugs and prayers are coming your way.  Linda
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had a similair sized cyst discovered in April this year (football sized) it hadn't been diagnosised and had caused me to lose a baby at 23 weeks a few days before. I can'tbvg believe it was never picked up on my ultrasound scans during my pregnancy. I lost my ovary with the surgery (vertical incision) and now have had a total hysterectomy done as my cyst was borderline malignant (plus I have abnormal cells in my cervix). Doctors don't do a vertical incision lightly it there is any suspicion on cancer, and there pretty much is with any large cyst, then it's important to have a good look around and take anything else out if needed to give you the best chance of survival. Sorry to give you the worst case senario but no one wants large visable scars (i'm only 32 by the way) but living a long time is more important at the end of the day.

Good luck to you.
Helpful - 0
134578 tn?1693250592
I did not mean to offend.  I was responding to the earlier poster saying "you have a case for a malpractice tort," as though that was fact.   I wanted to add the caveat to that statement that someone in such a situation would have a malpractice case only if certain things can be shown.  I did not know you are in Canada and already have this in legal proceedings.  It would not dawn on me to think that an anonymous statement about an anonymous doctor on this site is actionable, or that anyone would try to find someone's posts here.  

Anyway, I am so sorry that this happened to you.  If it helps, I've had at least five abdominal surgeries with attendant hospital stays (six if you count my C-section) and while they are uncomfortable and not much fun, they are not agonizing.  Like I said before, the pain management is tremendous, and they have the recovery steps down to a science.  If you are a dancer especially, you should recover well because your muscle tone in the abdomen will be so good.  Also, I don't know if it helps to hear, but my sister lost an ovary to torsion when she was 19, and was able to have babies whenever she tried to, later.  Not to minimize your shock and loss at all, but it is possible to get through this without an effect on your future fertility.

Again, best wishes.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Than you for your best wishes, I just got back from my per-admisions clinic visit.
Now there looking into why my thyroid is enlarged too (woo, more blood work, I hate blood work)

I don't get to know which way the scar will be until i wake up form anaesthesia, which is probably causing all this stress. I hate so much of this being out of my control. I just keep trying to tell my self MY surgeon specalises in this type of surgery, I'm going to be okay.  The pre-admin nurse said hes has done thousands of these.

I'm trying my hardest to get a horizontal scar, I mention the cosmetic end of the surgery in every visit I've been to, and I'm planing on mentioning it (and out right begg if i have to) on surgery day to get a horizontal scar.  

I do have a lawyer who specalises in medical malpractice and is a patient advocate. I've meet with her and weve got to now gather up the documentation to see if its worth going ahead with.



AnnieBrooke, I do not wish to sound rude at all. But I Do Not Live in your country. We have different laws in Canada relating to Malpractice while similar to the laws in the USA they are still different, and I believe the only person who should be giving me legal advise (beyond get/talk to a lawyer! Or you might have a case for: ____ ) or explaining legal matters  is a lawyer well versed in laws that apply in my own country. If i never mentioned being in Canada I apologize for the confusion.

The doctor i had told me i was fat, In my opinion know what i do now; They lied to me, I've been told by both my doctors and my GYN (and various friends and family)  that i am NOT fat. And its taking a lot of effort on my part to start believing that and to stop hating my self for “being fat”. (I'm using the word “fat” because its the word Doctor#1 used)

I may be 20, but i do not appreciate this:

“Incidentally, if you do see a malpractice attorney, don't use statements like "the doctor lied to me." I'm sure you are furious with Doctor #1, but he failed to diagnose your problem correctly, that is not the same as lying.  (In order to lie, he would have to have known you had a cyst and for some reason tell you that you didn't.) Lawyers look for clients who will be credible on the witness stand. Being mad is OK, but dishing out inaccurate and in fact probably actionable statements will not help you. If Doctor #1 didn't correctly diagnose the cyst, and caused you this cascade of problems, that is bad enough. You don't need to try to color the situation further.”

An actionable statement is one in writing stating doctor X did this, at no point have i give any names, my location or any defining factors, I in all reality could be one of a handful of people, and the doctor i referenced could be any of thousands in the Canadian medical system.  A statement is only actionable if it contains undue and unsupported accusations which harm and actually references a person not just “a doctor”.  Saying a doctor lied to me is not actionable unless I mention the doctors name or place of practise, and cannot supply proof of my statement..Or alternatively they would have to prove that statement was about them, this instance and i was a patient of theirs at some point in time. Which would be excruciatingly difficult . And with out that it is an opinion which under Canadian law I have all rights to say.

  I think even If this doctor could prove that statement some how has harmed them in some way that a judge would take in to consideration my current mental state, and how incredibly odd that they pick out this one post in millions of posts on line and put in the considerable effort to see if it was them, and than be able to say that was me I was that doctor.

I am furious, I am going to have 1/3 of my reproductive system removed surgically. I did not elect nor would I, at this moment in my life choose to have this done. I am entitled to that. I would never wish upon anyone the horrors of finding out in 3 weeks there abdomen has been hijacked by a cyst this large, they can have no control over their appearance afterwards, and having to undergo major abdominal surgery because all open surgery no matter how routine or simple it is allways major. And to top it all off this potentally could have been dealt with at least a year ago and I potentially wouldn'thave to go through invasive surgery. I don't know what the repercussions later in my life this could potentially cause. While there are a lot of “this is what will probably happen” no one can be totally sure, What has happend for most people might not happen for me.

I'm 20, statistics would have me believe I'm probably going to live for at least another 55 years barring any other medical things, genetic disorders or else wise. I have to live with this and go through it. I have no idea how anyone with something life threatning, cancerous, or any other medical problem that results in surgery can handle going through having their entire life and self image upheaval.

I'm sorry if this seems emotional, but sadly I am emotional and distraught and utterly furious and flit constantly without warning in and out of varying states of emotions. Thankfully all the hospital staff and my doctors, while sometimes frustrating, have all been wonderful.

But thank you AnnieBrooke for your well wishes, I don't seem to be in any position to decline any i receive and believe each to at least be an honest wish of good health.
Helpful - 0
134578 tn?1693250592
Even with a vertical incision, I think there are ways the scar can be minimized.  It might require a subsequent trip to a plastic surgeon, or you might consult with one before the surgery.  Be sure that all docs involved know you are a dancer, so you can get them onto the same page about preserving appearance.  And scars on the abdomen do indeed fade with time.  When I had my c-section, the doctor had to look quite a while for a lower-abdominal scar he wanted to use (to cut in the same place so I wouldn't have two scars).  He kept saying "Where is it?  Where is it?"  There is also indelible body makeup that won't sweat off, which would cover any redness.

Malpractice suits are won when a doctor's mistake causes harm.  To win, you will have to prove the doctor made a mistake, and you will have to show the harm that mistake (and that mistake alone) caused.

The proof the first doctor made the mistake might be easy to find or hard.  If the doctor did an ultrasound, and there was a cyst then, it will be easy to show he made a mistake in calling it something else.  If he didn't do an ultrasound, you will have no immediate proof you had the cyst a year ago when you saw him.  You will then need to have your present doctors attest that this is a kind of cyst noted for being slow growing.  In other words, the first thing Doctor #1's attorney will say is that you didn't have the cyst a year ago, no matter what your symptoms were.  The next thing he will say is that your symptoms were vague enough that a reasonable doctor could have missed a small cyst.  You have to show that what the doctor did was bad medicine.  This might also be a problem because even if he had thought it was a cyst, a lot of doctors take a "watch and wait" approach, sometimes giving the Pill to see if the cyst shrinks.  Your argument will be that he waited, but did not watch.

Then you will have to show that the harm came from his mistake and none of your own.  There is a concept in the law called something like "failure to mitigate," and it means that although one person undeniably did something wrong, the second person also added to the problem by not acting to improve the situation very fast when a reasonable person would have done some self-help or seen another professional to check the first one's work.  Doctor #1's attorney might say that even if you had the cyst a year ago, it would not have gotten so big if you hadn't sat on the issue a while.  This argument, fortunately, wouldn't win a lot of supporters in court -- of course we are supposed to believe what our doctors tell us!  But you might get asked why you didn't come back in and complain that he needed to diagnose you more accurately, or why you waited to see another doc.

After that, you will need to document your income loss (which should be easy) and your distress (if the latter can be documented).  The income loss is also subject to that rule about you needing to mitigate all you can -- in other words, you would need to show that you consulted with a plastic surgeon or at least required your present doctors to do the best job they could, to make your abdomen look good.   In other words, you don't get to be indifferent to the treatment of the scar and then come back at Doctor #1 and say his mistake ruined your career because the scar is messy.

If you can put all that together, you probably have a malpractice case an attorney would take and that you can win.  Your biggest problem is proving that the cyst was there originally.  If you can do that, you should be able to collect on the difference between a small scar that you might have had, and a large scar plus hospital stay, plus loss of income as a belly dancer while you recover, and maybe the cost of plastic surgery on the scar to make it presentable enough to keep dancing.    

Incidentally, if you do see a malpractice attorney, don't use statements like "the doctor lied to me."  I'm sure you are furious with Doctor #1, but he failed to diagnose your problem correctly, that is not the same as lying.  (In order to lie, he would have to have known you had a cyst and for some reason tell you that you didn't.)  Lawyers look for clients who will be credible on the witness stand.  Being mad is OK, but dishing out inaccurate and in fact probably actionable statements will not help you.  If Doctor #1 didn't correctly diagnose the cyst, and caused you this cascade of problems, that is bad enough.  You don't need to try to color the situation further.

Good luck with the surgery!  Abdominal surgery is not the most fun in the universe, but it is recoverable and they are very good with pain meds nowadays.  I hope you get through it as easily as possible.  
Helpful - 0
144586 tn?1284666164
I am very sorry about what happened to you and wish you the best.

That being said, you have a case for a malpractice tort.

You should consult an attorney at your earliest convenience. Before doing so, do not mention "attorney" but request in writing every page of your medical records from your previous physician.

During the days before your surgery take at least 1000 mg of vitamin C a day in crystaline form. In addition take a vitamin D3 supplement. There seems to be good evidence that this helps with healing.

Try not to worry. Medicine has come a long way and the chances are everything will turn out fine.

I will keep you in my prayers.
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