Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

What does it mean when ovarian cysts come back in a short period of time?

About 4 months ago at my annual exam at the gyno, they discovered something on my right ovary. I went for a pelvic and vaginal ultrasound, and they discovered that I did in fact have a cyst on my right ovary, but they also discovered that the reason was my left ovary was enlarged by 2 inches! My doctor told me she was surprised it didn't cause me pain because of the size of it. I'm just thinking that I didn't give very much attention to the pain because I usually have pain down there but never thought anything of it. So they treated it as benign and started me on birth control (i'm on Yaz) to see if the hormones would make it go away. After a month I went back for another pelvic and vaginal ultrasound and my results came back normal. They said it was gone. So I though that was good news right?
Well about one month after I started noticing odd throbbing dull pain in my lower abdomen on both sides. Since I didn't notice my pain before, I decided to monitor and pay close attention to the pain this time. I also have symptoms that I've never had before:
-pressure on my bladder, sudden urges to go right away
-bloated feeling
-i can feel this hard thing on my left side of my abdomen while i'm lying down (dont know what that is)
-pain during sex (has never been painful before, ever)
-noticably more pain when pressed up against something like a counter or when sitting kind of scrunched up
-indegestion
-breast tenderness

I also have had other symptoms already that I never thought anything of, but after reading up on ovarian cysts realize they may relate:
-nausea (it's very frequent & normal for me to feel nauseas randomly)
-fatigue
-constipation
-cramps even when i'm not on my period
-since I started having my menstural cycles when I was 12, I've always had severe cramps that would cripple me on the first day of my period.

So after noticing all these symptoms I realized that they could be related, but for a while I was too scared, maybe in denial, to go back to my doctor.

Finally maybe an month & a half later, I made an appointment last week & went into my obgyn. I told her my symptoms and she did a pelvic exam, and at first she said it was probably a urinary tract infection (UTI) & that they could cause pain like this. When she did the exam she said didn't feel anything. She took a sample of fluid from my cervix and I gave a urine test, she went to go check it & came back. When she came back she looked confused & said "Well it's not a urine/bladder problem" Then she said that she DID feel a small cyst on one of my ovaries, but didn't remember which one.(before she said she didn't feel anything!) I helped her out & we decided it was on my left.

I just went in for another ultra sound today, and wont get the results back tomorrow.

I was wondering how often do cysts return? and if so, how fast can they return? and the doctor situation. Since she was kind of weird this time, is it possible that they misread the results to my last ultra sound? I'm so confused and I need answers!
1 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Cysts can come and go frequently for some women.  Many develop and simply resolve on their own without us ever being aware they existed.  They are, for the most part, the result of ovulation.  Normally, the follicle that forms to release an egg just breaks down after ovulation.  But in some cases they last longer and get bigger, becoming a cyst.  Some eventually go away on their own and others may become big enough or complicated enough to be a problem that warrants surgery.  At times even small ones can cause pain and at times some women barely notice them even when they are rather large.  Some women are more prone to developing larger painful cysts than others.  Maybe one day medical science will provide better explanations, but for now they are a bit of a mystery.  Estrogen (our own and estrogens found in food, drugs and the environment) seem to be the main culprit.  It is also the culprit in breast tenderness issues.

It's quite possible that whatever is bothering you now is a new cyst, and yes, they can cause that many symptoms and still be benign.  All the same, cysts need follow up with a gyn to make sure.  When symptoms are that troubling, many opt to have them removed.  You also want to find out if it's simple, fluid filled, complex, dermoid.  All of these factors weigh in a decision as to what to do next.  Many just "watch and wait" in the hopes it's just another cyst that is going to eventually break down on its own.

It is strange though....normally hormone regulating medications keep these under control. I share in your confusion and I hope the ultrasound provides you some answers. Yes, ultrasounds can be misread or can be somewhat inconclusive as to what type of cyst is present.  They should only be read by a very good radiologist.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
To be honest all of that what u said sounds like me and doctors said they have gone but I dont thinks so as feel awful still since xmas had adominal pains , bloating around the belly , periods all over the place and I have had cysts on both sides .
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Ovarian Cysts Community

Top Women's Health Answerers
363281 tn?1643235611
Nelson, New Zealand
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
Normal vaginal discharge varies in color, smell, texture and amount.
Bumps in the genital area might be STDs, but are usually not serious.
Chlamydia, an STI, often has no symptoms, but must be treated.
From skin changes to weight loss to unusual bleeding, here are 15 cancer warning signs that women tend to ignore.