5.6cm cyst on ovary after menopause CA 125 test

[Cindy150]

Hi, Thank you for being here.  I am 47 about to be right after I turned 47 I stopped having periods. I thought nothing of it as I've always been on a 24 day cycle and expected early menopause.  I had problems staying pregnant and did not have my first and only child until I was 41 due to lack of progesterone.  This past year I've been tired and very sore when I bend over. Being a photographer I can't show pain and have to move a lot. Wanting to be healthy, I bought Trumans Colon Clense.  It made my skin softer but I didn't see much else different.  My yearly examine proved to be informative.  They found a 5.6 cm Cyst on my left ovary with thin edometerial tissue.  I'm taking the pill for 30 days which I've taken and I feel awful.  None of my cloths fit and I feel like it's growing.  Like I can feel it growing.  They did a CA125 test and it came back great.. #8.   I wonder though if the colon clense could effect that test and what do you think is next for me?


This discussion is related to Ovarian Cyst, Pelvic Pain, Swollen Stomach after Menopause.

[kelsim5553]

I have just had a MRI scan on my abdoman

he is testing my ca125 level and said it could be a cyst

should i be alarmed had this pain in my tummy since oct 07 and been in hospital for a week they though it was a kidney stone but my tummy keep swelling  and  I keep going to the loo i have bleeding after intercourse and pain during and after
And the pain is always there more so when its time of the month and very painfull ????

please can one tell me what happens when i go back to the hospital and he says i have a cyst what should i expect???

[Cindy150]

Thanks to all of you.  The confllict in what the tech said was the size and when the doc was seeing another patient I opened the door and reached for my chart and read it ....bad me :).... it did say 5.6 so I'm relaxing but it does hurt and i have to wear teenager jeans that buckle under the belly.  Time will tell.  You all are very kind to take this time.
Blessings to all and I will keep a watch out for all of your posts about yourselves. I appreciate you... God be with you.
Cindy

[Gatsby]

Sounds like you have been put on the Watch & Wait regimine.  The CA125 is better used as a marker once ovca is dx.  Although 99% of cysts are benign, you are wise in seeking treatment.  One thing to watch out for is torsion...this is when the cyst causes the ovary to twist around the tube causing great pain.  The only true way to determine what the cyst is is to have pathology done.  Good luck and keep us posted.
~Tascha

[ireneo]

5.6 cm is not nearly the size of a cantaloupe. Mine was 10 cm (4 inches) and the size of an orange. The tech isn't supposed to say anything. Even when a cyst is small it can cause the bloating and bowel problems. As for the colon clense, I doubt it would affect the test. I also read recently that our colons cleanse themselves and there's no need to use products. Repeated enemas can damage the colon and laxative type things can have a bit of a rebound effect (constipation).

If your cyst isn't shrinking, they may suggest surgery to remove it. Uncomfortable but it's better than a large cyst bursting or twisting. Take care.

[Cindy150]

Thank you all.  Yes I have an appointment 8-4. The problem is all my life I have been estrogen intolerant because my count was so high and unable to take the pill... Which I messed up on my post. I also lost every pregnancy until I was 41 and received progest shots.  Now, I'm bloated, sick (I threw up at JCPennys) and hurt all the time. It feels like the darn thing is growing. I feel it sitting on my lap when I go potty. Pregnancy was easy for me. This is not.  But I feel bad complaining when others go through so much worse. The tech said it was the size of a cantaloupe.  I just wondered if anyone else felt a connection sudden stop of mensus and cyst growth. I'm old enough for sure.  Thanks for listening.  I also wonder if the colon clense would alter my CA125 test?

[Sandymac]

Hi,
    The #8 on your CA-125 is a fairly good sign .. the previous poster is correct in that the test is not a reliable screening test. However, in post menopausal patients, it carries a little more weight and is a little more reliable.. And with postmenopausal women, the fact that the cyst exists gives a little more cause for concern.. but they still are 95% benign.

I had a cyst removed back in January that they thought to be solid.. it was very small . When they got in there lapaposcopically, it was found to be a simple cyst . Before surgery, I was told I could monitor it, but not being one who likes to wait around, I opted to have the whole thing taken out.. cyst and ovary..

Will you be seeing the doctor in 30 days? I'm sure they will make a determination then. Please try not to worry and keep us posted,

Take care,
Sandy

[nyc lady]

Cysts after menopause usually do send up signals, as most cysts are functional cysts that occur during ovulation.....but, that being said, it is still a fact that most cysts are benign.  The BC pills would be used to see if the cyst will shrink.  And a CA125 test is not a diagnositic tool for OvCa it is best utilized as a monitoring tool for someone that has already be diagnosed and has proven to have a CA125 that is sensitive.  I was diagnosed with early stage and always had a "normal" CA125...there are others on this board with late stage, that also always had normal counts.
When is your follow appointment?  They will probably watch the cyst for a while to see if it shrinks.
Let us know how it goes.

[StillFighting]

well if your ca125 is only 8 the chances of it being cancerous are slim. sounds like it may just be a cyst and there probably hoping the bc pills will shrink it???? just a guess.