Aa
Questions about pre-op tests for cystectomy
Hi, I have had a unilocular simple cyst on my left ovary for several years. The gyn I've gone to was doing watchful waiting and I was having TV/US and CA125's on a regular basis. It remained the same size and since I was so close to menopause, she felt it would go away as soon as my periods stopped. Last spring I broke 3 bones in my right leg and was pretty much homebound for 10 months. In late Feb. I started to feel some dull aching in my left lower abdomen, so I managed to get to the dr. and have a new TV/us. I also had gone into menopause about a year ago. It turns out the cyst has not gotten smaller, but grown from a 4cm. cyst to a 5 cm. cyst. Now the gyn is really concerned and has already done another CA125 and sent me for a Cat. I decided to get a second opinion at a teaching hospital's gyn clinic, and the surgeon I saw Tuesday really has me worried, as she said it's abnormal for it to have grown due to the menopause. She's making me go for a colonoscopy and also a mammogram before she will even do a surgery in late May.
She said that some breast and or colon cancers can cause ovarian cysts. This cyst has always been diagnosed on sonogram as a simple unilocular cyst, and I thought because of what the first gyn always said, that these type of cysts were benign. I don't even have my strength back from the broken leg and I'm wondering how I'm going to get through all this testing and a surgery.
Has anyone else had to have all these tests before having surgery for a cyst?
Thanks, Valerie
She said that some breast and or colon cancers can cause ovarian cysts. This cyst has always been diagnosed on sonogram as a simple unilocular cyst, and I thought because of what the first gyn always said, that these type of cysts were benign. I don't even have my strength back from the broken leg and I'm wondering how I'm going to get through all this testing and a surgery.
Has anyone else had to have all these tests before having surgery for a cyst?
Thanks, Valerie
I am 28 and dealing with left side pain which they say is a ovarian cyst. I am scared and nervous for my surgery on April 3rd. Preop is today and I just don't know how it will go and what will be the outcome. They don't know what it is yet until they do the surgery and I know I will be asleep but the after effects of the pain and cyst being gone. They said they will remove one side of my ovary and save the other so I can have kids in the future. Just because of this pain in not working at the moment for 3 months now. I will have my fiance and mom there but inside I'm scared as hell. Just hope its not cancerous. And I hope they dont have to remove my other ovaries because if so I will be devastated if I cant have children. Thanks all for the time of reading my post.
1 Comments
Bambinokish88 - Most cysts are benign / non-cancerous. How long have you had this cyst and how large is it? Many cysts go away on their own over the course of 3 months or so.
I hope your surgery goes well! Be sure to post back and let us know.
I hope your surgery goes well! Be sure to post back and let us know.
Hello,
How are you doing, today? Gosh, I'm so sorry about the ankle break....three bones, you say? I can only imagine how painful it is for you. Did you have to spend time using a wheelchair, even? Recovery, from it, must have been long and arduous! In fact, obviously, you are STILL recovering!
I'm glad you are having a gyn/onc on call during your surgery. It is always a good idea, just in case. It also sounds like you've done your homework as far as the doctor is concerned. I think you will be in good hands.
I'm sorry you are alone. But not really anymore. You have all of us!!!! Feel free to PM me anytime. I work, so I may not get right back to you, but never fear....I will, eventually. Also, I'm around, a lot on weekends. Speaking of which....Have a good one and I'll talk to you soon!!!!
Hugs,
Shari
How are you doing, today? Gosh, I'm so sorry about the ankle break....three bones, you say? I can only imagine how painful it is for you. Did you have to spend time using a wheelchair, even? Recovery, from it, must have been long and arduous! In fact, obviously, you are STILL recovering!
I'm glad you are having a gyn/onc on call during your surgery. It is always a good idea, just in case. It also sounds like you've done your homework as far as the doctor is concerned. I think you will be in good hands.
I'm sorry you are alone. But not really anymore. You have all of us!!!! Feel free to PM me anytime. I work, so I may not get right back to you, but never fear....I will, eventually. Also, I'm around, a lot on weekends. Speaking of which....Have a good one and I'll talk to you soon!!!!
Hugs,
Shari
Hi-- hope I spelled your name correctly.. kept going back & forth to make sure.. Anyway, I' waaaay past menopause and had a small cyst removed a few months ago. I never heard the connection between that and breast cancer or colon cancer. I do, however have routine colonoscopies and mammograms. Like previous poster said, I do know there is a correlation between colon cancer, breast cancer and ovca.
One thing for sure; when you're done with all this you'll be certain you're healthy as can be !!
But, no--- I did not have those tests .. only pre-op was the usual blood work up and chest x-ray and ekg.. Sorry you also have the leg issues as well...
Take care and keep us posted,
Be well,
Sandy
One thing for sure; when you're done with all this you'll be certain you're healthy as can be !!
But, no--- I did not have those tests .. only pre-op was the usual blood work up and chest x-ray and ekg.. Sorry you also have the leg issues as well...
Take care and keep us posted,
Be well,
Sandy
Just wanted to say hi and tell you that I can relate to you sooooooooo much!! Not just with the cysts, but with the ankle. Last year I finally gave in and had my ankle ligaments repaired and all the bone chips from so many past injuries cleaned up. It took a LONG time to heal, but is so worth it. I spent a lot of time on the ankle forum and learned so much from my "footfamily" there too. Don't you love the internet, whatever did we do for support and info before that? Especially with family far away, I can relate to that too, mine are all in Canada and I am in NC....
So anyway, I know how you feel when you now have "one more thing" to deal with....enough is enough already, right? Take one day at a time, do whatever it takes to heal so you can get back to 'normal'. I didn't get any of those preop tests. Not sure what to make of that, whether that means my doctor has dropped the ball or is just not too worried. I am going to choose the latter for now. I wish you luck on all your test results and upcoming surgery. At least you will have a very clear and informed picture of your health in all areas afterwards.
Glad to have you here, have a great weekend, btw, mssg me anytime if you want to talk ankle off the forum...
Joelle
So anyway, I know how you feel when you now have "one more thing" to deal with....enough is enough already, right? Take one day at a time, do whatever it takes to heal so you can get back to 'normal'. I didn't get any of those preop tests. Not sure what to make of that, whether that means my doctor has dropped the ball or is just not too worried. I am going to choose the latter for now. I wish you luck on all your test results and upcoming surgery. At least you will have a very clear and informed picture of your health in all areas afterwards.
Glad to have you here, have a great weekend, btw, mssg me anytime if you want to talk ankle off the forum...
Joelle
Hi, thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.
To answer yours, I broke all three of my ankle bones (trimalleolar fx.) last June walking my dog. The breaks finally healed but I still have a lot of ligament and tendon and soft tissue injury that has a way to go. The full recovery is about 18 months for most people, but because of my back and knee problems, it was more difficult to rehab.
The only symptoms I've had from the cyst are the bloated feeling and the dull achey kind of pressure, especially when I'm laying down or when my jeans are pressing on me. Once in a while, I get a kind of jumpy feeling, I used to think it was probably gas, but it's only in that spot on my lower left abdominal area.
I was getting some kind of pain down my thigh once in a while too, that was freaky. I was kind of surprised that the surgeon said that about the breast and colon cancer thing too, she said that sometimes those cancers spread to the ovary. I sure wasn't expecting this much testing before a laparoscopy but she won't do one without them. The gyn that was watching this for all this time only wanted the blood and the cat scan, and then a consult with a gyn/ono prior to the surgery. I decided not to use her as when I looked her up I found that she has had 4 settlements out of court since 2000. The hospital and doctors I've decided to go with has a good reputation and is very well known, and the doctors all got their degrees for very good med schools, are in the age ranges that are suggested, and are all attending surgeons and not surgical residents.
They have a gyn/ono on call at all times during routine surgeries if needed.
As a chronic pain patient from the spinal thing, I already am on pain meds daily, so I guess that helps with the ovary too.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty much alone, my family is not close by, my mom and brother are out of state, she's elderly and can't travel and my brother works.
My dad is also elderly and has multiple health problems, and I do have another brother here in N.Y. but he's having knee surgery on May 6 to repair a torn meniscus. He will at least be able to be at the hospital for the surgery though.
I couldn't have kids due to fibroids, so I'm only a mom to my furbabies.
I am glad to have found this board just in time to be able to at least have people that understand that a cyst is a very serious thing and to be able to share my thoughts with people who are going through the same thing. I hope to be able to give some support also to anyone who needs it. I posted on the ovca board first and I guess I picked the wrong day because I seem to have found the boards at a time when a lot of conflict was going on. All those gals have my dearest sympathy and prayers, and I hope I will be spared from having to join that board in the near future.
You have a great weekend too.
Hugs to you Shari and also to Morrowville too
To answer yours, I broke all three of my ankle bones (trimalleolar fx.) last June walking my dog. The breaks finally healed but I still have a lot of ligament and tendon and soft tissue injury that has a way to go. The full recovery is about 18 months for most people, but because of my back and knee problems, it was more difficult to rehab.
The only symptoms I've had from the cyst are the bloated feeling and the dull achey kind of pressure, especially when I'm laying down or when my jeans are pressing on me. Once in a while, I get a kind of jumpy feeling, I used to think it was probably gas, but it's only in that spot on my lower left abdominal area.
I was getting some kind of pain down my thigh once in a while too, that was freaky. I was kind of surprised that the surgeon said that about the breast and colon cancer thing too, she said that sometimes those cancers spread to the ovary. I sure wasn't expecting this much testing before a laparoscopy but she won't do one without them. The gyn that was watching this for all this time only wanted the blood and the cat scan, and then a consult with a gyn/ono prior to the surgery. I decided not to use her as when I looked her up I found that she has had 4 settlements out of court since 2000. The hospital and doctors I've decided to go with has a good reputation and is very well known, and the doctors all got their degrees for very good med schools, are in the age ranges that are suggested, and are all attending surgeons and not surgical residents.
They have a gyn/ono on call at all times during routine surgeries if needed.
As a chronic pain patient from the spinal thing, I already am on pain meds daily, so I guess that helps with the ovary too.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty much alone, my family is not close by, my mom and brother are out of state, she's elderly and can't travel and my brother works.
My dad is also elderly and has multiple health problems, and I do have another brother here in N.Y. but he's having knee surgery on May 6 to repair a torn meniscus. He will at least be able to be at the hospital for the surgery though.
I couldn't have kids due to fibroids, so I'm only a mom to my furbabies.
I am glad to have found this board just in time to be able to at least have people that understand that a cyst is a very serious thing and to be able to share my thoughts with people who are going through the same thing. I hope to be able to give some support also to anyone who needs it. I posted on the ovca board first and I guess I picked the wrong day because I seem to have found the boards at a time when a lot of conflict was going on. All those gals have my dearest sympathy and prayers, and I hope I will be spared from having to join that board in the near future.
You have a great weekend too.
Hugs to you Shari and also to Morrowville too
Well, if it's abnormal to grow a cyst after menopause then I was abnormal too. I've been in menopause for over 3 years. Last Nov. I went in for routine pap, they found a 7 cm simple cyst. By Feb. when I had surgery it had grown to 10 cm. It came out and I'm fine.
I had tests before surgery but they were all heart related because I do have heart issues. No mention of colonoscopy though. I get a mammogram every year so that wasn't new. There is a connection between breast cancer and ovarian cancer. It's a genetic thing though. I read up on the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 and how it ties in to OvCa. Does your family have a history of cancer or have you had genetic testing done? If all is clear, your odds of ovarian cancer are slim. Most folks say it's about 95% + that it will be benign. Take care. As for the colonoscopy, that's pretty standard after age 50.
I had tests before surgery but they were all heart related because I do have heart issues. No mention of colonoscopy though. I get a mammogram every year so that wasn't new. There is a connection between breast cancer and ovarian cancer. It's a genetic thing though. I read up on the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 and how it ties in to OvCa. Does your family have a history of cancer or have you had genetic testing done? If all is clear, your odds of ovarian cancer are slim. Most folks say it's about 95% + that it will be benign. Take care. As for the colonoscopy, that's pretty standard after age 50.
Hello,
It is NORMAL to have all those tests. had those, and more, before my total hyst eight weeks ago. I have not, however heard of breast and/or colon cancer causing cysts. This does NOT mean that that is not the case, though. That's why we are all here....to learn.
I'm sorry you are having a hard time. What bone, in your leg did you break? It is very difficult, I am sure, for you to think of all that lies ahead gor you. Try to take one test at a time, and you'll get through it all. Are you dealing with any symptoms from the cyst? If so, speak with your doctor and perhaps there is something he/she can suggest for it. Please, feel free to post as often as you need. There is usually someone lurking about and willing to talk. If not, just give it a little bit of time. We've all been where you're at and understand. Take care and have a great weekend!!!!
Hugs,
Shari
It is NORMAL to have all those tests. had those, and more, before my total hyst eight weeks ago. I have not, however heard of breast and/or colon cancer causing cysts. This does NOT mean that that is not the case, though. That's why we are all here....to learn.
I'm sorry you are having a hard time. What bone, in your leg did you break? It is very difficult, I am sure, for you to think of all that lies ahead gor you. Try to take one test at a time, and you'll get through it all. Are you dealing with any symptoms from the cyst? If so, speak with your doctor and perhaps there is something he/she can suggest for it. Please, feel free to post as often as you need. There is usually someone lurking about and willing to talk. If not, just give it a little bit of time. We've all been where you're at and understand. Take care and have a great weekend!!!!
Hugs,
Shari
I had all those tests... for a dermoid cyst. It started out as something like 6.5 x 4.5, but in two weeks grew to 8.5 x 6.5. I'm glad I had the tests, and while I can't speak about your specific situation, in mine, it was well worth it.
I am 46, had a complete hysterectomy, and feel pretty darn good at 3 weeks post op.
You're having a tough time because you have the added problems of a broken leg.
I hope you have family to help you.
Get the tests done. Get pain meds if you need them, and keep us posted!
hugs,
Morrowville
I am 46, had a complete hysterectomy, and feel pretty darn good at 3 weeks post op.
You're having a tough time because you have the added problems of a broken leg.
I hope you have family to help you.
Get the tests done. Get pain meds if you need them, and keep us posted!
hugs,
Morrowville
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Ovarian Cysts Community
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.
