What should I do?

[PottsE94]

I'm a 22 going on 23 year old female. I have been bleeding menstrually for a year coming up in July. I have been experiencing pelvic pain for a year coming up in May. It was only in February a free womens clinic found an ovarian cyst that is 20 cm by 20 cm by 13 cm. I have no idea how it came to be or how it got so large. Neither could the OB tell me. I have an appointment with an OB ON coming up next week... I have no idea what to expect... since my testing was done in February of this year would he make me do more testing? Will he just remove the d*mn thing? I am in so much pain daily I want to cry constantly and I never feel like moving because the more I move the more it hurts. Not to mention my poor husband has been put through abstinence for me. What can I do? I feel so lost...

[old_before_my_time]

I'm sorry you're going through this! That's a large cyst... it's no wonder you've been in pain and can barely move!

The OB may want to do another ultrasound or some other imaging test to check the current size and characteristics of the cyst. If you have a copy of February's ultrasound report, you could take that to your appointment this week. That may prevent you having to have another one done.  

Being that it is so large, it will have to be surgically removed. Ask if they can save your ovary or at least part of it (cystectomy versus oophorectomy) since removal of an ovary can impair fertility and even cause an early and more severe menopause which increases your risk for a number of health problems such as heart disease, osteoporosis and dementia (along with others).

Best of luck and please keep us posted.