Ovarian Cyst 5.5 cm Lots of pain....

Posted , 7 users are following.

Hi there. I suffer from endometriosis and apparently am prone to ovarian cysts. A new gyno just diagnosed an ovarian cyst on my left ovary that is 5.5 cm. She wants to wait 2 months before rechecking it to see if it resolves itself (I've had at least 2 rupture in the past, that I know of). I'm weary of this suggestion since it is not only causing more pain than the already daily pain I have from endo, but other side effects. I'm nauseous, bloated, have hot/cold flashes and feel generally drained and awful. Any have a similar experience?

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7 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi, last month I was diagnosed with a 5cm complex cyst and we waited 6 weeks and rechecked and it had resolved itself smile they had already planned for surgery including the removal of that ovary because the cyst was on the inside, I am very prone to cysts, they are on the fence whether I have pcos or not, I hope u feel better soon, but I would t rush anything just yet! Prayers to u

    • Posted

      On the inside? Oh gosh, I didn't even know that was an option. The doctor I saw was very uninformative and unhelpful, I wasn't impressed. I requested to see a different one this week so I can find out mroe information. She told me nothing about where the cyst is - besides the left ovary - and didn't actually help with the reason I made the appointment (endometriosis). I'm so glad yours resolved itself! I'm sure that mine hasn't as of yet since I can still feel it, but I do NOT want my ovary removed. I hope your ovaries continue to be cyst free! thank you for sharing.

  • Posted

    I know it's hard waiting especially when you're in pain. But like the other poster said, I would wait it out since there's a good chance the cyst will resolve on its own. You don't want to undergo surgery unnecessarily since all surgery has risks plus many women lose an ovary unnecessarily versus just the cyst (cystectomy). We need our ovaries our whole lives because they switch to their endocrine functions after menopause. And removal of an ovary can also impair fertility.

    • Posted

      I would definitly do whatever I could to avoid losing an ovary. I'm only 27, so not quite ready for that! Surgery is a reality for me regardless though, to remove endometriosis, so If the cyst doesn't resolve itself I believe they will take the cyst out as well. But I'm hoping it resolves itself! Thank you for the help!

  • Posted

    Monica Jean,

    I assume from your pic you are still quite young. I suffered from painless undiagnosed endometriosis for decades before things reached critical mass. Drs. with new patients usually want to investigate, monitor, and establish a baseline unless you are in an emergency situation.

    The Drs. were puzzled that I experienced no pain yet my abdomen was over taken by massive endometriosis. I always had clockwork cycles but in the last couple of years the volume had increased tremendously and unpleasant situations upon standing. Dr. attributed to aging and peri-menopause.

    Once diagnosed I was informed endometriosis does not resolve itself and only continues to grow. It influences your hormone balance which could explain your hot flashes. I had them (mildly) too but it was peri-menopause. Has that been explored?

    Compared to mine your cyst is relatively small but close to the 6 cm size the medical profession seems to hold as the line of demarcation. Based on my experience I would sooner (smaller) than later want it resolved. Honestly tho, the pain alone, with a diagnosed persistant cyst warrants treatment. If the doctor was experiencing it I would think wait and see would not be #1 choice.

    1. For better likelyhood of saving your ovary. Depending on type of cyst it may or may not have overtaken your ovary.

    2. Surgery would allow removal of endometrial tissue causing your pain. Mine was all over and strangling my colon and an artery feeding my kidney. Fortunately permanent damage was avoided.

    3. With each cycle the tissue grows and sloughs contributing to your run down bloated feelings, let alone pain. I had searing tearing pain upon sudden sideways jarring which was tissue tearing from the kidney adhesions. Dismissed for years by Drs as nothing. The surgeon said I was lucky the force hadn't torn my artery because I would have bled out before it was diagnosed.

    4. There is no real way to determine the extent of your endo without surgery. But with a CT and/or MRI would provide a much better diagnosis of the type of cyst you have and would likely give a more expediant treatment plan.

    5. A gynecological surgical specialist with good cystectomy skills would hopefully be able to preserve your ovary and remove the majority of your endometriosis.

    You would likely have to be monitored afterward because it can come back but I've had friends who've had cysts, fibroids, and extensive endometrial tissue removed and gone on to have multiple children and minimal recurrence.

    I had 10 lbs.+ of excess removed (bonus). Although recovering from surgery I found significant improvement in abdominal comfort within a few weeks. Because I had so much involvement I needed a total hysterectomy which has presented it's own challenges, but now years later I can honestly say that worn down exhausted feeling is gone. I feel human again.

    I hope you find this helpful and keeping my fingers crossed for you. Best wishes!

    • Posted

      Thank you so much for sharing this information and your story! I don't personally know anyone who suffers from cysts or endometriosis, so I am never able to discuss all the possible outcomes with anyone and connect on that level. 

      I'm fairly young (27) and had my first child 2 years ago. I'm not ready for a full hysterectomy OR a second child yet (but I do want one), so I'm exploring my other options. I did have surgery to remove the endo in 2011 and I can say it removed the pain for a good 2-3 years. Than I had my son and breastfed, which greatly decreased the pain, and just recently weaned because my pain has become severe and I know I need treatment. The doctor I say blatantly dismissed surgery, didn't offer any assistance with my pain and gave me zero information about my cyst, other than the fact that it exists. She also failed to mention my pap came back abormal and now they've scheduled me for a colposcopy (which I had done in 2011 before the endo surgery and nothing was wrong with me). Needless to say, I'm not impressed with this doctor. I am seeing a different one next week to see if I can make more progress. I would prefer to have surgery again to remove the endo, the cyst if necessary and have at least another 3 years pain free before I'm ready to have another child. After the second child, I would consider a hysterectomy if the pain persists, but I'm still hoping to avoid that as long as possible. At this point, I'm just hoping to find a helpful doctor and go from there!

      Thank you so much for your information and advice. I'm very glad they were able to successfully remove what they needed to so that you are not in pain, not at risk of any serious complications and can now feel confident the endo won't come back!

  • Posted

    hello i had a mri on my back and they found a 5.2 cm cyst on my right side its very painful and im very bloated what woukd they do

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