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side effects of 1 ovary being removed??

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beck605
beck605

Hi I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice... I am having surgery in 3 weeks to remove a 11cm complex ovarian cyst. It needs to be tested once removed. I had a CT scan which showed no cancer around the ovary and cyst but they told me the final test is to test the cyst once removed. My CA125 was 59. I'm so worried about the whole situation I'm only 25 and have a 10 week old baby that currently is not taking bottles so I don't know what I am going to do when I'm in hospital for surgery sad anyway I also am having my right ovary remove so does anyone know the side effects of this o has anyone been through this that can tell me what to expect? Thanks

2 likes, 34 replies

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  • pam1984
    pam1984 beck605

    Posted

    Hi Beck,

    I had a large cyst and right ovary & tube removed 4 weeks ago. I completely understand how much this must be stressing you out, especially with your baby girl. Honestly, the best thing you can do is try to relax and go with it. The surgeons will be experts in just this sort of thing and the hospital will take good care you. You probably won't be able to breast feed for a few days or more, but talk to professionals about that if you're really worried. A lactation consultant could give advice on pumping and/or hurried transition to bottle. In terms of hormones, I can't tell you for sure. I haven't really noticed anything strange yet. I was told by the gynaecology team of doctors, though, that I would have slightly reduced fertility in the future, but that one ovary can provide all the hormones the body needs. Also, during surgery they checked out my other ovary and uterus and said everything looked healthy so should still be fine to conceive. I believe you really can be fine with just one ovary. Here's hoping!

    Best wishes with everything, and keep us all posted with how you get on. 

    Pam

    • sharie19346
      sharie19346 pam1984

      Posted

      Hi I was wondering if you could please help I had a operation 2 days ago witch was supposed to remove a cyst and right Overy but the hospital has operated on my left side and not removed anything witch has left me very confused. Would they operate on my left side to remove a cyst on my right Overy..
    • Lilycarla
      Lilycarla sharie19346

      Posted

      Hi Sharie

      Doctors cannot know for certain what they will do until they open you up. The scans only give you a partial view and it can't tell you the state of the ovary and the type of cyst. If they didn't remove your ovary then it sounds like it wasn't damaged and possibly they thought the cyst was from one ovary when it was from another and they only found that out during the operation.

      I would suggest to chat to your doctor and also find out the type of cyst.

      Which doctor did you have and what hospital?

    • heather92222
      heather92222 sharie19346

      Posted

      I just had a procedure yesterday. I’m sure by now you’ve already had this question answered, but they operate on the opposite side. So, I had a cyst and ovary removed on my left side, but the larger incision is on my right. They typically go in from the opposite side. Vantage point I assume.
  • philippa59653
    philippa59653 beck605

    Posted

    Hi Beck

    I had a large cyst removed last summer along with the right ovary and tube. I was really worried too as I am only 31 and have no kids. I didn't notice any change in my cycle, it was still regular though expect the first one or two to be heavier than usual. I did feel quite hormonal for my first 3 or so periods but apart from that I haven't notice any change at all. I don't know what type of operation you are having but I had a laparotomy which wasn't as bad a was expecting, take Pam's advice on looking after your baby as I can't comment on that but do try and take it as easy as is possible to do and be prepared to be tired easily. Is there anyone who can help out for he first few weeks? Be careful lifting your baby too. The pain was much less than I was expecting (take all the painkillers they offer you, they really work, and if you're in pain ask for more) but you don't want to overdo lifting anything heavy for a few weeks. If you're having a keyhole op then it will be easier. Good luck with it!

    Pam - I am glad you're operation went well and I hope your doing ok?

    Philippa

    • pam1984
      pam1984 philippa59653

      Posted

      Hi Philippa! Yes I'm OK, thanks! I should really post an update in my own thread, shouldn't I?! The operation (9 inch vertical laparotomy in the end) was done much sooner than I expected in the end, since the cyst grew so big that I got admitted as an emergency patient. The surgery really "knocked me for six", with 6 nights in hospital and then over a week of being very weak and spaced out at home. Week 3 I started improving (sitting up for longer periods unassisted, reducing my codeine, going for 0.5 mile walks) and this week (week 4) I've done several walks over a mile and gone out for dinner. :-D Slowly but surely getting back to normal! Thank you so much for everything you posted about your own operation, which helped me loads in mentally preparing! xx
    • philippa59653
      philippa59653 pam1984

      Posted

      Hi Pam, sorry to hear you had to have a vertical cut sad is it healing ok?

      It's good they brought you in quickly, I found the waiting was so much worse than the actual operation and recovery. It sounds like in the last two weeks you have made a lot of progress, it's amazing once the initial hurdle is passed how quickly things start to get better.

      I am glad sharing my experience helped, think there is a fine line between sharing info and scaring people! The actual operation and recovery was a lot less scary in reality than in the months of worry before hand! Once I know what I am facing I can deal with it, it's the not knowing that's hard.

      I have since had two more cysts that have both gone away on their own but have been about 6.5cm each. The GP went from a we have to get you refered urgently in February, to new guidelines have come out and we're going to do nothing when I saw him again with the latest one last week. I have private medical cover with work so asked for a referal ask didn't understand how last year and in February it was so urgent and now they're doing nothing. I saw the consultant there on Tuesday who sent me for a ct scan today. Even if there is nothing they can do I am more relaxed now they have done a proper scan to get a proper look inside me to make sure nothing looks damaged! xx

    • grace62251
      grace62251 pam1984

      Posted

      Im curious how you got in to surgery so quick? Im in the beginning of all this and I just want it out so badly. How large was yours? Was it complex? Mine is 17 cm, heavy, hard, and awful. They are concerned because there are nodules and it has been fast growing. The doctor said that it could be a germ cell cancer which would mean that they would just take out the whole cyst and ovary and hopefully I would be fine. 

      Just need some support and encouragement. 

  • beck605
    beck605

    Posted

    Thank you so much for your replies. I'm havin open surgery as the cyst is too large for keyhole sad

    It's just all a worry with surgery and the cancer scare and the early menopause risk with one ovary plus I didn't know if it suddenly felt different or if there were other health risks to just having one. I havn't been told much by my consultant just that it needs to come out and will be tested once out. good luck Pam with your recovery, what type of surgery did you have? Also did they test the cyst you had or was it not a concern?

    And yes philippa I have a very supportive partner and mum and dad, sisters, etc so I'm very lucky I know I will be looked after smile but it still doesn't stop the anxiety and worry but maybe that's part of just ending a pregnancy too. I can't wait for this nightmare to be over. You never realise what people go through until it happens to you if you know what I mean. I'm so happy I can speak on here though to people like yourselves. . It gives me lots of comfort

    Becky

    • philippa59653
      philippa59653 beck605

      Posted

      I had open surgery because the cyst was large 17cm, and because they weren't sure if it was cancerous or not. Mine wasn't thank goodness but it doesn't stop all the worry leading up to the point you find out! I am sure yours won't be either, the risk is low but they have to take the most cautious option which is to open you up, if it ruptures as they remove it then that's not good so by opening you up it prevents that happening.

      The one thing no one told me to expect was that my stomach was completely numb for months afterwards, really odd feeling. 9 months on and the feeling is only just starting to come back! I found my insides felt like they were held together with elastic bands for about 6-8 weeks, think it was the internal swellinf but a weird but amusing feeling. Get lots of rest but do try and move about a lot, you might find you can't stand up straight for a week or two as the muscles are right but do try and stand and walk around as much as you can as this will really help get things back to normal.

      One last bit of advice on something I wasn't expecting, is buy beforehand, and start taking about 3 days before your operation, a laxative called lactulose. Morphine and the anaesthetic can slow things down on the bowel front and I found when things did get going again a week later that was by far the most painful part of the whole thing! So take it and keep taking it!! smile

    • beck605
      beck605 philippa59653

      Posted

      4thank you so much for the advice. I seem to be getting pains every evening now from the cyst so I'm tempted to ring the consultant and see if she can bring the op sooner. I will update on how I get on. Can't wait for it to be over and hopefully I wil get good news and I can finally enjoy my baby girl smile xx
    • philippa59653
      philippa59653 beck605

      Posted

      Yes do. You never know they may have had a cancellation. I don't think doctors appreciate how painful cysts can be and how much time us women spend worrying about them and the consequences of having them! So yes do see if they can do it sooner!

      Keep us posted! xx

    • pam1984
      pam1984 beck605

      Posted

      Hi Beck,

      I didn't have key-hole either. I had a vertical 9 inch cut (laparotomy) so they could take the cyst out whole. That sounds terrible, and the recovery is longer than key-hole, but honestly the open surgery can be a good thing! The surgeons can get their tools in and move around easily, they can see clearly (less chance of catching something with the knife!) and they can remove the cyst whole. The chances are it really isn't cancerous (most of them really are benign, they just can't say for sure at this point. I had to wait 3 weeks to hear it was definitely benign) but of course if there is any chance the cyst is cancerous you are definitely better off having it taken out whole!! Honestly just trust in the doctors, they really do know what they're doing. 

      In terms of the surgery and recovery, I had to to stay in the hospital for 5 nights after my morning operation, but other women on the ward with caesarean-type (horizontal) cuts left after 2-3 nights. I was super weak for the week after I got home too, and I am very glad my partner stayed off work with me. I'd recommend having company for a week. You might not even be able to pick your baby up at first, I found the 2 litre milk cartons too much! rolleyes Strength does improve quickly though! Week 3 was MUCH better, started being able to sit upright unassisted and walking round the block. Week 4 I was able to go out for meals and walk a mile.

      The biggest thing I would go back in time and tell myself is "Plan to be sick". I was told 6-8 weeks recovery, but honestly I thought I'd be fine to sit at my computer and do some studying/work after a week or so. Nope! The codeine made me so spaced out that I couldn't really concentrate on stuff until I could cope without it (week 3). I don't mean to scare you about that, but honestly I'd say just go with it and let your body take the time it needs to recover. 

      Will post again. Hope all goes well. Pam

    • beck605
      beck605 pam1984

      Posted

      Thanks Pam. I can't wait for the surgery now as all the worry will be over and hopefully it's not cancerous or borderline and I can finally relax and enjoy my little girl. The consultant said I won't be able to hold her which upset me plus she's still not taken to a bottle yet but I have just over 2 weeks to try so il just have to be persistent. I would do anything for a fast recovery though so I will just have to go with it and hopefully then there will be no set backs. I'm very lucky as I have a great partner (Leela's daddy) and a great mum and dad that are just 10 minutes away from us so they will be helping all the time when needed. Having to go through surgery and this worry really makes me value life that bit more now. And I'm overwhelmed with the support on this site that everyone gives each other as you ladies have definitely made me feel more at ease so I honestly can't thank you enough smile i will keep you all updated when I have my op etc smile xx
  • michelle75345
    michelle75345 beck605

    Posted

    Hi guys

    Really found this forum brilliant sharing info support opinions experiences has got me throught the last 12 weeks , I have my cyst removed on 18th may , ct scan resulted in dr lowering his concerns of cancer but cyst will be tested , I'm having full hysterectomy vertical cut which made me nervous even though I've had two previous c sections pre/ post care I've saved so I can look back on during my own recovery again thank you for sharing good look and to a happy future

    • pam1984
      pam1984 michelle75345

      Posted

      Good luck for tomorrow Michelle! We'll be thinking of you, keep us posted! xx
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