ANYONE had dermoid surgery?
Posted , 4 users are following.
I'm debating surgery for a 5cm ovarian dermoid. It's not currently bothering me but I keep being told it could cause issues in the future and won't shrink during menopause (I'm in peri). It's been slow growing for the past 8 years or so. I discovered it about 8 years ago at around 2cm. No idea why I have to have this AND a large fibroid. Most doctors are saying I need to get it out to avoid future issues as it is growing. One doctor said she would leave part of the dermoid behind to preserve my ovary while another said he'd have to peel off the dermoid to make sure it didn't regrow and part of my ovary cells would come with it. But he said that would give me more hormonal symptoms although ideally my ovary would recover. I want to keep all my organs. Have any of you had dermoid surgery and if so was your ovary left in tact and did you have hormonal symptoms? Thanks!
0 likes, 10 replies
Guest sakura26
Posted
I don't understand why you would want to keep this cyst in you now that it is growing. Have you done much research on dermoid cyst? Your doctor is right, the older you get and the more it grows the more complications can and will happen. I don't know your age, but you will still have the right ovary right? That will keep you from going into premature menopause. I am way past menopause and have a 7.4 cm cyst on my left ovary. Six weeks ago it was 6.3 cm. Both cyst and ovary are being removed soon as the chance of cysts turning to ovarian cancer increases with age. I hope you get reassurance from your doctor. Good luck!
HammersMummy Guest
Posted
top consultants in UCH have advised that i dint need my dermoid removed. since moving to Dorset the advice is the same. mine is asymptomatic, slow growing & dermoids very rarely become malignant.
Guest HammersMummy
Posted
Of course, do what makes you comfortable. That's what matters.
sakura26 HammersMummy
Posted
Hi, How big was your dermoid? I was told the risks of keeping are ovarian torsion (if it gets too big) or it could turn into something bad even if it's benign now. Why did they tell you to leave it? I could understand if it were tiny. They told me to leave mine at first.
sakura26 Guest
Posted
Hi Marti. Yes that's what I'm told by several doctors as well. Risk of torsion or it turning into something else. I'm nervous about surgery because I want to keep my organs and surgery always has risks and both ovaries have value and secrete hormones even in menopause. The doctor says he will preserve the ovary but it will be a bit damaged (lose some surface cells) but ideally will recover. But I am leaning towards removing it as you say if it keeps growing even in menopause like yours. Thanks for sharing.
HammersMummy sakura26
Posted
mine is slow growing. in five years its grown about a cm. so its around 5cm. id rather avoid surgery if i can.
sakura26 HammersMummy
Posted
Mine is the same but as Marti mentioned if it keeps growing it can eventually reach a size even in menopause apparently where it's dangerous. The lousy thing about it, is if you wait and it does get too large and something happens like torsion then it is too late. You will likely lose your ovary and have to go to the ER and be in horrible pain. Or if it changes into something else then again you will have to have surgery. Whereas I guess if you do get it surgically removed you may be able to save your ovary. I wish I knew that it stopped growing in menopause like fibroids but so far I haven't heard that. That is why it is so hard to decide and lousy that doctors don't have better options than surgery.
sakura26 HammersMummy
Posted
I think mine has grown from 2cm to 5cm in about 10 years not sure when it showed up. Maybe 12 years. It is all terrifying to me. Most doctors in the US say get it out as it IS growing. To avoid something bad down the line if you wait. I also have a large fibroid that I may need removed because causing me pain and issues. I don't want surgery either but I'm not seeing a lot of other options for these things.
HammersMummy sakura26
Posted
oos sorry ive replied to marti by mistake - see my reply there!
HammersMummy sakura26
Posted
are you in UK?