Coping with Ovarian Cyst(s)
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hi, I posted a couple of weeks back about bladder pressure being recurrent symptoms of my previous 10cm ovarian cyst I had removed via open surgery in Jan 2012. At my 20 week pregnancy scan around October 2013, I had 3-4cm cysts. I now have a referral from the GP for an ultra sound but haven't got the letter through yet and appt could be weeks away.
My symptoms have now progressed to dull achey and ripple pain around my right ovary sometimes spreading across, tiredness/fatigue, lightheadness and queasyness. I also feel really down and teary. These symptoms I also had in the final weeks run up to the previous op in 2012 after I had acute urinary retnetion and admission to A&E.
I've got my hot water bottle and trying to rest up but I have a toddler, full time degree (final stages) and part time 1 day a week job plus a big show opening tomorrow night. I'm really stressed about my symptoms/condition and possible outcomes i.e. another op and how I'll juggle everything, because I remember how hard recovery was without any of these additional responsibilities! I'm reluctant to take time off uni now pre-diagnosis, especially if I need time off for an op. I would probably take time off work next week if I felt bad enough on the actual day.
I'm trying to ignore the pains as they are, in themselves, quite mild but every time I stand up and go dizzy or wake up and feel the pains it reminds me about the issue! I also don't have an actual diagnosis yet although I'm pretty sure it's ovarian cysts due to symptoms, history and ruling out UTI, pregnancy etc. I checked my symptoms and the other possibilities of ectopic pregnancy, UTI, bowel issues and appendicitis don't seem to fit my symptoms as well as the ovarian cyst diagnosis.
Has anyone got any advice how I can cope with my symptoms until my ultrasound date comes through?
I'm guessing nothing can be done to bring it forward unless it becomes a medical emergency again.
1 like, 105 replies
jimmy208
Posted
I would not hesitate to go to A & E if you have any severe pains. They may give you a CT scan while you are there.
Don't try to diagnose yourself as you could be completely wrong about what is happening inside. But I found going to A & E worked for me and eventually got my surgery date forwarded. Hopefully you won't need this but don't think you are being a nuisance by taking yourself along to A & E.
Also you are probably doing far too much and have your hands full juggling with all balls in the air. You must be stressed and that can't be helping.
Ann X
aliceb
Posted
aliceb
Posted
I went back to my GP with the current symptoms of right sided pain and back pain, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, bloody discharge and night sweats. I also have an annoying right eye twitch but that's probably just tiredness/stress! He did my BP/HR and temp which were all normal and checked my ultrasound referral which was made 4 weeks ago and said he'd chase it up and ordered my some blood tests to rule out cancer and endrimetriosis. He also did a pelvic exam and brought tears to my eyes squashing the site of pain on the right so offered me tramadol which I can't have whilst breastfeeding.
I phoned up the ultrasound dept at the hospital to see if they had my referral which they did and they advised I phone the appointments centre, which I did and they booked me in for Saturday. Just like that! I didn't know you could do that once they had your referral otherwise I would've done it days/weeks ago. Goodness knows how long I'd be waiting otherwise.
So it's a waiting game still, but at least I have some tests/scans booked to look forward to... In the meantime I'm struggling with the pain. I'm on maximum dose paracetomol and ibuprofen and have my hot water bottle alternating between front and back which helps a lot.
At the moment I find sitting and driving particularly uncomfortable but even lying down is bad. When I wake up first thing I need to take painkillers straight away. I'm due to go into work tomorrow which is desk bound pretty much. I can get up and walk around but it's 6.5 hours at a desk. I could self-certify, but if the pain persists into next week I'd need a dr's note which I couldn't get pre-surgery last time - they just gave me tramadol (which helped!). I don't even have the confirmed diagnosis yet, although I was in the same job when I was ill with them last time and had months off in post-surgery recovery, so it's possible they will be understanding... Also I should have a diagnosis by next week and possibly even an op date (maybe slightly over-ambitious there) so the work situation may be clearer.
Any advice??
Beccy53756
Posted
aliceb
Posted
aliceb
Posted
Beccy53756
Posted
Have they given you a surgery date yet? or any further scans?
Hope you are ok!
aliceb
Posted
I've got a stash of expressed milk in the freezer and at nearly 13 months he could have cow's milk instead (he already has a fair bit of cow's milk anyway) but it's the other emotional/comfort/habit aspects that worry me for him. He's cutting some more teeth (molars - the joys) and has a bit of a cold plus has his next round of immunisations tomorrow. He's already been super whingey even before imms and breastfeeding really helps him cope. The teeth/cold have affected his balance so he's falling over more and banging his head so every time he has a big bang he goes straight on the breast to soothe him. He's been up all night in pain and having feed him to sleep every time the only other option we'd have is to bring him into our bed to settle him which we might have to do in the short term and hope it doesn't become habit! It's bad timing to stop breastfeeding him now - he won't understand why he's being denied his main comfort. I'm hoping by the time to surgery comes through the cold/teeth/imms will have settled down and he'll be sleeping through again which will be alot easier all round! It might sound like martrydom but I think I can cope better with my pain than his pain that I can't soothe the best way we know how
Beccy53756
Posted
I think you are right if it is that big, as a rule I think if they are over a certain size they have to come out. I have had loads of appointments since feb and I have not got a surgery date yet so you might have to wait a bit longer for surgery
I hope not though for your sake.
It might be longer for me as I am going on holiday on April 8th which they know about, but if I have to call that off I need to know ASAP!!!
Is your appointment with the gynae tomorrow or that is just when your dr will refer you? Fingers crossed it all goes through quickly for you!
aliceb
Posted
Sorry to hear about your long wait - it's awful being in the dark; life is just on hold isn't it?
Beccy53756
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Yes it's a pain because I am so worried. With any luck I will know pretty quickly what they think of everything after the MRI!
aliceb
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aliceb
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Montreal
Posted
I m sorry about your long wait....Wish you good luck for your appointment tomorrow,
Could you please tell me which blood test you did ... My ultrasound says that my large cyst may be an
endometrioma but is not a final diagnosis ... I know for fact that CA 125 is not option for me since I'm 25
weeks pregnant.
aliceb
Posted