Coping with Ovarian Cyst(s)

Argh I'm so frustrated! The GP has not made my referral today despite the receptionist chasing him about it. I understand they have other patients to see and referral lists are just one of their jobs around clinic but ffs why does it have to take so long?? The lovely receptionist gave me a nurse practitioner appt first thing tomorrow as they can make referrals so hopefully that will actually get the ball rolling. The hospital won't do anything without the referral. The gynae department has an average 4 week waiting list from GP referral to appointment (first appointment) and I have no idea how they prioritise lists, or indeed how long the waiting list is at the moment. The thought of 4 more weeks of this is seriously distressing

Argh that's so frustrating!! Good that they have got you in so soon tomorrow though.

If it helps, I was referred by my GP on March 6th and then I had my gynae appointment on March 13th so only a week later. Hopefully it will be as quick for you??

Maybe tomorrow you should make a real point of crying or something so she puts in URGENT for you

Hi Beccy, Thanks for the message. Crying won't be a problem at all I'm on the point of tears anyway the emotions will brim over at the drop of a hat! Hopefully I'll get a week (or less!) wait like you too. That's what I kind of thought I might get from previous experience of same size cyst, but it was 2012 and triaged via A&E admission so I wonder whether that made/makes a difference. I can totally understand why people get fed up with GPs and go to A&E for anything and everything! I won't go unless a genuine emergency and even when I had the urinary retention and NHS direct told me to go straight to A&E I cried that I had to go! At least like you say I have an appt first thing so should get the referral tomorrow (fingers crossed!)

Oh you poor thing. It's horrible isn't it and the waiting and not knowing only makes it worse!!

I hope you get seen quickly, everything has been quite speedy for me.

You are so right about a&e as well. It's a bloody joke sometimes. I have never been for myself as I think the same as you, only a genuine emergency but everyone else has other ideas. Maybe we are missing a trick

I finally have the referral! The ANP said it shouldn't be long and she would put in the referral about the pain and unable to medicate due to breastfeeding as she seemed to think this would speed things up. She thought it would in no more than 2 weeks but obviously couldn't guarantee anything. She did say when going through the scan results "So, you have a small cyst" which was confusing. I thought she was joking but she was deadpan about it. I couldn't remember the exact measurements but it was about 8.2x4.5x4.3cm. I think that is pretty large! They can obviously go larger, the last one was larger, but I thought anything over 5/6cm was considered large. Anyway, it might make me a good candidate for keyhole this time round which would be the best outcome possible. Can't wait to get me date through now. I think if that was the consult and consent procedure at the GP it should be straightforward referral to surgery without pointless additional appointments necessary at the hospital. I'm signed off work now anyway until surgery so it's just coping with the pain at home.

Brilliant! That is such great news Alice - really happy for you They told me it could take up to three weeks but it only took a week. I think they have to give you top end of time that it CAN take.

I thought that you were right on the cyst size. My GP told me that anything about 5cm was large.

Did you have open last time then.... did she say what type of cyst it was? xx

Yup I had open last time as it was so large. They originally said they would start with keyhole and get me to consent for open if they needed to convert to see more but before op said actually they would need to do open. Recovery was really long. I didn't get any infection or anything but a day after staples were out I sneezed and bust the wound open!:S It's a simple fluid filled cyst but they didn't tell me the type exactly.

OMG, the staples/sneezing incident sounds horrific. Do you have much of a scar?

If yours was open, I am starting to think that I am going to need open too as the last time it was measured was March 3rd at 12cm by 9cm and it is definitely much bigger now. I am a size 10 and it is really protruding so I can notice it changing really obviously.

It is complex (mostly fluid but there are some solid areas.) If they cant get your simple fluid cyst out under keyhole there is not much hope for me and my solid bits Were your ovaries affected or anything? Maybe that is why they did open? xx

I think it also depends on the surgeon and their preference too Beccy although I think if was operating I would want to see properly too... Part of the issue was the ultrasound scans didn't show a huge amount of detail around the ovary so they didn't really know the extent of what they were dealing with I think. My ovary was perfectly fine after - very little scarring/damage if any. If you have open surgery and need to sneeze after staples/stitches come out you need to literally hold yourself together!! This I did not know! The wound just opened up a couple of mm (no bleeding) and the nurse steristripped it back together but the scar where it opened up is a few mm wide now whereas the edges on my hips are very faded. My midwife last year said the scar I had was the worst she'd seen in a while and she'd seen a lot of c sections! Mine was wonky to start with before the sneezing incident - it looked like the surgeon literally just slashed me open and got on with it! I hope you get a more perfectionist surgeon if they go for open! Although I would prefer they paid attention to the ovary than the cosmetic skin surface area if I had to choose!

You are totally right on that front.....scarring is interesting once it is healed anyway but I don't want to be mutliated I am going to be forever frightened of sneezing too now lol

I am frightened that it is growing and I am going so slowly through the process. Did you not have an MRI or CT scan?

I just had my MRI today so hopefully they will have a good view of what's going on xx

Aw sorry I frightened you about sneezing!! Just remember to literally hold the scar together if you're fresh out of the staples/stitches! A week or so after it wouldn't have been a problem I reckon it was just that small window when wound has just closed but not very strong.

No, I didn't have an MRI or CT this time or last - just ultrasound both times.

Haha that's ok.... Hopefully I will forget about it by then!!!

Even more hopefully, I can have keyhole

Maybe it will help that I have had an MRI, as at least that means they can see everything!!

Still scary tho. Keeping my fingers crossed you hear something soon on your appointment!!! :D

It is scary stuff is major surgery. I got really panciked before they took me in last time. I hadn't slept much the previous nights leading up to it through worry and pain and when they took my obs they said wow your heartrate is very high do you want a sedative? Take all the drugs they offer is my advice!

Also aromatherapy baths I have (re)discovered. Camomile and lavender are generally good relaxers but ovarian cysts specifically these pure essential oils are recommended.

There's also been some studies done that ginger, spearmint, peppermint and cardamon help

Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the links as we do not publish links to selling sites and one of the links did not work. Please use the private message facility to exchange these links if required.

Oh I could use a sedative now let alone waiting until surgery! lol

Were you in much pain when you came around? Did you stay in hospital long?

Shame that the links have been removed by the moderator

Does your sentence go on to show the recommended oils or are you saying camomile and lavender are good for them? Sorry, I am not sure what the moderator has removed!

Any news on your appointment? Thanks for all your advice by the way...!

No news on appt. I'm wondering how long to wait before phoning the appt centre to see if I have a date. I'm presuming the referral has arrived at the hospital by now, but I'm not sure how they allocate theatre slots. A lot of it is all centralised at the appt centre but I don't know if they make the lists or whether the surgeons do based on clinical need etc. I was going to see if anything came through in the post by Friday and phone through then if not... if I can be that patient!

Tramadol works well as a sedative. Are you prescribed anything at the moment?

I think when I came round I still had a lot of painkillers in my system. I had a spinal block and I'm pretty sure that was still working initially but I was also dosed up well during hospital stay and sent home with a big bag of painkillers and anti inflammatories and then the GP prescribed more tramadol. I had to inject myself with something for about 5 days after discharge from hospital - maybe something to do with DVT risk from surgery. Also you get sexy compression stockings to wear for weeks The drugs were good - not much pain. The most noticebale thing is lack of mobility. You just physically can't do things like sit up - you have to roll out of bed! It's very strange. Also I seem to remember I can't sleep on my side for a bit. When you get fully mobile again it's brilliant. You can still feel it for weeks after though. It was more numbness and lack of muscle strength than pain I think (with the painkillers that is).

The links were to a research article and a site that said cypress, rose geranium and frankincense essential oils were good for ovarian cysts but you can just google it and other sites will give you similar combination recommendations. I'm not sure how much they help but they smell nice at least!