Horrendous periods-is the dermoid to blame?
Posted , 3 users are following.
I've been on here before-had a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy a month ago to look for endometriosis and possibly remove a dermoid cyst. The surgeon did not find any endometriosis and decided not to remove my 4cm dermoid cyst, as he said it was small and may not be causing my symptoms and didn't want to damage my ovary. I had told him I had no plans for children and I am 36 but he seemed to think I might change my mind...! Realise that ovaries are important for hormones and the left one is apparently completely healthy.
I'm now in the middle of my usual horrendous period. Put fresh towel on, sat on the sofa for less than an hour and got up having soaked through knickers, towel, fleecy jogging bottoms and made a mess of the sofa. This can't be normal. I teach children and am also an a fitness instructor so I can't just go to the toilet whenever and so this often stops me being able to work completely. As well as this, I'm in awful pain for at least two days of my period to the point that I have to get on my hands and knees and often feel nauseous too. I've tried tranexamic acid, mefenamic acid and 4 different contraceptive pills (which I had to come off, as my blood pressure went way too high). Feel like doctors don't take you seriously, even though I constantly have to take iron tablets, as the heavy bleeding makes me anemic.
Has anyone else experienced these symptoms from a dermoid cyst? Is the pain only in that area? My pain is mainly general pelvic and back pain, although I also feel it where my ovary is. I found the whole surgery stressful but I don't want to put up with this forever. Thinking of getting a second opinion but reluctant to go through it all again for nothing!
Would be really interested to hear other people's experiences with small dermoid a. Did you have similar symptoms? Was it better if you had it removed?
Thank you!
0 likes, 3 replies
shelley_68789 clare86136
Posted
Hello, I have a small cyst on my right ovary (measured 2.5cm about 6 weeks ago and had grown fractionally about a fortnight ago) they said they think it's a dermoid cyst but have to go and get another MRI to get a better look at it. My periods have been pretty horrendous lately! They've always been heavy, but for the last 6 months they've been pretty much as you described ;( I use reusable towels (allergies prevent me from wearing normal ones or tampons) and about 4 months ago on the second day of my period I had to change a towel
4 times in an hour, 1 of those times I also had a moon cup in ;( I'm exhausted when I have my period, and I'm in pain in general, but it is considerably worse around my period! I don't think I have a particularly low pain threshold-it takes a lot for me to take a painkiller for anything! The pain on a normal day is just a slight cramps pain with almost nipping feelings in my lower right abdominal and in a bad day it's excruciating and feels like someone is ripping my insides and even standing upright is difficult. I've been admitted to hospital on numerous occasions, because of the severity of the pain, and on the last occasion they'd decided they were going to operate as I was having so many issues, but then at the last moment decided not to as the consultant that came on in the morning felt that a cyst that small shouldn't cause so many issues and didn't want to risk surgery! I had an appendectomy 2 years ago and have been left with major bowel issues ;( I'm a nursery manager and understand where you're coming from regarding work-I'm fortunate I can usually go to the bathroom often enough to change etc, but barely managing to stand and crying in the toilet because painkillers aren't helping is just not ok! My blood work always shows anemia/borderline anaemia and my inflammatory markers are always elevated. I'm on tranexamic acid and it's helping with the severity of bleeding, but feel a bit like it's only treating one small symptom rather than the cause if you know what I mean? I really hope you manage to get somewhere with the Drs and that they help you! It sounds like you're feeling as frustrated as I am! I sometimes wish they could be a fly on the wall when I'm a howling mess, doubled over, or that they seen me the day my poor parents found me lying on the floor crying and I had no idea how long I'd been there for! I just want a normal life and will happily do that minus a cyst (and ovary if that's what it takes!). Have you found anything that soothes the pain? I really hate taking painkillers because of the effect they have on my bowel but I can't live with the level of pain when it's at it's worst! So sorry for the super-long message, I just completey identified with your message! X
sanya11314 clare86136
Posted
One would think a dermoid (not simple) cyst was removed anyway once doing surgery and being there already.
It's never going to shrink or disappear, but can grow. Hello?
Also who knows if it was a dermoid cyst, how was this diagnose made without histology after cutting it out? Everything else than histology is speculation, 'most likely' - yes, but definite - no.
I had a dermoid cyst at 29 prior child wish, nice teratoma with hair, brain cells, bones and everything, and no menstrual bleeding issues
or pain.
Was fully silent and only found thanks to a prophylactic ultrasound entitlement accidentally in Europe (unheard in Australia, once has to wait until too late).
So in my case the 9cm cyst did nothing regarding symptoms to me.
Also ovary could be saved and getting pregnant was no whatsoever problem after dermoid cystectomy for me personally.
But I guess everybody is different, locations are different where cysts press against other tissue or nerves regarding pain.
How it should cause more bleeding during menstruation as a dermoid cyst, is a mystery to me, even if it squeezed ovary tissue, influencing the estrogene level.
hm, doesn't quite make sense and sounds like an additional issue?, but then again, in medicine there is nothing impossible.
(Friends of mine have bleeding issues and no complex cyst in ovaries, so, this can happen as an additional 'feature'
Very dismissive doc you had.
You need a second opinion regarding your bleeding issue, if it was hormonal, if it was endometrium layer in uterus itself not bleeding off completely or whatever it could be, also second opinion about cyst and monitorin or removing it.
You don't need to go for a laparoscopy straight away to find out about the bleeding issue, ultrasounds, blood tests should give really good clues what was going on, but I think at a point your complex cyst will need to come out, too, if it had something to do with the bleeding or not.
Best of luck!!
sanya11314
Posted
I didn't make a smily....I had a ' and brackets and voila: converted into a smily. It didn't think it was that funny that some of my friends bleed so strongly, that they need blood transfusions, not only iron infusions.