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Mam needing a little help with her daughter

Posted , 5 users are following.

Esmoz
Esmoz

Hello, hoping someone may be able to help, reassure or give some experience in relation to my daughter.

Nearly 16 she's still not started her periods so I took her to the Drs, her hormone levels were low the first round of blood tests, and a scan revealed a 10cm/8cm dermoid on her right ovary, which is actually right in the centre of her body.

She's developed as I'd expect, has mood swings, and very very rare, a little streak not like normal discharge.

They repeated the blood test and it showed "normal" hormone levels.

Booked in to have it removed mid July, after her GCSE's.

The consultant was a little confused by her hormone levels as she would expect very high hormone levels as the dermoids screet estrogen ino the blood stream apparently?

My other question/ponder....could the cyst be crushing her womb not allowing a proper lining to go on that you'd then lose in a period.

There is so much uncertainty in regards to whether her other ovary is working correctly, or whether the pituitary gland has picked up on the dermoid and has stopped producing estrogen.

Any advice, would be appreciated in regards to her fertility. The consultants are brilliant, but have no clue what else could be the problem. So anyone's experiences may just reassure me....

thanks for reading all my rambles, best wishes,

One very concerned Mam x

2 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • margie1982
    margie1982 Esmoz

    Posted

    Hello.

    I am sorry you and your daughter are going through this.

    I am 34 and have suffered with dermoid cysts since I was about your daughters age!

    I had an ovary removed due to a large dermoid (the size of a grapefruit) during my second birth, a c-section, at 28 years old.

    Honestly, I never missed a period at all while I had the cyst or after the ovary was removed.

    As far as the dermoids secreting estrogen, I don't think that it's necessarily true, cause I have also had hormones tested and they are all normal completely...and like I said, I am 34!

    I found out years after my ovary removal, that my remaining ovary also has a dermoid. It is smaller and my ovary still works, so my fertility specialist and I have decided to leave it alone until we are done having children. I have been pregnant three times and have a great ovarian reserve, with one missing ovary and a dermoid on the other!

    In my personal experience, the dermoid cysts never crushed my womb at all, or prevented a period. If she has another ovary, it should pick the slack if one is not working.

    Are you able to see a fertility specialist? My regular on/gym wasn't a ton of help, but a fertility specialist was a ton of help!

    Please have faith that her fertility will be okay. Dermoids do not usually affect fertility! Hang in there!

    • Esmoz
      Esmoz margie1982

      Posted

      Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, they've said because she's not 16 yet they can not fully investigate her not starting her periods just yet. However on the surgery consent form they've asked for permission to insert a speculum to look for abnormalities on her womb etc.

      She's been developing since she was 11ish, she's not under or over weight, her estrogen levels were virtually none existent on her first blood tests, then the second they were almost in the normal range, so they are genuinely puzzled as to why she hasn't started her periods, they've said after surgery, once her body adjusts they will start further investigation after 6 months.

      It just seems like such a distant date to get answers for her about her fertility, all while trying to sit her high school exams and dealing with anxiety, not to mention all of the other difficulties 15 year olds face.

      If there is anyone out there who has'nt had periods with them, but then started after removal I'd really appreciate some possible reasons...

    • bobbysgirl
      bobbysgirl Esmoz

      Posted

      Ooops! I saw your original post on the summary page before you had any answers. I now see you have had replies. But what I said still stands.
  • sanya11314
    sanya11314 Esmoz

    Posted

    The estrogen production of dermoid cysts is a fairly new study and some seem some do, some don't. There is no way to know prior surgery/histology and follow up afterwards, what the influence of that cysts was. Usually a follicular cysts is known to produce excess estrogen....not dermoid, hence not listed under hormone producing bening tumor.

    Hormones fluctuate all the time and it needs good often follow ups. It seems your daughter is very close to her menarche though if once estrogen could be measured. ?

    It's a guessing game until this is removed, healed and then given time (as the surgery can muck up even a normal functioning cycle anyway) and see what happens.

    Her pituitary gland could be looked at via non-invasive MRI and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), LH, FSH in blood, which influence estrogen production in ovaries.

    Good luck with the removal of the dermoid cyst!!! All all the best and that the physical removal of a squeezing dermoid is all it needed!

    • sanya11314
      sanya11314

      Posted

      PS I had a dermoid, but with 29, after years of PCO finally a normal working cycle and bang, a dermoid. Hair, nerves, bones and all, but not really muddling up my cycle.
  • Ellie1943
    Ellie1943 Esmoz

    Posted

    I'm sure she will be ok after the surgery. Some girls don't don't start their periods until up to 18 as my mother in law did. She had 3 children.  My daughters were 14 and 15, myself 11 so lots of difference even within the family. Maybe the exam stress has put them back a bit, doesn't take much to upset hormone levels. Hopefully, after they're finished and surgery done she will start them. My grandaughter had a dermoid removed when she was about 21 and is now funtioning normally and she has Cystic Fibrosis which can affect lots of bodily functions. Try to make sure she doesn't get stressed as far as possible but most teenagers do at exam times. 'Stay calm and carry on' as the saying goes. rolleyes

  • bobbysgirl
    bobbysgirl Esmoz

    Posted

    Hi 'concerned mam'

    I see you have had no replies to your concerns, that must be very disheartening for you.

    I have no experience of this problem, but my husband's elder daughter went through a bad time with something similar.

    She had PSOS. Her doctor said her hormones were 'normal'. But she was overweight from an early age (her sister is slim to the point of skinny) and she had a lot of facial hair

    About a year ago her sister took her in hand and with a significant change in diet (not 'dieting' as such) the weight fell off and the facial hair vanished. She is a different woman!

    I am not saying this is the same as your daughter's problem, just that the doctors got it wrong. It IS hormone related. That cyst sounds like it is messing with her hormones and the sooner it is gone, the better!

    I hope everything works out alright for your daughter and that she gets through her exams OK.

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