Ovarian Cyst 23 cm ( 9.5 inch )

Hi Ruth,

I was only advised 2 weeks before the cyst was removed that I was to have a hysterectomy as well. I had read on many websites that fast growing ovarian cysts in older women are likely to be cancerous, but not necessarily.

I was advised that if I did have any cancer it would be in the uterus area and it would be better to have a hysterectomy at the same time, to ensure it's completely cut out. Otherwise post surgery if the biopsys in this area are shown to contain cancer I would then need to return for further surgery and in this time it would have spread further.

With this explanation I accepted the surgeons advice. I was told post surgery that there was no evidence of cancer and the surgeon was sure he hadn't seen any and I was given the all clear.

But since then the report of the biopsys has now shown that there was just the start of cancer but it has been completely removed with the hysterectomy. The surgeon said it was caught just in time, gave me the all clear and said to crack open the champagne to celebrate.

So in essence I would advise you to accept the advice on a hysterectomy, as the ovaries are of little use post menopausal, so don't worry about losing those bits and pieces.

I am also shocked at the size of your cyst, it must be very uncomfortable for you. Let's hope you don't have too long to wait for your much needed surgery.

Since my op 2 and a half weeks ago I have seen a small improvement every day, feel much better in myself, and have now lost a total of 20lbs.

Please keep in touch I would really like to know how you get on.

Ann XX

Dear Ann

Thank you so very much for this helpful response - I was coming round to the conclusion that the hysterectomy was right. My problem has been almost totally around communication and the chance to discuss things with competent clinicians - still ist!!! Have now been offered a choice of surgeons, partly because you wait longer for the top guy. I hope the senior Macmillan nurse will help me through this one tomorrow.

But yes, it was enormous and even with 13 litres drained out my knees are less painful and I don't look (quite) as if I'm carrying triplets.

Thank you so much again tor telling me your case - am so very glad for you that your surgery nipped in the bud the cancerous cells. Fantastic. Will let you know how the surgery goes

Best regards and hope your recovery continues speedily

Ruth

Ruth

I had a total abdo hysterectomy for large ovarian dermoid cyst 7 weeks ago. It measured 27x 22 cm and

amazingly l had no symptoms other than tiredness!

I had rapid surgery and have generally felt better immediately. People told me within a week l looked better although l did not think I was unwell!

The surgeon indicated as a dermoid cyst it was v unlikely to be malignant but in view of age (51) do a total

Hysterectomy as gold standard of treatment just in case.

The other reassuring message I had from other medic friends was that something v large and fluid filled is

Unlikely to be malignant . The general thought was if it was that big it would have killed you by now!

Oestrogen only hrt ( which is what we are offered post hyst) appears to have many benefits. There seem to

be fewish downsides especially if you are offered low dose patches. Gynae ( top man in The christie hospital manchester) indicated this type of hrt v worthwhile for 2 years. He also suggested all its work complete by age 56.

Going to see him tonight so will post any other gems l glean.

Last thought. I read from another site that getting off the morphine after 24-48 hrs really helped post op. the more you move the better as it gets all your systems working again quickly. So keep walking up and down corridor and switch to oral pain relief quickish to speed recovery if you can.

Good luck and you will likely feel great post op. once you have recovered from surgery. Something that large with own blood supply etc is very exhausting!

Rachel

Hi Girls,

this thread is soooooo reassuring I have an ovarian cyst which is 23cm x 20cm is of mixed matter.

I only noticed it because after many years of being over weight decided to do something about it, lost a stone and a half but didn't lose a millimetre from around my stomach (most disheartening) and because i'm only 4ft 10 inches it suddenly became more prominent, so went to the doctors.

I'm 46 (on Sunday) and they're advising that I have a vertical incision down my tummy to remove it and they also advise that to lower my risks to have a full hysterectomy, which I'm fine with, never wanted children and

hate my painful periods anyway.

I'm just wondering what state my stomach will be in and if i'll ever get it into shape, as I've had this thing for a

long time and hope I'm not left with a sagging empty sack of flesh where the cyst has been living quite

comfortably? any advice would be greatly received

Hi Girls,

this thread is soooooo reassuring I have an ovarian cyst which is 23cm x 20cm is of mixed matter.

I only noticed it because after many years of being over weight decided to do something about it, lost a stone and a half but didn't lose a millimetre from around my stomach (most disheartening) and because i'm only 4ft 10 inches it suddenly became more prominent, so went to the doctors.

I'm 46 (on Sunday) and they're advising that I have a vertical incision down my tummy to remove it and they also advise that to lower my risks to have a full hysterectomy, which I'm fine with, never wanted children and

hate my painful periods anyway.

I'm just wondering what state my stomach will be in and if i'll ever get it into shape, as I've had this thing for a

long time and hope I'm not left with a sagging empty sack of flesh where the cyst has been living quite

comfortably? any advice would be greatly received

Hi there.

My surgeon told me there was no reason 7 weeks on why l could not exercise exactly as I wanted. In fact he indicated l could do anything l wanted. Of course you should be guided by your own gynae.

I did have a vertical incision and often they have to do this to get it out whole and intact.

There is therefore often not much choice as far as l can see regarding cut type!

There may be some excess skin post op but it depends. Guess if exercise does not do it then there is always plastic surgery...

The main thing is health of course and l have definitely put my bikini days behind me. !

Mine space was filled rather rapidly with food during my rehab which l do regret.

I have a friend who had similar and lost 22 lbs immediately post op . Not sure on skin looks but with clothes she looks amazing.

Good luck

Rachel

Thanks Rachel,

I was hoping to be able to wear a bikini again hence the diet, but thats the least of my worries, getting it out is the most important, i'll just have to deal with whats left afterwards.

Got a date through 4th September............ seeing the surgeon on Thursday so i'll find out the exactly whats going and how

x

Hi Kazreeeen,

It's now 5 and half weeks since my large cyst removal and hysterectomy surgery was done.

I too was worried about my shape after surgery. So before surgery I decided to rub in loads of Bio-Oil into my belly to prevent stretch marks.

I am still doing this as it's certainly helping to reduce the extra loose skin, and all this area is firming up nicely. I massage it in twice a day, and only have a few stretch marks either side of the incision.

Now I am more active I will be able to exercise this area more and hopefully I will have a totally flat belly.

Although I lost 16lbs immediately after surgery, when I got home I lost another 5lbs once I had got over my constipation problems.

I have kept the weight off for the time being, but don't know if I can manage much longer on small portions of cakes and chocolate.

I agree with Rachel about coming off the morphine asap after surgery. I had an epidural and the following day it came out of my back and soaked the bed. Same thing happened to the girl in the bed next to me about an hour later.

It was a while before I could have any other pain relief but as soon as I was on co-codamol I was fine.

Ann XX

Hi Ann,

How big was yours? mines mahoosive on a little frame, the morphine sounds hideous.

A friend of mine has also told me about a cream and an oral scar treatment called Arnaka which is supposed to help the healing process inside and out, she used it when she had a c section.

x

Kaz

Hi Kaz,

My cyst grew very fast I was aware something was wrong in mid April, but have only just had my op on 12th July. I am 5'6" tall medium frame , weighed 11 stone 2 before the op, now I am 9 stone 9. Before this growth I was usually around 10 stone 4. I looked like I was pregnant with twins when I went in for surgery. Not a good look as I am 62.

It measured 11 X 10 X 5 inches at my CT scan 3 weeks before the op. It grew so fast that I had trouble breathing as it was growing up to my ribs pressing on my lungs.

Also it pressed hard against my stomach, so I had difficulty eating as it felt as though I had a gastric band fitted. So I could only eat a small amount at each meal.

The first benefit I felt after the op was that breathing was easier and I could fill my lungs with air for the first time in weeks.

Arnika cream is good too and so is Palmers Cocoa butter skin therapy oil. Whatever is the cheapest I go for as I'm using quite a lot of it.

Ann XX

Hi kaz

I guess all our experiences are different. I am 52 and had a very large cyst 27cm x 22cm with no real symptoms at all. I did feel a bit full after eating as Ann describes but fortunately none of the other things she experienced which must have been awful.

It is really important to use the post op pain relief which is good with the patient controlled analgesia ie morphine so do use it well and as needed. It's excellent and meant to be used. L think the main tHing is not to be dependant on it for more than 48 hrs if poss as it slows the bowel from working normally again.

I think good to use initially then get onto the oral support after 48 hrs or so and move as much as possible.

If offered gentle laxative - take it. Constipation is to be avoided!

I actually had 2 suppositories at 3 days but laxative would do same.

Good luck

Rachel

Hi everyone, I am new to all of this, but would like to thank all of you for all the comments. I am a 25 year old female, who enjoyed dancing, going to gym etc, until couple of weeks ago, I suddenly noticed the left side of my tummy was swollen, very swollen and rock solid. After visiting my go and going through the whole embarrassment of explaining I was NOT pregnant, I had to take myself to A&E to discover I have a cyst attached to my ovary, which is 42cm by 20 something, so fairly big I think. It is so uncomfortable and painful as it is pushing on my organs. I am seeing consultant tomorrow to find out results from CT scan then hopefully get surgery ASAP!!!

Safe to say I am quite worried, but reading all these lovely comments has certainly put my mind at ease about the surgery, so thank you :D and hopefully will get rid of this big boy soon :D

Hi Linzi,

Yes you are sensible not to worry about the surgery, you won't know anything about it. There has been lots of discussions about morphine during the op and for the first 24-48 hours.

But I wasn't offered this , instead the anaesthetist came to see me several hours before surgery. He was advising me to go for an epidural, as in his opinion it was the best for pain relief. I didn't know what to do because when I had my daughter some 34 years ago it wasn't such a popular option, so I hadn't had one then.

Many mothers had at the time suffered back pain after an epidural so I was a bit concerned. But after talking it through with staff at the hospital, they all persuaded me to go with the epidural, so I did. The anaesthetist said that if I didn't suffer with back pain before surgery, then I wouldn't have any back pain after the epidural.

But sadly he was wrong, I do have back ache, not every day, but every other day on average. It's a nuisance as I have to take a couple of pain killers to take the edge off . I am hopeful this will go in time.

The main reason for me replying to you is to urge you to try to speed things up wherever you can. If you are waiting for an appointment, don't wait, phone the hospital every day to ask if you can get a cancelled appt. This will move you up the waiting list and in the end your op will be sooner.

It's not much fun carrying that heavy load around and you will feel much better after surgery, there is nothing at all to fear. Everything that is done to you will feel no more than a feint scratch, believe me it's true.

Ann XX

I AM 59 AND JUST HAD ONE REMOVED AND ALSO A HYSTERECTOMY. LOTS OF PAIN BUT FEEL BETTER. CAN FINALLY BEND AND TOUCH MY TOES. GO AHEAD AND GET IT DONE