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Recently diagnosed with 24cm mass in lower abdomen/pelvic area - advise?

Posted , 8 users are following.

justfromerica
justfromerica

Hi everyone,

I went to the doctor this past Thursday for a general check up and to get a perscription for some anxiety medication. When he was feeling my stomach, he said it felt like one of my organs might be enlarged, and booked me an ultrasound the following morning. So on Friday, I had my ultrasound and he determined that I had a 24cm mass in my lower abdomen/pelvic area. He mentioned it being a large cyst on my uterus, but couldn't tell for sure. I went and did a CT scan, and I'm hoping to have the results back this week, I plan to call tomorow morning.

With what I've been reading, it sounds like this is likely a dermatoid ovarian cyst.

I had no pain or discomfort. I noticed my belly had gotten bigger but like most other people, chalked it up to a bit of weight gain in that area. Now that I'm actually feeling it, it's definitely swollen and "hard" not fat.

Obviously 24cm is a large cyst, and it will need to come out. I've never had surgery before, and it took a lot out of me just to get blood taken/injected with dye intervenously for my CT scan, so to say I'm nervous is an understatement. I also assume they can't tell if it's cancerous or not until they send it for a biopsy?

I've also seen people mention to ask for a gylencologic oncologist for a surgeron. I live in the US and have insurance down here but I'm from Canada and I'm wondering if I should just opt to go back to Canada for the surgery. I'm not sure, in regards to cost, what to expect.

I'm 24, and this all seems so surreal. Any advise appreciated.

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  • BeenthereSr
    BeenthereSr justfromerica

    Posted

    Don't beat yourself up. The abdomen can hide many things. No one knew I was pregnant unless I told them and when I went to the hospital to deliver they didn't want to check me in because they didn't believe I was pregnant. Even tho my Dr. had called in to advise of my arrival!

    These things progress gradually and without pain can be dismissed as weight gain, monthly bloat, etc. My Drs. dismissed my issues and said I was 'just' constipated. That was a primary complaint but not the actual problem. Soft tissue problems are difficult to diagnose even with classic symptoms that can be one of several non-gynecological problems. Many GPs run down those lists of treatments before they start on the list of gynecological problems.

    With regard to anesthesia for me it's the best sleep ever. I've been put under several times and each time when they wake me up I want to be left to sleep. That sweet deep drowsiness is euphoric for someone who is a light sleeper and easily disturbed. You have no sense of time and once awake I feel like I am totally rejuvenated. Tho short lived it's wonderful. Some people have reactions to anesthesia but they say get up and moving to help flush your system. So look forward to a peaceful sleep and a few weeks of reading those books, magazines, or binge watching the shows you never have time for. Rest when you tire and walk a couple times a day and plenty of fluids and you'll be feeling chipper in no time.

    • justfromerica
      justfromerica BeenthereSr

      Posted

      Thank you. I'm a light sleeper too. Can you really feel rested though if it feels like you fall asleep only to open your eyes a few seconds later? Haha!

      I'm so scared of going under but feeling the surgery happen etc a bunch of irrational stuff.

    • BeenthereSr
      BeenthereSr justfromerica

      Posted

      Focus on things you enjoy. Use your adrenaline to your advantage. Watch your favorite hysterical movie, listen to your favorite soothing music. Clean out the closet that's nagging you. (You won't able to when you get home and it'll taunt you mire then cause you'll have the time) Walk somewhere you find makes you happy. Me botanical garden or the river in the park.

      Don't let the fear eat at you. In hind sight I got so consumed and it was such a waste. I was told I had cancer, I didn't. I was so worried my fears all unfounded. The pain, manageable. The hospital noisy, took ear plugs. Catheter, meant I didn't have to get out of bed (ouch) 20 times a day to pee. Woohoo. Removal of catheter, not painful.

    • BeenthereSr
      BeenthereSr justfromerica

      Posted

      So whatever you're freaking out about is worse than what actually is going to happen. Get the nagging things handled before surgery so you can relax, mend, and enjoy your time off. It passes quickly, as time does. Then when you're recovered you will have more focus and appreciation for your renewed health.

    • justfromerica
      justfromerica BeenthereSr

      Posted

      That's a great outlook, thanks!

      Do they put the catheter in while you're awake?

    • BeenthereSr
      BeenthereSr justfromerica

      Posted

      No, after you're under. I didn't even notice it the first day. But then I realized I didn't have that sudden urge to pee all the time. Ah. It was not fun having to drag it around when I walked the halls but I just submitted to it. Most of the other patients had them so who cares. It didn't hurt when they took it out either. Just weird. Again, only temporary, this too shall pass. Also, take your stretchy comfy clothes or a loose dress for going home. Nothing that puts pressure on your abdomen. I had shorts with a front zipper. So dumb, wasn't thinking. Poke, poke, poke right on the incision.

  • Misskiss
    Misskiss justfromerica

    Posted

    Hi I just had the same thing happen to myself. I am 25 years old from Canada. I also had no pain just a hard stomach went for two ultrasounds and a MRI and was told I had a 23cm left ovarian cyst that was fluid filled. I just had my surgery in June. They told me it was a possibilty that they would have to remove my left ovary if it was damaged by the cyst. They did my surgery laparoscopic so I only had 4 small insicions. They were able to drain my cyst and remove it through my bellybutton. They also were able to keep my ovaries. Since the cyst was so large once they drained it they found out it wasnt even attached to my ovary, it was on tissues around my left fallopian tube. I had to stay in the hospital only one day due to too much drainage from the site. Pain was tolerable with the prescription meds and I was fully recoved in a week. They sent it out to lab to see if it was cancerous but it wasnt. Being from Canada surgery was completly free, I was referred to gynocologist and he performed the surgery. Getting that cyst removed was the best thing ever I feel completly different. It being 23cm they ended up draining 4.5L of fluid and I dropped 10lbs. Any other questions let me know.

     

    • justfromerica
      justfromerica Misskiss

      Posted

      Hi,

      How long before you got in for your surgery from when you were diagnosed?

      I had called around to see if it would be worth it to go to Canada but a lot of the wait times seemed like it wouldn't make a difference given that I would have financial help in the US anyways to pay for the surgery. Also they referred me as "Urgent" to the Gyno Oncologist given that mine is so large at 26cm so they must think I shouldn't wait very long for it to come out.

    • Misskiss
      Misskiss justfromerica

      Posted

      Well I first seen just a regular family doctor who sent me for my first ultrasound and then referred me to the gynocologist which I got in about two weeks later and they wanted to do my surgery the next month. So it would have been like a 4 week wait to get the surgery done. But I was in school at the time and asked to wait 3 extra months before my surgery so I could be done with school. So my second ultrasound and MRI were just to make sure it was'nt growing rapidly while I waited, and the doctor didnt see an issue with me waiting.

  • aged-too-fast
    aged-too-fast justfromerica

    Posted

    Wow, that's some cyst! Most ovarian cysts are benign and the fact that it's fluid filled is even better. The ovaries as well as the uterus are needed our whole lives. The ovaries produce health promoting hormones for decades past menopause protecting our hearts, brains, bones, eyes / vision, metabolism, muscles, skin, sexual function, etc. Removal of any one part, even one ovary, can disrupt the entire system. Large cysts can encapsulate the ovary which is almond sized. But a surgeon with good cystectomy skills can shell the ovary out of the cyst.

    The CA125 test isn't useful at diagnosing ovarian cancer. Inflammation can cause an elevated result. I know women who've had very high CA125 results from benign ovarian cysts.

    I wish I had not let fear take over when I was diagnosed with a 9cm ovarian cyst. It ended up being benign but my surgeon removed parts anyway which has been extremely life-shattering. A frozen section was done while I was in the operating room showing that the cyst was benign. He should have sewn me back up and sent me to recovery. But he continued removing parts knowing that wasn't necessary. I doubt this would happen to you being only 24 but I know many other women who've been over-treated / organs removed unnecessarily. This isn't to scare you but make you aware so you can get proper treatment. Read the surgical consent form very carefully and modify it and have the surgeon sign off as needed.

    Best of luck. Please keep us posted.

    • didi1956
      didi1956 aged-too-fast

      Posted

      agedtofast can I ask how old you are did they removed both ovarys?
  • justfromerica
    justfromerica

    Posted

    2nd Update: They got me in for a consult with a surgeon this Thursday morning. Marked my case as somewhat urgent I guess given the size of the cyst, as it usually takes at least a week to get in for a consult.
    • didi1956
      didi1956 justfromerica

      Posted

      justofromerica Good news now write down all your questions anything you can think of. Keep us updated please thinking good thoughts for you biggrin

    • justfromerica
      justfromerica didi1956

      Posted

      Thank you! The Dr. is over an hour away so I have to leave fairly early tomorrow AM. Will not be driving so I shall write down my questions on the way. smile

    • aged-too-fast
      aged-too-fast justfromerica

      Posted

      Best of luck with tomorrow's appointment! If you have a copy of pertinent medical records and they weren't sent by your other doctor, be sure to take those with you. And of course a list of questions as others mentioned.

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