Aa
Pre-op ultrasound - SURPRISE
Well, I had my pre-op ultrasound today for a 6 cm complex mass on my remaining ovary. I had a CAT scan done several weeks ago, and they have been unable to determine what type of growth it is.
The technician is allowed to talk (thank God), and told me that she absolutely couldn't find it! She said that the ovary is now visible - it had been entirely consumed by the cyst in previous tests. There is only a large mark/hole/remnant where the cyst was. :)
I was not expecting that at all - what a surprise! I spoke to the Dr. immediately afterwards, fully expecting the surgery to be canceled. She said that she has seen this happen only a few times in large complex/solid cysts, it's hard to say if it burst, leaked, or simply collapsed on itself. I asked her what we should do now (nothing?), and she explained to me that if it were her, she would go ahead and have the surgery. I told her that if the ovary was healthy now, I wasn't sure if it should be removed. She went on in detail and said that my ovary was absolutely not healthy - it was producing nasty cysts, and would probably continue to do so. My ovary was no longer functioning (I went into menopause a while ago), and that if I didn't remove it now, I'd probably be back in her office next month with the same symptoms, another cyst, and planning another surgery date. She also said that she didn't want to end up having a conversation with me regarding ovarian cancer down the road. She thought I would be safer to have the surgery. So, I agreed and my surgery is still scheduled for Tuesday morning. I hope I made the right decision, this latest round with this cyst has been long and taxing. It definitely takes a toll, and I really don't want to experience this again. My ovary is pretty messed up from the large cyst that was consuming it, and I don't want to spend the next few years wondering every month if I have another darn cyst. Do you think I made the right decision?
The only thing kind of troubling me right now is that my symptoms haven't changed. The pressure and bloating is still pretty severe - it was those symptoms that caused me to seek her out last month. I was pretty sure there was another cyst because I felt the same way I'd felt last year, before I had my other ovarian cyst removed. It could be that there is fluid in my abdomen that leaked, hopefully it will resolve.
Please give me your thoughts on the surgery, what would you do? Thanks so much for taking the time to read this.Thinking of all of you,
Robin
The technician is allowed to talk (thank God), and told me that she absolutely couldn't find it! She said that the ovary is now visible - it had been entirely consumed by the cyst in previous tests. There is only a large mark/hole/remnant where the cyst was. :)
I was not expecting that at all - what a surprise! I spoke to the Dr. immediately afterwards, fully expecting the surgery to be canceled. She said that she has seen this happen only a few times in large complex/solid cysts, it's hard to say if it burst, leaked, or simply collapsed on itself. I asked her what we should do now (nothing?), and she explained to me that if it were her, she would go ahead and have the surgery. I told her that if the ovary was healthy now, I wasn't sure if it should be removed. She went on in detail and said that my ovary was absolutely not healthy - it was producing nasty cysts, and would probably continue to do so. My ovary was no longer functioning (I went into menopause a while ago), and that if I didn't remove it now, I'd probably be back in her office next month with the same symptoms, another cyst, and planning another surgery date. She also said that she didn't want to end up having a conversation with me regarding ovarian cancer down the road. She thought I would be safer to have the surgery. So, I agreed and my surgery is still scheduled for Tuesday morning. I hope I made the right decision, this latest round with this cyst has been long and taxing. It definitely takes a toll, and I really don't want to experience this again. My ovary is pretty messed up from the large cyst that was consuming it, and I don't want to spend the next few years wondering every month if I have another darn cyst. Do you think I made the right decision?
The only thing kind of troubling me right now is that my symptoms haven't changed. The pressure and bloating is still pretty severe - it was those symptoms that caused me to seek her out last month. I was pretty sure there was another cyst because I felt the same way I'd felt last year, before I had my other ovarian cyst removed. It could be that there is fluid in my abdomen that leaked, hopefully it will resolve.
Please give me your thoughts on the surgery, what would you do? Thanks so much for taking the time to read this.Thinking of all of you,
Robin
Robin, I'm so happy to hear your good news!!
If it were me and I was past menopause as you are, I think I would have it removed. If you are past menopause, your ovary is no longer functioning, as the doctor said. So I don't know of any benefit by keeping it. Also, by removing it, you also decrease your risk of ovarian cancer to almost nil.
I'm not sure what your situation was in the past but from what it sounds like you keep having problems. So what the doctor said may be right about the chances of getting another cyst on that ovary.
On the other hand, you have to do what you feel comfortable with. If you are not sure, cancel your surgery and give yourself time to think it over. You can always reschedule it you decide to go that route.
Sometimes I wish I was past menopause - that would make all of my decisions a lot easier, I'd just have everything out!! But this is just me and how I feel.
Best wishes.
If it were me and I was past menopause as you are, I think I would have it removed. If you are past menopause, your ovary is no longer functioning, as the doctor said. So I don't know of any benefit by keeping it. Also, by removing it, you also decrease your risk of ovarian cancer to almost nil.
I'm not sure what your situation was in the past but from what it sounds like you keep having problems. So what the doctor said may be right about the chances of getting another cyst on that ovary.
On the other hand, you have to do what you feel comfortable with. If you are not sure, cancel your surgery and give yourself time to think it over. You can always reschedule it you decide to go that route.
Sometimes I wish I was past menopause - that would make all of my decisions a lot easier, I'd just have everything out!! But this is just me and how I feel.
Best wishes.
Robin,
Wow--I'm really happy to hear that the cyst disappeared! I go for my ultrasound today and I'm certain that won't be the case for me.
Regarding the tough decision--I'll tell you what I would do, but you've got to go with your gut on this--definitely do what you feel is right for you. I'm almost 40 and I don't have any children of my own (I have two stepchildren though--I've got them all the time as their mom decided she didn't want to be bothered any more with raising kids). So, I don't plan to have kids myself--two 11 year old twins are plenty for me to handle. :)
Anyway, if I were in your position I would probably go the route of having the surgery. As your doctor mentioned--there is a very good chance that the ovary will continue to produce cysts and you know from experience how uncomfortable that can be. Not to mention the emotional and mental strain of dealing with the "what ifs" of this situation.
I think you might be right about the symptoms still being there--perhaps there is fluid from the cyst that is currently on your abdomen. Definitely mention it to your doctor and see what she says. I wonder if it takes a bit for the body to fully get back to its normal state after one of these things appears.
Trust your instincts on this--you will make the right decision for you. Please let us know how things go if you opt for surgery this Tuesday. I'll be thinking about you.
-Janet
Wow--I'm really happy to hear that the cyst disappeared! I go for my ultrasound today and I'm certain that won't be the case for me.
Regarding the tough decision--I'll tell you what I would do, but you've got to go with your gut on this--definitely do what you feel is right for you. I'm almost 40 and I don't have any children of my own (I have two stepchildren though--I've got them all the time as their mom decided she didn't want to be bothered any more with raising kids). So, I don't plan to have kids myself--two 11 year old twins are plenty for me to handle. :)
Anyway, if I were in your position I would probably go the route of having the surgery. As your doctor mentioned--there is a very good chance that the ovary will continue to produce cysts and you know from experience how uncomfortable that can be. Not to mention the emotional and mental strain of dealing with the "what ifs" of this situation.
I think you might be right about the symptoms still being there--perhaps there is fluid from the cyst that is currently on your abdomen. Definitely mention it to your doctor and see what she says. I wonder if it takes a bit for the body to fully get back to its normal state after one of these things appears.
Trust your instincts on this--you will make the right decision for you. Please let us know how things go if you opt for surgery this Tuesday. I'll be thinking about you.
-Janet
It is a really tough decision that you have to make and I definately think getting a second opinion is the best idea so that puts you at ease with your final decision all I can do is relate what happened to me in my circustance.
At the end of 2004 I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer with the hysterectomy scheduled for early 2005. My endometrial cancer was found as the result of investigations into infertility for my husband and myself.
Besides with coming to terms with the reality that I would never have children I also was not ready to go into menopause at the age of 39 unless I really had to so I left an ovary behind, which with the pathology results of my uterus everyone was really comfortable about and the likelyhood of it turning cancerous was less than 5 percent.
Unfortunately at the end of 2006 it was found that that ovary had turned cancerous and I am now in the recovery period from my treatment of chemotherapy and radio therapy.
When I diagnosed again I was racked with regret about leaving that ovary in a case of " would of shoulld of could of". But in reality it was the decision that was right for me at the time.
It is a hard descion for you to make, I wish you luck with it
At the end of 2004 I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer with the hysterectomy scheduled for early 2005. My endometrial cancer was found as the result of investigations into infertility for my husband and myself.
Besides with coming to terms with the reality that I would never have children I also was not ready to go into menopause at the age of 39 unless I really had to so I left an ovary behind, which with the pathology results of my uterus everyone was really comfortable about and the likelyhood of it turning cancerous was less than 5 percent.
Unfortunately at the end of 2006 it was found that that ovary had turned cancerous and I am now in the recovery period from my treatment of chemotherapy and radio therapy.
When I diagnosed again I was racked with regret about leaving that ovary in a case of " would of shoulld of could of". But in reality it was the decision that was right for me at the time.
It is a hard descion for you to make, I wish you luck with it
Ops, menopause has an effect on endo, not an effort it. Why can't I ever type the words I'm thinking?
I don't remember the details, but menopause has an effort on endo cysts of reducing them in size or something like that. Wonder if that would be a factor in what's the best decision? Jeepers. You seem to know what you want already though, so as everyone keeps saying...go with your gut!
Hi Robin, Wow. I posted something for you yesterday on Falling's (Sheri's) comment from before.
Hum, I think I'd go into a tizzy trying to figure out what to do about this.
My reaction, and this might not be the right one for you, is to set up appointments with a couple other doctors and ask questions, and cancel the surgery if needed in order to have time to decide. But I haven't been through the physical distress. It might be fine to just be gone with it. Post-men what I remember is that research is showing some very low dose of hormones coming from the ovaries when before it was believed that it was nothing. However, with so many women living long lives after full hysterectomy, it's hard to put that mild output ahead of not having to deal with ongoing problems. What makes me hesitant to just go with your doctor's gut is the continued symptoms. I'd want to ask her or other doctors. Possiblity instead of a straight removal, the surgeon can do an exploratory and tell you more? However, very likely they won't want to do that and instead can tell you from past experience what kind of condition an ovary is in that's had a cyst colapse/rupture. I'm thinking maybe they can cut out the remaining evidence of cyst, stitch it up, and it will function better than when it was disturbed with the cyst? However, that's very much a question only an experienced doctor can answer. You've gotten one answer so far... Maybe google searches on collapsed ov cysts will give some ideas? At least whatever you do, the surgery should be easier than when it was a bigger thing to remove. Well the longer I ramble the more I think she might be quite right. I'd tend to want a 2nd opinion, especially on the continued symptoms, before the surgery. But I tend to make myself unneccessarily crazy. **If you are going to do the same thing no matter what anyone says and have it removed, then it really isn't important to get another opinion. One thing that's a possible factor is that the tests themselves aren't matching what's going on inside. They tend to be pretty good, but it does happen, which is why at the very least, an exploratory seems needed to me.
My surgeon called the endo cyst I had diseased and said it needed to come out. I didn't quite 'get' that since it was benign so I thought it could stay, until I looked at the photo of the poor thing. I get the impression that you can't go that wrong in this case, no matter what you decide to do. Sigh, it's never that straightforward and simple now is it? Good luck!
Hum, I think I'd go into a tizzy trying to figure out what to do about this.
My reaction, and this might not be the right one for you, is to set up appointments with a couple other doctors and ask questions, and cancel the surgery if needed in order to have time to decide. But I haven't been through the physical distress. It might be fine to just be gone with it. Post-men what I remember is that research is showing some very low dose of hormones coming from the ovaries when before it was believed that it was nothing. However, with so many women living long lives after full hysterectomy, it's hard to put that mild output ahead of not having to deal with ongoing problems. What makes me hesitant to just go with your doctor's gut is the continued symptoms. I'd want to ask her or other doctors. Possiblity instead of a straight removal, the surgeon can do an exploratory and tell you more? However, very likely they won't want to do that and instead can tell you from past experience what kind of condition an ovary is in that's had a cyst colapse/rupture. I'm thinking maybe they can cut out the remaining evidence of cyst, stitch it up, and it will function better than when it was disturbed with the cyst? However, that's very much a question only an experienced doctor can answer. You've gotten one answer so far... Maybe google searches on collapsed ov cysts will give some ideas? At least whatever you do, the surgery should be easier than when it was a bigger thing to remove. Well the longer I ramble the more I think she might be quite right. I'd tend to want a 2nd opinion, especially on the continued symptoms, before the surgery. But I tend to make myself unneccessarily crazy. **If you are going to do the same thing no matter what anyone says and have it removed, then it really isn't important to get another opinion. One thing that's a possible factor is that the tests themselves aren't matching what's going on inside. They tend to be pretty good, but it does happen, which is why at the very least, an exploratory seems needed to me.
My surgeon called the endo cyst I had diseased and said it needed to come out. I didn't quite 'get' that since it was benign so I thought it could stay, until I looked at the photo of the poor thing. I get the impression that you can't go that wrong in this case, no matter what you decide to do. Sigh, it's never that straightforward and simple now is it? Good luck!
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