Aa
How concerned should I be
I have a 4cm cyst on my right ovary. I am 61 and postmenopausal. The cyst is septated, fluid and solid areas. The gynecologist sugeested watching it, I am too nervous to just watch and wait. He then ordered a CA125 test. He said if the test shows elevated protein then he will send me to an oncologist gyn else he will do a lap and remove the ovary in a bag and then test. He said because only one ovary is affected and its a small cyst the chance of being malignant is slim. Symptoms include fatigue, pressure on the bladder, no ascitis in the abdomen.
Is this the correct course of action and is it true that the chances of being maignant are slim ?
Is this the correct course of action and is it true that the chances of being maignant are slim ?
I'm glad to hear that you have surgery scheduled even if it is such a long wait - that's always the hardest part. The symptoms you're describing all sound like they're coming from the cyst. From what I've heard from the other ladies on this forum even a very small cyst (1 or 2 cm) can be painful and symptomatic. I'm not sure whether a complex cyst has different symptoms than a simple one, but I don't believe so. Mine was a simple cyst and at 5 cm gave me the exact same symptoms that you're experiencing, so I wouldn't be too overly concerned. If the pain gets too extreme then you might want to call your doctor. Sometimes a cyst can rupture and from what I've read it can be pretty painful. Hopefully, yours will stay on the mild side and your surgery date will arrive quickly.
Take care and you might try a heating pad for the pain - it does help.
Take care and you might try a heating pad for the pain - it does help.
Laproscopic surgery is set for 6/24. I was feeling pretty confident that although this cyst is complexx, its smaller (4cm) , i have no ascites and CA 125 is normal. Since Friday I have felt terrible. Exhausted, pain in abdomen. Constant gas pains, general feeling of pressure on bladder. Should I be more concerned or is this from the cyst.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. There was another gyn that I wanted to go to and I couldn't get in for 2 weeks, so I settled for this inconsiderate one. I asked them to move my records to his associate. I will have him do the surgery. I have an appt. with him in 2 weeks. Thanks for the support.
It's good news to hear that the CA125 came back low. However, it's distressing to hear about the lack of consideration that your gyn showed by not telling you of his 2-week absence. I certainly wouldn't fault you for not wanting to have him do the surgery - that kind of behavior would upset me as well.
How quickly you want the cyst removed is strictly your decision based on your personal comfort level. Keep in mind that the low CA125 reading doesn't positively guarantee that there's no malignancy, as that can only be determined when they do the lap procedure and do the pathology on the cyst. And, most fluid cysts are 99% benign, so that's good news.... I'm not knowledgeable about the percentages for the solid cysts, but I'm sure some of the other ladies can offer information on those.
Let me know what you decide to do and if you're going to find a Gyn/Onc good luck in finding a superior one. Keep me posted and hugs to you.
How quickly you want the cyst removed is strictly your decision based on your personal comfort level. Keep in mind that the low CA125 reading doesn't positively guarantee that there's no malignancy, as that can only be determined when they do the lap procedure and do the pathology on the cyst. And, most fluid cysts are 99% benign, so that's good news.... I'm not knowledgeable about the percentages for the solid cysts, but I'm sure some of the other ladies can offer information on those.
Let me know what you decide to do and if you're going to find a Gyn/Onc good luck in finding a superior one. Keep me posted and hugs to you.
CA125 came back at 10.9. So, I assume that means low to no change of malingnancy. which is good news.
Found out that the gyn I went to is on vacation for 2 weeks, a point he neglected to mention to me when he said that we would discuss next steps after test results came back. No way will I allow him to operate on me when he didn't even bother to tell me that it would be at least 2 weeks before I would hear from him. I understand that it's not imperative that I have the cyst removed quickly, I would have just liked him to have been a little more considerate.
Found out that the gyn I went to is on vacation for 2 weeks, a point he neglected to mention to me when he said that we would discuss next steps after test results came back. No way will I allow him to operate on me when he didn't even bother to tell me that it would be at least 2 weeks before I would hear from him. I understand that it's not imperative that I have the cyst removed quickly, I would have just liked him to have been a little more considerate.
Peggie
I am 65 and postmenopausal also and just had a laporoscopy to remove a 5+ cm cyst from my ovary, the ovary and the tubes. I didn't feel comfortable with the gynecologist "let's wait and see" approach, so asked him to recommend a Gyn/Onc, as I was convinced (from everything I'd researched) that they were more competent to handle this type of situation. From what I'd read - that postmenopausal women have a higher risk of malignencies - I was not comfortable waiting and worrying. After 2 ultrasounds and no change in the cyst, I saw no reason to continue waiting when I was the one potentially at risk. When I met with the Gyn/Onc he fully agreed and scheduled me for a laporoscopy immediately. And by the way, my CA-125 did not show elevated numbers, but the Gyn/Onc recommended the laporoscopy anyway.
My cyst was benign, and I am so glad I moved forward with the surgery and have it now behind me and no worries about possible malignency..... regardless how slim the chance might have been.
If you're not comfortable with waiting then I would definitely push to have the laporoscopy - and if you want to see a Gyn/Oncologist for a second opinion - then by all means do it. It's your body and you have the final say on what happens to it.
Good luck and do keep us posted on what you decide to do.
I am 65 and postmenopausal also and just had a laporoscopy to remove a 5+ cm cyst from my ovary, the ovary and the tubes. I didn't feel comfortable with the gynecologist "let's wait and see" approach, so asked him to recommend a Gyn/Onc, as I was convinced (from everything I'd researched) that they were more competent to handle this type of situation. From what I'd read - that postmenopausal women have a higher risk of malignencies - I was not comfortable waiting and worrying. After 2 ultrasounds and no change in the cyst, I saw no reason to continue waiting when I was the one potentially at risk. When I met with the Gyn/Onc he fully agreed and scheduled me for a laporoscopy immediately. And by the way, my CA-125 did not show elevated numbers, but the Gyn/Onc recommended the laporoscopy anyway.
My cyst was benign, and I am so glad I moved forward with the surgery and have it now behind me and no worries about possible malignency..... regardless how slim the chance might have been.
If you're not comfortable with waiting then I would definitely push to have the laporoscopy - and if you want to see a Gyn/Oncologist for a second opinion - then by all means do it. It's your body and you have the final say on what happens to it.
Good luck and do keep us posted on what you decide to do.
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