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Large ovarian cyst but not I'm not unwell?

I'm 31 and just been told I have a large ovarian cyst - 9.4 x 7.5 x 6.6 cm - on my right ovary. Suspected polycystic left ovary.

I'm struggling to believe the accuracy of the measurements. I cant feel anything to touch. And other than bloating and occasional sudden sharp stabbing pains, and hip/lower abdominal/lower back pain, and irregular periods, I have no issues. Is this possible?
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Avatar universal
COMMUNITY LEADER
Oftentimes, I don't think we can feel them. I had one that was also 9cm but my only symptoms were one day of pain and weight gain of 3 or 4 lbs. Is surgery planned? If so, make sure that your surgeon does lots of cystectomies and is going to remove just the cyst so you can keep your ovary since our ovaries produce hormones our whole lives for all aspects of health.
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Thank you for replying to me.

Nothing is planned yet, I've yet to see my GP which is scheduled for next Friday. I requested a copy of my results as I knew something was wrong at the scan (I asked) and my GP requested a face to face appointment with me to discuss. I decided I wanted to prepare myself and got a copy.

I am going to make it clear to my GP that I want it removing. It has a thin septation, so am I right in believing it is classed as a pathological cyst? The walls of the parenchyma are compressed against the walls of the cyst - could this mean it is inside my ovary? Sorry for all of the questions, I am just so overwhelmed, and not being medically minded, the articles on Google arent clear to me. I suffer with high anxiety as it is, so when something is wrong I grab hold of it and cant let it go.
It's good you requested a copy of the imaging report. I wondered if you had already gotten it since you knew the exact dimensions of your cyst. Thin separations aren't particularly worrisome. I don't know about the rest of the info you stated. Feel free to post the details of the scan when you get the report if you'd like.

Keep in mind that ovarian cysts are almost always benign.
I'll update once I've spoken to my doctor on Friday.
I had my GP appointment today to discuss. They are checking tumour markers, then depending on how they come back, I'll either be referred on the 2 week wait or an ordinary referral. I didn't really get much information from her.
Thanks for the update. The CA-125 test is not accurate at diagnosing ovarian cancer. Things including benign ovarian cyst can cause an elevated result although there can be false negatives too. I am not familiar with the accuracy of other tumor markers. Of course, the odds are very much in your favor that your cyst is benign and, hopefully, it will be all that is removed.

I will be watching for an update... Hopefully "good" news.
I was told that by a few people. The results came back at 10, so it's a regular referral to Gyne.

The cyst is complex apparently. Also I read my ultrasound report (for the millionth time) and noticed it says my left ovary is positioned in the cul-de-sac (pouch of douglas) and that area is bulky and has a volume of 11.0ml. I read that during the menstrual cycle the fluid volume is between 1 - 3ml, and 4 - 5ml after ovulation. Would you have any ideas why this is? And should my ovary even be positioned there? It's all very confusing.

I hope you're well, sorry for rambling about myself.
I have heard of fluid in the cul-de-sac which oftentimes isn't problematic. Not sure about the position of your ovary but wouldn't think that would be concerning.
Avatar universal
You may or may not be able to feel the ovarian cyst. To confirm the measurements, you can request a copy of the images on a CD and view them on your home computer; usually ultrasound images will have the measurements saved onto the images so you can just scroll through the images until you find a large oval-shaped black structure labeled 9.4 x 7.5 x 6.6 cm.

Assuming these measurements are correct, there are published guidelines on next steps (see below). These take into account various factors, such as whether you are symptomatic or asymptomatic, pre- or postmenopausal, and the size and appearance of the cyst. Single thin septation is usually ok, but multiple thin septations are usually more concerning. Any cyst larger than 7 cm in either pre- or postmenopausal women warrants further evaluation (e.g., MRI) or surgical evaluation. Most likely you are heading towards surgery and most likely it is going to turn out to be a benign neoplasm (e.g., serous cystadenoma).

For more info: https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/full/10.1148/radiol.10100213 (see Figures)
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Thank you for your comment.

I've been feeling around today, and have noticed there is a difference on both size. It's like a swelling on the right side so doesnt press in like on the left.

I will be telling my doctor all the issues I am having that I didnt previously mention because I never connected them to anything like a cyst, but I've read the symptoms I have can be caused by an ovarian cyst.

I'll update on Friday when I have spoken to my doctor.
I had my GP appointment today to discuss. They are checking tumour markers, then depending on how they come back, I'll either be referred on the 2 week wait or an ordinary referral. I didnt really get any information from her.
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