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Ovary Cyst & belly fat
Back in Feb of this year I was told I had a 5cm cyst on my ovary (left) went back in a month to see if it was gone or still there. Was told the left cyct was gone but had one same size on the right. Again, back in a month to see if that one was gone. Well, the pain has always been on my right. I'm thinking the first Ultra Sound stated left incorrectly. So does the doctor. After a pelvic exam in Feb. my doctor even made a comment that if didn't "know" from the ultra sound that I had a cyst on my left, she would say it was more like on the back of my Uterus or more centered. I told her my pains were mostly on the right and that my periods were becoming irregular and VERY painful. Hormones okay and not in preimenopause.
Well, here I am in May and I still have this cyst on my right ovary. So now we are planning the surgery to have it removed. I have also had problems with frequent urine and pressure on my bladder. No bladder infections. Lower back pain as well. My stomach looks like I am about 6 months pregnant. Have had some stomach issues also. (not been my year so far) I just had a Colonoscopy and everything looked fine with that. I am 48 years old.
My question is, can the cyst on my ovary be the cause for my frequent urine, back pain, and the swelling of my belly? I've read a lot on this site that cyst have contributed to belly fat/ swelling. I went from 140 pounds to 170 pounds in the last year and changed nothing at all in my life style as far as exercises or eating habits.
Has anyone else ever had belly fat or weight gain from a cyst and does it go away after the cyst is removed?
Well, here I am in May and I still have this cyst on my right ovary. So now we are planning the surgery to have it removed. I have also had problems with frequent urine and pressure on my bladder. No bladder infections. Lower back pain as well. My stomach looks like I am about 6 months pregnant. Have had some stomach issues also. (not been my year so far) I just had a Colonoscopy and everything looked fine with that. I am 48 years old.
My question is, can the cyst on my ovary be the cause for my frequent urine, back pain, and the swelling of my belly? I've read a lot on this site that cyst have contributed to belly fat/ swelling. I went from 140 pounds to 170 pounds in the last year and changed nothing at all in my life style as far as exercises or eating habits.
Has anyone else ever had belly fat or weight gain from a cyst and does it go away after the cyst is removed?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Does the CT scan say if this 5cm between your uterus and bowel cul de sac originates from your ovary? Most ovarian cysts are benign (and probably other types too) and resolve on their own. I developed a 9.5cm ovarian cyst which was benign but my doctor over-treated me and removed all my sex organs (both ovaries, tubes and uterus). I wish I had known how frequently gynecologists remove organs unnecessarily and I would have done things very differently to preserve my organs and their LIFE LONG functions.
My CT scan also showed cysts on my kidneys and liver and no one expressed concern about those. I was told that some people tend to develop cysts and I was one of them.
My CT scan also showed cysts on my kidneys and liver and no one expressed concern about those. I was told that some people tend to develop cysts and I was one of them.
I have cysts pretty often my obgyn says it's normal but I can't seem to lose weight and I'm always bloated. Considering taking the pill to regulate my hormones
My surgery was June 15, today is June 23. I had surgery on a Wed. and came home on Monday night.
The cysts went from 15cm the beginning of May to 20cm when they removed the mass June 23, so it increased 33% in six weeks! They removed it whole and did a wash to make sure there was nothing left behind in case it was cancerous. Pathology report came back benign. :)
My surgery was more extensive than just having a (full) hysterectomy and cysts removal because they also did a hernia repair. My incision if roughly a foot long. Hubby said he wants to count the staples before they take them out. He's guessing there is around 40!
As painful as it may be to get out of bed and walk, that is what it will take to keep your body from getting as stiff!
One week post-op I talked hubby into taking me out to eat locally. I am using a walker for safety and to steady me when I have to stand still (like to wait to be seated or get back in the car etc.) and I use it to go from living room to the bathroom. Someone having just a hysterectomy probably wouldn't need the walker, but given my circumstances, the surgery was more invasive.
I am doing well, back to my same old sense of humor, just having to take breaks between things I do. My family is quite impressed with progress.
I will say there are a lot of things you can do to make sure your post-op recover and hospital stay are easier.
1. I took my own ice packs and a cold therapy machine. The hospitals ice packs were not cold enough to do anything with wearing a binder after surgery. You can buy clay ice packs from Dollar General for only $4. I recommend having at least 4 to 6 so you can have two on at a time while the others are freezing and just keep rotating them out. You can find a cold therapy machine online if you want to buy one. Some hospitals have them, but good luck getting one.
2. I took my own small pillow. Any time you have torso surgery, it is a good idea to keep a small pillow by you in case you have to sneeze or cough! It will help it to be less painful. Also, keep the small pillow with you in the vehicle for car rides to shield your abdomen from the seatbelt.
3. Your family can be a great help at the hospital to take care of your needs. My husband and two of my daughters made sure one of them were around most of the days and sometimes people spent the night, at least the first 3 nights I was in the hospital.
There are numerous things you can buy for use at home, but I'm not going to go into them here. I decided I am eventually going to do a blog post on things to help with various surgeries/recoveries to help other people out.
I hope my experience helps you in some way. Good luck if you are dealing with cysts/hysterectomy/hernia, etc.
The cysts went from 15cm the beginning of May to 20cm when they removed the mass June 23, so it increased 33% in six weeks! They removed it whole and did a wash to make sure there was nothing left behind in case it was cancerous. Pathology report came back benign. :)
My surgery was more extensive than just having a (full) hysterectomy and cysts removal because they also did a hernia repair. My incision if roughly a foot long. Hubby said he wants to count the staples before they take them out. He's guessing there is around 40!
As painful as it may be to get out of bed and walk, that is what it will take to keep your body from getting as stiff!
One week post-op I talked hubby into taking me out to eat locally. I am using a walker for safety and to steady me when I have to stand still (like to wait to be seated or get back in the car etc.) and I use it to go from living room to the bathroom. Someone having just a hysterectomy probably wouldn't need the walker, but given my circumstances, the surgery was more invasive.
I am doing well, back to my same old sense of humor, just having to take breaks between things I do. My family is quite impressed with progress.
I will say there are a lot of things you can do to make sure your post-op recover and hospital stay are easier.
1. I took my own ice packs and a cold therapy machine. The hospitals ice packs were not cold enough to do anything with wearing a binder after surgery. You can buy clay ice packs from Dollar General for only $4. I recommend having at least 4 to 6 so you can have two on at a time while the others are freezing and just keep rotating them out. You can find a cold therapy machine online if you want to buy one. Some hospitals have them, but good luck getting one.
2. I took my own small pillow. Any time you have torso surgery, it is a good idea to keep a small pillow by you in case you have to sneeze or cough! It will help it to be less painful. Also, keep the small pillow with you in the vehicle for car rides to shield your abdomen from the seatbelt.
3. Your family can be a great help at the hospital to take care of your needs. My husband and two of my daughters made sure one of them were around most of the days and sometimes people spent the night, at least the first 3 nights I was in the hospital.
There are numerous things you can buy for use at home, but I'm not going to go into them here. I decided I am eventually going to do a blog post on things to help with various surgeries/recoveries to help other people out.
I hope my experience helps you in some way. Good luck if you are dealing with cysts/hysterectomy/hernia, etc.
11 Comments
Thank you so much for what you shared... I have a 6cm cyst on my uterus and I am considering the full hysterectomy I'm nervous... Clueless to a certain extent... Wondering if the bowel and urinating issues I am having or related to the cyst. I'm bloated all the time and nauseated alot... Vomit on occasion...
Thank you so much for what you shared... I have a 6cm cyst on my uterus and I am considering the full hysterectomy Im nervous... Clueless to a certain extent... Wondering if the bowel and urinating issues I am having or related to the cyst. Im bloated all the time and nauseated alot... Vomit on occasion...
A 6cm cyst on your uterus or ovary? Make sure you understand the repercussions of having your uterus removed. Ditto for your ovaries. You end up trading a whole new set of permanent problems for a temporary problem. Skilled gynecologists who are ethical can usually remove just the growths (ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, polyps, etc) allowing you to keep your sex organs and their LIFE LONG functions.
what was your ca125 before surgery?
nssbjj - CA125 is not accurate for diagnosing ovarian cancer. There are too many false positives / elevated results when there is no cancer. There are also some false negatives.
Thank you. Mine is 1000 & I go next week to see a specialist. I am concerned.
nssbjj - A friend and I had the exact same type of benign ovarian cyst / tumor (per biopsy / pathology) and her CA125 was over 1000 while mine was in the normal range (around 30 if I recall). Both were tumors were benign and our gynecologists should have removed just the tumors and left all our organs intact. Both of us were overtreated which has caused a whole new set of permanent and progressive health problems.
nssbjj, I took Estroven for a few months after my hysterectomy and it leveled out my moods. I don't need it any more and haven't taken it a long time. It helped level out my emotions when I was feeling emotional before. I don't have any regrets of them taking everything when they did mine. I read too many stories of people who developed new cysts as early as a couple months later and I didn't want to have to go back for another surgery.
I will warn you that doctors don't normally tell you that you can get an incisional hernial from having surgery. So, if you gain a lot of wait or strain yourself, where your incision is can tear and herniate. I have another incisional hernia on my side from having a cyst removed from my kidney back in Dec. 2000. It goes from my hip to my rib cage and I have multiple organs sticking through it. I wish doctors had told me it was a possibility when I had previous surgeries.
Always be sure to ask questions and do research online so you'll have an idea of the type of questions to ask. I was so focused on my cyst/hysterectomy, that I didn't research the hernia and find out prior to my surgery the types of mesh and problems associated with mesh. Also, I'd never heard of wounds getting infected and opening up.
old_before_my_time is right that the CA125 is not an accurate test, but it does at least help give doctors some indication. A friend of mine got cancer and always recommended the test. I think the fourth time hers came back was when she lost the battle with it. I have always heard that cancer can't survive in high alkalid diets. I need to increase mine more since I think I am prone to cysts.
I will warn you that doctors don't normally tell you that you can get an incisional hernial from having surgery. So, if you gain a lot of wait or strain yourself, where your incision is can tear and herniate. I have another incisional hernia on my side from having a cyst removed from my kidney back in Dec. 2000. It goes from my hip to my rib cage and I have multiple organs sticking through it. I wish doctors had told me it was a possibility when I had previous surgeries.
Always be sure to ask questions and do research online so you'll have an idea of the type of questions to ask. I was so focused on my cyst/hysterectomy, that I didn't research the hernia and find out prior to my surgery the types of mesh and problems associated with mesh. Also, I'd never heard of wounds getting infected and opening up.
old_before_my_time is right that the CA125 is not an accurate test, but it does at least help give doctors some indication. A friend of mine got cancer and always recommended the test. I think the fourth time hers came back was when she lost the battle with it. I have always heard that cancer can't survive in high alkalid diets. I need to increase mine more since I think I am prone to cysts.
Susette37 - I was taking Estroven when my symptons started really bothering me about 2 months ago. It helped me. I felt so much better. Then the regular gynecologist advised me to stop until I have been fully diagnosed (I have to meet with a Gyno/oncologist next week) since she didn't know what was in it & didn't want it to have any estrogen my cause my cyst to increase. But it did take my symptoms away & gave me energy.
The CA125 test is useful for monitoring the efficacy of treatment in women who've already been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Shaydiann- did you have endometriosis??
After reading your post before, I did ask a lot of women, and woman after woman said it was the best thing they ever did.
I don't want to face having another surgery if more cysts grow. As is, I'm already facing another hernia surgery after my surgery Wed. (they'll do hysterectomy, remove the three cysts and fix one of the hernias). I will try to talk to my surgeon prior to surgery, but as is, I will probably end up having the full hysterectomy. I don't know if there's anything they can do that just removes ovaries, but I don't want to risk uterine cancer either. I know a couple people who are dealing with that now. Which is why I think the full hysterectomy may be the best choice. My mother had uterine cancer too, then a year after being treated for that, they found cancer in her lungs.
I'm not a smoker. I know cancer tends to attack the weakest organs it seems. I'm just anxious to get past all of this and feel better. Thankfully my pain hasn't been enough to ever send me to the emergency room. I am nervous about the cleanse tomorrow though because sometimes going 'big potty' nearly doubles me over in pain. My back hurts and I can barely straighten. Less than 36 hours until surgery!
I don't want to face having another surgery if more cysts grow. As is, I'm already facing another hernia surgery after my surgery Wed. (they'll do hysterectomy, remove the three cysts and fix one of the hernias). I will try to talk to my surgeon prior to surgery, but as is, I will probably end up having the full hysterectomy. I don't know if there's anything they can do that just removes ovaries, but I don't want to risk uterine cancer either. I know a couple people who are dealing with that now. Which is why I think the full hysterectomy may be the best choice. My mother had uterine cancer too, then a year after being treated for that, they found cancer in her lungs.
I'm not a smoker. I know cancer tends to attack the weakest organs it seems. I'm just anxious to get past all of this and feel better. Thankfully my pain hasn't been enough to ever send me to the emergency room. I am nervous about the cleanse tomorrow though because sometimes going 'big potty' nearly doubles me over in pain. My back hurts and I can barely straighten. Less than 36 hours until surgery!
COMMUNITY LEADER
I was 49. That was 10 years ago and it still haunts me because of all the changes / rapid aging that ensued. And it was all so unnecessary...should have only lost the cyst itself.
The thing most people don't understand is that surgical menopause is nothing like natural menopause. The ovaries produce hormones our whole lives. They simply shift their role from "reproductive" to "endocrine." Their removal is associated with a whole laundry list of increased health risks including heart disease, osteoporosis, Parkinson's, dementia, mood disorders (depression, anxiety, irritability), memory and cognitive impairment, lung cancer, hair and skin aging, muscle wasting, sexual dysfunction, more severe hot flashes.
I know some women who had their surgeries after menopause and suffered severe symptoms. One was 72 years old!
The uterus and its ligaments are essential to anatomical and skeletal integrity. That is why bladder and bowel problems are common complaints after hysterectomy. And the severing of ligaments that are the pelvis' support structures explain why women's figures change after their uterus is removed. This effect is just as devastating to me as the loss of my bodies' own hormones and the rapid aging it has caused.
I talked to other women. Frankly, they were not forthcoming about the negatives until after I'd had my surgery.
Best of luck to you.
The thing most people don't understand is that surgical menopause is nothing like natural menopause. The ovaries produce hormones our whole lives. They simply shift their role from "reproductive" to "endocrine." Their removal is associated with a whole laundry list of increased health risks including heart disease, osteoporosis, Parkinson's, dementia, mood disorders (depression, anxiety, irritability), memory and cognitive impairment, lung cancer, hair and skin aging, muscle wasting, sexual dysfunction, more severe hot flashes.
I know some women who had their surgeries after menopause and suffered severe symptoms. One was 72 years old!
The uterus and its ligaments are essential to anatomical and skeletal integrity. That is why bladder and bowel problems are common complaints after hysterectomy. And the severing of ligaments that are the pelvis' support structures explain why women's figures change after their uterus is removed. This effect is just as devastating to me as the loss of my bodies' own hormones and the rapid aging it has caused.
I talked to other women. Frankly, they were not forthcoming about the negatives until after I'd had my surgery.
Best of luck to you.
2 Comments
Thank you for sharing your experience and your warnings. I was scheduled for a hysterectomy in 2 weeks to perform a unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and clean up endometriosis. I've had several prior surgeries for Endo, and was offered a hysterectomy since I've been so symptomatic. I just couldn't make peace with a hysterectomy just yet. I'm 46 and I know that we continue to get benefits from the ovaries even after menopause.
After reading your post, I really dug into research articles comparing natural menopause to surgical menopause, and after hours and hours of enlightening research, I decided to only proceed with removing one ovary and keeping the other and keeping the uterus. I immediately felt at peace with the decision.
I do think that the thought of not having to worry about future female issues and periods and pain can be so enticing that we can underestimate the impact of the negative effects. I have friends who said they have no regrets after having a hysterectomy, but I can't take that risk. Anyway, thanks for still coming here and contributing. Your input helped me think twice and dig deeper.
After reading your post, I really dug into research articles comparing natural menopause to surgical menopause, and after hours and hours of enlightening research, I decided to only proceed with removing one ovary and keeping the other and keeping the uterus. I immediately felt at peace with the decision.
I do think that the thought of not having to worry about future female issues and periods and pain can be so enticing that we can underestimate the impact of the negative effects. I have friends who said they have no regrets after having a hysterectomy, but I can't take that risk. Anyway, thanks for still coming here and contributing. Your input helped me think twice and dig deeper.
I am so glad my post was helpful. Thanks for the feedback. I'm sorry you have endo. Maybe menopause will come along soon which should improve your symptoms.
Do you have a large cyst on the one ovary that won't resolve? Is so, all you should need is a cystectomy ( cyst removal). Not all gynecologists have good cystectomy skills or want to take the extra time and diligence to save the ovary. But studies show that removal of one ovary increases risk for some health problems including dementia and parkinsonism.
Regardless of how you proceed you you will want to protect yourself via the surgical consent form. Be sure you are explicit about what can and cannot be removed based on circumstances. Make sure the surgeon signs off on all revisions.
I wish you the best! Please post back and let us know how surgery went.
Do you have a large cyst on the one ovary that won't resolve? Is so, all you should need is a cystectomy ( cyst removal). Not all gynecologists have good cystectomy skills or want to take the extra time and diligence to save the ovary. But studies show that removal of one ovary increases risk for some health problems including dementia and parkinsonism.
Regardless of how you proceed you you will want to protect yourself via the surgical consent form. Be sure you are explicit about what can and cannot be removed based on circumstances. Make sure the surgeon signs off on all revisions.
I wish you the best! Please post back and let us know how surgery went.
I am hoping since I am presumably perimenopausal that I won't have a lot of problems. I had the hot flash type stuff in my late 30's. I have had 2 cycles this year, and it seems since my cycle in April, and finding out what all is going on, I seem to have hormone fun as I have cried like 3 times of stupid things, and 1 time because of pain. I don't usually cry, so I know the silly things I've gotten upset over isn't me.
I have read of so many people getting cysts again, and after having a couple people in our family get cancer in uterus, I don't want to invite trouble and have to have another surgery later.
How old were you when you had your hysterectomy?
I have read of so many people getting cysts again, and after having a couple people in our family get cancer in uterus, I don't want to invite trouble and have to have another surgery later.
How old were you when you had your hysterectomy?
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