Weird cyst symptoms or not?

[WonderWomanof3]

I'm trying to determine if the symptoms I'm having are related to my 4 cm complex cyst.

In April I started having lower left quadrant pain. Finally in June, a CT and ultrasound turned up a cyst and everything else seemed fine. However, my gyn keeps saying "the pain might not be from that" but has left the decision of surgery up to me. (BTW, CA125 was negative).

There is no rhyme or reason to the pain and it can be a quick jab or put me in bed for three days. It can be there most of the time or once every three weeks.

When I do have significant pain, my stomach becomes painfully distended, the left side of my lower back hurts which ends up running down my butt, and into my leg and usually to my foot. My back ends up in spasms and I become very tired. There is sharp stabbing pain where my ovary is but also over towards my hip and sometimes into my groin. Usually all the time it feels like there is something up under my ribs like when I was pregnant and the kid would put a foot there. The pain seems to make me fatigued and dizzy. I don't have gas or intestinal cramping. However, when all this fun stuff started occuring, I acquired diarrhea and that has been pretty consistent since May.

I'm wondering if other people experience all or some of these symptoms with a cyst. I see that others do experience some of them but is it episodic or constant? The doc has me worried that if I take out the cyst, it might actually be something else. Again the CT turned up nothing else (we thought it was diverticulitis at first) and they won't allow me to have a colonoscopy because I just had one 2 years ago.

Sound familiar to anyone?

Thanks.

[old_before_my_time]

0Based on the fact that your "uterus, bladder etc. were glued by adhesions to your lower back" and having had a "chocolate cyst" and maybe "endometrial cysts" it does sound like you may have endometriosis (endo). Endo typically starts shortly after the onset of periods; however, gynecologic surgeries including c-section can cause endo in which case it would be iatrogenic (doctor caused).

Hysterectomy has its own set of short and long-term problems and may explain at least some of your symptoms. The bowels and the bladder are displaced once the uterus is removed and many women report a change in function of those organs.

And some of your symptoms sound like menopause which is possible since your ovaries do not appear to be working properly with all the cysts that are forming. Also, there is a 40% chance of ovarian failure after hysterectomy.

Taking a birth control pill may be worth a try because in addition to possibly controlling the cyst formation, it would probably also help with the menopausal symptoms you mentioned (migraines, insomnia, night sweats, low appetite, dizziness). Another option is hormone replacement therapy. If you do think you have endo, you would want to take a combined (estrogen plus progestin) HRT versus estrogen only since estrogen feeds endo and the progestin would help keep it from growing.

Have you had your thyroid checked? Hysterectomy can severely disrupt the endocrine system and the thyroid tends to be the most commonly affected.

I had a hysterectomy and had a lot of your symptoms. HRT has helped a lot although has not restored me to my pre-hysterectomy self. But I was pretty much non-functional for well over a year before I found a suitable (for me) HRT.

[MommyBluebird]

I feel for every one of you.

I hope someone reads this, there hasn't been commentary for a couple years.
I am 39 years old, I have 3 children.
I've had IBS/celiac symptoms for many years.  And in past colon scopes there have been small polyps (I'm supposed to get another test done soon).

I am exhausted.  Every day.  I have moments of energy, enough to do dishes or make kids' lunches.  But no more.
I've had 3 surgeries- An emergency C-section, removal of scar tissue (my uterus, bladder etc. were glued by adhesions to my lower back) and a hysterectomy at 32 yrs of age.
I've been having pelvic attacks, searing sharp pains, migraines, insomnia, night sweats, low appetite, dizziness, lower back pain, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea for about a year now.
They find multiple cysts on a regular basis with ultrasound, one of which was a 7cm 'chocolate cyst'.  Surgery was booked and then rescheduled.
Some doctors are talking endometrial cysts, others benign functional cysts.

Their solution?  Birth control bills or hormone therapy or removal of ovaries.
I'm tired.  My body's tired after years of exhaustion and doctors aren't seeing any of these things as connected.  I think it could all be related (?!!)

I've grown weary of emergency rooms, morphine, physical exams & scans... I don't know what to do anymore.  I feel like a ghost of myself.

Is there ANYTHING anyone can connect or suggest? I've been my own health advocate for 2 decades, & quite frankly I'm sick of having to tell Doctors how to do their job, and being told I'm anxiety-ridden and depressed.  (Though now admittedly, I am depressed).

I've gone to dozens of medical experts.  But there's no communication. I'm losing weight because I can't eat.  Is there a chance something more serious than ovarian cysts (I'm not trivializing them, they're horrific).  Could an infection or cancer be lurking?  My blood work comes back fine with the exception of anemia.

Thank you for any feedback,
God bless all of you,

Mommy Bluebird

[WonderWomanof3]

Wow. That's all I have to say.

First of all, I can't believe the size of that! No wonder it was causing you so much physical distress.

I'm glad you spent the time at the hospital and got all your answers in one day. And I'm glad you are seeing your new doc on Tuesday. Waiting is the hardest part so getting on with this is better physcially as well as mentally.

Thank you for posting your story. I can't imagine this is an easy phone call to take and I would imagine it's also hard to share with people. But I have a few words for you: "Tackle it like you would any challenge. Be courageous, stand up for yourself and what you want, and press on. You'll be okay :) Best of luck to you!" A wise woman gave me this advice about my health.

Please let us know how your appointment goes tomorrow. I will be thinking of you.

Carol

[WidowRose]

I have an update for you. I went to see my Gynecologist on Friday, and ended up getting a CT Scan, across the board labs, and a chest x-ray. After all was said and done, I had spent nearly 8 hours at the hospital. That evening, my Gyno called me with the results of my CT Scan, pap and rectal smear results and told me the news NO ONE ever wants to hear. It's Cancer, and the tumor is 30cmx30cmx20cm. They can see my left ovary but not my right, and thus believe the abominable thing came from that ovary. But because I had an elevated amount of both ovarian and rectal cancer cells, they can't be certain if the tumor is connected to the ovary or to something else. Needless to say, this tumor is the reason I look like I'm about to pop a kid any day now, and it's the reason I've been in so much pain. I go to see my new Oncologist on Tuesday. Surgery is immanent, and so is a very difficult battle. Wish me luck.

[WidowRose]

Oh good! I'm SO glad you got that taken care of, and that you're getting back to normal. Isn't it nuts how many problems those things cause? I am definitely getting my looked at this coming Friday (made the appointment last Friday :p) I will keep you updated as to what is going on with me, but I am just so happy for you...that's awesome!!!!

[WonderWomanof3]

I had it out two days ago! And already, I can tell that the rib pain, back pain, leg pain, foot pain have all disappeared. The pain just really pushed me over the edge and I called her and demanded. Yup. I did. She got me into surgery within 3 days.

I agree with you when you think that the medical practice has lost its humanity. I'm not sure why they can't treat us like people since they are of the same species. I just don't know why they don't listen to us. Are there that many people out there who are hypochondriacs? Are insurance companies threatening non payment to doctors who help their patients? Are patients just an assembly line of names and symptoms and it's just easier to whip out a prescription pad for antidepressants? I truly wonder what is going on. And like you said, what happens when they have medical issues?

So get yourself to a doctor and keep control of your health like you recommended to me. You will be OK too. Keep us updated.

[WidowRose]

We could be twins :) I'm going to see a gyno for the first time in years due to all the symptoms I have, which are a mirror image of yours (with the exception of the 'Runs', I'm always constipated). I have that same under the ribs pain, and painfully distended belly (people keep asking me when I'm due, or if I'm expecting. I'm so embarrassed)! I have no love for medical practices of any kind, as I feel it has lost its humanity. In saying as much, your docs reaction doesn't surprise me at all. Imagine how she'd roll with laughter if it was happening to herself. In my case, I've got to swallow my stubborn pride, because these symptoms have grown increasingly worse over the passed 7 months. I don't know why cysts create so many problems, but they really are a bane!!

If you want that cyst out, you demand it out...don't be afraid to speak up. Just because your doc doesn't think it's the cause, doesn't mean that it's NOT the cause. My advice, have it out, give your body time to recover from surgery, and if the symptoms are the same you may need more scans and other tests done to make certain it's not something more serious. But if they go away, so much the better. Try not to worry, it will only cause you to stress out, and we all know how stress can exacerbate things with our health. Tackle it like you would any challenge. Be courageous, stand up for yourself and what you want, and press on. You'll be okay :) Best of luck to you!

[WonderWomanof3]

Thanks for responding! My doctor kept saying "it might not be from the cyst" and she had me worried it was something else.

The more I read, the more I see that doctors don't seem to understand all the symptoms a cyst can cause. I will report back and let everyone know what symptoms clear up after I have this alien body removed.

Have you already had surgery?

[asdf125]

In case you didnt find ALL the symptoms, I can confirm everything, even the rib pain and diahrea are normal for cysts. You should feel much better once the cyst is dealt with.
Good luck with your surgery.

[WonderWomanof3]

Had I spent more time perusing this site, I would have found the answer for myself. These symptoms seem pretty normal for cysts. Thank you to everyone who has posted about their own experiences. It has helped me greatly and makes me know I am not a weirdo.

It also helped me make up my mind to have this alien removed.

Thanks!!