I just had a Large (size of a large orange)Dermoid cyst removed! I had 3 ultrasounds, 1 ct scan and then a MRI! Nothing was found in any of the ultrasounds or the ct scan but I knew that something was wrong. I had my surgery on May 5th. I went in thinking that I was only having the cyst removed and they were going to look around. When I woke up from surgery I had lost my left ovary and tube. I also had small not dermoid cysts removed (burned) from my right ovary. It was shocking! Really it is a few weeks after surgery and I really still don't know what to think. I had laparoscopic surgery but it was still very painful! I was told to take 6 weeks off work! I am on about week 4 and still swell up and have pain if I do too much. I was also told that it is very good chance of getting pregnant with only one ovary. My doctor also told me that the ovaries work together and if one of the is not working right(eg because of a cyst) then they both don't. He said that I have a better chance of getting pregnant now they when I had both ovaries.

Hi again,

I guess I overwhelmed everyone with my super long messages....sorry!

Just wanted to update you all: I had a CT scan of my abdomen and pelvic areas done today and I am awaiting results.

I saw the images myself (they gave me a CD right away but the report takes a little longer to write up). Anyway, I saw a whole bunch of white spots all over my abdomen and I was wondering if anyone could tell me what are the white spots on a CT scan?

How is everyone else doing?

Take Care

Hi minky26,

If you don't mind me asking, how are old are you?

You said you had two cysts one was 11cm and the other was 6cm. Were they INSIDE your ovaries or OUTSIDE?

Prior to surgery, did the surgeons tell you there was a possibility they'd remove the ovaries as well but in the end they didn't have to?

Your cysts were larger than mine is (its 4.4 cm) yet they're telling me chances are they will have to remove the ovary too and I'm not sure why.

It sounds like you recovered pretty quickly. At 4 days post-op you seemed okay That's great! Did your stomach stay enlarged for a long time after surgery due to the Carbon Dioxide? How do you feel now?

I hope you're feeling back to normal and getting on with your life!

PS: If there is anything else you can share with us regarding your operation and post-operation experience, I would REALLY REALLY be grateful.

PS: A month or so ago, I stopped having pain the the ovary with the Dermoid (RIGHT) but I continue to have pain in the ovary with the liquid cysts (LEFT). This worries me because I have been told before by doctors that you should only worry about lumps (etc.) being cancerous if they DON'T hurt. Is this true?

At first, I thought the 3 weeks they are making me wait for surgery was ridiculously long but apparently, many women are told they must wait weeks or months. Why is mine happening so soon? Do you think the doctors suspect it is cancer and need to get it out asap? Or am I just lucky?

Does anyone have more information on the CA-125 test?

Bottom line, I just want to know if its cancer before I go under. I can't handle finding out they did a hysterectomy after I wake up from surgery.

Thanks again....SO MUCH.....for listening.

Hi Everyone,

I'm 23 years old. And boy do I have a lot to ask. I am a bundle of nerves and I am confused, lost and desperate. I went to the Doctor in December complaining of pain in my ovaries. They performed 3 ultrasounds (Pelvic & Transvaginal) on me (January, February, and April). The first ultrasound only showed black circles (on both ovaries. approx 4 in each) which they told me where liquid-filled cysts. They did the second ultrasound to monitor the cysts and see how they had changed. It turned out a couple of them had gotten larger (as had the pain! It is debilitating at times. ) Then my doctor told me to wait a menstrual cycle or two and get another ultrasound done. Stupid me, I was too busy working (my boyfriend and I are opening a cafe together and we are finally nearing our opening day) and so I didn't get the ultrasound done until last week. A few days later the doctors office called me and asked me to come in immediately. Of course I was panicking. You see, my father passed away suddenly from cancer in October. He had only been diagnosed a few months prior. I am terrified of also having cancer. (My aunt had breast cancer, grandmother colon cancer, and others). Well, the doctor told me that now I had a large (_4.4 cm solid mass in/on my right ovary_, and my ovary measures approx. 5cm)) and 4 smaller liquid cysts in the left ovary. He told me it is "ON" the outside of the ovary. That same day I met with a gynocologist who told me it was IN the ovary. So I am super confused. The gyno also told me (with what seemed like great certainty) that it is a _BENIGN TUMOR_ called a Dermoid and that I was born with the abnormal cells to create a dermoid. But when I look "Dermoid" up online it shows as a CYST not a TUMOR. So is it inside, or outside? Tumor or cyst? I barely had time with the gyno (about 3-4 minutes) in which time he casually told me he would perform a Laparoscopy surgery which would consist of 3 "small" holes (1 above my belly button, 1 to the left of it and 1 to the right) and they'd use these tools to do 1 of 3 things: (1) remove the cyst, (2) remove the cyst and the ovary, or (3) IF they determine it is cancerous, perform a complete hysterectomy!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe this. So ofcourse they had me sign these stupid papers authorizing them to do a hysterectomy in the event the surgeon finds cancer while he is in there. So I won't know anything until I wake up!! I asked him if he could do a biopsy or some sort of test before surgery to find out if it is cancer so that I know whether to expect all my reproductive organs to be GONE when I wake up or not but he said no and didn't explain why. (It was EXTREMELY difficult to speak to this man. And because of the insurance I have, he is my 1 and only option. I also called ALL the other gynos authorized by my plan and none of them could do it for me- either their available surgery date is later than my scheduled date or they simply don't do laparoscopy) *Why can't he test for cancer NOW??* I have read online that other people have been tested for levels of CA125. Or others who have had biopsies. Why can't I have one? So yesterday I went to see my Primary Care doctor to try to ask him some questions because I know he will listen- a little. But basically he told me that I shouldn't try to control things that I can't control and to live life for today. This worries me because that sounds like the speech someone would give to a dieing cancer patient, seriously! Wonderful man (my PCP but I'm so scared!!) Everything these doctors are telling me makes it sound like they all think I have cancer. Oh, to make things worse, after my 3 minute session with the surgeon (who did not explain to me what would be done pre-op, post-op, how I would feel, any complications that could occur, or anything that I should expect in general), I went on to sign the papers and I totally freaked out knowing that at age 23, unmarried and without children *I was giving them the permission to give me a hysterectomy!* (Keep in mind that all this happened in less than 1 week; on Monday I had the ultrasound, Thursday the doc tells me is a mass, Thursday afternoon the surgeon tells me its a Tumor, benign but a Tumor nonetheless and that I need surgery and could come out with a missing ovary or worse a hysterectomy.) So in 1 day I've gone from worried to panicked to TOTALLY FREAKING OUT HYSTERICAL mess. I panicked and they called the surgeon in who YELLED at me as I cried exactly this: *"If we find it is cancer, you are going to die! YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!!!"* Oh man I was a mess. He left, super pissed off I couldn't understand why. And I reluctantly signed the papers (I did this because the soonest surgery spot he has is 3 weeks away and had I waited until Monday to sign who knows when his next spot would be. And I am desperate to get this thing out before it consumes my ovary.) That's another thing, when I went to my PCP yesterday I told him I was concerned waiting 3 weeks would be the difference between being able to keep my ovary and having to get it removed. *What if in 3 weeks, this supposed "Dermoid" grows just enough to consume the ovary and they have to take it out?* I am only 23 years old and I want children one day. I understand it is still possible to do so with just 1 ovary but *my other ovary is just as sickly.* It has 4 smaller cysts and who knows if one day they turn into a dermoid(s)? *Does anyone out there have dermoids in both ovaries? Is this even possible?* And I've read that Dermoids can grow on the face, in the skull, on the spine, and in the ovaries. *If if was born with the cells to create a dermoid in my ovaries does that mean that I could one day have dermoids in those other places as well?* Or is this very unlikely? Also, I have a million questions about the surgery if anyone could answer them please. I read online (because I've ONLY obtained information on my own online, and NOT from the surgeon) that in order to do a laparoscopy, they have to pump your body with Carbon Dioxide so they can see your organs clearly. *How long does it take for the CO2 to be absorbed and/or released from your body afterwards?* My boyfriend and I were going to open our cafe around May 8th (after 1 YEAR of construction/preparation) but now with all that has happened I'm not sure if we should open before my surgery (May 21) or after it. *Any suggestions??* I'm just so angry. I lost all this weight (35lbs) to look and be healthy for our healthy eatery and now I've read that I'll *look pregnant from the CO2 for possibly weeks afterwards!* not to mention the pain I am to expect, especially in the right shoulder I've heard. *Any remedies for getting rid of the CO2 faster!?* What about post-op.....*did anyone experience urine retention? If so, what can you do to avoid going back to the hospital for a cathedar?*.......and *if you had an ovary removed along with the cyst, were they able to do this through the laparoscpy with the 3 small holes, or did they have to cut you open?* (The surgeon mentioned somehting to me about opening me up but I didnt understand if this was to remove the cyst or to do the hysterectomy.) And I know youre thinking I should go back to the surgeon and ask more questions but I simply cannot. You didnt see this mans face. He was pissed. I honestly think this is what happened: I was in the room with the paper gown waiting for a FEMALE doctor to come in when he came in and started to ask me what was going on. I asked politely let him know I wasnt comfortable with a male gyno and that I would wait for the female. He obviously was defensive and left. I just wish I hadn't opened my big mouth and pissed him off. Little did I know that he was going to also be my surgeon! Argh. What do I do? *How can I find out if it is Cancer NOW?* I looked into freezing eggs and even freezing embryos just in case I wake up without a uterus but theres no way I could afford that. Especially now with the business about to open and my boyfriend and I counting our pennies to make rent for the place. *Would egg/embryo freezing even be an option for me physically and with the time I have before surgery? (3 weeks)* I left a message at a local fertility center just in case so I can go for a consult next week.

Anyway, thanks so much for reading my NOVEL of a story. I hope someone out there can ease my worries with some answers for me. I just want to know what to expect. I can't bear the thought of waking up to them telling me they took out my ovary, or worse, that they did a hysterectomy. Can you tell I am panicked? I can't even sleep. Much worse, I have yet to tell my mom and sisters. I don't think my mom can take this after everything that happened with my dad.

Thanks again ladies. I can't wait to hear from you all. -Take Care

Hi

I was diagnosed in March with a dermoid cysts on my right ovary and was also told that I have something on my left as well. The doctors have told me that as long as you still have one ovary it's possible to get pregnant. I have been waiting since March to find out what the doctors are going to do. The waiting and the pain is getting on my nerves. The scary thing is that they do not know what is on my left ovary until they do surgery. One can only hope it is not cancer. They have said that they may have to do a hysterectomy on me. Which I'm not worried about.

Hi,
my doctor told me my ovarian cyst isn't a "big deal" and birth control may help it, but i dont take B.C becsause im abstinent.(By the way, there were other times i went to the dr and they said i just have a sore throat, later to find out i have mono, after tested 3 TIMES!) I'm going on YEAR #4 and can no longer deal with the pressure inside my ovary. When it "swells" up, i can actually see it swollen when i look down in the area its located. My doctor never told me what type of cyst it is (i think the "chocolate cyst") or how big it is, only that its not cancerous. I was wondering if the cyst HAS to be a certain size to be removed???, as im considering surgery. Also, Is having a cyst for this long unusual? If you can help, it'd be appreciated.

hi woo12woo i was 15 years old when i had my dermoid cyst it was a size of a 20 week pregnancy the doctor said i may not be able to have kids but they were worng!!! i had 2 children and now im 11 weeks pregnant with my 3rd but now i have the dermoid cyst back.

Hi.
I too have just been diagnosed with an 8cm dermoid cyst. Geez they are freaky!
Can anyone tell me if you lose weight after they are out? As I've put on weight over the last year or so for no particular reason. HAven't done anything different than before. Also did anyone find that their stomach became rather solid and changed shape, almost like being pregnant?
Thanks if you can help.

i must say too that my cysts were filled of hair more than the amount one wud find on a girl's head plus fat. the docs were surprised at the amount of hair and fat

The doc removed my dermoid cysts 4 days ago using the laparoscopy procedure. one was 11cm and the other was 6cm. both my ovaries are okay...thank God. i got 3 cuts each being an 1/2 inch wide. i have no kids as yet and i really hope it will b easier to have kids now. the good thing is that after sugery i felt only minimal pain in my shoulder and back only. my belly was a little stiff when i tried to sit, stand and walk for about 2 and a half days. i must say i had a little trouble breathing the day after surgery bcuz there was fluid in my lungs plus i had the flu at the time of sugery. i also blocked out the mornin after for about 30 secs bcuz i started walking too quickly the doc said. overall it wasnt that bad. love those docs..most of all god

Feeling a bit like a pro here, as I have just been diagnosed with my second dermoid cyst! The first one was about ten years ago and I think the only thing it didn't contain was intelligence. Pretty much every other tissue going was in there, but at least they managed to remove it without removing the ovary. There was a lot of scar tissue though, and for a little while it was thought that the ovary was damaged and had ceased to operate. Hence I would caution anyone desperate to just get them out - I think the adhesions that formed after the surgery were more painful than the cyst was, as was all the worry about whether I would be able to have kids or not, due to the scarring damage.

Then about two years ago I had another two functional cysts - one on each ovary! They were kind of a good sign, as they meant both were still active. Burst by themselves in the end. However, I am now 31 and the ovaries have gone and made another dermoid one, 11cms this time so it will need to come out. I have not tried for kids yet (not met anyone I can tolerate for long enough) but keeping my fingers crossed and hoping the tubes don't. Think I've just got attention seeking insides.

Hi I had my dermoid cyst removed from my right ovary 2 weeks ago. During laparoscopy dr found endometriosis and treated it. That explain my pains before surgery. Dr found my left fallopian tube blocked, so that explain why I havent conceived so far, still have an appo on Feb. I feel relax after reading your stories, fill my with hope

thank you so much andrearenae 24.

hi loveisgood. Before i got pregnant with my daughter i use to get my period like every month and half for like a year...they found a cyst on the scan but didnt realize it was a dermoid cyst until my csection. I had the dermoid cyst when i concieved my daughter...she is now 8 and a half months. Have you been told you have a dermoid cyst? I found it alot easier to get pregnant the second time with my son who will be born in less than 3 months. I had to have my left ovary and tube out but it seemed to happen alot faster without the cyst! I am 25 years old by the way.

This is to athlete94, and every one
I am 26 years,Iwas not too sure if i was pregnant because I was getting the same symptoms.Urinate all the time, feeling pressure on my bladder, acne, tiredness, irregular periods (I have not get my mens for 2 month and i am wondering has anyone had these, can you have DC and also get pregnancy symptoms? Please I need some help.

Hi to all of you.

From experience if you are not privately insured you may have a problem getting
your cyst (complex) attended to. Regardless of how old you are. If you are under age
your parents should advocate for you very seriously. Often the Doctor (first opinion any way) is not right especially in the public system.
Otherwise they would not leave young girls with complex cysts waiting thereby risking their fertility and in some cases their lives. Not forgetting the pain and lifestyle concerns ie not well enough to go to school. Their is a lack of transparency about elective surgery waiting lists and procedures within the health system.
Parents, educate yourselves for your childrens'sake. Just because you are not
privately insured should not mean you and your children are second class citizens.
This is the 21st Century and we are living in what is supposed to be a developed country.
Write your concerns down so it helps your case should (heaven forbid) anything become worse or go wrong.
Have courage for your kids’ sake and take the authorities on in a respectful way if need be.
Good luck.

Hi everyone, I am a 14 year old with a 7cm dermoid cyst in my right ovary. I got extreme abdominal pains and went to the hospital, they did numerous tests to find what was wrong with me. They ruled out appendicitis and did an ultra sound to find what it was(dermoid cyst). Some doctors weren't very concerned and told me lots of women my age get them and this made me feel like i had gone through all this pain and told that it was only a belly ache. They said it could take up to 4 months to get it removed. Before i got the pains i had been experiencing most symptoms that come with cysts like needing to urinate all the time, feeling pressure on my bladder, acne, tiredness, irregular periods and i am wondering has anyone had these symptoms as well? Also does anyone know of anyone my age with a dermoid cyst and did the doctors think it was serious enough to operate on straight away given the age?
I am just stressed i suppose because i am an athlete and i have missed out on going to the state championships and i cant go to nationals. My GP also said i cannot go to school either. To diva83; I heard you can get a needle in the abdomen to drain the cyst?

Have been diagnosed with a dermoid, mine was found from an Xray I had done of my hip becuase they could see teeth! I am being treated privately which I know is lucky and it has been very quick. I have had internal and external scan also a CT scan as mine is very large 13cm by 8 cm and have been advised that I will probably lose one ovary. I will have to have a Laparotomy due to the size but am not in pain and haven't really had any noticeable symptoms. A friend had a demoid when she was pregnant and had it removed whilst pregnant as it was growing rapidly, all successful and her daughter is 16 now so in my opinion better to get it sorted through a laparoscopy when its small than have to have the large op of the laparotomy like I will have to have which means no driving for 4 weeks!
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At 19 (im now 22) i was diagnosed with a dermoid cyst which was so large it had pushed my belly button over to the otherside of my stomach. It was quickly operated on and removed along with my ovary and fallopian tube.

After the operation i was told there had been a small cyst on my other ovary and this was "shelled" (mostly but not entirely removed) as a precaution.
When the test results came back they discovered it was the same type of cyst and its likely that the remaining cells will cause it to grow back. I have had scans every 6 months ever since to monitor it.

Ever since this has happened i have been constantly worrying about my fertility. I am in a fantastic stable relationship and believe my partner to be 'the one' and although i am young i am aware that i do not have time on my side so we stopped using contraception about 12 months ago. I must stress a lot of thought has gone into this. When faced with the possibility of not being able to have children, having a glittering career instead seems meaningless in comparison.

So far nothing has happened. I try to take a relaxed attitude to this, *if it happens it happens. Worrying will not change that.* Lots and lots of sex, 12 months later -nothing!! Its easy to look at people who 'accidently' get pregnant from a one night stand and feel incredibly resentful. I guess we cant help it!

Its a terrible thing to have to deal with and i wish everyone above all the best in their pending surgery and pursuit of motherhood.

I got 4cm cyst in left ovary and not conceived yet[10 months after marriage]. My doctor suggested me not to remove it as it is not causing any pain or irregular periods. Is there any way to remove it without surgery or is there is any other way to get faster conceive? Please help me!

great thread, glad to see not alone. i have dermoid cyst diagnosed when we were undergoing ivf, was 1cm and they said to just leave it be as small, not causing any symptoms or problems. (now have 16 month old beautiful daughter). interesting to see that the surgery if it grows isn't too bad. similar to zwiggy's post they said better to leave it be unless it got really big, over 5cm and caused any symptoms. was really really freaked when first diagnosed on a routine scan as part of the ivf.

I had a large 15cm cyst removed in April this year. I had pains in my lower abdomin for about 3 weeks and just thought it was waterworks trouble, I went to the docs to get some pills to clear it up and 3 doctors and 2 scans later discovered I had this cyst, most cysts grow and sit in behind your womb, mine sat on top of by bladder and caused pain similar to a bladder infection. This was on the Fri and I was booked in for the op on Tues, they did a c-section as they wanted to removed both the ovary & tube and were worried it was cancerous...it wasn't. I went back for a scan 3 months later as they said there were 2 small cysts on my other ovary, when they checked there were now 6, but no bigger than 1cm each. The doc didn't seem to be worried as she said this was a good sign that my other ovary was working overtime to compensate and she would be more worried if there wasn't any. We already have a 10 year old son and last week we decided to try for number 2, I've been so worried thinking that my chances of concieving would be down to half with only one ovary or less with the other 6 cysts but after reading through your comments I am happy to see many of you have become pregnant with cysts already there, I am going to keep trying and hope for a good result soon, fingers crossed.

Hi All, sorry I have not been on here just a little dissappointed. I went on Sept 9 to have the lyproscopic, and the doctor could not do it, because the cyst had grown and wrapped around my organs. The doctor said my organs was wrapped up together and if he had tried to cut it out I might hemoriaged. Now I am scheduled to have laproscopic on Sept 23, and will take 6-8 weeks to heal. I am very nervious about the surgery and pain afterwards. Also, I am concerned with my ovaries. The DR said this is the best way to get it out....[hmmm]

My cyst was found at my 20 week scan 4 years ago, they didn't want to take it out then, so informed me I would be having a c-section and cyst removal at the same time...
DD came of her own accord 3 days prior to booked c-section.
Cyst removed 6 momths later - size of a watermelon...lost my right ovary and fallopian tube.

Now 24 weeks pregnant with ID twin girls - took 6 months to conceive (but I think that was more to do with me ovulating early/later than day 14 and it taking me 5 months to work it out!!)

Just another sucess story for live after cysts!!!!!

Just to give you a white lining to your story. I was twelve years old when I was first diagnosed with an ovarian dermoid cyst accompanied by torsion. It was already the size of a grapefruit and I had to have an emergency draining to prevent rupturing. It was removed a month after, but I've had chronic adominal pain since then. In 2004, in my early twenties, I had a laparotomy and discovered endometriosis in abnormal places and severe adhesions. My left ovary and tube was soon removed then after as well. As long as you have one ovary, childbearing is still possible but my chances of fertility was very low due to the endometriosis and history. Today, I am 29 years old and have a beautiful and very healthy baby boy. Pregnancy was very difficult and I continue to experience chronic pain, but.....he is my light, my little miracle baby. My advice to you, is always get a second opinion and make sure that your specialist is up to date on the latest procedures. Do your own homework too! Take care of yourself, recovery is key!

Hey everyone. I too was freaked out when I first found out I had a dermoid. I waited for a year hoping that maybe the size would be reduced, but instead it got bigger and the doctor found that it was on both sides. One was almost 9 inch and other was 6.5. I am only 5'1, 100 pounds so naturally, i was a little freaked out. fortuntely, there was no pain at all, just light periods.
A week ago, I had it removed and the process was not as bad as i thought. Both my ovaries were left in tact. i went home the same day, loaded up on the pain killrs and by day 2, i was feeling fine without needing the pain killers and was able to walk. this was partially because i had laproscoptic surgery and I am a healthy young woman. When i first discovered i had a dermoid, the doc said, i might have both ovaries taken out, hed cut a 4 inch incision on my abdomen and likely that i wont be able to have kids. i was very very uncomfortable with that doc and so i went to another one... he reassured me that these procedures are common and that it is a minor surgery with a slight possibility of difficulties which result in taking out the ovary(s). I asked him about scarring because I dont want a big incision and he told me it would be small cuts and thru the belly button. i felt comfortable with this doctor and felt a good vibe from him. sometims,if u dont bond or feel good with a surgeon, its best to see several and ask lots of questions to ensure u chose the best. Most of these types of surgeries are not that difficult as opposed to other surgeries but depends on the dexterity of the surgeon. I personally would go with an older surgeon as opposed to a younger one just cuz they have more experience.
dont worry ladies.. there are always solutions to everything.

oh thanks
thought you had disappeared!!
I have an apt with consultant gynae at my 20 week scan just to review cyst situation- so will wait and see, but to be honest I think I would rather it where removed post natally.
Mine is 4cm- causing no pain but still dont want it there

Hey! Sorry lilymoly, I lose track of all the threads!

They have left my dermoid and said they arent going to anything with it as it's 3cm and they would only do something if it was over 5cm I think.

They only remove it if its big because when we are proper big pregnant ladies all our insides get shoved around and the dermoid can twist and be really painful.

Obviously my consultant isnt bothered about that!

I alos have been diagnosed with dermoid cyst at 6 week scan- and then again checked at 9 weeks- they are monitering my again at 20 week scan, but concensus seems to be to have it removed yes?

Poenus- so sorry to hear about your daughter going through this. its very sad, but hopefully everything will be ok.

Millie26 I spotted you on another thread about baby bumps at 13 weeks and asked you on there what you where getting done about your dermoid cyst? I have 4cm one and want to know if I need to get it removed.

I am 13 weeks pregnant with dc no2 both concieved instantly so hopefully these things have no effect on fertility

Hey that's brilliant news woo!

I'm 12 weeks and I've got a dermoid, they found it on a 4 wk scan.

Can I be really nosey and ask about the period symptoms - what were they like? I have been worried sick about having cervical cancer as had funny bleeding for several months, but wondering if maybe it is just the dermoid?

Dr wont do a smear as he says they woudlnt do anything until after baby was born anyway. My last smear was 2 years ago and fine.

My 12 year old daughter has just had a dermoid cyst removed. Unfortunately, she had to have her right ovary and fallopian tube removed as well. This was because the cyst was the size of a coconut.
I'm still in a state of shock about what has happened. My daughter has always been so healthy - very sporty and energetic. She had been suffering from occasional pain in her right side, which always came and went.
However, one Sunday in July, the pain came and got worse. She started vomiting and we took her to casualty, admant that it was appendicitis. She showed all the symptoms of appendicitis - severe abominable pain and she didn't stop vomiting. I was cross that they didn't opperate immediately. They kept her until the following day because they wern't 100% sure.
However when they finally operated, a gynacologist was bleeped. Her ovary had swollen to a size of a coconut and had twisted around the tube.They removed both the ovaru and tube.
I still can't believe it. At the beginning I kept blaming myself for not taking her to be checked out sooner. But after talking with my G.P and Gynacologist, there is nothing I could have done, it was one of those things.
My daughter has fully recovered after all this, and is going to get a scan in the near future to make sure that there is no other dermoid cyst hiding by her left ovary.
We have been told that this should not affect her life at all. She will hopefully have normal periods like everyone else and she should not have any problems having children when she grows up.
Its very traumatic to think that an innocent 12 year old has had to go through all this. As a mother I'd rather it had happened to myself.

Hi just wanted to let u know that only about 2 percent are cancerous. I too was worried about that waiting for my pathology report! Only I didnt even find out it was a dermoid cyst until the report came back seeing as i had it removed along with left ovary and tube during my csection (didnt even know it was there). Please dont worry about your chances of concieving (easier said then done i know) , but i got pregnant realy fast with number 2(less than 2 months after my csection without trying) and so far so good im a lil over 4 months prego and my baby girl is 6 months.Its very scary the thought of losing an ovary as i was only 24 when i had to make that decision but obviously my dr was right in telling me that it does not decrease ur chances of concieving....he just said having one ovary is the same as two except for now there is no back up. mine was 15 cm by 12 by 8.

Hi All,

I am so glad that I found this site. After reading this I feel a little bit better. About 2 monhts ago I was having severe pain on the right side. Went to ER and they did a CT Scan(to r/o appendicitius) and found a cyst on my lft ovary (pain was on rt side)@ that time they said that it was appx 5 cm...Went to have a ultrasoud they said it was 9 cm dermoid .. then my cyle came and it was painful w/clots....lasted 17 days..I am scheuled for removal of cyst on tues sep9....I have been scared, don't want to lose ability to conceive. I am 32(33 on Sept. 29), and I have no kids. I am engaged to be married next year. I am nervous about losing a ovary and making my chances less likely to conceive. Even more nervous that it is cancerous
...

Hi, I have read that there is 11% chance that dermoids can be bilateral (ie: both sides), so it is possible. I don't think it would be referred pain, however you should get your GP to refer you to a specialist. Why is your ovary being removed with your planned surgery, is there further damage? A dermoid should be able to be removed leaving the ovary intact providing there are no complications. I am scheduled for a dermoid to be removed only therefore if it is on the other side the other cyst could be removed leaving the ovary intact. It shouldn't stop you having children as ovaries are like kidneys, we can survive with just the one. Hope this helps, but I would definately get a referral to find out and make sure they are aware you plan to have children. Good luck x

hi! i have had a 5cm dermoid cyst in my left ovary for just over 2 years and it has gradually grown and will be removed this year most probably along with the ovary. the last couple of months i have noticed pain developing in my right ovary and am very converned as i dont want to end up with one on that side! does anyone know if it is possible that a dermoid cyst on one side could cause referred pain onto the other side or is it more likely i have a cyst there aswell? im so worried that i wont be able to have children

These posts have really helped reassure me. I found out today that I have one of these alien dermoids apparently 4cm whilst being scanned at 6wks pregnant. No baby was found just this instead. Although gutted I now feel i'm getting to the route of the problem as I have had a previous missed miscarriage (last Nov) and have had irregular periods, (when previously regular as clock-work). I hope to find out on wednesday the next plan of action and hoping that this is removed as soon as possible. I am trotting towards my 36 birthday and still no children. Really needing this solved so that I can forfill my dream of holding a much longed for baby in my arms. Thanks everyone x

Hi, i'm 18 years old and about a year ago i had an ulrtasound that confirmed i had a small cyst on my right ovary. The doctor told me it didnt need 2 be removed and that it might go. i fell pregnant in december and had a scan at 5 weeks, everything seemed to be fine, however, i suffered a miscarriage in march, i'm not 100% sure what caused the miscarriage but i am aware that my hormone levels were extreamly high. Could it have been the cyst that caused it, and if so does it mean that if i fall pregnant again i will miscarry?

Good to know.. that most of u are happy mothers.
Well, I am 25 and was diagnosed with a dermoid cyst on my right ovary last yr. The cyst had grown quite bad and the doctor had to remove my right ovary too alongwith the cyst. My m/c cycles have also been more or less regular after the surgery. But, I have been scared about my chances of conceiving and abt the hormonal imbalances it might cause in future.
Now after reading all these stories by all you brave women, I feel quite good and relaxed now.

Just posting this to say Thankyou to all !!

well i fell pregnant with a 9cm dermoid cyst on one ovary and multiple chocolate cysts on the other.

should say i fell pregnant twice as am now 34+5 with #2

hi very one, is possible to get pregnant even i have 4 cm deroid cyst in my left ovary?? even my peroid not regaler,it s coming just every 4month or more,and i went to maney doctors some of them telling me i haven t to removed it bacause still very small and i have to lose more fat because i get extra 15 kg this year ,but some of doctors said i have to and i need to make the surgery,please any advice??

have only just seen this post but wanted to say that I had a 9cm dermoid cyst removed along with my left ovary when i was 9 weeks pregnant with DS. Apparently this type of cyst can be linked to hormones which may explain why you have had m/c in the past.

anyway, i had the op when i was 9+2 with DS and we are both fine (btw i was 32 at the time). i was told that i had cysts on my right ovary which may turn into dermoid cysts in the future and could affect my fertility. well, how wrong could they be as DS is 10mnths old today and i am booked to have a c-section in 4 weeks with #2!

good morning any women made a dermoid cyst surgery in dubai or uk?if yes pls where?blush

good morning any women made a dermoid cyst surgery in dubai?if yes pls where?

hi woo12woo thank you cause u answer me ,when i read tonghit this post ,i called germany caz there is the only doctor said i have to make surgery and she said soon as possable ,i told her i have no pain nothing just the paroid not ok.but she said i have to do it if i want to get pregnat,but here in dubai 2 docters said dont remove it it s till small?really i dont know what to do now?and can u WOO12WOO gave me your docter address if he is near to me,and thank allllot and very happy for you .

Hi khitam, awww, don't be scared, I was really by scared too, but as you can see from the people on this post that we've all had the same thing and had good outcomes! Dermoid cysts seem to be very common and it is a good idea to have them removed. I really believe that mine was causing my miscarriages, although there isn't any real proof to this...I am still a bit nervous myself, about having another m/c, only because I have had 3 in the past. My periods weren't really irregular, a little , like 34- 38 days, but that can be considered normal too... who knows. I have heard that PCOS, which is different, can cause facial hair,weight gain and really irregular periods, have you been checked to see if you have PCOS? The surgery is not major, to remove the dermoid cyst, I spent one night in hospital, but some people don't even have to do that. It is a very quick recovery time, I has 2 weeks off work and I felt so much better after just one week! So, don't worry about the surgery, it isn't bad at all.

I have a dermoid cyst on ovary, found when i had a miscarriage. I went to kings hospital which is the no.1 for gyno medicine. They said as long as it wasn't causing me pain, they would leave it til i had had children because it will damage the ovary to remove it and they couldn't be sure other ovary was working. so they left it in - its 7cm diameter btw, anyway I've got a lovely baby now, cyst still here not causing any problem. HTH

hiiii woo12woo i am very happy for u and i have a dermoid cyst 4 cm since 2 years i was afraid to make the surgery till today when i read your story and u get pregingt i feel i have to make the surgery too,and i want to ask you is your period was normal?because mine not coming just after every 4months or 2,and i get hair on my face and i become fat this year and my hair falling down is that happening with any??pls i am very afraid,and one thing is my doctor said i havenot to remove my left ovry.

congratulations woo12woo! I hope everything goes well! I like happy endings! especially when i know what your going through! Good Luck!:-)

congratulations Woo12woo!! thats such great news. I'm new to your post but it fills me with hope too as I'm ttc and have recently had ovarian cysts removed. Going to see the gynae this week to see how things look. Well done to you again

hi everyone. I had an ovarian cyst surgery a week ago and still recovering. yesterday i had some pain and tought the reason was i worked myself too hard. Today my period came (on time)and the pain (more than the useual) continius. I don't know if that's normal or not.
Did anyone had that ?

Well....I'm pregnant!!!! A little nervous, but having another scan in 2 weeks...saw the heartbeat on the last one, things are looking good, so far, fingers crossed! I'll keep you posted!! cco8, did you hear from your dr yet?

Thanks woo12woo. I'm still playing phone tag with my dr (!) to see what she says, but I really appreciate hearing your story. Keep us posted on your news!

hi cc08 I had the exact same thing...I had 3 m/c's( all before 6 weeks and they kept sending me for scans at one point they thought that I had an etopic pregnancy beacuse my ovary was enlarged( scared the living daylights out of me!), same as yours about 4.5 cm. Anyways, they finally told me what this was( dermoid cyst) in Feb and I was monitored for a few months ( it din't grow) So finally I got to have my surgery June 6th, been feeling alot better sice I had the surgery and don't worry, the surgery is not major. I felt better after a week(back to myself after the painkillers) I am hoping that I am preggers, didn't expect it to happen so fast, but don't really want to get my hopes up after the last 3 times. I hope that I don't have some sort of a hormonal imbalance or anything, as I didn't wait for a normal period. Have some pregnancy signs, but not reading to much into it, just going to wait until I see the dr next week, I'll keep you posted on what happens. My dr recommended that I didn't get pregnant until the cyst was removed , apparently they can grow rapidly when you are pregnant and can cause pain and get so big that you'll lose an ovary, that is what my dr said anyways. He is a fertility specialist, so I listened to him.I personally think that they CAN( but not always) cause a m/c, depends on the person. Are you small? I am quite small. I don't really know, but my dr said that sometimes womaen have trouble concieving( with these things) and have the op and then have no problems, I think I'll believe in that theory!Good luck and don't worry, you'll be okay. I'd be interested to find out what happens after your op?!

Hi woo12woo, thank you for starting this thread! I have had 3 miscarriages in the 4 months (all ended before 5 1/2 weeks), and all the blood tests/chromosomal workups have come back normal. I just had a sonogram done (SO painful) and got the news that I have a dermoid cyst on my left ovary (4 cm), but my dr didn't seem to think it was causing the miscarriages. She also didn't suggest surgery immediately-- just to monitor it again in 3 mos or so, and was fine with us trying to conceive even with the cyst. Did your dr give you the option to try to conceive with the cyst there, or ? I need to talk to my dr again-- I was too shellshocked when she called me, plus I was driving at the time and couldn't write anything down, but would like to know what you and others on this board think. (Btw, I hope you are pg :-)) and go all the way!)

I had my dermoid cyst removed at the beginning of June. I was on b/c pills for 2 months prior beacuse my doctor didn't want me to get pregnant before my surgery( before that I was not on B/c pills for a year). I have not had a period since and it is July 11. I did a hpt(2) and they were positive. My husband and I didn't use protection after my 2 week wait after surgery and only did it a few times!. Do you think that I could be pregnant, or could it be showing a positive result from a hormone imbalance or something? I didn' think it could happen so soon after the surgery and I am kinda scared could be etopic!! I just freak out about stuff like that! My dr says that I have a dip in my uterus,but it isn't major. I have had 3 m/c's before and that is how they found my dermoid cyst. I don't want to get my hopes up,as I have been so emotionally distressed after the past 3 times, I don't want to feel like that again. I have a follow up appt soon, so I guess I'll just wait to find out then. Any advice or similar eaxperiences???????

I had a dermoid cyst and an ovary removed in 2000 at 14 weeks pregnant and went on to have the baby with no problems. I have since had 4 more children, including one set of twins with no problems.

Mine was over 10 inches in diameter, and was about the size of a basketball. I was cut from bikini line to belly button so the recovery was far worse than an emergency c-section but within a few weeks was back to normal and it has obviously had no effect at all on my fertility.

Good luck.

Hi! I had my surgery done last week to remove my dermoid cyst. I still have my ovary and I feel a bit sore and tired, but that is about it. I had the stiches out today and have the tinest incisions, one on my stomach and one near my bikini line. It wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be. I am so glad they found it and got it out whilst it was so small( about the size of a small hen's egg) We are going to try again for a baby after I have had a few weeks to recover and I would like to wait for about 2 periods to make sure my body id getting back on track. I am so hoping that I won't have any more miscarriages and I can finally be a mummy one of these days!

I am preganant (17 weeks) and just had a dermoid cyst removed. And it did not effect the baby! They found the cyst at an 8 week ultrasound and kept an eye on it. It started out being 6cm (which is considred large) and by the time they took it out 2 months later it was bigger than a grapefruit. They did have to remove an ovary too (Because I was pregnant the less I was under anesthesia, the better for the baby.) The doctor said I would not have any problem with conception in the future because you only need one ovary.

And recovery is far from being like a c-section. I had a c-section with my first and it was pretty painful! The pain lasted 2 weeks. They did a laproscopy surgery to remove the cyst and the only paid medicine I used was Tylenol. The pain from the surgery went away in like 2 days. The worst part of the surgery was the shoulder pain from the gas bubbles, which lasted 5 days.

hi woo12woo i posted 2 days before you. I had the cyst when i concieved ...we werent trying but we werent not tryn either. we had unprotected sex for almost a year before i got pregnant. Now i have only one ovary and tube and i found out yesterday i am pregnant again! My daughter is only 14 weeks old! its crazy it seems like it was easy to get pregnant as we probably got pregnant within the first month i was able to do it after my surgery. This time was no problem either as neither time i was tryn! I was so worried i would not be able to have another child now im gonna have two a year apart! If you have any other questions let me know because I know how scary this can be!

Hi, I am the person that started this post, I am amazed at how many women get these things.I am having the surgery to remove the dermoid cyst in June, not looking forward to it, but at least it will be over and done with.Mine is aparently the size of a small hen's egg, so not too big, dr isn't sure if they will have to remove part of my ovary or not. How long did it take for you to concieve afterwards? Did you have to wait a few months? I am going to be 34 this year and don't want to wait too much longer to have a baby. Getting quite anxious about this whole thing. Weird tht so many women get them, I guess it is pretty common, glad they found it when it is small

hey everyone! I just had a beautiful baby girl feb 26. 2008. On my very first sonogram when i was 6 weeks pregnant i notices something different about my left ovary and then asked the ultrasound tech about it. Although they are not suppose to tell you anything...i convinced her otherwise. she was referring to my dermoid cyst as a 3 inch mass, which scared the heck out of me. I waited all weekend and finally got ahold of the nurse at my gynos office and she looked at the report from the radiologist and told me it was just a 1 inch normal cyst people get while they are pregnant. she informed me that it would go away on its own. needless to say less than 9 months later as i lay on the operating table getting my csection...i seen the look on my fiances face as he looked back and forth between me and what was behind the curtain! they told me that my ovary was over 10X the normal size and that the dr had felt hard stuff in it...which made me think cancer! he told me i had 3 options...i could have him close me back up with it still inside of me (he informed me that more than likely i would be back in 2 months from now gettin cut open again!), or he could try and save part of my ovary but the cyst was huge and i wasnt sure if it was cancer or not, or he could just take it out. well needless to say i made that decision quick. I asked him about my other ovary and if id be able to have a second baby and he said yes that everything looked good. So after a day of labor and my baby being born i told him to take out the ovary. He sent it to pathology it was 15by 12 by 8 and he explained to me that it was a dermoid cyst and the chance of reoccurance on the other side was only 10%. This cyst was already there before i got pregnant and i got prego without tryn. this is a hard thing to deal with tho but like my gyno said they can watch out for it now. he also said that having one ovary is the same as having two (concieving wise) he said that its just now you dont have a back up.

Hello. A good friend of mine had a missed miscarriage about a year ago. Following this she was found to have a dermoid cyst. I am not sure if the two were related, but she had the cyst removed and is now expecting a baby in August. I do not think she had to wait long after the surgery before they tried again. Maybe a few months

Does anyone think that when you have a dermoid cyst on/in ovary that your body thinks that it could be pregnant and therefore reject a pregnancy if it happpens? I am confused why i keep having m/c (3) and have this dermoid cyst,it seems like kind of a coincidence,don't you think? anyone else been through this? I really want to have a baby and I have to have the surgery to remove this thing first before we can consider trying again. My dr has put me back on bc pills because he does not want me to get pregnant while i still have this thing. He said that they give women the bc pill to kick start ovulation before ivf treatments and it works apparently. I don't have any problems with regular periods. this is causing me to have alot of anxiety, the not knowing part, not knowing when I am having the surgery and not knowing if i can concieve afterwards. If anyone has been through a similar situation I would really appreciate hearing from you. Is the surgery awful? I am a bit scared, the dr says that this isn't a seroius thing and quite common.Just want to know if anyone has had miscarriages with a dermoid cyst and then gone on to have a normal pregnancy after it has been removed

I had a dermoid cyst removed when I was 18 and have had 2 children since. Mine was the size of a jaffa orange....apparantly !!!

Has anyone had micarriages with a dermoid cyst on ovary? I am curious because apparently I have had 3 and they can't find anything else wrong with my husband or myself. We have had a battery of blood tests, chromosome tests, you name it, we've had them ! I asked the dr if the dermoid cyst could cause m/c but he was pretty vauge about it. I am just wondering if anybody else had a problem concieveing/holding onto a pregnancy with one of these things and if you had any problems with m/c after it was removed. I still have not got a surery date booked yet and I am anxious to have this surgery done soon so that we can start ttc again.....so frustrating, never knew it was gonna be this hard to get and stay pregnant.

I had a dermoid cyst removed but later went on to have my darling baby boy - please try not to worry x

i had a tumour on my left ovary and had it removed including my ovary. so i only have my right ovary and conceived my DS without any problems, on the first month of trying!

so even if you lose your left ovary, it is not a problem having just one ovary. apparently it is like kidney. it is ok to have just one.

good luck! and if you can get it done privately, quicker. so you can ttc asap!

thankyou to those who responded, I am feeling a little more reassured that things will be okay now!

Hi,
yes, I had exactly that back in 2000! I went for a routine chek and my GP- after feeling my tummy, cryptically asked: are you feeling alright? Anyway, was referred for scan, where they sawthe cyst and were perplexed. I had an operation quickly because it was big and was told that there would be no problem conceiving as a result. Indeed, my lovely son who is now 3 was conceived very quickly- no problems. We are now trying for #2 and it is taking for ever, but that is another story.

Before the operation I was told that depending on the size and form of the cyst I might have my ovary removed, but thankfully that was not the case. Even if it was, it wouldn't affect fertility.

Overall, I want to reassure you, it is annoying but it didn't seem to affect my ability to have a baby.

It annoys me that it takes so long to diagnose something like that and to treat it!!

I don't ahve any experience of this I'm afraid, but I didn't want to leave your thread unanswered. Hopefully someone will come along with the relevant knowledge.

I'm sorry to hear that you have bee through all of this but thankfully there is a diagnosis and action to be taken. I do know that if you only have one 'working' ovary, it will ovulate more every month (or as often as you generally ovulate, noting your history) so being down to one shouldn't reduce your chances in the future.

Can you ask for an appointment to discuss these worries with a consultant?

I have been diagnosed with a dermoid cyst on my left ovary.One of those disgusting things with hair, skin and teeth. They are apparently a confused egg that decided to develop themselves and get stuck on the ovary. I have had 3 missed abortions/ chemical pregnancies and really weird periods, irregular and very light. I keep getting sent to the hospital with suspected etopic pregnancy, because they keep seeing an enlarged ovary on the ultrasounds and positive hcg tests, with no pregnancy in my uterus.After a LONG wait I have just been to a specialist and finally after a year and a half of all of this, finally told what this is. The dermoid is not very big 4.5 cm the size of a small hen egg, but they say I will probably have to wait 4-8 months to get the surgery(have to have it removed) I am scared that part of my ovary will be removed too and I am worried that I won't be able to have children afterwards .....it is really stressing me out. Has anyone had a dermoid cyst removed from their ovary and been able to concieve a child afterwards? I am thinking of paying and getting this done privately, so I won't have to wait that long. I am 33 going on 34 and don't want to wait much longer before having a baby.Anyone had a similar experience? Help... worried and scared.