Ovarian cyst removal, possible ovary removal, what to expect?

[edwardcullensotherwoman]

My mum is going in next week for removal of an ovarian cyst, possibly even removal of 1 or both ovaries depending on how bad it looks when they get "in there", so to speak.

Has anyone had this operation and what was your experience? I want to help and support her as much as I can, but neither of us has much idea what it will involve beyond a few days in hospital, and she hasn't been given much information on recovery time, things that will help/not help.

So far the only help I've been able to give was advising her to ask for warm peppermint cordial to help with gas after the op

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[koolforcats]

Hi, I had a large cyst removed 18 months ago. Mine was a 10cm endometrioma (sometimes called a chocolate cyst), so not small but not huge. It was removed successfully with no complications. I was given the list of things which could happen and they're always scary sounding but it's important to remember that the docs are obliged to warn you of possible complications. Mine was done laparoscopically so I just ended up with 3 small scars. I felt quite tender for a few days so just rested. Good idea re the peppermint - I remember my chest really hurting from the gas used to inflate the area.

How kind of you to post, I hope all goes well.

[edwardcullensotherwoman]

Thanks kool , that sounds similar to what my mum has been told - hers will be a laparoscopy. Nice to hear a positive recovery story - she's never been one to sit around, my mum, she's always the one who looks after everyone else!
Thank you

[SirBoobAlot]

Have had two lapraoscopies in the last year, first one was a rather large cyst, I came close to loosing the ovary, but they saved it. They like to prepare you for the worst, I think, in the nicest way. Laps are done as day surgery, but worth taking a few basic overnight things in just in case.

Operation itself was fine, though my cyst ruptured, so when I woke up I had a drain in place, which was weird, and felt slightly uncomfortable when they removed it, but not painful.

The three small incisions healed very quickly both times around. Did have some rather tender bruising around all my lower abdomen area, so would recommend arnica cream or similar.

I struggled with the GA recovery more than the op itself, to be honest. So things like batch cooking before hand and freezing, or having a few ready meals in the fridge, so she doesn't have to think about cooking in the first week. Second time around the gas pain was worse, and nothing really shifted it. Peppermint tea, fizzy drinks and heat packs helped slightly.

Hope everything goes well for your mum.

[edwardcullensotherwoman]

Thanks sirboobalot , good idea about the batch cooking, although hopefully my dad should be able to sort out food (means she'll live on curries/stir fries and anything that can be made in one pan for a week or so!)
She's been told she's definitely in the night before and the night following the op (due to other underlying conditions needing close monitoring) so hopefully that will help her recovery because, lets face it, there's a limit to what you can do around a hospital bed (I've had 2 c-sections and stayed in several nights for each, I did much less then than I did once I got home!)

[lurkingfromhome]

I had this done 20 years ago (god, am i really that old?) - big cyst and lost my ovary as well. Scar like a C-section scar. I was in hospital for four days (private hospital as had private medical ins. at the time through work, so perhaps that is not the norm). It was honestly fine - I was a bit tired for several weeks afterwards, just because having any kind of surgery takes it out of you rather than because of anything specific to do with the op, so had to take it easy and get plenty of sleep and rest. Had a morphine drip in hospital but by the time I was discharged was just on paracetamol and the wound healed nicely. I think they tend not to slice you open these days, but do the several small incisions that everyone else is mentioning so it should be even less dramatic than it was for me. Best wishes to your mum.

[edwardcullensotherwoman]

Thanks for all the good wishes everyone
Good to hear positive experiences too, it really does help to keep the obligatory worst case scenarios from the hospital at the back of your mind!