Help! Please come to the aid of a MN-er facing surgery and scared and unsure....

[Clary]

I am due to have an op to have an ovarian cyst removed. I realise it's hardly major in the scale of things, but I am nervous and unsure about some things.

Hate having a GA (had one years ago) and the whole thing of having op.

Also extremely concerned about being in hosp ie away from the kids for 5 days, and unable to drive for 6 weeks. How will I do nursery run etc etc>? How do other people cope with this? I work 4 days/wk (will be off work for 6 wks) but still have commitments re childcare/activites etc.

Brief history of op is: blood count very low, Drs look into why, find lump in tummy, alarm bells ring (colon cancer in family) but further checks reveal all is well; so what is lump? asks Doc. Oh, I said, probably an ovarian cyst I have had at least since pg with DD (now 5) (spotted on scan).

Doc orders scans and decides it's got bigger. But actually I am "asymptomatic" - ie have no pain or other symptoms (not sure what they would be) except that I have the thing.

So they have decided it needs to come out. I asked why at my last apt and was told "the consultant has recommended it". Feel as if I am beign swept along by this all. Can I dig my heels in and just live with this lump (it's not ovarian cancer btw)? Or would that be stupid. Has anyoen any experience of this op. I am totally terrified and left the hospital almost in tears about it.

sorry for long post. TIA

[MrsJohnCusack]

Don't leave the cyst - they can grow to extremely alarming sizes and that makes removal more difficult (I speak as someone who had one the size of a football removed along with an ovary, and the operation was much worse than it would have been if I'd gone to the doctor's earlier).
If it's not huge, do you know how they're going to remove it? From the sound of your hospital stay/time off driving it sounds as though they're talking about a laparotomy. But if it's small enough they can sometimes remove via a laparoscopy which is less invasive. Did they say or are they just being irritatingly vague in that way that hospital doctors have?

GAs are much better than they were years ago as well. It's not nice to have one - I was terrified - but the aftereffects are generally much better with the newer ones.

Poor you Can't advise about the recovery as I had no children when I had my op, but any other questions about the op itself, do ask!

[SpaceCadet]

hi
you need to have the cyst removed, i can completely understand thats its frightening, im a nurse but im terrified of having operations!.
i dont know how many years ago you had a ga,but the fact that you had one and were ok, means that you can cope with ga.
have you got friends and family who can rally round and help, it is important that you rest for the recommended time as you are having abdominal surgery.
when you arrive at the hospital, explain your fears, the nursing staff will reassure you.
look at it this way, your cyst masy not be causing any problems as such allthough you are anaemic, but it probably will one day, its best to have what is a routine op now, than possibly an emergency one further down the line.
i worked for a while on a gynae ward and saw countless women go down to have cyts removed..they all came back in one piece!

[hulababy]

Sorry you are going through this Clary. Have no advice, but lots of support.

[Gelfling]

Hi Clary. I was in hospital in Aug last year for removal of ovarian cysts.I won't go into all the ins and outs as you would be bored to tears.I had them on both ovaries and they were about the size of tennis balls. I had a laparoscopy under GA. Tbh I would have it removed as they can cause problems if left - mine had flattened/squashed my ovaries against my bowel.On the other hand they do go on their own sometimes. Over the two and a half years since I was diagnosed I've had 4 scans (some to do with fertility treatment) and each time the size and location of cysts has varied. Mine were what they called chocolate cysts which are linked to endometriosis, so even though I had some removed in Aug last year, at the last scan I had which was Jan, there were 2 more cysts visible. I too am usually asymptomatic, but last year did get some pain.
On the GA worries I can't be much help - I've had it 5 times and tbh (call me a wierdo) quite enjoy the experience, although did projectile vomit last time just as dd and dh arrived to visit
My dd was 5 when I had op and she handled the separation really well - better than I did. I was in for 6 days.Have they told you you will not be able to drive for 6 weeks ? Presume you will be having a laparotomy ?
Sorry for rambling.Please try not to worry too much.
Hugs

[motherinferior]

Clary, Marina was recently in hospital for a fairly routine procedure - given her horrible experience of hospitals, though, it was not a pleasant experience to anticipate (it went fine, btw). Email me if you'd like me to pass you on to her!

[SpaceCadet]

btw, ive had 7 operations over the years, im still here to tell the tale.

[Clary]

Hello ladies and thank you for all the messages and support. It means a lot. Didn't realise till I came to write it down how panicked I was/am over this.

Sorry to be so late replying but that was posted in a brief lunchbreak in my manic day yesterday.

Mrs JC they are going to do the first thing you say ie a cut like a C-section [horror emoticon]. It's too big for the non-invasive way. Spacecadet and gefling, thanks for your positive stories.
Thanks to all who say a GA is not as bad as it was. My last one was about 10 yrs ago sohopefully it is better now.

Hula and MI, your support is appreciated . MI, I wouldn't mine being put in touch with Marina actually, I saw about her hospital apt and was wondering how she is managing with childcare etc now at home again. Is she off work for a similar period? etc.

Anyone else's experiences most welcome.