Ovarian Cyst/ UTI/ Worse?

[TeaMuncher]

Ladies I need your expert advise because this has now gone on for ages and I'm worried.

I started having dull pain in my left pelvic/ ovary area back in Jan. I also needed to wee more often than usual, had a distinct lack of appetite and felt generally crap. There were traces of protein and blood in my urine so I went through 2 courses of anti-bios to try and clear the suspected UTI. All urine tests since have been clear, but the symptoms remain. The last few days, the pain has been worse than before (but never really bad) and the need to wee more often is so annoying!

I'm not convinced it's anything to do with a UTI and I'm terrified it could be ovarian cancer. I've got an ultrasound booked but it's not for 4 weeks and I'm stressing out. It could also be an ovarian cyst perhaps?

Any tips/ experiences welcome! Xx

I’m going through the same and I’m terrified. They are saying I have a uti but I just can’t comprehend why I would be in so much pain in my lower belly

I've had several non cancerous ovarian cysts. Each time there have been some UTI symptoms as when the cyst grows it can put pressure on your bladder in the same way that pregnancy can. I've always felt very full and have been noticeably bloated with me, plus an increase in pain and exhaustion. I have Endometriosis so pain and exhaustion featured heavily at that point anyway. I distinctly remember with one of mine recognising the same symptoms but trying to convince mysef that it wasn't another cyst. Then I leant forwards over my desk at work. The pain from pressure being put on the cyst was incredible.

If it is a cyst, there are so many different causes. I know how difficult it is, but truly don't instantly think it's malignant.

If you're really struggling consider phoning the imaging department and asking if you could go on their last minute camcellation list for svans, if someone is unwell on the day etc.

Feel free to ask any questions, I'll answer anything that I can.

I just had exactly the same ! Started off with dull achey pain in the morning when I had a full bladder, painful when emptying bladder, needed to urinate more frequently. Thought it might be a UTI but urinalysis didn’t show any bacteria so didn’t get prescribed antibiotics (there were traces of blood though). Eventually it got worse and along with all the above symptoms I had a very localised pain in what 100% felt like my left ovary that never went away. Ultrasound showed nothing on ovaries. Then got a call back from GP to say that the latest urinalysis results back from lab did show bacteria infection so got prescription for antibiotics specific to that bacteria. They didn’t seem to be making any difference, so called and asked for stronger. Pain worse, no appetite, flu like symptoms. Went to out of hours on the Saturday as was supposed to be catching a flight at 6.30am on the Monday morning to go away for a week. Again no bacterial infection showed in dip test, but by the Sunday night I could finally feel the 2nd batch of antibiotics kicking in so went away on the Monday. It’s been about a week since I stopped taking antibiotics and I think I can feel the mild symptoms returning (not the “ovary” pain yet). I’m going to return to GP and ask for a referral as I don’t think the infection is ever truly gone. I could have sworn it wasn’t a UTI (I’ve had lots) but I think it might just be a really deep one ?! It’s so debilitating, and I really feel for you. Keep going back to GP as I should have done more .

Ask your GP for a full blood test, including the CA125 marker. A high CA125 doesn't mean you have cancer but it will flag up whether or not your body is fighting some kind of inflammation, and if it is high, your ultrasound should be brought forward.

I have similar symptoms and I'm trying very hard to avoid googling

Thanks everyone, I'm glad I'm not the only one!

I had convinced myself it was hormonal (& wld therefore just go away) because it all coincided with weaning DS off the boob after 13 months. And the pain/ frequent urination seemed to come on more just before AF. But it's also all happened again a week later ... Unless it's caused by ovulation ??

Either way, I'm pretty sure it's ovarian rather than UTI because I don't have pain when peeing, just need to go ALL THE TIME! And it comes and goes.

Just really want that Scan! Urghhh so frustrating and worrying

I had exactly the same symptoms over the course of a year. Ended up in hospital twice. What they always put down as a UTI was actually a kidney stone and only discovered because I ended up going private.
Have they ruled out kidney stones?

Busters oh, yikes! No they haven't even mentioned that. When this all originally happened, I was really quite poorly and thought maybe it was a kidney infection, but the dip test was so vague (just 'traces' according to GP) so I thought it couldn't be. Would kidney stones show up on an ultrasound?

Was going to say what you've described sounds so much like my kidney stone. They didn't spot it for years as kept saying UTI, despite antibiotics doing nothing and me often not having any indication in a dip test.

I have ovulation pain now and whilst it's so much milder it makes me panic every month because it feels so similar. FYI the pain I felt was caused by the stone blocking the ureta. So it's possible for it to come and go.

Sorry I daily mailed' that ... Months not years!

They can show up on an ultra sound but they normally do a CT to ensure it's not hiding so to speak. Also if your ultrasound was of the ovaries I guess they wouldn't see. They had to poke hard on my back during subsequent treatment to find it so I doubt it would show up accidentally.

Hope you're ok and get to the bottom of it soon!

@TeaMuncher I was told today that I don't have a UTI. I've still got strong urges to wee (for just a tiny amount), pain under my ribs, and pain lower right abdomen and back. I had white blood cells in my urine test which is apparently normal in women? I'm waiting for blood test results to hopefully find out more

I’ve had a look at kidney stone symptoms and I’m really sure that’s what’s causing my pain. I will go back to dr to confirm. Do they usually pass on their own?

@CurbsideProphet that's odd, they seem like classic UTI symptoms don't they? I did read a report about how UTIs don't always show up in urine tests, but Docs should look at symptoms. Hope you get some answers soon!

Meanwhile, my 'ovary' pain has gone down again Can't work it out, but I'm pretty sure it flares up with hormones (PMS/ ovulation). Still weeing more than usual and I can feel the dull ache lurking... What the hell is it?!

I had a uti that lasted three months and had numerous antibiotics and numerous dip tests none of which showed much other than a bit of invisible blood or the odd bit of something else . My symptoms weren’t abdominal though it was pain in m urethra and frequency.

It will be a process of elimination. Tie go should refer you to a urologist for a kidney and bladder scan first and foremost and a cystoscopy to have a look inside your bladder.

This will rule out kidney stones, infections and some other nasties.

If nothing shows then and you still have problems I may be gynaecological.

I had all the above tests and also som basic gynae tests pelvic exam smear and sti tests (as these mimic utis sometimes).

All my tests came back negative. Conclusion with me was it was one of those things. My symptoms gradually tailed off on their own although I still have traces of blood I. My urine but I probably always have. Urologist said some people just do.

Hello OP, they gave me an ultra sound and they didn't pick up a stone with that, but the thing is that I had been admitted to the the gynaecology ward and they were looking at my ovaries. They couldn't find anything wrong with my ovaries and were pretty much stumped. So it was when the horrendous pain came back a month later, and I saw the GP and he prescribed me tramadol and voltarol to help me saying that he thought my pain was muscular that I decided to go private and see a kidney specialist. I had an mri with him that showed up that I had had a stone and it had passed so the pain that I had been having for pretty much the whole year was from my kidneys and not my ovaries. Speak with your GP and ask him to refer you. It's an awful pain to have and I really hope that you get it sorted and start to feel better. Big hugs xxx

@Pinkbedsheets go back to the drs and ask about kidney stones. They do normally pass on their own but the pain is horrendous and it really can make you quite poorly. When mine eventually passed, I was on tramadol and voltarol and was out of sorts for about ten days. If you have a big stone, you would be referred to a specialist who will laser them to break them up. Go get checked out. Good luck and hope you feel better soon xxx

Ps @TeaMuncher I just re read your last post and it really does sound like you may be passing a stone. The pain that you describe (coming and going but a dull ache) is honestly what I had for the best part of a year. Go see the doctor and ask him to refer you to a urologist.
Big hugs xx

@vampirina do you think your 'ovulation pain' is related to the kidney stone? What other symptoms did you have? Was there an infection there do you think? (Sorry - a million questions! My mind is racing) x

I had a similar situation a couple of years' ago - suddenly had light spotting, aching in ovaries outside of usual menstrual-related pain, some pain while peeing. I thought I had a UTI. Doctor checked loads of things - including testing for a urinary infections (all clear) and then referring me for a smear, STI testing and a pelvic scan.

In my case, it turned out to be symptoms of endometriosis - which I had suspected for many years, due to my historically horrific period pain. But that can only be confirmed with a laparoscopy, so the doctor wanted to eliminate other possibilities before going through with that procedure.

It could have easily been a whole host of things with similar symptoms, including pelvic inflammatory disease, kidney stones, benign cysts, fibroids. It is common with this sort of pain to go through a process of ruling things out to get to an answer.

Please try not to worry too much - it is not very likely to be ovarian cancer, although it is natural to be worried. Fingers crossed you get to the bottom of it soon.

Just on to say try not to worry, the ultrasound will pick anything up, right down to something tiny like ovulation.
It’s worth asking for a cancellation though if you can to get it out of the way.
They probably won’t tell you anything on the day, although it depends who does the scan.

@TeaMuncher previously I had a kidney infection, but they said it was a UTI. It felt like waves of stabbing pain in the side under my ribs. It built quickly. Antibiotics sorted the infection but the symptoms persisted until later in the year I went to a&e in more severe pain.

That pain was an intense stabbing in the side, which turned out to be the stone blocking my ureta.

Had that not happened I may not have known of the stone and just kept getting the 'UTIs'.

Had morphine in hospital and was sent home with diclophenac, cocodamol 300, anti nausea drugs and laxatives to counteract the cocodamol (the joys).

It wouldn't have passed on it's own as it was too large (7mm I think?). I had to have lithotripsy which was done over the course of three weeks, three sessions which broke it up into pieces. It then passed and was agony but very briefly, quite literally just as weeing (sorry for the TMI).

I spent time in hospital and had to postpone my first lithotripsy session as I had an infection. There's a risk of sepsis when the tubes are blocked and urine / infection is stuck in the kidneys. But I was fine in that respect, just more antibiotics and a night on the ward.

I imagine stones can be misdiagnosed easily for 'women's problems' as it's in the same area. You're more likely to have a stone if your mum or dad has, then more likely if you've had one before. I am wondering lately if it's another stone I'm feeling with the dull ache but I will wait until it becomes worse to do anything as if it were a stone, it may pass on it's own.

I hope if you go back to the Dr they'll be able to do some tests to look into it further for you as I'm obviously not a medical professional ... But it sounds a lot like my experience!

@TeaMuncher What I should add is to try not to worry! If it's a kidney stone that's kind of good news, as it's so treatable and not something sinister.

I made the mistake of reading loads online before lithotripsy and was scared stiff but it was a breeze. No pain and done quickly! I was referred within a week.

If you do have a stone, you won't be at risk by waiting until your ultrasound. It's not life threatening in the developed world, as long as you pay attention for signs of infection like a very high temperature, shaking etc. Which I'm sure you would anyway!

Someone on the ward at the same time as me had actually known about their stone for a year and discussed with their GP leaving their the op until then. I'm not saying not to do anything, just that this is a very treatable thing.

The stones only really make themselves known when they start to pass or cause a blockage. And if your pain is manageable, not the worst pain you've ever felt which would require urgent medical help, chances are it's either small enough to pass on it's own without a huge issue or it's blocking something and so the hospital will help before it gets to the stage of the horrific pain people talk of.

@vampirina thank you so much for taking the time to msg me. I've read such complete horror stories about passing kidney stones and the pain being akin to childbirth! Horrific!

I have a call scheduled with the GP tomorrow, but may go in an see her instead becoz the urge to wee is literally every bloody 30 mins now

@TeaMuncher No problem!! It's so scary when something crops up unexpectedly. If you can go in I would so you can give a urine sample.

Hope it goes well X