post menopausal/ovarian cyst

[blighter]

am 54 and post menopause around 4 years. had an ultrasound today and was told that there is a cyst on my rhs ovary. she didn't seem concerned (said it didn't look sinister) however i am not overly thrilled. she said she would write to my gp who would decide further action. anyone else in the same/similar situation? thanks

'didn't look sinister' probably means it's a 'simple' cyst, i.e just a bag of fluid, with no septations - separate compartments - or solid areas. This is good news. 'Complex cysts' need more investigation.

Even after menopause, ovaries can still be semi-active, with surges of hormones that could result in cysts. Or possibly it's an old one? I had an oophorectomy 15yrs post-menopause and still had hot flushes and other minor menopausal symptoms while I adjusted to ovaries being removed.

Why did you have an u-s? Are you having symptoms?

thanks for your response thymeout, she didn't use the word 'sinister' (that was my interpretation....). i can't remember her wording but implied the same. can they go from being simple to complex??

i've had bloating/discomfort/dodgy bowels & being off food/full quickly for a few months. currently going through various tests (seem to be centered around abdominal rather than ladies areas). gp did an ovarian blood check which came back ok i think & had a random ultrasound booked which was what i had the other day. i had a ct scan yesterday which apparently covers ovary area although i don't think the gastroenterologist was looking there but more my pancreas.

it had occurred to me that my ovaries may still be 'active' even though i haven't had a af for over 4 years. i get the odd 'ping'/sensation there the way i used to when i was still fertile. last scan years ago so no idea how long it has been there.

I'm sorry - I don't know whether complex cysts start off as simple and then develop septations etc. I had a huge - 22cm - tumour/cyst which was certainly complex when it was scanned. It even had a daughter cyst floating around my diaphragm! And still not malignant. (Borderline Ovarian Tumour). Surprisingly, no symptoms except for a pregnant profile.

It's tricky with gastric symptoms, being passed from one speciality to another, but it sounds as if they're on the ball with blood tests etc. Hopefully, you'll get some answers from the scans. Good luck!

thanks very much