C-Section and removal of large ovarian cyst HELP!

[Bluestar17]

Hi
I am having a c-section and cystorectomy which is the removal of a large ovarian cyst straight after my c-section.
Any one had this.
Please share your experiences.
Recovery time.
Pain.
Etc.

Thanks

I didn't have the removal same time as a section. I have a section before though. Obviously ur recovery from ur section is going to take a while. Think it took me about 3+weeks get properly on my feet again.
Removal off the cyst was fine little bit constipated after that. Was in any pain afterwards. Was pretty straight forward. They though my cyst was on my ovary but was Infact in my left fallopian tube. Which had to be removed.

*wasnt

Thanks @TtcanotherG for sharing how long was the recovery from the cyst. Did you have the surgeries close together? I was expecting if my joint surgery was 1st November then I Should expect not to be up and about independently until about 8weeks later which is worrying me because I’ll have a newborn.

I haven’t had a c-Section so no idea how long it takes to recover fully from that, but had a cyst removal by 8cm incision. I was back to full capacity by 5 weeks post op, after about a week I could (slowly) manage the stairs to get to my bed and once I hit that milestone, the progress just kept happening. Went back to work as a teacher at 6 weeks as could drive, was full time by 7 weeks.

But every recovery is different.

Thanks @Keyboard91 I try to plan for everything even though I know I can’t really for this it’s good to know how others managed. Hopefully I’ll be alright by Christmas at least. I was expecting to be in hospital the first week or most of it so that should help with the stairs issue. Thanks for sharing your experience.

I would speak to consultant but I would have thought that it wouldn't make a significant difference to your normal c section recovery. As in it would be the same with it without the cyst removal.
I have been told if I go ahead with getting sterilised at this c section that the recovery will be the same.
I have the lowest pain threshold ever, complete wimp and crier! I went home with oral Morphine after my c section last year and will be asking for same this time. But after 2 weeks I felt much better and after 3 weeks I was back driving with go ahead of insurance ( well they weren't interested ) and go/ midwife.they will give you a full list of activities and stuff and how long you shouldn't do them for.

@kelly14 that’s a good point I’ll be asking for that. I just can’t cope with the pain been in pain the whole pregnancy 😫. Don’t want to continue with a newborn too.

Hi @Bluestar17

I'm due to have this as well - how did it go for you? How was the op itself? Did it feel like an eternity or did it go by pretty quickly?

Hi @Rebecca612 I prepared for it all signed the papers and got a standing recliner, as well as a 4 in 1 Chico cot that has wheels and goes up and down. My son was born 11 days early vaginally. I agreed that if I went into labour sooner than the planned c section I wouldNt have it because emergency sections ones waters have broken have more risks.
I’m 3 months pp and my cyst has shrunk from 13 cm to 3 cm. I’ve got my consultation tomorrow and they plan to remove via keyhole surgery which is less invasive. All being well my ovary is okay and the recovery time minimal.
Wishing you all the best with your delivery and surgery.

Thanks for the update @Bluestar17 that's a brilliant outcome! My cysts is huge, sitting under my ribs at 25cmx15cm so the consultants aren't confident that it will shrink but I'll keep my fingers crossed. Congrats on your little boy!

Ah I really feel it for you mine was 13 at its largest and twisted my ovary when I was only 17 weeks. They drained it and it grew back to 10 3 weeks later.
Thank You from all the research I did the surgery and section together was the same healing time as just having a c section. So if you aim for that as a outline

Hi @Rebecca612 sorry to jump on post but I'm due a cesarean and a cystectomy for a large ovarian cyst of around 20cm in 2 weeks time. Just wondered how you got on? X

Hi @sarahloubert I haven’t had the operation yet. They wanted to do it in 3 weeks (when I’m 32 weeks) but the baby is perfectly on the 50th percentile on all recent scans and I feel fine so we are potentially moving it back to 36 weeks. They’ve said there’s no way they’ll let me make it to 37 weeks because the size of the cyst and the risk of it bursting in labour. I’m still a bit nervous as I’m not sure how long it will take/what to expect etc but I think it’s safer than having a natural birth. How are you feeling about it? X

Hi @Rebecca612 I am absolutely bricking it if I'm honest. I have an appt this morning and should have a date. They were saying it will be within the 38th week which is just over 2 weeks away
They said the same to me about the worry of a rupture in labour, that would end in an emergency section. And as I had an emergency section with my first due to a narrow pelvis and this baby being a chunky one they weren't even sure I'd be able to have a VBAC birth. I'm taking a list of questions with me today as they have said things like I wont be put onto the maternity ward it will be a gynae ward, so then I'm wondering what will happen to my baby and the fact I'm being done under a GA where will she be whilst in in recovery, who will feed her etc etc. Got so many questions in my head lol. I will update you later on what I find out if you like? X

Oh I know the feeling, it’s scary with all the unknowns! I worry about the recovery aspect as well and where baby will be etc. I asked my consultant if I could be awake during the procedure and they said they would make sure I was given a spinal instead of GA if there are no complications before hand - maybe ask if you could be awake if you’d like? Interesting about putting you on gynae ward afterwards, I’ll check again but they told me I’d be in recovery on a consultant led maternity ward. I think you can request to stay on certain wards so worth asking today at your appointment. I was on the gynae ward for one night over Xmas as they thought my cyst twisted and it was so loud and there was some older, confused ladies in the same room/area as me that were quite loud bless them, so you want a safe quietish space for you and baba!

It was my midwives who told me to tell the consultant what I wanted - I want a spinal and to be on the maternity ward and to wait until 36 weeks, the consultant just said ‘okay that’s fine if there’s no complications’. They were going to whip her out at 32 weeks if I hadn’t said anything so definitely worth voicing what you want! Ooo that would be great if you could send an update after your appt. I’m trying to prep as much as possible but the Unknown’s are making me nervous! It’s nice to know that someone else is in the same situation and we can virtually hand hold each other!!! X

@Rebecca612 definetly reassuring someone else is in the same boat lol! Right I've seen both the obstetrician and the gynaecologist surgeons today. Finally got my date too it will be 1st april! I asked about being awake but because of being diabetic theres a chance I could bleed so better for both of us if I'm out of it. They said baby will be delivered first, and taken to the specialist peadiatric nurses to be looked after whilst the rest of the op is being done. I'll be down for about 2 hours. I've asked if I really have to go onto the gynae ward and they have both agreed I'd be much better supported on the maternity ward. They said I could be in for up to 10 days but they dont think I'll need longer than 5 days. I feel equally scared as reassured lol. I'm also having the right ovary and fallopian tube removed too. I dont mind as this is deffo my last baby. I'm being admitted the day before too so I'll have all my pre op stuff done on that day. Eeeeek it's all become real lol. Xx

I should have had the cyst out after the section but dd1 decided to come 4 days before the section date and I was already 5 cm dilated by the time i got to hospital so they said I could proceed with labour.
I ended up having the cyst out 6 month later along with the ovary and fallopian tube.
How pregnant will be you be when the section is booked for?

Aw how exciting @sarahloubert ! Not long now but at least you know absolutely everything you need and can know and you can prepare as much as possible. Yeah I was wondering how long the op would take, it definitely sounds safer to put you under GA if you have diabetes then. How exciting, your baba will be here in a couple of weeks! Xxx

Hi @poorbuthappy could I ask as I’m still waiting to see if I’m going to have my cyst removed. Why did you have your ovary and Fallopian tube out too? Did the cyst keep growing after birth and how big was it when you had it out? Thanks

@Bluestar17
The reason I ask is because I was booked for section at 38 weeks. I didn't make any preparations for a vaginal birth because the entire world said your first baby never comes early.....baby had other ideas and she was born at 37 weeks. Don't get me wrong the birth etc was fine but I do look back and think I was awfully naive.
After having dd1 it was a few weeks until
I was seen by the consultant (he did pop into maternity bless him to say hello and meet baby) and then another few weeks to be scanned. By this point I'd also started back on the pill again (for obvious reasons) and he then told me that I needs to be off the pill for 3 months before they'd do the op because they thought the cyst was hormone related. So had to delay the op.
When I finally had it out it weighed 5lb (same as dd1) and was the size of a watermelon.
It had also taken over my ovary and Fallopian tube so that was whipped out too. Consultant was quite impressed that the baby had managed to get down the birth canal 6 month prior.

When we tried for child no 2 3 years later it took 6 months to catch. No one could tell me if this was because I only had the one. Apparently the egg release doesn't alternate. I had a period every single month.
And of course when I did catch it was twins.....booked for a section at 36 weeks. They came at 34 weeks. Emergency section. Should have seen the look on their faces when they opened me up.....

Looking back I'm glad I had the op separately as I didn't do too well with the GA. I recovered from the section far far better than the op. But I reckon that was the GA rather than anything else.
Twins were also in SCBU for 2 weeks which whilst fucking awful meant I recovered quicker.

Soz. Essay length post.

Thanks @poorbuthappy it’s helped me to have more of an idea of what might happen. I’m having another scan on Monday and my consultation is end of the month.
Wishing all you ladies all the best with your deliveries and ops X

It’s been great to read this thread, and get a bit of a better understanding. I’ve always suffered with cysts, had them removed from my jaw down to my ankle! I’m 8weeks pregnant, and has a scan at 6weeks due to recurring misscarriage, that’s when they found I had a 7cm cyst on my ovary. I’m in quite a lot of pain with it, they’ve said not to worry, and it may subside when my hormones balance out? Did anyone find theirs shrunk slightly in pregnancy?

@DressingGown87 unfortunately I can’t offer any assurance - mine started off around 10cm and is now 27cmx29x16 although it stopped growing when I was around 20 weeks pregnant. I’m told that the cysts normally reduce though so it’s more than likely that yours will get smaller! X

@Rebecca612 glad your consultant listened to your requests. My midwife said (as I’m already high risk) that they would keep an eye on it. A close family member had keyhole surgery on cysts during their pregnancy, and then c section and full removal. They said it might be the same.

The cramps I get are on the right. The sonographer said the cyst is on this side and the baby implanted on the left, so the pain is from that. It’s not great this cramping, as I’m already anxious during this pregancy. Did you have any symptoms from the cyst? And when was it detected?

I’ve found the existing cyst in my arm, foot, have also got bigger since I found out I’m pregnant.

So I’ve been super lucky so far and haven’t had any symptoms - I wouldn’t even know I had a cyst unless I was told! They found the cyst when I had an early scan around 4 weeks and then I had another scan at 8 weeks that saw a huge increase in growth. My consultant said they would have operated earlier/during my pregnancy if I was in pain or had any symptoms but so far (touch wood) I’ve had nothing. Definitely push them to take action if you’re in pain though.

I asked whether the pregnancy hormone was making it grow and I’ve never really had a straight answer, interesting that your non ovarian cysts are growing since you got pregnant though! X