Any recent experience with large ovarian cyst?

clararose92 · 2023-03-21T12:23:28+00:00

I had an ultrasound in February that revealed a large ovarian cyst (14cm). I've been told it's a "multilocular cyst with vascularised thick septae" by a colorectal consultant that I had initially been referred to. He referred me for an MRI and blood tests and now I have a gynaecology consultant appointment on Friday. I wondered if anyone had any recent experience of a similar size/type of cyst? How long did it take from the gynae referral to the next step? I am aware that for larger cysts a laparoscopy or laparotomy is generally conducted. I know that sometimes one of your ovaries has to be removed. Would just appreciate anyone else's experience. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the whole situation.

Corah5 · 21/03/2023 12:36

I haven’t had an ovarian cyst specifically but I wanted to reply to recommend meditation and trying not to stress. I had a cyst (not ovarian) and I stressed so much that I gave myself a stomach ulcer which was worse than the cyst.

Keepkondoing · 21/03/2023 13:07

I had a 26cm ovarian cyst and my ovary removed, it was a fluid filled cyst but because of the size, I needed to have open abdominal surgery rather than a laparoscopy. it was all mid covid but they referred me as urgent and I think the operation was about 4 weeks after my referral.
Hope yours all moves along quickly.

changedmynam · 21/03/2023 18:59

I had similar in October.

I had a grapefruit size one and a tennis ball size one and a few smaller ones.

I had lots of complications (5 hospital admissions between mid aug and beginning Oct) and when I experianced ovarian torsion (cant even use words to describe how painful this is) I almost had emergancy surgery, there and then, but by the time a bed had been found the torsion had resolved itself.

Given the complications and less desirable outcomes of emergancy surgary compared to planned I was moved to Urgent and had the operation 3 weeks later. (If id have had >4 hours of ovarion torsion again it would have been an emergancy operation)

I had an operation like a cesarian and my tumors were cut out whole.

I lost one ovary and fallopian tube, but thankfully not both. (They didnt really know if id loose 1 or both until they got in, it was pretty certain if loose the left one but the right one was wait and see)

I had 2 nights in hospital and 6 weeks signed off work.

Took 8 - 10 weeks to feel back to my normal self

Buttons0522 · 21/03/2023 19:06

I am sorry that you’re feeling overwhelmed, I can totally understand why! May I ask what symptoms you have relating to the cyst? I have had excruciating pain around ovulation and a dull one sided ache for most of my cycle for the last few months. I am wondering if there is something going on with my ovary…

changedmynam · 21/03/2023 19:20

Buttons0522 · 21/03/2023 19:06

I am sorry that you’re feeling overwhelmed, I can totally understand why! May I ask what symptoms you have relating to the cyst? I have had excruciating pain around ovulation and a dull one sided ache for most of my cycle for the last few months. I am wondering if there is something going on with my ovary…

Mine was very complicated but my first direct sypmton which led to their discovery was me being very unwell with a blocked bowel and vomiting poo.

I was sent for a scan which found them, as they were blocking my bowel.

I had surgery which fixed by bowel but wasnt to do with the ovarian turmor

I then had ovarian torsion which just started suddenly and was unbearable.

(essentially the operations made my cyst / tumors which had been hiding for ages start moving)

After that they moved to be pressing on my bladder which was unbearable.... felt like i was desperate for a wee (mutliplied by 100) ALL the time..... and with that came not actually being able to tell if i needed a wee or not so had a few night time accidents in the days leading to operation Was so relieved when my planned operation wasnt canceled due to lack of bed etc.
When i woke from surgary and my cathetar was removed i had the opposite..... Having felt DESPERATE x 100 all the time for ages, I felt nothing at all, even when i did need the toilet, so had lots more accidents but it sorted it self quite quickly, (95% better by the end of the first week) although even now, nearly 5m later is not quite perfect.

ArianahX · 21/03/2023 19:29

I'm sorry to hear you're having issues OP.
Hopefully the gynaecology consultant will be helpful.

My mum (a very youthful 73) is having a major abdominal surgery tomorrow with an hdu bed booked for either a benign or cancerous ovarian mass the size of an 8 month foetus.. she had a cancer blood test that was not conclusive enough & the mass holds some fluid so can't be biopsied.
She's very uncomfortable as it's pushing on her diaphragm & pushing all her organs into a small area.
She was unwell since December but from actual diagnosis (she had to go private for tests & diagnosis as priority scan with the nhs in this area was MAY) to the op tomorrow it's been 4 weeks.
The oncology surgeon says she may end up with a stoma or may not, she's had lots of bowel prep today to hopefully prevent that?He will be taking biopsies from the abdominal wall & everywhere else. She will have all her womb & ovaries out. She may need a temporary feeding tube & will have the surgery under an epidural & GA. There were lots of +/- on the consent form so it's all just wait and see.

I won't lie, I am really scared for her as I work in a hospital and know 'too much yet not enough'. It's all come as a massive shock.
Two of the doctors at her GP practice had thought she had a prolapse! Yet according to the gynaecologist consultant my mum saw privately there was no sign of any prolapse. Thank god we were able to go private and get his opinion.

ArianahX · 21/03/2023 19:31

@changedmynam glad you are doing well now

changedmynam · 21/03/2023 20:28

ArianahX · 21/03/2023 19:29

I'm sorry to hear you're having issues OP.
Hopefully the gynaecology consultant will be helpful.

My mum (a very youthful 73) is having a major abdominal surgery tomorrow with an hdu bed booked for either a benign or cancerous ovarian mass the size of an 8 month foetus.. she had a cancer blood test that was not conclusive enough & the mass holds some fluid so can't be biopsied.
She's very uncomfortable as it's pushing on her diaphragm & pushing all her organs into a small area.
She was unwell since December but from actual diagnosis (she had to go private for tests & diagnosis as priority scan with the nhs in this area was MAY) to the op tomorrow it's been 4 weeks.
The oncology surgeon says she may end up with a stoma or may not, she's had lots of bowel prep today to hopefully prevent that?He will be taking biopsies from the abdominal wall & everywhere else. She will have all her womb & ovaries out. She may need a temporary feeding tube & will have the surgery under an epidural & GA. There were lots of +/- on the consent form so it's all just wait and see.

I won't lie, I am really scared for her as I work in a hospital and know 'too much yet not enough'. It's all come as a massive shock.
Two of the doctors at her GP practice had thought she had a prolapse! Yet according to the gynaecologist consultant my mum saw privately there was no sign of any prolapse. Thank god we were able to go private and get his opinion.

Good luck to your Mum tomorrow xxx
Hope all goes well

ArianahX · 21/03/2023 20:29

Thank you

Nerdynerdynerd · 24/03/2023 08:10

I had a 15cm cyst removed by laparotomy. Mine moved very quickly as I was pregnant at the time and they wanted to remove it in the 2nd trimester.

nowtygaffer · 26/03/2023 14:24

I had a 10cm ovarian cyst removed last August. Also my tubes and ovaries removed too. Hope all goes well OP.

Tiredforfive45 · 26/03/2023 14:37

I had a 20cm cyst removed at the end of last year. I had an ultrasound and MRI and they thought it was fluid filled. Went into surgery and they accidentally burst it. Turned out it was a chocolate cyst, filled with blood and they discovered I had stage 4 endometriosis.

Due to the cyst bursting they weren’t able to get all of it and 4 months later I had an ultrasound which showed it had returned and was already 7cm. I am now having treatment for the endo and have another surgery scheduled for 5 months time.

Not ideal but I feel like the treatment and timescales have been very good. Between my first ultrasound and my surgery there was about 5 weeks.

Original poster

clararose92 · 30/03/2023 11:27

Hiya - just wanted to say thanks everyone for your comments. It's really reassuring to hear fast timescales as I just want this thing out! Had the gynaecology appointment and was told it was a borderline cyst so they are going to act quickly and it's going to be a laparotomy due to the size. The doctors were meant to be discussing my case at a multi disciplinary meeting last Friday but didn't get around to it so let's just hope they discuss it tomorrow and I get a timescale soon.

Thanks again. When you don't know anyone else it's really reassuring to hear people's stories who have been in a similar position x

OP posts:

changedmynam · 30/03/2023 18:36

clararose92 · 30/03/2023 11:27

Hiya - just wanted to say thanks everyone for your comments. It's really reassuring to hear fast timescales as I just want this thing out! Had the gynaecology appointment and was told it was a borderline cyst so they are going to act quickly and it's going to be a laparotomy due to the size. The doctors were meant to be discussing my case at a multi disciplinary meeting last Friday but didn't get around to it so let's just hope they discuss it tomorrow and I get a timescale soon.

Thanks again. When you don't know anyone else it's really reassuring to hear people's stories who have been in a similar position x

Good luck
My MDT meeting was delayed a week too as they hadnt looked at the scans in time.

After that MDT meeting I was told abour 3 - 4 months but then it became urgent and was much quicker