8cm Ovarian Cyst

[Theothersideofforty]

Morning, my DD has a 8cm uniocular cyst on her ovary, blood test has come back clear of cancer markers.
She also has a 5.9mm kidney stone in her lower pole, which is frequently causing her to wee blood.
She is getting pain, but isn't sure if it's from the stone or the cyst
She has been referred to Urology, but that appointment isn't until the end of November!
A referral has been put in for gynecology, how long have people waited for an appointment for a large cyst?

Hi OP, I was diagnosed with a golf ball sized ovarian cyst last December. I had the blood test for inflammatory markers which was negative. It was 7 months before I had day surgery to remove the cyst, ovaries and fallopian tubes. I'm in my early 60's. Just had a letter to say the cyst was non cancerous and all ok. Sorry your DD is going through this, i assume she's younger so might not have to wait as long as I did!

Gosh that's an awful waiting time..
She is 17

I had a 7cm cyst and from the time of finding it grew (it was 3cm in 2020) to surgery was around a year and 4 months and honestly I got that sped up a lot.

So it was discovered in Feb 2025, I had a gynae appointment which was originally a 60 week wait but I ended up getting help which sped it up and was seen in August 2025. I then was put on the expedited list for surgery, asked to also go on the cancellations list and had surgery June 2026. Had I not got help from my MP to be seen sooner, I believe my initial appointment was going to be around Jan 2026 - March 2026 and working that backwards that would then have put my surgery around Nov 2026 - Jan 2027, thats with both the appointment and the surgery on expedited lists.

They do differ depending on area but womens health surgery waits are long at the moment, I have endometriosis and in online groups some of the waits depending on area are far worse.

@holidayhelpneeded1 it's not good is it , people shouldn't be left in pain 🥲

My 85yr old mum had an ovarian cyst.. it was 17cm by 8cm. She waited 6mths for surgery. It was removed, along with a total hysterectomy. She recovered well, and has just had her 91st birthday.
She said the pain was manageable, but the worry that it could burst before surgery was a real concern

I’ve had many cysts due to endo and the waiting times have varied but usually being seen in a few months. Sorry that’s not more helpful

Its not at all, its something that my MP had pushed for to be looked at. Although it really does vary by area so you could be in an area where its not so bad but some are even worse than where I am.

Hopefully its not too long a wait but if she is struggling with the pain make sure the GP doesnt brush it off as they need to help with pain until the appointment.

I was admitted with ovarian torsion (excruciating) end of July. I was released after the cyst untwisted itself. The blood tests were also negative but I was put on a two week referral anyway. The appointment was then booked for 10 weeks later! I kicked up a fuss (calling, emailing and then going in to PALS in person) and I was moved up 6 weeks. It’s a 10cm cyst.
Im surprised that as your DD is presumably child bearing years they haven’t scheduled it to be removed - the main reason given to me was that I was post menopausal so not urgent.
I did see a specialist and had my MRI and we agreed to revisit it in the new year (this was this Monday) as I have other complications- two c-sections with internal scar tissue and type 1 diabetes plus I am overweight. Then the appointment has come in for September 2027!!! So now back trying to get it moved up, or at least put on the surgical wait list. You can’t get travel insurance with an ongoing issue and I’ve already had to cancel one business trip.
Get on the phone/email to gynaecology booking and contact PALS. That’s a large cyst and she needs it removed.

@mondaytosunday it's just not good enough is it? We don't know if the pain she gets is from the kidney stone or the cyst! Luckily the doctor thought to do a pelvic scan as something didn't sit right, that's how the cyst was seen.
I know about travel insurance, we usually book to go away in February right now, but that's on hold, even if you can get insurance it's stupid prices 🥲

I think the doctors issue requests for an appointment not realising that it can be months, even if it’s been expedited. Your DD’s pain is likely the stone - in discussion with my consultant who is the lead in pelvic masses, he said they often leave cysts in situ if benign (which they can’t guarantee until it’s tested after removal) as surgery always carries some risk. If hers twisted she’d know about it - mine was absolutely the worst pain I’ve ever felt plus I was vomiting almost continuously.
If you keep hitting a brick wall you can see if you can get a private referral. I had to get a private MRI for my DD once after her NHS wait was seven months. If I don’t get my appointment moved up then I’m going to ask if he can see me privately as I know the hospital accepts Bupa patients. I need to get on that surgical wait list asap, and I’m sure he had no idea when he said ‘new year’ that in reality meant September! Unfortunately the NHS is in the catch 22 situation of needing more staff but without the money to hire them.

From being referred to surgery it was 18 months for me (stage 4 endo, 6 cysts and one was 15cm)

I had a large cyst on my ovary - 20cm I think......and it was extremely painful. Once I actually got someone to listen to me and scan me I was told by the doctor when they released me from hospital that I would hear about a date for my op in a couple of days. That was early April and I heard nothing until late August by which time I had had the op privately and I had the cyst, fallopian tube and ovary removed. I had the same issues a couple of years later, was booked to have the other ovary removed and my NHS op got cancelled. I was told it would probably be a wait of about another year to get the date of the op so again I went privately. Absolute shit show.

about 4 years ago I was diagnosed with a 12cm syst on one ovary and an 8cm cyst on the other.

I was diagnosed while in hospital for other gynea things, and I was pretty unwell at the time. (Over the space of 2 months I was admitted to hospital 5 times, and ended up having surgery twice, including the removal of the cysts (and 1 ovary))

My 4th admission (in a 6 week period) was for ovarian torsion, when one of those cysts twisted my ovary, but while in A&E awaiting admission it untwisted itself, so I went from (almost) having immediate "emergancy" surgary to having "urgent planned" surgery less than 3 weeks later.

So over a period of 5 weeks I went from being diagnosed to having a planned operation to remove it. Which was not long at all.

If your DD has such a large cyst be aware that it could cause ovarian torsion, which is so painful, words cant describe (much much worse than giving birth) so if this happens make sure you get to A&E asap, and then you might get surgery much quicker.

I hope she doesnt have to wait long.