posted
I posted not long ago and got a lot of good advice under Hospitalized---IV Rocephin---Please help.
I got a CT scan done yesterday of Chest and Abdomen.
They were concerned about my liver mostly, but it turned out to look just fine on the scan (elevated liver enzymes on blood work)
All they noticed on the scan is that my ovaries appeared FULL (but no visible cysts) and that there was fluid in the pelvic area. He suggested it could be from a ruptured cyst.
Of course he didnt tell me what i should do about it. Dr's love telling you whats wrong with you (even though i went in because my lungs hurt!!!!)
My question is, should I be concerned. I've heard ruptured cysts are kind of common. at age 17 i was diagnosed with HPV (even though I had no physical symptoms and my abnormal paps became normal after 2 years of no treatment).
They always asked me if i had pain during intercourse and i never did. Well, now I do. So much so that I don't even have sex anymore. My ovaries do feel full and uncomfortable at times, and on occasion I suppose i double over from a sharp pain in that area. but its random, and I never know if its lyme or other because i get random shooting pains often.
Someone online when i did a search said it could be ovarian or cervical cancer. Really? Do i really have to worry about this now too?
posted
i have no idea?? I don't know what that is but i have had ovarian cysts before. they put me on birth control as a teenager but i haven't been on any BC since 2006/2007
posted
i wouldn't say i have an urgent need to urinate unless i drink a LOT of water. which on a good day i can drink a gallon. but even then i'm not going up to 60 times a day.
posted
hum so could the fluid be coming from your stomach? I know it sounds weird but if we are logical, your pain and nauseacome from your stomach so could it be the origin of the problem? I know I have that, terrible stomach issues that cause me to be inagony all day long, including muscle tightness, terrible headaches... Sometimes i wonder f there's some kind of IC but originating form the stomach...
Posts: 723 | From Montreal | Registered: Oct 2010
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desertwind
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25256
posted
Last month I had severe, severe pelvic pain mid month. I was in the middle of my run and had to stop and have my hubby get the car and take me to the ER.
Pain was so bad I could not stand up, walk or move my leg. Started on the right side.
Turns out I had a ruptured ovarian cyst on my right ovary with some fluid that showed on CT scan. I had a 2cm cyst on my left ovary that had not ruptured yet.
As I understand it, they will not operate on them unless they are at least 5 cm.s and since my right one ruptured chances are so will my left one. It probably already has.
My gyno. is re-doing the scan in a month to see the status as it is something that should be monitered. Fluctuating hormones are what caused mine. I have always had discomfort mid-cycle but this was way beyond discomfort. When they burst is it painful as hell!
Posts: 1671 | From Tick Infested New Jersey | Registered: Apr 2010
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lululymemom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26405
posted
I've always had cysts on my ovaries.. Once even had a complex cyst which they scheduled surgery for right away. I personally know my body and knew that these cysts come and go so I insisted on one more Ultrasound before having the surgery. Prior to the ultrasound I started taking flax oil everyday and when I had the U/S it showed that the cyst was completely gone.
The Gyno was amazed that it could have left that quickly. She said she had never seen that before with a complex cyst.
I think with this disease you will encounter alot of transient problems. It's the nature of the illness. It has taught me not to rely too heavily on what the doctors tell me and to trust my own instincts. If I hadn't insisted on another U/S, I would have had the surgery for no reason.
quote:Originally posted by Shahbah: hum so could the fluid be coming from your stomach? ......... Sometimes i wonder f there's some kind of IC but originating form the stomach...
- Her fluid is from the ovaries. She just said that.
As for IC having anything to do with that OR the stomach is not anatomically possible.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
yea... i fully agree is from the ovaries or at least the pelvic area only.
with my history of HPV (even if i was asymptomatic) and ovarian cysts (even if they were considered normal occurrences) it seems logical that this would be what it is from.
pain with intercourse began with lyme treatment and i really don't have pain at any other time unless i am laying down flat on my back and i sneeze or cough. this could be the ''full'' feeling.
the scan has urged me to schedule a pap just to be on the safe side, but the radiologist couldn't find any cysts ON my ovaries in the scan.
i have had a lot of clear discharge as of lately after my last sexual intercourse (and if i remember correctly, it was painful to the point where i had to stop completely). Now that my memory is jogged that makes more sense.
*adding intercourse to the list of temporary NO-NO's!* Doesn't bother me with the way i feel.
I saw the C-word in an online forum related to this topic, so thats where my concern came from.
posted
I had recurrent ovarian cysts about 25 years ago and it was connected to a bad Candida infection. Clearing up the infection, and balancing hormones, were both key.
Hot castor oil packs helped my pain *immensely!* and usually within the hour. The stuff is thick, viscous and will stain, so be sure to use a second old towel to protect bedsheets et al, topped with plastic for extra protection. I used either a hot water bottle or heating pad on top of the hot compress.
It helped me so much, immense relief.
I make no guarantees for anybody else since we are all different, but offer this as my own experience.
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posted
I think you should get checked for ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is nothing to fool around with. Trying to solve this problem on your own just makes it worse, if it is cancer.
Do your research about it and make sure the doctor takes you seriously.
Here is a link to symptoms. Notice that it says symptoms are more likely to be caused by something else, so try not to get too worried about it. But do get it checked.
jackie51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14233
posted
A pap smear would be wise. They have some kind of thin smear pap that is very helpful. Ask your doctor and tell him you are very concerned given everything else. HPV positive is a precursor to ovarian cancer.
Lyme does weird things, so does candida. You don't mention if your stomach has any issues. Constipation can cause pain during sex. If you're not taking magnesium, maybe 400 mg a day to help with both constipation and any anxiety you may have acquired a a result of lyme.
Good luck. I'm sure your partner wants you well fast.
I'm not a doctor, just a fellow sufferer.
Posts: 1374 | From Crazy Town | Registered: Dec 2007
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quote:All they noticed on the scan is that my ovaries appeared FULL (but no visible cysts) and that there was fluid in the pelvic area
I know there is always room for error, but wouldn't the CT scan be considered as having had checked for OC? If they didn't see any masses on that, I'd be comfortable with that as my answer.
I have had many ovarian cysts over the past few years, some of which ruptured with severe pain(which lasts for quite a while after the cyst has ruptured).
Unfortunately, the sx of ovarian cancer and ovarian cysts go hand in hand. The only way to know the difference is to trust docs to determine it via scans/surgery.
I think follow-up with your GYN is a good idea, just to be sure this is something they are aware of. That way if you continue to have problems for too long, they will take you more seriously when needed.
Just a heads up, I tend to always have a second+ cyst rupture within a couple months of one. I don't know why but they tend to go in spurts with me. Sometimes they put you on continuous BC to stop this(to stop ovulation), but I haven't found that to be helpful. ------------------------- Above is just my opinion and should not be taken as medical advice.
Posts: 60 | From MO | Registered: Jul 2010
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Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
I used to get horrible gut pain from ovarian cysts rupturing. Haven't had this problem since going on a gluten-free diet. Apparently in my case, gluten severely dysrupts my hormones, causing the cysts (and the monthly cramps & migraines - these also disappeared with avoidance of gluten).
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
I would want to see a gynecologist and get a pelvic exam. You could ask for a CA 125 blood test, too. A pap smear does not screen for ovarian cancer but for cervical cancer.
I would not be content with a report that my ovaries appeared full, but no cysts seen, and fluid in the pelvic area probably caused by a burst cyst.
My questions would be 1)what makes you think cyst when you can't see any? and 2) what else would be causing fluid? and 3) why aren't you trying to rule that out? or at least recommending a follow up?
Of course, I have a fear of ovarian cancer, because it runs in my family. Still, my aunt had symptoms for months, ovarian cancer was mentioned at one point but not diagnosed, and eventually she was diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer.
I had an ovarian cancer scare myself and had to have one of my ovaries removed to see what it was. My doctor felt a mass and something was seen on the ultrasound. Before surgery, he said he thought there was a 75% chance it was not cancer, but that I needed to have it removed and examined. The morning of the surgery, he got my CA 125 results back and they were not consistent with cancer. Mine turned out to be a cyst.
I think the main reason that ovarian cancer is so hard to treat is that it is frequently not found until it has spread. Symptoms are common and occur for other reasons.
Honestly, I don't have much use for most doctors, but in this case, I think you really should have a (hopefully competent) gynecologist's opinion.
Posts: 984 | From US | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
thanks for the input. i will find a gynecologist in town and get that done.
my mom had full ovaries often too and the doctors at the time recommended that she have them removed, she didn't. otherwise, i and my brothers wouldn't be here today.
will talk this over with my lyme doc, i'm sure she will urge me to do the same thing.
map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
Ovary troubles sounds like a family weak spot. I had ruptured ovary cysts about 30 yrs ago. OMG painful.
I had pelvic inflammatory disease in my mid 20-30's from IUD use for birth control. They took them off the market for years and I seen recently it's back on market?????
I had scar tissue cleaned up in that area 3 times before the pain during intercourse and other sx finally went away. I also was trying to have another child in them days. Scarring in tubes couldn't concieve again.
Now, I'm in my early 50's. I had ultra sound of ovaries done a year ago because I was having swelling around the middle. They did ultra to make sure there weren't any masses that could be OC.
Fryecracker, I wonder if the ovary cysts had burst recently and that's what they seen. Better have a gyn do their thing.
With lyme & co you never know what's going on in the body sometimes. I'd had ultra sound done of liver, gall bladder etc a couple times and they always said they look normal.
There was nothing normal about them. They were screaming at me and ticked off whether the ultra sound showed "normal".
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
yea i totally understand what you mean Pam. my organs are not happy right now, whether they appear normal in a scan or not.
i'm sure i had ruptured cysts. however, i dont remember incredible pain. i had intercourse shortly before the scan ( a few days ? ) and i actually had to stop because there was pain. not please-kill-me-pain, but significant enough to say stop.
map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
Well that's your punishment for having intercourse. Just kidding!!!
I remember those pains well. It wasn't until I had a partial hyst. uterus and I can't for the life of me remember the other female part(lol) name removed, that intercourse wasn't painful anymore. Cervix is the word. yeah word retrivial!
I was 43 yr old and sick with lyme & co. Things were so bad in the female dept, i thought if they removed those organs they'd take a million lyme bacteria with them.
My ovaries calmed down. I would know when they were doing their thing, but it wasn't painful to ovulate anymore and they weren't upset during intercourse. So I was happy.
I'm glad I kept them. Blood test recently says I'm post menopausal. But just last year ultra sound showed one ovary shrunk up and the other ovary looked to have some folicles from it that indicated it might still be working for me.
If I'm post menopausal. It's been easy. But with our other health issues how would one know what's this and what's that???
Are you too young and still need some of your parts?
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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penguingirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 28688
posted
Fyrecracker - I had a similar situation years ago - like in 2002 ish - sent me to the ER and they did CA125 test and said most likely ovarian cyst that ruptured. The MOST painful experience for me thus for - throwing up, diahrrea, fevers along the mix. Luckily have not had another occurrence.
Anyway have you looked into endometriosis at all? It can cause painful intercourse (various degrees). I had a laparoscopy surgery to remove the tumors along the uterus. It has helped a lot but I am fearful it will keep growing back. On continuous BC pills to prevent any periods from doing any retrograde menstruation and causing more endometriosis. Just a thought - if you have any painful periods as well.
Also if you get any huge fibroids, I have heard that several months of acupunture can shrink them and you can avoid a hysterectomy.
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