posted
I think I've posted on this topic before but I'd like to hear more opinions, as I've had the most bizarre day.
So I've been feeling GREAT the last couple of days. I'm enjoying a small break from abx before starting Bicillin tomorrow.
It's been absolutely wonderful to be able to leave the house, eat like a horse, go out with friends, walk the dog; I even love the fact that I can do my own errands and chores free of agony.
I feel so good it's almost eerie.
I was also heartened to get my period this morning (had been missing for three months; I speculate this is related to a loss in weight).
But strangely, when I went to the grocery today, I was hit with the most godawful pain in my uterus. It left me doubled over, gasping for breath.
I actually fainted in the middle of an aisle. When I woke up, I was lying by the produce in a pile of cold sweat. (BTW people were just stepping over me, no asked if I was okay ).
I have no idea how long I was out for but after waking, I experienced the most horrendous uterine pain for about 20 minutes. I stumbled out to a bench in the parking lot.
I then drove the ER after the pain subsided somewhat. I was scared that I had a twisted ovary b/c my doctor had warned me of this.
An ultrasound showed a 3cm cyst in my left ovary. (It had been there since a previous ultrasound in July, but did not cause signficant pain until today when my period came.)
I am no longer in pain but very confused.
Is this all related to Lyme? I have never had cysts before, but this pain was unreal. I know Lyme can cause menstrual irregularities, but cysts too?
Do I just wait for it to go away on its own? Will a rupture be dangerous?
Also, is there any coincidence that it came once I quit abx? Do strong abx affect your cycle as well?
Can Lyme infect your uterus? Fertility? Kind of freaks me out.
I also wonder if some of my symptoms that I attributed to Lyme-- like lightheadedness, nausea, back pain-- could in fact be due to a little pesky cyst.
On a side note: It's interesting how much nicer you're treated in the ER when your medical problem is fairly straightforward and self-apparent.
Compared to my other lyme-related visits this past spring (which stumped everyone involved-- did not know I had Lyme at the time), I was treated by the hospital staff like a queen today. Posts: 390 | From Oakland, CA | Registered: May 2007
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sometimesdilly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9982
posted
i can't answer most of your questions, but yes, Lyme can and does cause cysts.
i've repeatedly had cysts on my ovaries since lyme, and none before. the cysts themselves, even the small completely benign ones, can cause a great deal of pain, including in the back, and definitely they make for weird and wild menstrual cycles.
I hope you have a good GYN; probalby it is too much to ask for that s/he is Lyme literate.
dilly
Posts: 2507 | From lost in the maze | Registered: Aug 2006
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merrygirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12041
posted
Hi Ellie K. I am sorry you had so much pain.
Right before my Lyme Diagnosis, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Basically my cycles were very crazy. I went to the GyN and they did an ultrasound and I had like 13 Cysts. My GYN started me on Birth Control (Yasmin).
Antibiotics effect the birth control aspect of the meds, but It still regulates.
It is my understanding that the Cysts are relatively benign. When they rupture they hurt. They definitely come and go. When I had a scan 2 months ago, I only had one cyst.
Good Luck- Melissa
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
Yup- I had rare kind- dermoid cyst on ovary- stimulated by pregnancy hormones- had hair!!! grew to size of softball!!!!!!!!!! almost lost my baby- first daughter- was on bedrest 7 months total for that and pre eclampsia-
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Many female Lyme patients suffer ovarian cysts, but for you to have been in so much pain it must mean that your ovary was twisted (strangled) by the cyst. Did they tell you you would need to have the cyst removed?
I had a twisted ovarian cyst and the pain is the most unbelievable thing anybody can imagine. I had to have my ovary remove in an emergency operation. I had had one alert a few days before then bam! agony, rushed off to hospital, operation.
Good luck
nelly
Posts: 416 | From france | Registered: Oct 2001
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
I also had my cyst "torc" as they called it- twisted- I had been allowed off bedrest for 4 hours for special "family car shopping trip" to MOnetrey and BOOM, had to be rushed in ambulance, almost lost baby, had surgery next day- yup-= EXCRUCIATINGLY painful!!!
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I was diagnosed with PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome after the birth of my 3rd child in 2001. I had one ovary that according to my obgyn looked "like a slice of swiss cheese" on ultrasound. I am on birth control to regulate my cycle (many PCOers don't have a cycle) and on Metformin for insulin resistance, a side effect of PCO. You should see your gyn and get his/her opinion. Before birth control I was in terrible pain every month. The cysts get bigger just before your cycle, so that's probably the pain you were feeling.
Posts: 22 | From Texas | Registered: Aug 2007
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Itsy_bitsyone
Unregistered
posted
I had a large cyst on my ovary in 92. I don't know if it was releated to Lyme or not. What I do know is that they are rather common. It did hurt just to roll over in bed.
In the type I had...it was what the OB called a "phisiological cyst"...your ovary creates a little cyst right before it ovulates. Then, that little cyst is reabsorbed. This happens every month. If, for some hormonal reason it doesn't get reabsorbed, it grows each time you ovulate until its HUGE.
They put me on birth control to stop me from ovulating for three months, and it was reabsorbed and went away on its own.
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posted
I had a huge ovarian cyst that surrounded my ovary. Was hospitalized and cyst and ovary were removed in the late 80's. After stopping birth control pills several years I continued to get small cysts on my other ovary but they never got very big.
I also get hemoragic cycts on one of my kidneys. My doctor recently really scared me saying they looked like cancer. Multiple CT's and MRI's showed them to be benign. Doc said it's very unusual to get multiple cysts on kidney. Don't know if this is related to Lyme. Doc would say no.
-------------------- sunnymalibu Posts: 192 | From california | Registered: Jul 2006
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It was my Ovarian cyst that lead me to Lyme!!! Doc's couldn't figure out what was wrong with me...test after test, and all they could really find was this cyst...I took hormones which really messed me up- HORRIBLE!!!
finally after 6 months of watching it, they wanted to take it out, and out of desperation of feeling better- I went through with it...
It was pre-surgery that my body got it's first dose of antibiotics sense I'd been sick.....the cyst was benign...but after surgery I was in the WORST PAIN OF MY LIFE.....
ALL MY symptoms were WORSE than ever!!! Fever, nightsweats, PAINFUL Painful joints/body/muscles/lower abdoman, moodYness, anger, depression, brain FOG, nightmares, sleep disturbances...and on and on
I was back in the hospital cause I thought my ovary or something was infected- my whole area down there was in so much pain!!!! the hospital thought I was CRAZY- and making up all these symptoms and being dramatic when they didn't see an infection...I was treated so
poorly...they were stickin' things up me, pokin' around, pushin' all around..it felt so invassive & disrespectful the way they treated me...they were so rude...!! sorry for the tangent...
anyways...after that I knew something was not right...I kept calling my GYNO asking him questions, and wondering why I felt SO SO horrible....a lady that same day I had surgery -whose cysts was removed WALKED out of the hospital!!!!!!!I was wheelchaired out, with EXCRUCIATING pain at every carpet bump...OOOHHH
I was in recovery from morning till closing- they had to stay late...my body took all day to wake up from the anesthesia!! as oposed to 1 hour..it was INTENSE!!!alls I remember was hearing the most angelic beautiful sounds...when I finally woke up , it was my mom singing to me at bed side...very beautiful..
Then for almost 1 months I was on the couch and coudn't move...(very unusal for this type of surgery-laperscopic)...I was watching myserty diagnosis and saw a guys story on Lyme...it struck something deep within me and I sat at the computer for as long as I could researching...
and here I am....
My periods are regular again...and it's not as intense before I get my period now...my LLMD says it's very common...and once Lyme is treated the cyst will go away...A friend on mine, this was the case...her Lymes better and no more cyst!
having the cyst out helped for sure, but I also started treatment shortly after, which is helping SO much ! I will still get sharp stabbing pains that stop me in motion but I feel confident that they will leave with Lyme....Lymes makes our cyles more intense... but I'm noticing MUCH improvment with treatment!!!
I would not reccomend surgery...after my expierence--It was like being in a straightjacket with Lymes, plus post surgery pain!!!!!!!!!!
I'm sorry if this is all over the place....my brain jumps around...
hugs + Love~ fawne
-------------------- Energy flows where attention goes~ Posts: 302 | From Kauai | Registered: May 2007
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posted
Wow, I had no idea cysts were so common among Lymies.
It's amazing how Lyme can mess with seemingly every aspect of your body. I now have the period from hell. I can't leave the house for fear of springing a leak! I never had problems like this before Lyme.
The ER doctor said at this point, I don't need to have it surgically removed. But I do need to watch it and probably have anohter ultrasound.
I am also going back on birth control pills. My acupuncturist called them "the root of all evil" so I went off. I didn't know they can help suppress cysts.
Posts: 390 | From Oakland, CA | Registered: May 2007
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posted
I have cysts also. I had to have one surgically removed. I am on birth control and that makes a huge difference. I don't get them very much anymore. If I stop the birth control i will get one every two months and it is very painful.
-------------------- Love, Merrie Believe in the power of your spirit..for it will carry you through the darkest hours of your life Posts: 261 | From minnesota | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Wow, I have had cysts, too. Never had them before the Lyme. Had a 2cm cyst on left ovary; then when I went in for a follow-up ultrasound, it was gone, but I had grown a 2cm cyst on the RIGHT ovary!
I have had that piercing abdominal pain, but it subsided. I think I was lucky, and the cyst "twisted" back to normal.
Interesting to read about other people having heavy periods. My period has all but disappeared lately. It's very odd.
I'm not on birth control pills; don't know if that influences all of this.
p.s. I can't believe that no one came to your aid in the grocery store. That's awful...
Posts: 69 | From Chicago, IL | Registered: May 2006
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trueblue
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7348
posted
quote:Originally posted by chicago_bird: p.s. I can't believe that no one came to your aid in the grocery store. That's awful...
I'm sorry that's horrible, Ellie.
I have had an ovarian cyst when I was a much younger and it eventually resolved.
I've had increasing pelvic pain for a year or so.
Since starting Babs treatment I fell out of menopause for a few months and was produciing 3 or 4 a month. I had 3 ultrasounds a month to 6 weeks apart. I had 3 simple and 4 hemoragic cysts and the same 2 uterine fibroids as always (that refer pain).
At last check they seemed to be shrinking but the way the pain is cycling they appear to be back.
I can't take any hormones so it's... deal with it or have a hysterectomy. I've asked and my GYN would only do it open. I don't trust anyone else to do it so am trying to wait it out and wish it away.
Man it's getting old.
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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