Vera,
I had surgery five years ago come november for the same thing. My cysts and uterine fibroids were too big to be taken out by laparoscopy.DONT WORRY! It's very,very common and the percentage is very low that its anything bad.I had a 4 or 5 inch incision above the hairline and was back to the gym slowly treadmilling 1 week later.

Vera: For what it's worth, I'm an anesthetist. Having been part of these surgeries for 30 years now, I can say with confidence that most of these things, by far, are benign. The very rare malignancies are way few and far between.

A couple of years ago I found myself on the other side of the operating table, so to speak, and had a hysterectomy. (Because of my age, no point in trying to keep a uterus or ovaries!) It turns out that a very large, very old ovarian tumor was causing a nerve compression in my leg. Modern medicine being what it is, I had every test known to man or woman. Other issues cropped up, and, long story short, my hyst ended up being delayed by several months. As a result of the delay, my hyst was delayed by several months, and I am left with a disability in one leg. I can get around OK, work part time, but the leg remains painful and weak. (And I fall!). It's been almost 2 years and several doctors tell me that the disability is probably permanent because it has been almost 2 years since surgery.

All in all, it's better to treat the problem early before worse things can develop. You'll be glad you did.

The best of luck and the best of health to you. Please do keep us informed.

Karen

Thank you! I did my research and found out that only about 1% of ovarian cysts turn out to be cancerous. I learned that African American women have the highest incidence of Uterine Fibroids than any other racial group and I am half AA(paternal side). Now my sister (18 mos. younger) hasn't had any internal gyno problems, but she has been suffering for years with cysts that form on the outside vaginal area! They just keep coming back and nobody has been able to tell her what the underlying cause is yet!! That is scary to me!! It just really bothered me to learn this about my own cysts because my maternal grandmother did have ovarian cancer. Just about everthing she has had...so have I...so far.
It's a miracle she survived it (1940's) and had 7 children with a single ovary! LOL! She later did have a hysterectomy but I can't remember for what reason.

Vera

Thank you!

Karen, that is just awful! You must have been in some serious pain before they discovered that thing! I only suffer during my cycle and ovulation. I am on hydrocodone during the cycle beginning a few days before and ending a few days after even. I'm 38 and not ready for a hysterectomy as I still haven't had children. I believe these cysts and the fibroid have played a huge part in that! Watch me get pregnant soon after they are removed. That would be something :D

I did my research and found out that only about 1% of ovarian cysts turn out to be cancerous. I learned that African American women have the highest incidence of Uterine Fibroids than any other racial group and I am half AA(paternal side). Now my sister (18 mos. younger) hasn't had any internal gyno problems, but she has been suffering for years with cysts that form on the outside vaginal area! They just keep coming back and nobody has been able to tell her what the underlying cause is yet!! That is scary to me!! It just really bothered me to learn this about my own cysts because my maternal grandmother did have ovarian cancer. Just about everthing she has had...so have I...so far.
It's a miracle she survived it (1940's) and had 7 children with a single ovary! LOL! She later did have a hysterectomy but I can't remember for what reason.

Vera

Vera,
You said you have not had children yet. If infertility is the reason, you really must do some research on endometriosis. It is highly underdiagnosed and is a major cause of infertility. Proper treatment can help preserve fertility and reduce painful menses. Reproductive Endocrinologists are the preferred OBGYN. I've had two laproscopic surgeries for it and they each afforded me a few years regression in the pain cycle. I had a benign tumor and a cyst removed in the first surgery. As ISHARE mentioned, the surgery has a quick recovery time with minimal scarring. I had 3 half inch incisions with each surgery. 2 at the bikini line, and one in the belly button. All were invisible 1 year later. I wore a bikini all summer after each surgery.

Email me if you want to chat about the surgery or infertility. I've had plenty of experience with both.

My heart goes out to all of you ladies dealing with girl problems.

Here is a link that might be useful: endometriosis association

Vera, no, not a hysterectomy at your age. You are a young girl! In my case, I was 53 and post menopausal. Ovarian cysts are fluid filled, like a water balloon. They can be punctured and drained. Mine was a solid tumor. Because of the nerve compression in the leg, it was deemed necessary to open my belly and dissect everything out to relieve that pressure. Trust me, at age 53 I had no emotional attachment to those body parts, no reason to keep them! I just wanted the pain in my leg to go away!

You'll be fine. Much better to address the problem sooner than later.

Karen

Hey Vera
Thinking of you, girlfriend please keep us updated on this problem. Funny today I thought of you, and wanted to email you about some one that is in your area I think, and was hoping you could guide him through WS next season. He doesn't want to start now, but is thinking of it next season. Then I run through the tomato forum and see the post about black cherry tomatoes and theres a post on it from you thanking me for sending you seeds of the tomatoes. LOL, I don't even remember doing it, but trust me you will love them. Feel better and don't let this female stuff get you down.
Alberta

Hi, Vera:

I just want to say I hope everything goes smoothly for you, as I expect it will. It's great to have and end to the pain in sight, I think! I hope you don't have the same cancer problem your grandma had, be sure to mention that history to your doctor. And, like squirrel girl said, definitely seek out the most specialized person, who cares if your GP or some general surgeon says s/he has done this stuff too?

Keep us posted on things, please!

I got the really skinny on my grandmother today. I thought I'd better double check that medical history since I had heard this when I was much younger! The really story was at age 16 she had a cyst on her ovary which ended up being removed with the ovary. She had 2 miscarriages in between my aunts and uncle and 9 years after my mother was born (1947) she had to have a hysterectomy.
As far as endometriosis, I will be evaluated as stated in my original post; but I don't think that is the problem. I have very very few symptoms and it wasn't seen in the ultersound. But since it can be missed in the untersound I will be scheduled for the laparoscopy.

Vera

Vera,

I just wanted to let you know that I wish you the best ! I know it can be unnerving not knowing exactly what is going on, but remember medical is so much better now, then when your Gram was ill...I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers...and I just know you will be out in the garden, enjoying it this summer.

Hi Vera,my mom and aunt both dealt with fibroids for many years,they both had hysterectomies,but also both had adult children when they were finally able to find someone to take care of it. I am so glad you are dealing with this now,10 years is a long time to suffer,I know my Mom has had nothing but relief since having it taken care of.She had ongoing bleeding and pain due to these tumors,but since they weren't cancerous the doctors were reluctant to do anything about it. They shrunk it with drugs,planned on zapping them with a laser,but it never did work out that way,after they had shrunk it to be so small they told her there was no use in removing it,well of course the darn thing grew back! That was around 15 years ago and it sounds like if things are much better now,than they were then! I wish you the best of luck and glad you will be finding some relief! You will be in my thoughts! :)

Hi Vera,

How have you been this spring, regarding your fibroids/cysts? I had a hysterectomy last April for a large fibroid and extreme anemia from severe bleeding each month. I was 38 at the time, but our family is complete so I opted for the surgery. I have felt WORLDS better since then. Whatever you decide/have already decided, I hope it works out for the best.

Laurel

Vera, you will be in my prayers. Get well soon.

Theresa

Vera - I never visit the conversation forum and when moonphase post to check the conversations, I read your post.

You are also one of my special friends here and I hope you get well soon - I will keep you in my prayers and thoughts.

Love, Carrie

Vera, Vera, Vera!
I can give you a book of my saga with uterine fibroids.
I had a myomectomy in '94 because they were all on top of my uterus, then had a hysterectomy in 2000 because they came back with a vengeance inside my uterus. Before I had the hysterectomy, I had horrible periods and PMS. Th period that took me to the doctor for the subsequent hysterectomy lasted from a week before Thanksgiving until the second week of February (and most of it heavy and clotting...holy anemia, Batman!)
My cousins on my father side who are all around my age all had fibroids, and my sister had one also (she was pregnant at the time, and my neice, strong-willed even then) depleted the fibroid of its blood supply so it went away.
I had investigated several options before surgery (Lupron, which looked too scary, hormones-- which I don't think helped me at all...made the periods better, but the fibroids worse).
There was a procedure that actually inserts some laser currents into the blood vessels in the fibroids to cut off the blood supply. I did not have this as I had too many and the procedure was still new then. But you may want to look into that.
Keep us posted, or me, at least...if you have any questions, feel free to ask me. It'd be nice to have everything I went through help someone else :-)

Linda

yes, i would call the pain excruciating. i just went through it again last night, It happens every month days before my period. The pain feels like back labor. It starts in my stomach and within minutes, my back is on FIRE !!! Ive experienced back labor with my first son so i know what it feels like, I literally cant do anything but rock in the bed and cry. I have gotten the essure ( a procedure thats like a tubal but way less invasive) . Ive gone to the ER twice for this exact pain and after 400.00 worth of bills from the hospital, i now know that its ovulation. My GYN says that because most of my life i have been on some sort of birth control, I never felt the ovulation. Now its hell warmed over when it hits. I wouldnt wish these few hours of pain monthly on my worst enemy. But i am happy that im not the only one in the world that has experienced this . Good luck to everyone that experiences this , and i pray that eventually we will get relief.