[Guest]

Hi all...

I'm new here and I just got back from my third pelvic exam in three weeks (YAY...). It all started when I went in for my annual and (finally) sat down and told my doctor about how abjectly awful my periods have been for about 8 years now...6-7 days of bleeding, mostly heavy. Tons of clots being passed. Cramps that cause me to miss work and school. Breast pain 3 out of the 4 weeks of the month. Headaches. A head cold that comes back every month, right before my period...I told her I thought maybe it was endometriosis, as it runs in my family, so she scheduled a consultation with an endo specialist who decided that we should do a trans-vaginal ultrasound. I had the ultrasound today and we discovered that my right ovary is almost twice as big as my left one--50X27 mm vs. 30X22 mm. The right one also has a "complex cyst" on it and the left has a "simple" cyst (something the doctor only wrote on the ultrasound printout...he didn't explain it). He told me the cysts were probably nothing to worry about, but he said he wanted me back for two more ultrasounds in the coming months (!) to see if my ovary is abnormally large due to ovulation or if it's large for another reason. I'm terrified. He wants me to wait TWO MONTHS before I come in again. I know the first symptom of ovarian cancer is an enlarged ovary, but I also know that I'm only 24 years old with no history of ovarian cancer in the family.

He also told me that there was only a 50 percent likelihood that I have endometriosis and he doesn't want to pursue it further (laproscopy) unless I do.

Finally, he said that his ultimate suggestion would be that I go on the Pill to see if all of these problems go away on their own. I'm a rather holistic person (you know...a granola girl...) and the idea of supressing my own hormones and replacing them with fake ones, no matter how safe it's supposed to be, kind of freaks me out.

On top of everything, my blood work showed that I was anemic and have been for quite some time, probably due to my heavy periods. I'm taking iron pills and waiting for my next ultrasound...but in the meantime...

-Should I pursue the endometriosis thing further?

-Can ovulation even make an ovary that large? Even if you're not ovulating? I'm one week away from my next period, so I'm pretty sure I'm NOT ovulating right now...but what do I know...about my own body.

-Am I being silly about going on the Pill?

I'm so concerned...I'm not sure I can wait two more months for another ultrasound.

[dawn9800]

I don't know anything to help you except I just want to tell you good luck and maybe call an ask a nurse line in your area call a local hospital and they should have a number well again good luck and let us know how it goes!

[feelingyoung]

I would suggest going on the pill to see if it helps any. It sounds like you need some relief from your current physical problems associated with your period...the anemia. I was on the pill for many years, off and on, and it helped me. Good luck.

[Turquoise]

Kelsie has anyone mentioned the possibility of Polycystic Ovaries to you?

I, like you, had several transvaginal ultrasounds, and it was discovered that I have polycystic ovaries. And like you I had no desire to go on the pill, which seems the only thing that keeps them in check.

Anyway, you do need to discuss the possibility of PCO or PCOS with your doctor. Not a fun game to play but many of the symptoms you have described I have had them identically and unfortunately the only thing that keeps the cysts from forming is the pill. So I chose a low dose one and things did seem to get back to "normal" and the cysts are no longer forming. Anyway, don't want to scare you, but I'd be heading back to the doctor for more information. Here's a link to a site that tells you a little bit about them.


Gynae problems can be such a pain, but there are lots of things that your gynae can do to help. Good luck.

Oh and whatever happens, don't give up. Just keep going back to the doctor until they come up with solutions. Life's too short to be messing about with this stuff.

[Kimberley Starling]

My daughter was just diagnosed with an enlarged ovary. They found it on an ultrasound when they were trying to determine why she was getting pain on her left side. They wondered if maybe it was something to do with her kidneys.

We were told that it was enlarged and that a lot of the time this type of thing fixes itself. We were told that they were going to do another ultrasound in about 6 weeks. In the meantime, they haven't done anything about her pain or done any tests to determine if there is a cause for the enlargement.

Has anyone been told there is any other way around this than birth control pills? They did mention that she might need to be on them. I don't like the idea of putting my 13 yr old on birth control pills.

[patricias213]

My daughter was just diagnosed with an enlarged ovary. They found it on an ultrasound when they were trying to determine why she was getting pain on her left side. They wondered if maybe it was something to do with her kidneys.

We were told that it was enlarged and that a lot of the time this type of thing fixes itself. We were told that they were going to do another ultrasound in about 6 weeks. In the meantime, they haven't done anything about her pain or done any tests to determine if there is a cause for the enlargement.

Has anyone been told there is any other way around this than birth control pills? They did mention that she might need to be on them. I don't like the idea of putting my 13 yr old on birth control pills.

I was told that my ovary was slightly enlarged too at one time, but it went back to normal by itself. The doctor never mentioned putting me on any type of birth control pills for that. In her case it may be different from mines though so if thats the way to help by having her go on birth controls pills then there maybe no choice.

[jacloss]

pelvic ultrasound

Hi my name is Jill,
I know what you are going though I went through the same thing one pelvic ultrasound after another. I tried several birth control pill they all made me sick. I told my OBGYN no more birth control pills and no more pelvic ultrasound. She has finally agree to do a Laparoscopy I'm have in done on February 13 to find out if I have endometriosis. Also are you seeing a OBGYN or gyno if not make an appointment with one. I go to a lady OBGYN I do better with a women's doctor then a man doctor. I also have sore breast too I take California evening prim rose oil and it real work for me. I take it every day and I get mine at Mother market. My ovary were not as big as your my were call falic cyst they come and go with my period each month. Thanks Allot Kelsiepoet.
Thanks Allot Jill

[kyurshina]

Honestly I don't know what would be a perfect solution for this problem.. whether it's birth control pills or natural treatment.

I was diagnosed with enlarged right ovary in Jan 08, being 26 years old. The doctor also discovered a small size cyst. I went through a series of ultra sounds and exams, that determined that it wasn't cancerous. The doctor asked me to wait a couple months to see if it will desolve by itself..

When I did my next test in May, the cyst has grown in size and was causing me a discomfort and bad cramps during my period. There were two solutions that doctor proposed: birthcontrol or having a baby. I wasn't ready for a baby, so I chose the first option to try it for 6 months and see if it disolves.

I was on pills for 3 months. During that time the pain and discomfort disappeared, and I had very light period without any cramps. However, I was extremely bloated all the time and VERY emotional especially a couple days before my period. As a result of that I went off the birthcontrol, hoping that the cyst is gone.

Its been only a week that I stopped taking pills, but the pain in my right ovary came back with more power. Its been so bad in the past couple of days, that I feel it all the time day and night. I will do another check up with my doctor asap, and if there are no changes, go back on pill.

[zozimus78]

Similar Problems

I am going through a similar situation. I have had abnormal menstrual cycles since I can remember, I had an ectopic pregnancy and lost my left tube because it ruptured, after my daughter we decided to have my right side clamped-tubal ligation. Well just recently in the last 6 months I have been having so many problems. Pain all the time, cramping all the time, when I have my period I bleed for 10 days straight and I go through a tampon and a pad an hour, and PAINFUL is an understatement. I went to the emergency room or found a Cyst the size of a golf ball on my right ovary so I got referred to this Carolina Ob/Gyn...Don't ever go to them. I went to them and all the doctor cared about was bowel movements, I then went back into the hospital and got referred to a new Ob/gyn Low Country Women's Specialist's . Well had a consultation and two days later I was under surgery for an exploratory surgery. I had laproscopy, hysterscopy and a DnC done, well in the mist of that he took the clamps off my tube and took my tube and burned both ends of it, because he said I didn't need any more children. Since then I have now found out I have a PID, infected Ovary, Inflammation of the Uterus and Ovary, and then just came back that I have an enlarged ovary. I am scared to death. I mean I'm 28 years old and feel like I am dying. So now tomorrow I have another doctor appointment with a new Ob/Gyn. Hopefully this one will know what they are talking about. Because everything I have looked up about Enlarged ovaries and the pain I have been experiencing says Ovarian Cancer.

So if I can help you in any way please let me know....

I need all the support I can take....

[Lilshortnsassy]

It seems like you ladies are going thru the same thing I am, let me know if any of this sounds familiar *warning* this is very graphic because I cant explain what's going on no other way so sorry in advance, okay, wedns I was having some really bad cramps (as always) so I knew my period was starting,I went to the bathroom and when I wiped I saw light pink mixed with light brown on the tp, so I went ahead and put in a tampon and went on to work this was at 11 am after being at work for about an hr the cramps got way worse so much so until I had to leave work early around 3.30 when I took out the tampon there was only a spot of blood on the very top of the tampon so I just put on a pad took 800 mg of ibruprofen and layed down for about 4 hrs the meds did nothing for the cramps and when I got up to change the pad there was absolutely nothing there not even a spot of blood but when I urinated I could see the blood in the toilet when I wiped I saw the same pinkish red mixed with light brown that I had saw earlier so I changed the pad anyway took a shower and went back to bed the next time I got up was the next morning expecting the pad to be full but when I got to the bathroom again there was nothing only blood in the toilet and when I wipe this has been going on since then I went to the doc today and she said my pelvis was so tender (especially on the left side) that she couldnt even do a pelvic exam on me she gave me an antibiotic to treat any infection I may have and set me up an appointment to have a vaginal ultrasound done she says she thinks its either my ovaries or fallopian tubes I have been told in the past that I had a cyst on one of my ovaries but I cant remember which one the doc didnt remove it then (which was three yrs) because she said it didnt seem like it was causing any problems