Hi readers,
I understand when thinking of an Ovarian Cyst, many women wonder about symptoms and what to do if they think they may have the same. Here I am going to tell you about the symptoms I experienced and how I went about finding out what was actually going on. These symptoms have been put in to a list of how I felt when I was experiencing them, this is not necessarily in order. This is a follow-on from my previous post.
The only place to start is from the beginning…
My first point is that from all the symptoms I experienced, I ignored for approximately 2 years prior to me taking action. Big mistake.
The first major symptom I began to experience was a painful menstrual cycle. Around the time that I was ‘due on’, I would get a cramping feeling around my lower abdomen – this would worsen as my period went on. Within days of my period finishing, the pain would reduce and stop within 3/4 days after the last day. I also noticed that my periods became more and more irregular, I went from being able to say (more or less to the minute) when I would come ‘on’, to knowing it would be within a 3 week period. I also went from a 4 weekly cycle to 2 to 3 week cycle.
Symptom 2: Gradually my weight was increasing, this was quite a slow progress at first. My usual pair of jeans began to feel tighter around the waist only. My work trousers began to pinch more and more. When I went shopping for new clothes, I was finding that the next size up was more comfortable and I felt less squeeze. Before most of my symptoms began, I was a comfortable size 10 to 12, top and bottom. By January 2009, my trousers were now size 14 with very little room to spare. My waist size maintained at this for some time, my weight, however, was increasing by the week. It may have only been a few lbs, but it was going up. No matter what I ate or how much exercise I did, the weight crept up. My belly began to feel a little more ’rounded’. Towards the September/October 2009, my weight had increased by almost 2 and a half stone and I was now in a size 16 to 18. Trousers had to be very loose-fitting and tops loose.
Symptom 3: Probably one of the more ignored symptoms was depression. Whether it was due to the ever-increasing weight, hormones, pain or something else. I felt depressed. I began to feel that nothing would ever make me ‘cheer up’. One of the biggest things for me was that I began to drink (not to the extreme, but a lot for me), as someone who has never been a big drinker of anything alcoholic, the lure of a bottle of wine a night was too much. I know now that this felt like a way out, I could sit and drink a bottle of wine a night and only want more when the bottle was empty. I struggled to find anything to smile about, apart from when it came to my daughter. My daughter was my world and my life – she was the reason I never considered anything silly.
Symptom 4: As I mentioned before, I was experiencing many sporadic pains around my lower abdomen. Around the September 2009, the pains were evident 99% of the time, whether I was sat watching TV or walking with my daughter to the park – the pain was there. These varied from a cramping feeling to that of, what can only be described as, a stabbing pain which would worsen when I had to crouch, lift something heavy or stretch out. It was when I began to experience such pains that I visited my GP for more advice.
Symptom 5: Well this is not so much of a symptom, more of an observation. Within a few weeks of my diagnosis via the Ultrasound scan, when lying down on my back I could see a visible rounded lump in my abdomen. If I had not already been diagnosed by this time, I would have been very worried. The lump, however, appeared on the opposite side of my body than the cyst base/affected ovary (this was due to the large size of the cyst, taking over my ovary and reproductive organs).
So, I have told you about the increasing amount of pain I was feeling on a day-to-day basis, my erratic menstrual cycle, the ever-increasing waist size and weight and the depression.
After 2 years of my feelings going up and down, the issues with my periods/weight. I could take no more. I had to speak to a Medical Professional for their opinion. I have to admit that, at first, my GP did advise me that I should wait until my next period and see if I still got the same feelings, to see if it was stress that was affecting me (he also asked if I wanted to try antidepressants, to which I declined), but I was not happy with that. I made another appointment immediately and was able to see another Dr within a few days – it was here where I said I was unhappy with previous diagnosis and would like further investigation, I knew my body and my body needed help. A 30 minute appointment later, all symptoms discussed and I was on my way for a scan.
My advise to anyone who may be experiencing symptoms similar to this would be to visit a GP immediately. I ignored the pains and other issues for around 2 years, this made matters worse and if I had sought medical advise before, I feel that my cyst may never have reached such a large size – and maybe my ovary could have been saved. My cyst, when removed, measured 16cm by 10 cm and approximately 1 stone in weight. My left ovary was completely damaged by the cyst and, despite being given a large % chance of the ovary being saved, my surgeon had no other option than to remove the ovary along with my fallopian tube. I am healthy and happy now.
During my time between diagnosis and the operation, I also had to be prescribed a large amount of pain killing drugs. It was these that helped me get by day-to-day – without these pain killers I would not have been able to get up in the morning as they controlled the severe pain that rushed through my abdomen on a daily basis.
Since my operation, almost 2 and a half years ago, my weight decreased – the pains ceased – the depression lifted and my life got back on track. Most of all, alcohol was not the answer any more. Life itself was enough.
I have prepared myself for the future, having been advised that conception of another child may be more difficult than before. I have my daughter, my fiance, my family and my life.
Thanks for reading.
Nene xxxxx
