I'm 35 and I've been diagnosed via ultrasound with two complex ovarian cysts, one on each ovary. I've also had cysts rupture monthly with every cycle for the last 3 years. The pain is excruciating and it's having an effect on my life (work, school, etc.) After 3 months of monitoring the complex cysts, they have not changed in size. I'm supposed to go back for another u/s in a few months to monitor. I can't take BC pills and progesterone-only methods like depo provera caused me terrible side effects in the past as well, do I have any other options? My doc says I'm basically SOL until menopause. Is that true? I haven't had any kind of testing done beyond the u/s, no bloodwork for hormone levels, etc. Should I ask for that? Would it even tell anything? Should I get a second opinion or do I really just have to deal with the pain for the next 15-20 years???
Ovarian Cysts - what are my birth control options?
- Posted:
- 11 Jun 2011 by painsucks19
- Topics:
- pain, ovarian cysts, ultrasound
Added 12 Jun 2011:
Hmm, I don't know who changed the title of my question but I don't want to know about birth control options at all. I want to know what I can do about the cysts *without* birth control pills. Ugh.
Answers (5)
LaurieShay11 Jun 2011
Hey painsucks,
Since you have tried the conventional methods of treating this condition, I found an e-book you might want to check out by going to:
http://www.ovariancystsnomore.com/index2.html
I have not read the book so I can't really recommend but might be worth the try since it has a money back guarantee.
Best wishes,
Laurie
ElizaJane2311 Jun 2011
if it were me, I would seek a second or third opinon from a University, Regional or Teaching Hospital - a very large, well known hospital that is regarded in high esteem like Johns Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic etc. These large hospitals see patients with problems like yours every day, where a local doctor may only read about problems as severe as yours. I don't know if you are wanting more children or not, but a hysterectomy may be an option. There are consequences to removing your ovaries at such a young age, as your body needs the hormones they produce, but I can't imagine going for another 15-20 years in such pain. Go and see the experts - and I pray they can find a solution for you.
painsucks19
11 Jun 2011
Thanks! I'm not at all concerned with fertility, but I would prefer to keep all of my body parts intact. I'll look at the local University hospital for specialists as well. Thanks for the advice!!
deborah_107
20 Jun 2011
the other thing that is a concern--if you do have your ovaries removed--from what I hear from a friend, as soon as you stop producing the estrogen, you can head straight into osteoporosis. So keep up your calcium supplements.
VintageBu...13 Sep 2011
Hello there,
I noticed this wasn't a new post and I certainly hope you've had some joy since then. If not, I can share with you that I've already had 22 surgeries for polycystic ovaries... but there is hope. I'm on a birth control pill called Melodene and it's worked like a charm. I only take the active pills as i have endometreosis as well and in order to control that, I'm not supposed to have my monthly bleed. Every women on the planet has cysts every month, caused by ovulation but most of them subside. We are amongst the unfortunate few who don't have much joy in this department as our cysts continue to grow. The only way to stop the cysts from occuring is to by-bass the ovulation cycle which birth control pills do very nicely. The trick is to find one that agrees with you and there are SO many choices. The best is to consult you gynae on which one to take. I've tried dozens and Melodene seems to do the trick for me and I'm still on it after 3 years. Hope that helps! :)
7 Dec 2011
I finally went in for exploratory surgery for the pain after initally thinking it was a cyst. The shot of Lupron didn't make the pain go away. Thankfully the gynecological surgeon had a general surgeon on call; in the case that it wasn't just a cyst. I ended up needing the general surgeon right away, as my problem was that endometriosis (that doesn't show up on ultrasounds) had adhered my colon to my uterus, enveloping the ovary in between. So the bottom line is, if the pain is not explainable, and you're not getting anywhere with your original doctor, get a second opinion. I had to do that as I basically had to diagnose myself with the first doctor. All he was offering me was a hysterectomy, initially, after misdiagnosing me with adenomyosis (which didn't fit any of my symptoms). So long story wrap up. It ended up being a 3-1/2 hour surgery, separating everything, taking out 8" of my colon, removing the ovary and tube.
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pansucks, I have friend in her 40's going thru the same thing. Nothing has been done for her either. She says she is in so much pain and them when it ruptures the pain goes awat. i have a cyst on the rt. but so far have not had any problems with it. I thnk I wouls at least get a second opinion.
Thanks Von! I have daily pain that at best feels like hundreds of needles poking me behind my pubic bone. After a cyst ruptures, and the initial debilitating pain passes, I have what feels like razor blades in my abdomen for a week, sometimes two (I've been told this is the fluid left behind after the rupture and it's what is causing the pain - they always see at least a little free fluid with my ultrasounds - I've had at least 10 now in the last couple of years.). I usually have about a week a month where I'm generally pain-free (mild menstrual cramp feeling at worst) before my next cycle begins again with the needle feeling, etc.
I've started asking friends and family for some referrals for a second opinion, I just hate the thought of starting over new after 3 years with one doctor. I have a feeling that I won't be satisfied with any answer until I hear it twice though. Thanks for your feedback, I hope your friend is able to find answers too!!
Thanks Laurie!
I've also heard great things about "Taking Charge of your Fertility" for dealing with issues like this as well. I'm hoping to pick up a copy this weekend. I'll check out the other book if I don't find what I'm looking for. :)
Painsucks, sounds like you are alot worse than my friend. Hope you find some answers soon. Let me know what you do. Von
Painsucks--I personify your comment, with excrutiating pain on the left ovary for the past 4-1/2 mo. B4 that the pain would happen every month or so for the past several years, and now it's almost constant. They did an ultrasound about 2 months ago, and told me "It's only 5"x2"x1". Let's do aanother u/s in 3 months." This pain @ times doubles me over & feels like a team of knights has me pinned to a wall with a battering ram. I'm abt ready to get a 2nd opinion as the doc offered to give me a shot of Lupron. Then he said, but it has side f/x. I asked like what? & he said like menopause--immediate nite sweats & hotflashes. The guy's an idiot, as he was also talking hysterectomy instead of just doing a siple systectomy (which I've had b4). Get a 2nd opinion & hormone testing.
4got to say they had me start b/c but it doesn't seem to be helping but only started them about 5 days ago. I haven't needed them since I was 27 and trying to get prgnt. Sorry. On my cell, going to dinner.
4got to say they had me start b/c but it doesn't seem to be helping but only started them about 5 days ago. I haven't needed them since I was 27 and trying to get prgnt. Sorry. On my cell, going to dinner.
Hi Deborah! My doc also offered me the injection that would put me into false menopause. I told her no thanks, the side effects sound worse than the pain. She doesn't want to do any kind of surgery since it's only been 3 months, and although they're complex, she's not at all concerned about the cysts being cancerous (though I *am* nervous, my grandmother had cancer and a hysterectomy when she was in her 40's.. I'm not that far from 40 anymore... Plus, the rest of the family history for women reproductive issues is a complete train wreck, I'm surprised so many of us managed to reproduce at all!).
Yep, I completely know that pain. I keep trying to come up with ways to describe it to the doctors so they understand what I'm going through but most of them just brush it off like it's nothing. I wish I could share my pain with them for just a second and then see if they think it's nothing. So frustrating.
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I really hope the b/c pills work out for you! I know it's a great option for those that are able to take them. Unfortunately b/c pills are not an option for me. :(
Yeah painsucks, if they ask me to wait the 2 years that it took my last one (which wasn't painful, except for when sneezing) to grow to 7 cm, I'll have to ask them how they would like working on Norco and walking around with an electric heating pad strapped to their womb (non-existent for the arrogant male GYNS) to practice their medicine. You might have to push them, or at the very least get a 2nd opinion. I found with my previous interactions with the GYN's in the valley we're at, when I drove 40 minutes to the same HMO, the difference was night and day. Before we moved to this area, my previous doc had put me with a high-risk OB/Gyn doc to monitor my only full-term pregnancy. When we moved out here, with my 1st miscarriage, they treated me like I was crazy and just having a bad period, after I'd had a positive home test, and then took a bad fall @ 5 weeks, and had spotting the next day and severe cramping the 3rd day.
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So I immediately switched to the doc 40 minutes away, and the next miscarriage--where I didn't know I was pregnant and had another small fall off a ladder--they were completely compassionate and caring. Even in an HMO that can't be bothered to get off their wallet, the bedside difference can be night and day, depending on how wealthy the surrounding area is. My 40 minute drive was to just outside the Bay Area vs. Central Valley, CA, and there are residents like John Madden former mgr. of the Oakland Raiders. So I think I'm gonna be driving the 40 minutes again, after this 2nd ultrasound. Good luck. I'll pray for you. I'd take my pressurized battering ram vs. your pins and needles any day.
Just an fyi. I've been on microgestin birth control pills for a month, and the second ultrasound I had in a 3 month time period showed that the cyst that's been painful (nonstop since January to April and sporadically to June) is resolving. The new ultrasound shows them more to think about on the right than the left, but it was hurting really only on the left except for a minor twinge here and there on the right. I did finally opt for the Lupron shot yesterday from a different doctor who took more time to explain it, and wasn't the arrogant guy. So we'll see how it goes for the next 3 months (of synthetic menopause). The first guy didn't explain that Lupron is just a temporary thing and that women can actually get pregnant after it wears off. I thought it was a permanent thing. The recent pain wasn't as bad as before, but I still ended up having to dig my Norco back out, and was nearly crying this past Monday.
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This was after the results of the u/s showed it as resolving, but I was thinking, "Then why does it hurt so much?!" Hopefully it will clear up completely!
Hi Deborah! I'm so glad you're starting to feel better! Good luck with the Lupron! I'm interested to hear how it works for you! I met with a new doctor and he was more open to listening to my concerns and working with me to find a solution. He's going to run another set of his own tests and then we'll see what he thinks is a good plan of action for me. I don't have a resolution yet, but a doctor willing to listen and work with me is a great start!