Just back from the doctor..., blah.

I finally had my appointment this morning with my gyno. It was less than thrilling... as always

They did a vaginal ultrasound which once again showed that I have a large cyst on my left ovary. Meaning it isn't going anywhere on its own.

I've got two choices now (neither of which are great)
1 - Do the laproscopic surgery where she'll check out the cyst and pop it if it's not solid (tumor) and during which she'll check around inside and make sure that everything looks alright (no signs of endo or other problems).
or
2 - take high dose hormones for a while and see if it goes away on its own.

Now - the second option seems like the easiest and seems the no brainer, but it's not. It really is incredibly risky for me with my type of migraine to go on any type of high does hormones. I actually have a coworker who is 45 years old and suffered from classic migraines who had a stroke after starting birth control back up after her daughter's birth and still to this day has left side issues. I just don't want to go there.

And then there's the idea that the lap also allows the doctor to make sure there aren't other problems... and we think there very well may be.

Ugh.

So I guess it looks like I'll be having surgery.

This post has been edited by Kentuckychick on Apr 9 2009, 07:28 AM

Sorry you are going through this , but the surgery sounds like the best and most thorough solution. At least you are getting some answers. Even if you could take the hormones, I never like the "lets wait and see what happens" option.

Please keep us posted.

You can tell me how it goes before I get mine.

Did your doctor tell you that cysts can come back, even after being removed? This is why I chose the BCP (even with my severe migraines). I have read so much about how women go in for lap a ton of times to get rid of cysts and to scrape out endo and it keeps coming back. I still plan on doing the lap this summer so I know for sure what issues I have going on in there. I've been dealing with cysts since 11/12 years old. Every time I go off BCP (and not pg) I get them back.

I work with a compounding pharmacist to deal with my migraines. There has NEVER been one doctor who has helped me with my migraines in the 16+ years I've been trying to find relief. Last September I started working with a compounding pharmacist and I RARELY suffer from migraines anymore.

This post has been edited by coasterqueen on Apr 9 2009, 07:48 AM

I have decided to go with the surgery and I'll definitely let you know how it goes -- I'm calling to schedule it sometime this afternoon so I don't know when it will be yet.

My doctor did mention that cysts can come back so it's not a "cure"... but that it's a good option simply because it allows them to make sure nothing else is going on, and I think that would be reassuring in and of itself.

My first diagnosed cyst was when I was 14 and I had my first period at 13 so I definitely feel ya on the having them for years thing. It's an extreme nuisance. I think my doctor's fear is that the one I have is the same one that's been there since last July. It's "VERY" similar in size and if that's the case they definitely want to get in there and check it out to make sure it IS a cyst and not something else.

I'm sorry that you've had no luck in migraine treatment. Migraines are absolute he** to go through and even bigger he** to get treated. I've had them since I was 10 and they certainly never get any easier. Sure you learn how to cope and deal with them, but they are still just as painful and just as annoying 16 years later as the day I had my first one.

I see both a neurologist and a headache specialist and at this point I'm on Topomax and I take an excedrin daily during the worst times of the year (like right now) when the weather changes. I don't have hormonal migraines that I'm aware of, mine always seem to be caused by changes in the pressure of the atmosphere, and of course, that's not a trigger you can avoid. The topomax + excedrin combo really does help fight them though.

I think the concern of the neuro is that my migraines are "classic" migraines which are migraines with aura (visual problems proceeding the migraine). Apparently it's the only type of migraine that increases the risk of stroke so high that they want you to avoid BCP's. I'm not sure what it is about that certain type, but I'd assume that classic migraines have a diff. neurological effect.

It's all very confusing.

Hey Karen-
What's a compound pharmacist?

Rachel-
I'm sorry it's not self-resolving, but ita with Dee Dee that the better option is def. the surgery. I'd run the other way at the mention of high dose hormones. Sure they might shrink your cyst, buy who knows what catastrophic side effect will pop up a few years from now. Go for the surgery--it will be over in the blink of an eye and then you can be done with it. GL--I'm sure it will all work out fine.

Here's wiki's definition of one: "Compounding pharmacy is the process of mixing drugs by a pharmacist or physician to fit the unique needs of a patient. This may be done for medically necessary reasons, such as to change the form of the medication from a solid pill to a liquid, to avoid a non-essential ingredient that the patient is allergic to, or to obtain the exact dose needed. It may also be done for voluntary reasons, such as adding favorite flavors to a medication."

Which is basically what this guy is doing for me. He did saliva testing on me to see what my "issues" were. I have issues with my adrenals as well as hormones. I take a natural combination of substances to increase my adrenals so I can "survive" on a daily basis (keep from being so tired) as well as deal with the migraines. I was also seeing him for the hormonal issues, but it was such a long process and wasn't helping my cysts, other female issues so instead of keep trying (trial and error of substances) I chose the BCP for now. He was really helping a lot of my female issues, but the pain from my cysts were too much. He was giving me a natural progesterone for my female issues but we couldn't get the dosage right to deal with the cysts/endo and the BCP was. The problem is the BCP causes a lot of the other female issues i have that the progesterone was curing, but you can't take both together.

Ryan sees him for heartburn and I've gotten many mixes for the girls colds, ear issues and boosting of immunity.

I will also see him the next time I hurt my back again, lol.

He's really made a difference in my life with my migraines and quality of life in general that no medical doctor could do for me.

ETA: A compounding pharmacist likes to treat the problems, get to the bottom of a problem, where as a lot of medical doctors like to treat the symptom, not the problem. And he does this with an all natural approach.

This post has been edited by coasterqueen on Apr 9 2009, 10:00 AM

I would go for the surgery. I used to get ovarian cysts all the time. They put me on a different type of hormone by switching my birth control at the time.. and I had a Transient Ischemic Attack. Not fun, but better than a stroke. I had another one a few years ago.. again related to hormones.

Ovarian cysts tend to settle down once you've had a child.

I've heard that... and yet, I'm no where near being ready to have a baby. I wish I was!

Hope it gets resolved!

Yeah....I wish that was the case for me. But it's not.

Thanks everyone for the input and advice

The surgery is scheduled for next wednesday, the 22nd. I'm nervous, but also anxious to get it over with. I have to go in again on Tuesday to meet with my doctor and I've got quite a few questions to ask. She said we have to discuss what would happen if they needed to actually remove the ovary, or if they had to switch from laproscopic to an open surgery during the procedure. Just a bunch of stuff I need to think about I guess. I've been talking to my mom a lot about the possibility of losing that ovary (it's a 50/50 thing). It's just a pain.

I don't think surgery is ever fun. I second what Rocky said, I have experienced lessened cysts that no longer burst.

Hope your surgery goes well and everything turns out to be fine.

good luck sweetie I really hope it goes well for you and that they don't come back!!! I hate that your going through all of this but its good that they figured it out fairly quickly KUP on everything