Re: K from W

[Guest guest]

K,

thanks for the well wishes. Actually, the cyst on my right ovary didn't

burst. The GYN said that the cyst was filled with blood simply because I

obviously bled a little when I ovulated. He said that happens a lot and

that typically the cyst just goes away after a couple of weeks. However, I

did have a cyst on my left ovary that ending up causing me to have surgery

and have the ovary and cyst removed. That cyst was discovered accidentally

as well when I had a ct scan looking for causes of my continued abdominal

pain that couldn't possibly be from my pancreas at times when the panc

enzymes weren't elevated. This was around April 2000, about 3-4 months

after my first 'documented' attack of acute pancreatitis. The cyst was

initially larger than the size of a nickel. It wasn't causing any problems

that I was aware of. In January 2001, a ct was done for some reason because

I kept having repeat urinary tract infections and the ct revealed that the

cyst had more than doubled in size and was the size of a pretty large egg

(it was oval and not round). Again, I was having no pain or problems from

the cyst (or so I thought). In February 2001, I suddenly began having

severe pain in my lower left abdomen on a Wednesday. I went to the ER and

they sent me to my GYN. He did an ultrasound and confirmed the cyst was

still in tact. He said that often times you will have severe pain for a

couple of days and then things settle back down. I was to see him in two

weeks. By Friday morning, the pain was worse. I'd already missed 3 days of

work. The GYN did another ultrasound and the cyst was slightly larger than

it had been on Wednesday. This was about lunchtime and he said, " What have

you had to eat today? " I told him I'd had coffee very early and that was

it. He said, " Good, don't eat or drink anything else. I'm not going to

make you suffer with this over the weekend. We're going to get rid of it

today. " He did the surgery that evening. After the surgery he told me that

he thought it would be a simple, quick surgery and that he would be in and

out of the O.R. He said he couldn't have been more wrong and that I had

really made him work hard. The cyst and ovary were adhered to my intestines

and bladder and apparently pretty difficult for him to get out. He told me

it was a good thing we got rid of it because it could cause bladder, back,

and stomach pain and problems. Suprisingly, only 8 days after that surgery

I felt good enough that I decided to turn down my newly approved disability

retirement! I did not have another 'official' attack of acute pancreatitis

or even one severe enough to warrant an E.R. visit until July 2002, almost

16 months after my left ovary and the cyst were removed.

I had really forgotten this correlation until I started writing this e-mail.

I was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis in June 2003, almost a year after

I started back having attacks of acute panc. I was diagnosed with type 2

diabetes in January 2003. I've had tons of ct scans since July 2002 and at

least one vaginal ultrasound by my GYN since that time and the ct scan done

last week was the first to reveal a cyst on my right ovary. So, I don't

think removing this cyst and my right ovary would stop the attacks of panc

this time. However, if the right ovary and cyst are now adhered to my

intestines and bladder like the left one was, it would certainly explain why

I have suddenly started back having urinary tract infections when it's been

quite some time since I've had more than a sporadic UTI that is easily

cleared up with one round of antibiotics.

Also, the severe pain I've had is nowhere near low enough to be near my

ovary since it is pretty much at my waistline. However, I have been having

these stabs of burning pain in the area of my hysterectomy scar, which is

right above where my pubic hair begins. I assumed these burning pains might

be from scar tissue. I also started having burning pain that felt like my

entire bladder was being stabbed with a hot poker. I told the surgeon that

did my gastric bypass (2001) about it and he had ordered a ct scan but it

was the next day that I ended up in the E.R. with a 102 temp, had the

positive blood cultures, etc. so I cancelled the ct scan and planned on

having it done when I felt better. The surgeon said I could have a small

incisional hernia but he was also concerned about the burning pain in my

bladder area. He said you can have hernias inside your bladder and if the

ct scan didn't show a hernia, he wanted me to see a urologist and have them

do a cystoscopy.

Putting it all together, I now wonder the cyst on my right ovary is

responsible for all this burning pain. The burning pains are not constant,

it's just like a quick stab and then gone but it has gotten more frequent

over the last few weeks.

The thing is that I am obviously still ovulating and I don't think I've even

begun going through menopause even though I am 44 and only have one ovary

and no uterus. It the right ovary is removed, then I will obviously go into

abrupt surgical menopause, which I have heard is harder on the body than the

gradual onset of natural menopause. Because of that, I am hesitant to have

my last ovary removed. Because of all my health issues and the fact that

the medication I have to be on for my autoimmune liver disease puts me at an

increased risk for cancer, taking hormone supplements is most likely out for

me. So, if menopause wreaks havoc on my moods, I'm not sure there's

anything I can take to help.

Well, I've rattled on enough. It most certainly does seem to me that female

issues have a much greater impact on our entire body that one would think.

If the cyst on my right ovary is perhaps making me have more frequent flares

of pancreatitis then I suppose having it removed and going through menopause

would certainly be worth it considering the fact that for the last year I've

had attacks that end up with me in the hospital about every 6 weeks.

W