woman related question for some advice....

I am going through a health scare. I have a large cyst the size of a grapefruit in my left ovary. I am 51 but had two of these removed at age 28. No problems until recently with very tired and peeing like crazy. some pain. I complain for a year and thought hip pain or over active bladder and finally got an ultrasound that revealed a large mass/cyst in my ovary. Everything else looked good. My CA125 blood test came back good. However learned today cancer only shows up 50 percent of the time with this test. Freaked out again.

i saw an oncologist/gynecologist today (my gyn feels more comfortable having him do the surgery just in case) and have surgery scheduled October 10 and have choice to just remove cyst and one ovary and Fallopian tubes or a full hysterectomy just in case for future . All I read I am leaning towards keeping the one ovary not effected and my uterus since my family does not have a cancer history of any kind but does have heart problems and osteoporosis along with the fact I had gastric bypass and bones could already have challenges down the road. Pros and cons to both. The doctor says removing Fallopian tubes will lower my chances of ovarian cancer as well. My 2 cysts at 28 were also huge similar size and benign. If he sees cancer and (will test while I am in operating room) I will have a complete hysterectomy.

What would you do? All I read hysterectomy with ovary removal has other health concerns for heart and bones, dimentia and lung cancer. I have not began menopause yet and so I will go into surgical menopause which is rough. no issues all these years other then the cysts at 28 and now all these years later.

So nervous. I think keeping one ovary and uterus the right decision but don't want to be sorry later. I don't understand why I can't have an ultrasound done yearly but told that is not done or statistically approved as a way to detect ovarian cancer.

anyway just wondering if anyone has advice who has had a similar experience.

thanks in advance.

I will be 59 in January, and had a complete hysterectomy including ovaries and cervix last November. I had huge fibroid tumors, but was having regular heavy periods every month, and no menopausal symptoms (despite being way older than most people who were already started or done with theirs).

I was also thrown into surgically induced menopause, but I'm so glad I did it. At your age, you're about at the time to start menopause anyway. If it were my decision, I would have them take it all out so you don't have to worry at all, plus no more periods! Menopause is no fun, but we all gotta do it anyway, and since your'e at the right age, I say go ahead and get it over with. JMHO. Good luck!

P.S. Hot flashes suck, but other than that, I feel great.

P.P.S. If I could have kept an ovary to reduce the hormone issues, I would have, but I wasn't able to.

Thanks Cathy. My Mom was 63 to 65 when she went through the change! 6 kids maybe why. I don't show any signs yet either. My family history has more heart related problems and osteoporosis then cancers is why I am leaning the other way. Such a tough decision.

As I understand this, there is a hormonal benefit to keeping your unaffected ovary, and as you said, you do not have a family history of cancer. If it was me, and in fact it may be at some point, I would not want to lose my ovaries if it could be prevented - and I say that as a 64-year old! Just keep an eye on this area in the future. Best of luck to you!

Thanks that is what I am leaning towards. My sister who is a nurse says you had benign cysts at 28 and now again (God willing benign) to remove ovaries. She says if I beat again don't take chance again but the gyn/Oncologist did not feel benign cysts over 23 year span was a risk. The other risks that are higher in my family are greater.

unfortunately Ovarian Cancer has no screening. I thought I had overactive bladder will have to see if that (frequency) goes away.

Thanks again. So nervous. Mainly because my girls are 16 and 14 and I know they need me. Makes me sad to think about that.

At one point I thought I had overactive bladder. Or incontinence. I even went for therapy.

Once I remove all diet soda and any drinks with aspartame, plus limit artificially sweetened drinks and foods, my issues disappeared. Seriously.

In my house we have a saying "you can give her diet soda but don't make her laugh after you do. " I can tolerate up to one diet drink a week with no problem.

It may be drinks or foods you are getting that may irritate your bladder. Seriously.

Mine is urgency no incontinence. I go constantly. Always but got 10 times worse with this huge cyst.

i don't drink diet soda but drink a good amount of coffee which I need to cut down!

I had it all, the urgency, then incontinence- i could not get fast enough to the bathroom. The urgency - I still get - and now it is more to do when I eat- drink something really acidic or too many carbs.

I had OBGYN visit a few months ago and i though I had UTI. Because of the urgency. They tested is. It was clear, no bacterial UTI. I new I was drinking too many drinks with splenda and citric acid.

In your case- the size of the cyst is most likely pressing on the bladder, and gives the bladder sensation of being full all the time. Hopefully when they remove that part - your bladder goes back to normal.

Hoping that is the case!!! I am taking Detrol (generic version)for a month now which is $110 would be nice to go off it! Not sure it is helping or not...

If it is a cysts only- I would keep the other parts. Our anatomy as such allows everything to stay together. I know a bunch of women that had a complication after total hysterectomy.

If it ain't broken - don't fix it.

I would also talked to my docs. They have experience, and they can help you make decision.