Question:
Has anyone had an ovarian cyst removed? Pain comparison?

I had a cyst removed 14 years ago - the pain was excrutiating for about 6 weeks with the wound opening and becoming infected and the cyst having also been attached to my bladder. I couldn't walk upright for 6 weeks and it was MUCH worse than having 2 natural (but painful) childbirths. Has anyone had both a cyst removed and a BPD? How did the pain compare? I am really frightened!    — AnneB (posted on October 2, 2004)

October 2, 2004
well I had an ovarian cyst taken out the same time I had my WLS...but didnt have anything you described. I have also had a baby.. I would say the after'birth' of WLS was more painful than the baby; but labor and post surgery.. hmmmm I might say the wls was a bit more since they gave me morphine and THAT wasnt offered having the baby... BUT as with having the baby.. the 'pain' you have from WLS fades. If youve gone thru what you have then I thin WLS will be a breeze.. Just remember at first DONT MOVE unless you have a morphine shot first!
   — star .

October 2, 2004
Hi Anne, This may not be the answer your looking for but I had WLS this past July. Last Thursday it was discovered that I have a rather large cyst attached to my right ovary (the size of a large golfball). I've been in extreme pain and have to go back to my gynocologist in two weeks to see if the medicine I was given has shrunk it. If it were not for pain medication I would be going out of my mind. I've had two children and one was a natural birth and the pain was minimal at best. Even my open RNY was a walk in the park compared to this pain. I just pray that the cyst is benign because my mother had ovarian cancer but was fortunate that it was caught in time. Sorry this is so long but when I read your post it made me think about what is going on with my body since my WLS three months ago. Belinda
   — Belle

October 2, 2004
So much depends on your physical condition, whether the surgery is lap or open, your pain tolerance, etc. I had an ovarian cyst when I was 22 that required an open procedure and removal of my ovary and fallopian tube -- it was pretty rough, about the same as my later C-section. A few years ago, I had another cyst in the other ovary, and it was treated laparoscopically -- totally no big deal. And I had a hand-assisted lap DS last year just before my 50th birthday -- I went back to work on day 20, and it was not that painful -- I didn't take any pain meds after day 4. Except for the nausea/queasiness I had for about 30 days after surgery (I only barfed twice, on day 4), I think it hurt less than either the C-section or the open removal of my ovary. I wouldn't focus on the pain, because you should, no matter what, have adequate pain management. If you are worried about this, talk with your surgeon in advance about pain management issues. Diana
   — [Deactivated Member]

October 2, 2004
I had a dermoid cyst removed lap, VERY painful in 91. I had the open RNY, which was a cake walk. You had an infection which made things much worse. A good DR will keep your pain under control post op. Make sure you speak up if your having pain, it should be managed so you're not that bad. Best of luck!
   — ZZ S.

October 2, 2004
I have had both ovaries removed due to cysts. The first was an emergency, in 1993. The ovary had twisted and become necrotic, and flipped to the opposite side, from the left to the right. NOTHING has ever hurt as much as that pain, before the surgery. Doctors kept coming in to see me post op and told me how they could not believe how I didn't pass out from the pain. Anyway, I was directed by my gyn to stay out from work for 4 weeks, and did. I was kinda wiped out from the pre-op "surprise" pain. I had a 10 month old son at the time, and very little help during the day. We just sat on the floor and I let him nap there, etc.. Oops! My husband was there for the first week. I was driving by the second week, and was ready to go back when the time came. I don't remember the post op pain being that horrible. The second one was removed in 2000. I had a bad pain attack, then had a sonogram done after my gyn did an exam. It was the size of a tennis ball, with several additional small cysts. I had planned to take off 3 weeks for this one, then my husband went and had a heart attack 2 weeks before my date. How dare he LOL!!! Anyway, he has been fine and well ever since, but it cut my recovery to 2 weeks because I stayed home a week with him. I was able to go back to work just a little bit tired. SO, my experience is that comparing a lap RNY, abdominoplasty, gall bladder, a regular pregnancy and 2 ovary removals, I'd rate the pain/recovery as follows from worst to easiest: 1. abdominoplasty 2. LAP rny 3. ovary surgeries 4. childbirth ( due to being stitched "down below") 5. gall bladder ---a walk in the park I don't know if that is helpful to you
   — Fixnmyself