Laparoscopy to remove ovarian cyst - Please help :(

[goddessofdawn]

Has anyone had a laparoscopy to remove an ovarian cyst?
I'm scheduled to have one in May

I originally saw my GP because of some vague but unusual symptoms which alerted me to the possibility of ovarian cancer. Of course because I am 35 with no family history, the GP ruled that out immediately without any hesitation. I asked for an ultrasound which found a cyst. After a second ultrasound 6 weeks later, they found it had grown slightly so I was referred to a gyno.

Saw the gyno on Friday. She has arranged for a CA125 blood test.
And booked the laparoscopy to remove the cyst.

I was a bit stunned at the gyno - so of course I didn't ask the questions I should have asked!

Has anyone had a laparoscopy? I've never had any kind of surgery before, so I don't know what to expect.
I have an info sheet from the gyno so I know what is done, but... how do you feel afterwards?
How long are you "under" for (anaesthetic)? e.g. How long after surgery do you wake up?

And most importantly - will the cyst be biopsied to check for cancer?

Any help much appreciated

[Pholi]

Hi,

I'm not sure I can be of much help, as I've never had a lap, but all of your questions are very reasonable, and I would suggest you call the gyno's secretary and explain that you were a bit too stunned to ask the questions at the time, and ask if there's any chance you could speak to either the gyno or one of her nurses, who'll probably also know the answers. I'm sure they won't mind, and if you're anything like me, knowing these things before I go in helps me to cope much better with the whole process.

I suggest you also check - How long should you take of work/arrange for help with other kids/ expect to be taking things easy while you recover at home? Will there be any restrictions on what you are allowed to do, eg, normally you would not be allowed to drive or drink for 24hours post anasthetic, so you'd need someone to drive you home from the hospital. And, are you likely to need painkillers afterwards, and if so which ones are suggested, so that you can make sure you have a supply ready at home.

Best of luck with the procedure!

[Floweryfields]

I had a lap to remove a chocolate cyst (called an endometrioma). How long you are under varies depending on what they do in there, for a cyst only, it would likely be pretty short - perhaps as little as 30 mins?
You wake within a very short time of anaethetic drugs stopping, but you are not really alert for a good while after - I am a very slow waker and took ages after my last op (the lap and endo/cyst removal).
For just a cyst I imagine it would be day stay only, so usually once awake and probably not until you've eaten and done a wee, you'll get to go home.
Expect shoulder tip pain from the gas used to inflate your abdomen trying to escape, heat packs help this. Also expect to be quite tender at the incision sites - I had a week off work and was tender for about 3 days - but I also had alot of endo removed as well.

Tests of samples taken during surgery are fairly run of the mill procedure. Please try not to worry, the vast majority of cysts are benign.


ETA regarding pain meds. I found that nothing more serious than panadol was needed after I came home (I had an overnight stay so had stronger meds in hospital).Anything removed is done by burning so it actually seals off the nerve endings and no pain is felt inside.

[nothing2lose]

Hi

Sorry to hear you are having such a rough time but, as the previous posters have said, there is nothing to worry about. It is confronting but it is a relatively minor procedure. I really hope it goes well for you

Not sure if your gyno told you this, but with the CA125 test, make sure you don't have it while you have your period. This will artificially inflate the results (I have to have them every six months).

Good luck!

[Razzberry]

Can i ask what a CA125 test is?

[nothing2lose]

It stands for Cancer Antigen 125, which is a tumor marker for ovarian cancer.

[goddessofdawn]

Thanks so much girls, you are all legends! Just hearing someone say "Try not to worry" helps immensely. I guess I'm just worried because around Christmastime I started getting continual lower back pain (dull ache) similar to the kind you get when menstruating, and I know that's a symptom of ovarian cancer. But it's also a symptom of ovarian cysts... I know I know, stop listening to Dr Google!!

I freaked out again today though, because I got a letter in the mail from the gyno, with a new referral for the CA125 Blood Test, saying "Get this test done when not on a period". Now, I was totally confused because I had already gotten the test done on Friday morning (when I wasn't menstruating) so I started thinking terrible things - i.e. The test results came back on Friday afternoon with a high reading, so the gyno thought that I was menstruating when I had it done, only I wasn't, which would mean maybe I have cancer... Hope that makes sense!

So I called the gyno's office, and her secretary didn't know but was going to ask her and call me back! Still waiting for the call..... Sigh. Will call again tomorrow. Surely she wouldn't assume I was on a period if the reading came back high, right??

[Floweryfields]

If there were concerns with results (andit's is highly unlikey any results would be in within a day) the doctor would definitely call you to come in, not send a letter. The letter was likely because the gyno realised that she didn't make sure you were aware of this (the not during your period thing) in the appointment.

PS When is your lap booked for?

[goddessofdawn]

Thanks Ausgirl... That's probably why - although she did tell me that during our appointment (not to get it done when on a period). Maybe she just forgot that she told me.

I'm booked for 10 May. I just read the ultrasound doctor's report and he said it looked like an endometrioma.
Maybe the endometriosis is back...

I was suspected of having endometriosis back in late 2004, but never had a lap as ultrasounds were clear. Instead I was told to continously stay on the pill to avoid periods. That was great! I came off the pill in September 2008 and fell pregnant February 2009. After having my daughter in October 2009, my periods didn't recommence until August 2010.
She is still breastfed, so I haven't been able to go back on the ordinary pill.
So perhaps, now that my periods have been regular 17 months, endometrial tissue has developed again...

[Floweryfields]

Endometriomas can grow reasonably quickly if you are having regular cycles - basically you bleed into it every month....if it's any relief to you, my ovary was fine and functions normally after it's removal.