Ovarian cyst waiting to see specialist

Hi I was wondering if anyone had a similar experience. I had an ultrasound scan back in early July where they found a 10cm mass on my right ovary which is causing severe pain, bloating and other gastrointestinal issues. The sonographer and my GP referred me to gynaecology with a 2week urgent referral because they are concerned about torsion (I’ve already had several torsion episodes this past year which I put down to endometriosis flare ups) and they think it’ll need to be removed and biopsied. That said, it’s now August and I am having to keep calling the hospital to chase up my referral. It turns out that the gynae team have put me on a general waiting list and don’t feel my case is urgent even though I’m in daily pain. The waitlist to be seen is roughly 6 month wait. I’m so frustrated because I literally can’t function day-to-day and I work as a gardener so it’s physical work! I’m terrified that I will get torsion again and it’s the most intensely horrific pain. I was told today that I needed to go back to my GP and have them write a letter to the consultant to expedite my referral. It just seems crazy, because my GP has already issued it as an urgent thing. I’ve looked at going private, but it’d cost £10,000. Does anyone have any advice? I’m so physically and emotionally drained from being in daily pain/discomfort and feel it’s totally unacceptable that I have to be fighting just to receive the right treatment. Not to mention the fear of this mass being malignant and what it may mean fertility wise. I literally feel like I’ve just been left adrift trying to navigate all of this. My GP and the sonographer I saw were so informative and supportive, but now it’s been passed on to the hospital it feels like I’m just being dismissed. 

  • Hi Flowerchild94, 

    Thank you for sharing your experience and I hope that you will hear from others here who have had a similar experience. How frustrating that you have had to keep calling the hospital to chase your referral and that you are having to wait a long time to be seen while being in pain every day. It might be a good idea to go back to the GP and explain how urgent you feel this is but that you were told that the gynaecology team have put your referral on a general waiting list but that you are in a lot of pain and that it is interfering with your daily life. I hope that your GP will be able to intervene and get in touch with them to update them on how you've been feeling and how they believe you should be seen quicker. 

    I hope that you manage to speak to someone soon and that you won't have to wait too long to see the specialist. Waiting is the hardest thing and even a week can feel like a lifetime especially when in daily pain as is your case. To help you deal with this anxious wait, I thought I would share with you these helpful tips to help you cope while waiting for news. 

    Other members of our community may have experienced something similar and they may well have some good tips for you based on their personal stories. 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator