8cm Complex Ovarian Cyst with CA125 of 51 - Absolutely terrified!!

I posted on here a few days ago after I found out unexpectedly that I had a large complex ovarian cyst. The consultant thinks it could a dermoid cyst but can't determine this for sure and is sending me for an MRI scan. In the meantime, my CA125 has come back raised at 51!!! I'm postmenopausal which just adds even more risk into the mix and I just feel like the odds are stacking up against me. I've had no symptoms and only got checked out because of a tiny amount of postmenopausal bleeding. I'm all over the place.

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  • Hello jembers, I wrote on your first post as I also have an incidental mass very similar. 
    when I had my CA125 test I was told it is very likely for a raised amount even if only a cyst as it can signal other things like pelvic inflammatory. The levels can be in their hundreds just on a period so actually the fact that you went to the docs with some post menopause bleeding might actual explain the higher level.

    when is your MRI? I am also awaiting mine, I had to have further bloods taken on wed and awaiting my MRI now. 2-4 weeks. 
    more waiting…..

    keeping everything crossed for us! 

  • Hi cloudy1986, thanks so much for checking in with me, it means a lot. I've been given an appointment for 23rd December (Merry Christmas!!) I'm clearly on an urgent 2 week wait due to the nature of my cyst, my age and my blood test results. It's very hard not to fear the worst. I'm trying to remind myself that my situation could be completely benign, but due to my terrible habit of googling, I've convinced myself that it's something terrible! I am genuinely sending as many positive thoughts to both of us as I possibly can. X

  • Great news,  I will be thinking of you  x

  • That's good news! You will be fine in no time. It's nervy on the run up though.

  • Got everything crossed xxx

  • Oh that’s brilliant news. Go for it! Best to just get it done. I went into hospital 11am yesterday, I got taken into surgery 1.30/2. I remember waking up in recovery at 5.30 but thy said I had been there for 30 mins.

    My surgery was a bit longer than expected because my lovely surgeon spent lots of extra time and saved my ovary. I was discharged at 11pm but they only had to keep me so low as my bladder was very lazy and wouldn’t empty after the catheter. I was home in bed by midnight.

    The first 16 hours until this morning have been slightly unpleasant, the gas moving around my stomach is sore and strange but by no means unmanageable. I have just managed to make it downstairs and make myself some toast alone. I have 4 incisions, the only in my belly button is larger, that’s where they removed it from. My dermoid had long hair!! The surgeon showed me pics in recovery, but I was so out of it I don’t remember them. I have to inject myself with blood thinner for 2 weeks as I am on the pill. I got paracetamol, ibuprofen and dihydrocodeine to take home along with stool softener. I am signed off work for 4 weeks but she said day 1 and 2 are the worst and I should be nearing normal by 2 weeks. She gave me four weeks as my job isn’t the easiest. 

    top tips - take a wee bag with pads, lip balm, a book and socks to be comfy in the ward but wear slip on shoes, you will struggle to bend down for shoes! I wore a thin long dress and was sweating in this heat in the hospital! Put a pillow in the car for travelling home, front and back, the bumps in the road feel like craters when driving home. 

    any questions let me know but good luck, I promise it’s not bad. So glad it’s soon over for the both of us. Sending big hugs.x 

  • Hello, you will see above my message to jembers if you fancy a read through how my surgery was. Any questions fire ahead. Do you have a date yet? Hope you are ok and thank you for the well wishes x 

  • Your poor sister in for 6 weeks now. The mental toll of being on a ward is enough in itself, I really feel for her. How is she? You still on for next week? X

  • Thank you, I’m out and ok! They normally keep you in at my hospital if you aren’t discharged by 8pm but I was absolutely determined, drinking jugs and jugs of water, my bladder was just so slow. I didn’t want to stay as there was a little old confused lady across from me who was shouting at everyone all the time and bless her, but I just knew I wouldn’t get a wink of sleep so I asked them to let me go even if it was 2am and they agreed I could go at 11am. So nice to be in my own bed. 
    how’s your partner? You getting on ok with eating?x

  • Cloudy...you are an absolute star! So glad you've got it over with. Thanks so much for the extremely useful advice. I've just been out and bought myself some new slippers and my dressing gown is in the wash as we speak! I was wondering about pads and also getting my shoes back on. I think I'll just keep my slippers on when it's time to leave. I'm going to wear a dress, not just because of the heat, but also for comfort around the middle. I'll take my Kindle to keep me occupied. Is it routine to have to inject yourself afterwards, or just because you're on the pill? I'll keep you posted. XX

  • I had to inject myself with blood thinners after my surgery and I wasn't on the pill. It wasn't so bad. Worst bit of that was i had a stroppy nurse who sulked when I asked her to demonstrate it to me. My blood pressure was so low I kept getting dizzy and I think she objected to the fact they kept the catheter in until I felt a bit better.

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  • I had to inject myself with blood thinners after my surgery and I wasn't on the pill. It wasn't so bad. Worst bit of that was i had a stroppy nurse who sulked when I asked her to demonstrate it to me. My blood pressure was so low I kept getting dizzy and I think she objected to the fact they kept the catheter in until I felt a bit better.

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