Question for women....UPDATED ...new question!

[kellyf2626]

About 3 weeks ago, I stopped taking the pill. My husband and I want to try and start trying to have children this summer (my life will be complete once I can take my kids to Disney! ), and my doctor recommended that I go off the pill about six months prior. For the last 2 weeks, I have had the worst cramping, upset stomach, gas, and bloating that I have ever had in my life!! Is this normal?? This whole weekend, I have been laying on the couch, not able to move! I am even considering calling in sick to work tomorrow.

I just wanted to see if this was normal? Or is something else going on?

Thanks!

 

[barrett7890]

have you been using any other protection? if not could you be pregnant?

cami
x

 

[FreshTressa]

Yikes..no, I've never had anything like that from the pill.

It sounds miserable!!! Have you talked to your doctor?

 

[kellyf2626]

We have been using protection...so I don't think I am pregnant. I am going to call my doctor tomorrow. Hopefully she can shed some light on everything. I am also expecting my period this week...so maybe my body is just out of sorts?

 

[kristen821]

I have been off the pill the last few months and have not experienced that. It my be because your period is coming, but again I didn't get that when I first got off the pill. Everyone is different so I wouldn't worry about it yet. Call you dr. in the morning and see what he/she says.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Not sure if this will help you but I suffered from extremely bad PMS and menstrual cramps, have to pop 2 Advil every 3 hours, so bad I actually double over and the pain shoots down my legs. Just learned that women need more calcium, magnesium around their period. Also the pill depletes many essential vitamins and minerals. To make a long story short, this month I took calcium pills right before my period thru my period and did NOT get cramps! I was totally blown away. I'll have to see if this was just a coincidence as this was my first month that I did this but like I said 98% of the time I get excruciating cramps. So just wanted to mention in case it might help. I'm sure your body is readjusting to stopping the pill you may need added vitamins and minerals. Also read its good to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and less red meat, sugars, etc., around that time of the month which I also now try to do.

 

[kellyf2626]

Well....I went to my doctor today, and they sent me to have a CT scan. Turns out, I have a 5cm cyst on my right ovary. It makes me a little nervous, b/c ovarian cancer runs in my family. But...I am taking it in stride.

Does anyone have any experience with cysts? I am in the process of making an appointment with my OBGYN so they can do an ultrasound to get more information.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[KimR]

I had a grapefruit size cyst removed from my right ovary when I was 19 - actually I had to have the entire ovary removed. I had recently gone off the pill as well and my surgeon told me that cysts often occur soon after stopping the pill. There are medications you can take that can shrink the cyst and sometimes they go away on their own so it's certainly not a given that you will need surgery. Good luck - I know cycsts can be very painful

 

[disneynutt1225]

I had large liquid filled ovarian cysts 11 years ago when I was 14. They were discovered right before a WDW trip, unfortunately, so I had to spend that trip in a wheelchair because my doctor feared they might burst if I did too much activity. Anyway, she put my on the pill and they basically went away. For a few years, they'd resurface once in a while, but they're nothing to worry about (mine weren't, anyway).

 

[kellyf2626]

Thank you both for the info. Hopefully this will be easily resolved...I am still nervous....hopefully things will go smoothly.

 

[disneynutt1225]

Good luck! Let us know how it went.

 

[MAKmom]

I had a grapefruit size cyst removed from my right ovary when I was 19 - actually I had to have the entire ovary removed. I had recently gone off the pill as well and my surgeon told me that cysts often occur soon after stopping the pill. There are medications you can take that can shrink the cyst and sometimes they go away on their own so it's certainly not a given that you will need surgery. Good luck - I know cycsts can be very painful

I had the same thing except I was never on the pill. I lost the overy & had 3 girls.

 

[kellyf2626]

I had the same thing except I was never on the pill. I lost the overy & had 3 girls.

Wow....that is amazing, and inspiring! Keep the good stories coming....

 

[HERSEY]

I had a cyst on my ovary when I was pregnant with my son. It went away on it's own. The cysts can be very painful. I remember my first one was the size of a golf ball that too went away on it's own thank goodness. I hope everything turns out well for you.

 

[Davids-Coco]

I have had a hemorhagic cyst with EVERY ovulation off the pill. Basically, my cysts bleed into themselves and get better. They are considered "functional" cysts because they resolve themselves more often than not. Make sure that you ask what type of cyst they think it is when you see your obgyn and get another ultrasound.

Now, with my pregnancy, they found FOUR hemorhagic cysts in my right ovary measuring a total of about 6 cm. And, before you get pregnant and find out the alarming way, you WILL get another cyst. Every woman who ever gets pregnant develops a corpus luteum cyst. It secreats progesterone and supports the pregnancy until your placenta takes over. It is not only normal but essential. It didn't matter that mine hemmoraged, and the baby is just fine.

Another resource for you... www.fertilityfriend.com. I would suggest you at least track your periods and this is a good way to do it as well as tracking symptoms you may be feeling. If you decide to temp and record that to help you understand your cycle, it is extremely helpful. It helps you figure out when you ovulate... and that stupid thing the drs say about everyone having a 28 day cycle and ovulating on day 14 is so wrong!

Anyway, sorry this got so long! But I hope it helps at least a little. Good luck and here's to a future happy and healthy 9 months.

 

[3princesses4us]

Well....I went to my doctor today, and they sent me to have a CT scan. Turns out, I have a 5cm cyst on my right ovary. It makes me a little nervous, b/c ovarian cancer runs in my family. But...I am taking it in stride.

Does anyone have any experience with cysts? I am in the process of making an appointment with my OBGYN so they can do an ultrasound to get more information.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

While trying to get pregnant for the first time I found out I had a 5 pound water-filled cyst in my left ovary. I had it surgically removed (the cyst that is, not the ovary- they were able to save that). 3 weeks later, I got pregnant with DD#1 and the other 2 came fast and furious after that with little effort so be careful or you might have a quiverful sooner than you think. We determined that I must ovulate from my left side primarily. DH still calls me "Lefty"...

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

I also had a large grapefruit-sized (fluid-filled) cyst on one ovary about 14 years ago. Had surgery to have it removed, which was a fairly simple procedure/not much recovery time etc. Both ovaries were still intact, and after that I had 2 more kids!

About 7 or 8 months ago I started having pain in my right side, I could feel 'something' there, went to the doctor, and a cat scan determined it was another cyst. In October I had surgery to have this removed, turned out it really wasn't a cyst at all but a condition called hydrosalpinx. One of the fallopian tubes was enlarged, filled with fluid/infection, so the enlarged section was removed, but again I was fine within a week.

These fluid-filled cysts are apparently very common, and frequently do just go away (shrink back down) on their own.

I was concerned about ovarian cancer risk, as OP mentioned, due to my age, and it is much more common as you get past menopause, which is what I'm working through now!

Best of luck to you. Let us know what you find out!

 

[mannasn]

Cysts are pretty common, and generally about > 90% of them are benign. Be sure you follow-up with your healthcare provider. Best wishes.

 

[kellyf2626]

Thanks to all who have posted stories and information. It makes me feel better to know that many women have gone through similar issues, and been ok.

One new detail is that my bloodwork came back today, and I had elevated liver counts? Of course, the person that called and told me did not know if it was related to my cyst. So, I was starting to calm down, and now am nervous again! But, I am going to my obgyn today at 3:00...so hopefullly she will be able to put all this info together and make some recommendations.

 

[kellyf2626]

Well...I went to the obgyn today, and she said it is nothing to worry about. She said she wants to see me back in about 6 weeks to do an ultrasound. The CT scan I had yesterday showed that it was a functional cyst. So, hopefully it will dissolve on its own in the next month or so. I hope so, because the pain is still really bad!! She also said that I may be prone to them for the next 6-9 months until my cycle gets back on track, and my body is regulating all my hormones better. All I know is that I am going to Disney in 3 months....and nothing is stopping me!!

Thanks to everyone again...it really calmed by nerves and made me feel better to hear your personal stories.