When I saw my new OB-GYN yesterday, he told me he didn't feel any cysts, and I don't seem to fit the typical criteria for PCOS and feels my problems are of different origin----however he's not completely ruling out PCOS.
I really hope I DON'T have PCOS, since I already eat right, exercise, am at a good weight and Met just doesn't agree with me.
Anyway should cysts be "felt" upon examination?
Also during examination, there was a lot of soreness around the cervix and ovarian area, felt much like menstrual cramping.
It's been over 6 months since I last menstruated, after 20 years of normal cycles.
Anyways - What's up with that?
__________________ -Nova
Me (21) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Ryan (24)
DX: Officially by a Reproductive Endocrinologist in March 2008.Still trying to rule out Late-Onset Adrenal Hyperplasia. RX: Refusing hormonal treatments as they only worsen my condition, even natural remedies.
20 years of normal cycles and you're in your early 20s? Hmm, either a typo or you're one of those ageless beauts that people always talk about but nobody ever sees
From reading your previous posts, I can see why you are doubting the dx. I hope the new dr is able to finally give you some answers.
I've heard that some cysts can be felt while others can't. It depends on size, location, and experience of the dr doing the exam.
I've also experienced the soreness and cramping after a dr's exam. Our bodies just aren't made for the stretching and poking that the exam requires and some dr's are 'rougher' then others. And if our bodies are in the process of cycling or the hormones are whacked out and thinks that it's going to start the cycle, these exams can be worse.
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~35 ~ PCOS/IR ~ LAVH due to fibroid, kept ovaries ~
Mine were not felt... and even during my first ultrasound they didn't see any, so at first my gyno ruled out PCOS even though I had a bunch of other symptoms. It wasn't until a few years later that I got really frustrated and looked for another doctor. This doctor told me that PCOS is a progressive disease so while the first doc may not have felt or seen any cysts during his first exam, it doesn't mean that all the other symptoms and blood work didn't point towards PCOS. My new doc was actually really angry that the other doctor ruled out PCOS so quickly after one exam and one ultrasound. My new doc did extensive blood work and other tests and it turns out that I do in fact have PCOS. All that to say, just because they can't feel them... or see them... doesn't mean you don't have it.
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Heather 28, DH: 27 Married: May 17, 2003 PCOS: Diagnosed May 27, 2008
20 years of normal cycles and you're in your early 20s? Hmm, either a typo or you're one of those ageless beauts that people always talk about but nobody ever sees .
Please, spare the sarcasm...I'm very upset and could use consolation. I started my period at a VERY young (puberty at 8, menses at 9, cessation of menses at age 21, if you'd like the specifics ) age so I just rounded it up to roughly two decades of normal cycles until last year. I'm really appreciative that you've read my other posts. I feel like nobody listens to me.
I would suppose that the traditional string of pearls you ladies mention wouldn't be felt upon examination.
In my teens, during ultrasound, there was always one lone cyst on my ovary. Like I said I wasn't symptomatic so it was considered normal.
Could someone explain the "lone cyst" phenomenon and why it's normal to have a cyst on your ovary if you don't have PCOS?
I also have elevated levels of Prolactin, so my OBGYN is performing a PRL test along with a Thyroid workup and CBC. No other tests were ordered except the ultrasound...
Anyone relate?
__________________ -Nova
Me (21) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Ryan (24)
DX: Officially by a Reproductive Endocrinologist in March 2008.Still trying to rule out Late-Onset Adrenal Hyperplasia. RX: Refusing hormonal treatments as they only worsen my condition, even natural remedies.
Please, spare the sarcasm...I'm very upset and could use consolation. I started my period at a VERY young (puberty at 8, menses at 9, cessation of menses at age 21, if you'd like the specifics ) age so I just rounded it up to roughly two decades of normal cycles until last year.
I didn't mean for that to sound sarcastic. It's just that you were being very generous with the years. But I can understand. Once you start having trouble with the ovaries, you forget that there was actually a time that you felt normal.
I can totally relate to the 'lone' cyst. That's actually where my trouble began.
The cyst is called a functual cyst and is part of ovulation. It is where the ovary releases the egg. The release of the egg is triggered by FSH and LH, and the cyst 'pops' releasing the egg to it's journey... My problem is that the cyst seems to always be bigger then it should be before it releases the egg. And I had a go round with a dr for about 6 months on this issue. She telling me it was normal ovulation, me saying that the pain from it was not normal. (during those 6 months I had routine US, once when the pain began, showing the ovary, and another a week later that showed that the cyst had ruptured).
Before my trouble, I didn't know that there was such a thing as a functional cyst. Health and sex ed in school never went that far indepth. And when the dr said cyst on ovary was causing the trouble, it scared me.
Having 'the string of pearls' on the us does not mean that you have PCOS it just means you have polycystic ovaries. You need more of the symptoms for it to be the syndrome. I've never had the 'string of pearls', just the cyst pumped up on hormones.
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~35 ~ PCOS/IR ~ LAVH due to fibroid, kept ovaries ~
To my knowledge it is not always possible for the doctor to feel the cysts with a pelvic exam. They need to look inside with the ultrasound. Weather or not they'd be able to feel the cyst would depend on each individual and relate to factors such as where exactly the cysts are located on the ovary, their size, the depth of your ovary in relation to your abdomen, the amount of fat cushioning on your abdomen etc. etc. As for your prolactin levels- I have seen other posts where cysters mentioned the same thing so I'm sure a search will turn up lots on that. Tina did a great job explaining about functional cysts too. Is there anything about your life that is different now than 6 months ago? Have your eating habits changed, have you gained or lost weight, started a more stressful job, started or stopped a medication?? Our bodies tend to me more sensitive than most so even little things like this can cause a huge disruption in your cycle. Anyway, I hope this helps a little. Feel better soon.
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Mini Goal- 140- REACHED 7/28/08!!! New Mini Goal- 130! - REACHED 10/10/08!!! 27 years old- no meds- trying to get healthy through diet and exercise
I didn't mean for that to sound sarcastic. It's just that you were being very generous with the years. But I can understand. Once you start having trouble with the ovaries, you forget that there was actually a time that you felt normal.
I can totally relate to the 'lone' cyst. That's actually where my trouble began.
The cyst is called a functual cyst and is part of ovulation. It is where the ovary releases the egg. The release of the egg is triggered by FSH and LH, and the cyst 'pops' releasing the egg to it's journey... My problem is that the cyst seems to always be bigger then it should be before it releases the egg. And I had a go round with a dr for about 6 months on this issue. She telling me it was normal ovulation, me saying that the pain from it was not normal. (during those 6 months I had routine US, once when the pain began, showing the ovary, and another a week later that showed that the cyst had ruptured).
Before my trouble, I didn't know that there was such a thing as a functional cyst. Health and sex ed in school never went that far indepth. And when the dr said cyst on ovary was causing the trouble, it scared me.
Having 'the string of pearls' on the us does not mean that you have PCOS it just means you have polycystic ovaries. You need more of the symptoms for it to be the syndrome. I've never had the 'string of pearls', just the cyst pumped up on hormones.
Eeek, how big was your cyst, just curious? When I was 14, like 7 years ago... during my first ultrasound they also noted the lone cyst. The lone cyst was just...always there, and it measured about 10mm. Also when I was 18 and had an US, the cyst then was 10mm also, ovaries being 3.2 x 1.5 (the one with the cyst) and 2.3 x 1.5....said to be a normal ovary size.
I had my transvag/abd US today. It was quite painful, unlike all the other USs I have had.
Isn't it lovely how doctors dismiss things over and over again? My GYN asked if I ever get bloating. I said "yeah, I get bloated and thirsty and then my blood pressure spikes through the roof." and his response was "So you were stressed about the bloating so your bp went up. Makes sense." I was like "WHAT?! I didn't care that I was bloated. I was obviously full of SALT." I stopped eating salt for like 3 days and the bp and bloating went down, but he doesn't want to hear it. I'm glad you got things under control. Is your doctor still telling you your cysts are normal and is he doing anything about your symptoms?
Quote:
Originally Posted by fairy2323
To my knowledge it is not always possible for the doctor to feel the cysts with a pelvic exam. They need to look inside with the ultrasound. Weather or not they'd be able to feel the cyst would depend on each individual and relate to factors such as where exactly the cysts are located on the ovary, their size, the depth of your ovary in relation to your abdomen, the amount of fat cushioning on your abdomen etc. etc. As for your prolactin levels- I have seen other posts where cysters mentioned the same thing so I'm sure a search will turn up lots on that. Tina did a great job explaining about functional cysts too. Is there anything about your life that is different now than 6 months ago? Have your eating habits changed, have you gained or lost weight, started a more stressful job, started or stopped a medication?? Our bodies tend to me more sensitive than most so even little things like this can cause a huge disruption in your cycle. Anyway, I hope this helps a little. Feel better soon.
Ah, I have been symptomatic for well over 6 months. It's just been 6 months since my last cycle - the longest I have gone so far. Oddly enough, this journey began in Jan '07 with periods every 5 damnable days for 3 months. Then my periods stopped for lik e 4 months. Then they stopped even longer, and now, it's been 6 months. The only things I did differently between now and then was at that point in time my doctors were polydrugging me with synthetic hormones (Megace, NuvaRing, Progesterone cream). I guess that's where all this started. The absence of periods definitely isn't a complaint (I'm sure most of us would agree!) hwoever the onset of cystic acne, the mood swings, the racing heart, the insomnia, the migraines and the anxiety/depression - I could do without.
__________________ -Nova
Me (21) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Ryan (24)
DX: Officially by a Reproductive Endocrinologist in March 2008.Still trying to rule out Late-Onset Adrenal Hyperplasia. RX: Refusing hormonal treatments as they only worsen my condition, even natural remedies.
Mine would vary on measurment, between 15-25 cm, and would appear on both ovaries, in different locations. If your cyst was always in the same location for longer then 3 months, then the dr should've done something for it.
Mine always ruptured about a week after development. My dr, at the time, was concerned with how big they were getting, and whether surgery was needed. That's why I was having 2 US a month, and after the 3rd month, it got really old. BCPs could've controlled the cysts by helping me skip ovulation and AF. I chose not to because my mom lost part of her uterus to endometrial cancer when she was 30.
Have any of your drs ever mentioned that the amenorrhea could be a result of your small size? I know it's common for female athletes who have very little body fat, gymnasts, skaters, swimmers, etc.
Another thought is that maybe your experiencing these symptoms because of a panic/anxiety disorder rather then a gyn disorder and that is why the hormone treatments seem to be making it worse. I didn't think of this before, but my SIL has been dx-ed with panic attacks, and experiences the same symptoms as you. Well, I'm not sure on the amenorrhea because that's something I've never discussed with her, but I know about the others, and I've seen the cystic acne outbreaks on her.
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~35 ~ PCOS/IR ~ LAVH due to fibroid, kept ovaries ~
Originally, my cysts were numerous and large enough that yes, they could be felt. I would assume that anything that causes the ovary to be larger than it should be can be felt - after all, they do feel for your ovaries in an annual exam!
However, mine shrank enough that my ovaries are closer to normal size, and they don't really feel like anything besides "normal." But they still exist.
Also, I was under the impression that the "string of pearls" formation is a major indicator of PCOS. Women with normal cycles can have cysts, but they generally don't take that shape. (Correct me if I'm wrong!)
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Also, I was under the impression that the "string of pearls" formation is a major indicator of PCOS. (Correct me if I'm wrong!)
The 'string of pearls' is a major indicator if other symptoms of PCOS are present and hormone levels have already indicated PCOS and all other conditions have been ruled out. But not all PCOSers will have it.
Also, the 'string of pearls' can be a condition all to itself, PCO (polycystic ovary).
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~35 ~ PCOS/IR ~ LAVH due to fibroid, kept ovaries ~
Mine would vary on measurment, between 15-25 cm, and would appear on both ovaries, in different locations. If your cyst was always in the same location for longer then 3 months, then the dr should've done something for it.
Mine always ruptured about a week after development. My dr, at the time, was concerned with how big they were getting, and whether surgery was needed. That's why I was having 2 US a month, and after the 3rd month, it got really old. BCPs could've controlled the cysts by helping me skip ovulation and AF. I chose not to because my mom lost part of her uterus to endometrial cancer when she was 30.
Have any of your drs ever mentioned that the amenorrhea could be a result of your small size? I know it's common for female athletes who have very little body fat, gymnasts, skaters, swimmers, etc.
Another thought is that maybe your experiencing these symptoms because of a panic/anxiety disorder rather then a gyn disorder and that is why the hormone treatments seem to be making it worse. I didn't think of this before, but my SIL has been dx-ed with panic attacks, and experiences the same symptoms as you. Well, I'm not sure on the amenorrhea because that's something I've never discussed with her, but I know about the others, and I've seen the cystic acne outbreaks on her.
If I were your sister, I'd have my Prolactin, Thyroid and Parathyroid levels checked. 'Cause those are hormonal disturbances that can actually cause psychiatric symptoms--some as severe as psychosis. It's not well documented, but it is documented and it does exist.
And yeah, usually the docs wind up blaming my issues either on my weight, or my mental state. That's usually when I tell them straight-up, that I may have a lawsuit against them, because before I began experiencing these sympotoms I was roughly 89lbs and otherwise physically and mentally healthy, but I couldn't gain a single pound to save my life. I tried drinking whey shakes, tripling my caloric intake, etc. My face was gaunt, my legs and arms were disgusting, but it was me.
Now that I have these symptoms, I weigh more closely to 110lbs, and while my body is of a normal body weight for my height (5'1") for the first time in my life, I'm absolutely miserable.
As far as my mental state causing any of this, I'd be really surprised, because when I was growing up, I actually had that teenaged suicidal depression which landed me in the psych wards---I also was experiencing bowel problems and went down to 77lbs---but I still had normal cycles. Unbelievalble, isn't it? The doctors told me my stomach always hurt because I was "depressed." Yeah, I was depressed. Finally 5 years later in 2005, I had a colonoscopy and they found that my ongoing bowel problems was Ulcerative Colitis (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), much different from the IBS they originally dx me with. When I got treatment for my IBD, my depression significantly lifted and I was able to go up to 89-93lbs.
When I turned 20, I was in my social prime, no reason for panic attacks. It wasn't until the quack I was seeing at the time prescribed me Megace ES because he thought my normal weight was too thin. He told me, it's so harmless, even cancer patients use it. So, I took it, and that's when my hormones went awry. After 8 periods in 3 months, and only two doses of Megace ES, anyone would be having panic attacks. The panic attacks spiraled into Panic Disorder, which then had a touch of Agoraphobia, which is improving, but now I'm just plain old depressed. I would say my mental state could be making things worse.... but my body's been under worse physical and mental stress, and I inexplicably still menstruated normally.
Very strange.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Navi
Originally, my cysts were numerous and large enough that yes, they could be felt. I would assume that anything that causes the ovary to be larger than it should be can be felt - after all, they do feel for your ovaries in an annual exam!
However, mine shrank enough that my ovaries are closer to normal size, and they don't really feel like anything besides "normal." But they still exist.
Also, I was under the impression that the "string of pearls" formation is a major indicator of PCOS. Women with normal cycles can have cysts, but they generally don't take that shape. (Correct me if I'm wrong!)
I agree with Tina, from what I have heard, ovaries can have multiple cysts without any of the symptoms. I believe the multiple cysts are a symptom of the condition itself, not a causitive agent.
What really throws me is that my hormones come out within normal limits...except every now and then my Prolactin is high, and my cortisol is elevated, but apparently not enough to be considered Cushing's.
I used to be one of those kind of people who had seasonal allergies so bad that I needed a once-anual Depo-Medrol shot of cortisone --otherwise I'd end up in the hospital. This is the first year in many years where I didn't need that shot! I breathed in the pollen, and while everyone else was sneezing and wheezing, apparently I had enough freakin' cortisol pumping through me to ward off the most severest of allergies. Very odd. But the doctors attribute it to stress. On the other hand, I catch viruses like every other month. It's rather annoying, but I'm guessing it has something to do with my cortisol.
My one endo said my ovaries felt normal, my other doc said that doctors cant feel such things. But she poked at them! And it hurt so I asked if that was normal and she was like "of course, if you poked a testicle it would hurt right?".
Should Ovarian cysts be felt on pelvic exam? 
) age so I just rounded it up to roughly two decades of normal cycles until last year. I'm really appreciative that you've read my other posts. I feel like nobody listens to me.
