How do you know it's a cyst?

[pixiepoesy]

I've been really worried about some pelvic pain I've been having. When it first started the sharp pain actually woke me from my sleep and I thought my appendix was about to burst, then I calmed down and thought back to the first time this happened and I ran all the way to the doctor only to find out she thought it was a ruptured cyst. Well how can you tell that's what it is? I haven't had a period in over a year now and the size of my abdomen has tripled since I last saw a doctor. I haven't had insurance in nearly 2 years but will be getting some this May, so I'm trying to hold out until then. I read the appendicitus thread on here and found myself having the same symptoms: pain in the lower right side of my abdomen, and achy leg, hip, and back around the area. The intense pain is practically gone but it was only a couple months ago I experienced this so I'm worried it'll come back again. I still have an achy feeling where I assume my right ovary is so I'm still very concerned. Any thoughts? If it is a ruptured cyst is there anything that needs to be done? Or is this something I can wait a couple more months to see my doctor about?

Jen

[waiting.for.baby]

I don't think it has to do with your appendix, and the only reason I say that is because I've had your exact symptoms for a year now, and if it were my appendix, I think I'd know by now! I always get that achy hip, lower back, leg pain each month, in fact it happened last night. The way I get it to go away is to lay on back with my legs folded up to my chest and to have someone (in my case, my husband) put all his weight on top of me (lay on the folded legs). I know it sounds crazy, but it works! Also to have him put some kind of anterior pressure near the area that hurts relieves it. It usually does come back a while after, but it goes away entirely until the next month in a few days. I've had 3 or 4 ultrasounds done, and yes I have cysts, but none are that big....But I still get that dull achy feeling exactly as you describe.

[Mel4Star]

i had a sonogram b/c i had pain and they saw several cysts in each ovary and waa laa, i have pcos. (this is not my only symtom...haha, i wish). They tell me cysts dont cause pain though, the pain is probabaly endometrisis. They say many girls w/ PCOS have endo. But I dont want to do a lap (surgery) to find out so I dunno.

[Mel4Star]

p.s. i have the dull achy feeling too, always in the same spot.

[waiting.for.baby]

also p.s. I have endometriosis too!

[SarahJ]

I have a dull achy feeling too! I get it U/S periodically, but it always comes back as being a cyst. I've learned that, especially when I'm lying down, it feels like pulling, probably from the weight of the fluid in the cyst. I also have a pulling sensation across my left thigh.

[waiting.for.baby]

Yes, I get that too....The pulling sensation when lying down. I always thought it was my endometriosis scar tissue pulling, though....Hmmm, interesting...