large cyst on ovary--will that change decision to keep ovaries in SAH?

Hi-
I'm just back from my pre-hysterectomy ultrasound. We had thought that I'd keep my ovaries and cervix, since both seemed to be healthy. But the ultrasound couldn't find one of the ovaries (because the uterus is so huge), and the other ovary seemed to be dominated by a large (4 cm diameter) cyst. I think the cyst was fluid-filled, and not showing any cancer signs, although the technician wouldn't really confirm that (of course).

On Tuesday I go in for my pre-op with the gyn surgeon, and I really really want to keep my ovaries. I'm 44, and I sure don't want to go into medical menopause. Losing my ovaries would seem more upsetting than my uterus (perhaps just because I've had a month to come to terms with the uterus, and only an hour to deal with the news that my ovaries aren't looking good).

I'll talk with the surgeon Tuesday, but before that, I'm trying to figure out what kinds of decisions are going to need to be made about the ovaries. In a healthy woman, a surgeon can just excise out a cyst (or leave it be), but when they're in there taking out the uterus, will they do that? Has anyone else had a cyst removed but the ovaries left when the uterus came out?

Thanks--I'm getting stressed out about this, and I wish I would stop finding out more stuff. (The ultrasound also showed a big fibroid squishing my cervix, which may make keeping that difficult too). The last 5 weeks have been one thing after another (it was in the middle of what was supposed to be a simple hernia surgery that the surgeon discovered my formerly calm fibroids had started rapidly growing and causing other problems, and ever since then, it's been one visit after another to surgeons and tests. I can't wait for my life to be back to normal!).

Do talk to your surgeon and let him/her know that you really want to keep your ovaries if the cyst is not something that requires your ovaries be removed. A surgeon can excise a cyst during a hyst, depending on the cyst type. You may ask the surgeon exactly type of cyst s/he thinks you have and what are the chances of it reacurring.

I wish you the best and hope you are able to find some peace this weekend while you wait to speak to your dr. The waiting can just have your mind racing in all directions--I did that last weekend, not knowing what this "pelvic mass" found on a CT scan was--turned out to be a hemorrhagic cyst (5.4x5.9x5cm).
Many s to you and in there!

Sorry about your hemmorhagic cyst--I hope it's benign. Thanks for the feedback.

Benign and all gone!

i went into my surgery thinking that i would loose and ovary. but i was able to keep it even know the cyst was 12 cms i really lucked out. but i was happy thinking id be able to keep one also. so good luck to u!!!

At 44, are you already showing signs of menopause? I was and still am at 48 - if so, why keep the ovary when it is going to stop functioning soon anyway and cause more concern for cancer there? I may be different in my thinking, but I don't think you need to hang on to the ovary if it is "on its last leg" as it is. Why postpone what is going to have to happen anyway? Get it all over with and proceed with your life.

Actually, even after menopause sets in, the ovaries will continue to produce small amounts of hormones and that help the body's systems. So even if menopause is still around the corner, keeping your ovary(s) may still be something you want to consider as benefitial to your overall health. There are a couple articles in the Pre-Op section about whether or not to keep your ovaries, or even one of them.

Do talk to your dr, and get a second opinion, esp since you wish to keep your ovaries. Find out what is best for you and your situation.

Your ovaries do stop nearly all estrogen production after menopause, but they still perform important hormonal functions throughout your life. Ovaries continue to produce testosterone well into your 60s, which is very helpful for many things. Testosterone replacement therapy is possible, but difficult to get just right, and it's not FDA approved for women (although many doctors experiment with it anyway). Removing ovaries can make sense for women with a strong family history of ovarian cancer or breast cancer, or with a long history of endometriosis. Otherwise, keeping your ovaries increases longevity (even with the slight risk of ovarian cancer), decreases cardiovascular problems later on, and decreases the risk of osteoporosis, recent studies show. Here are some links to the recent research:

http://www.obgyn.net/hysteroscopy/hy...s/keep_ovaries
http://www.anapsid.org/cnd/hormones/hysterectomy.html

Good luck with your hysterectomy! We all have so many decisions to make in these weeks before surgery.