Fibroids or Cysts that did not show-up on ultrasound

Hi Everyone,
I know alot of you who had or will be having surgery is because of fibroids or cysts.I have had a few ovarian cysts in the last few years.My main problem is Endo,but more recently,last June2004,two ultrasounds showed an ovarian cyst and 2 small fibroids.I was in horrible pain on my right side and hip,which was probably due to that.The following month,I had one shot of Lupron,which made that pain better,but caused other side effects.Therefore,I didn't get the next two shots .
Then in November,the pelvic pain started again !! I went to my doctor and when he examined me,he said my uterus was enlarged and tender.Iwent again in December and I was so tender,he could hardly even examine me.I had two more ultrasounds in January,but they were normal!I don't understand because of the severe pain I'm still having,but he thinks it's all due to the Endo.He keeps saying I should have the hysterectomy(TAH/BSO)which really frightens me.However,I have alot of faith in him and I know he would only do what's best for me.It's just that,I keep feeling like something is growing inside on the right,but wouldn't that show on the tests? And now,today,my lower back is killing me!!Has anyone ever had these symptoms,but the ultrasounds are normal??I have also gained sooo much weight,but don't really eat that much at all.
Finally,I know I have to just get the surgery done and move on.If anyone can shed some light on this for me,I would so appreciate it.Thank you and I'm sorry this was so long.

I can share my personal experiences with you. I've had endo. and ovarian cysts for yrs and yrs. Also had one lil fibroid.
Those silly cysts can come and go...sometimes the body will just re-absorb the fluid...or on occasion the lil buggers can rupture,which hurts like the dickens. According to my Dr....since my fibroid was small and hadn't gotten much bigger over the yrs...that it was quite possible that during a period sometimes the fibroid will degenerate and can be sloughed off with the menstrual flo only to return again. HA...darn lil things can be camera shy sometimes...hehehe...they don't wanna get caught bein naughty.
In my case...the endo. was mainly behind my uterus,on my intestines,covered both uterosacral ligaments and with the adhesions that had formed as a result of all of my prior surgeries for endo...the whole darn works was stuck to my intestines. The endo. being behind my uterus was the cause of my low back pain and the ligament involvement made my hips and legs hurt too. Plus all of those dumb endo. implants all over outside the uterus bleed with every period as well and that can cause pain too. What I do know for a fact is this: since my TAH w/BSO it's ALL GONE!!! and I feel so much better than I have in so longggggg!!!!!!(this is the part of the post wh ere I'd like to do the Happy Dance,but my Dr. won't allow that yet

Good luck to you and best wishes.

_____________________________________________
39...had TAH w/BSO 2-22-05

Hi snowy12

Well, IMHO, I certainly think something more may be going on in the area of your pain.

I had a TAH/BSO three weeks ago. During my 'journey' to that point, I had a few transvaginal ultrasounds and my main complaint was for the SAME area-right side/hip pain was the WORST. My last ultrasound showed no change. I too, started gaining weight (despite a determined effort with cardio and walking 4 miles a day). My back started killing me too.
Then I had to go thru the whole routine - "maybe" a kidneystone, "maybe" this & that. All those other tests were negative. Then my gyne did a D&C.

Surprise, Surprise. She found new fibroids the ultrasound did NOT pick up. I don't think I'll ever forget my gyne standing by my bed repeating over & over to whoever else was in the room
"I can't BELIEVE no ultrasounds picked those up, they're HUGE and they won't budge."

Bellyache has a lot of great info for you too. I also had a couple ovarian cysts in the past that ruptured and the pain got better-TEMPORARILY. I had 1 good sized fibroid a couple years ago that the dr. said had "imploded" - it collapsed inwards and died off.
Again, I felt better TEMPORARILY.

I too, was a nervous wreck about the TAH/BSO. Like Bellyache, I feel sooo much better already (even though I am moving slow and no happy dance for me either yet

This website really helped me prepare and just having all this great information relieved my mind quite a lot.

Take care. s

You sound like I was pre-op. They could see stuff on the ultrasound but the ultrasound did not do justice for what was actually found when they went in. The size of my ovarian tumor was skewed by the ultrasound, it was much larger than it showed on ultrasound, it can be skewed for many reasons. I had horrid pain in my right side pre-op as well. Ultrasound did not show the hole in my peritoneal sac on my right side, either (that was found when the did the surgery), which was a cause of alot of the pain. The hole compliments of endo, which allowed some of the tumor to grow through as well.
This is just my experience, wanted to let you know you weren't alone in feeling this, you Dr. probably knows there is more than what is being shown and is why hyst. is recommended. Mine said abdominal immediately, I think he knew there was more than what was shown and knew it couldn't be done vaginal. Was told later that if he had done vaginal, would not have seen the hole or all the crap that grown through the sac and gotten it out.
This is just my experience and I should add I feel 10000000% better since my surgery and have no pain now except when I overdo it but even then any pain is less and less as I get further out and I do not have to take anything for it unlike pre-op....