TAH (1 Ovary Left) in 2003 Stage IV endo & Big Ovarian Cyst - Options

Hi Sisters:

This forum has been a wonderful help for me (and I hope I have been able to offer some help too). Two-way street here.

I have an inquiry and I was hoping some knowledgeable Sisters could chime in with experience as I am trying to understand a few things and make some decisions.

A little about me: I am 42, I have MS and also have Grade IV endo, had my TAH (left 1 ovary) back in 2003. Since that time, I have had my gallbladder out as well for stones and attacks. I had the gallbladder out this January. Well, I started to have an IMMENSE amount of pelvic pain over the past 8 months (it just keeps getting worse).

A pelvic ultrasound showed a large cyst on my right ovary (about the size of a lemon). It seems that it is causing some bowel problems for me too -- seems to cause a lot of pelvic pain when I have to go to the bathroom (defecate). It's not constipation, in fact I have the urge to go all the time even though the bowel is normal and not loose.

I know that I have a ton of adhesions. When they did the hyster in 2003 it took them over 5 hours because of all the scarring and endo. When I had my gallbladder out, there was scarring too and the gallbladder was misplaced.

I cannot take HRT because I've had blood clots before. My doctor mentioned Lupron and said that she would only ever perform surgery to take the ovary out if I was successful with the medical induced menopause.

Which is the worse evil: Lupron or surgery or living with this.

What is the cyst? Likely endometrial, could it be cancerous, or just a cyst.

Oddly, at the moment I am waiting to go for thyroid surgery to have it taken out completely because of a goiter, Hashimotos and large nodules which have taken a lot of my voice away and are painful. My body just does not know when to stop attacking itself!!!

So -- Lupron, surgery, neither? Can I expect this cyst to go away?? Anyone in my similar circumstance??

Tomorrow I go back to my gyn doc and I know I have to get another ultrasound in November -- but I am just so stuck. MS, asthma, endo, Hashimotos -- my autoimmune does not know when to stop.

Stories, advice, any help would be appreciated. I feel like my body is just fighting the heck out of itself and I am not sure what is worse: thyroid, endo, MS, asthma.

Just my little cyber gripes.

Thanks Sisters!

MS_gkygrl:

I am sorry for all you face. Its a lot.

Here's my experience. I took Synarel (similar med to Lupron, but nasal spray instead of shot) for 6 months right before my BSO. I believe it was the key to curing my endo. I believe the Synarel knocked out every last bit of the endo and then with removing my ovaries .... it was a one, two punch! [Take that ENDO!!!]

From where I type, I'd give the Lupron a go. I'd also ask about Synarel vs Lupron just for another option to discuss with your gyn. You still have the option of ovary removal, but maybe not with this particular gyn. However, she sounds like a keeper to me!

s

Thanks Michelle! I decided after a long discussion with my Uro-gynecologist (she helps me with my MS bladder stuff too) to go for the Lupron. She said that removing the ovary from me - since I had Grade IV endo and tons of adhesions - would be extremely risky. Since I deal with MS bladder issues she mentioned that damage to the ureter is a huge risk as the ovary is most likely buried within scar tissue and almost indistiguishable. Who knew??!!!


So, I took the shot 3 days ago and am doing fine so far. The shot made me a little sore even though I take a small shot every day for MS, this one felt a little like a tetanus. No problems though, just some usual pelvic pain.

I am looking forward to all the benefits and will deal with the side effects accordingly. I am on Add-back and take a small dose of an antidepressant because of MS. Both of these should bode well for me.

I wonder why they don't use small doses of anti-depressants as part of the therapeutic regimen anyway. I always read about a lot of mood issues. Hmmmm.

Take care!

Diana