History Of Ovarian Cysts-- Anyone Else?

[sue1234]

I'm just curious. I'm always trying to see where my "quirky" medical history is just quirky or possibly a contributor to my POTS.

I began having issues with bloating, etc., back in 2000. I had my first ultrasound of my ovaries. I had a lemon-sized cyst that had to be removed. I'll never know if I had a history of enlarged cysts or if I had cysts stay a long time on my ovaries. Anyway, almost yearly for the last 12 years, I've had an ultrasound, and every time, I have a cyst on my remaining ovary. Sometimes it is smaller(maybe 2 cm), but sometimes bigger(maybe 4.5 cm). This is even AFTER menopause hit.

In light of my recent post-menopausal period where I felt GREAT a few weeks before my period, bloated a week before my period, and dreadfully POTsy for a week after my period began, I am trying to tie my hormones into this. Thus, I now wonder if my continual ovarian cyst has and is putting out progesterone and making my POTS be, well, POTsy! Progesterone is afterall the "relaxing" hormone. I found an interesting article on progesterone, but it is not from any place that I would know if it is reputable or not. I can't find where or who it is written by. But, I when you read through it, it could explain feeling more POTsy at various time. Especially read all the part after the first green section. It seems alot of what progesterone does seems to be what I have on a daily basis.

http://www.rnceus.com/hormone/progest.html

[Mytwogirlsrox]

I've had a few ... Once one ruptured... It was insanely painful. When I became pregnant, they found a few in my ovaries, but no one made a big deal about them. ??

[ophelialit]

Hi Sue1234!

I have so many different issues at so many different times that it can be a challenge to keep track of everything, but, yes, I, too have a history of multpile ovarian cysts as well as endometriosis and have been diagnosed with "estrogen dominance." Unfortunately, I've not had a lot of luck with progersterone supplements. In addition to POTS, I also suffer from a number of inflammatory/autoimmune-type things, and any fluctuation in hormones can cause me to feel better, worse or just "weirder" on any given day...

[MomtoGiuliana]

I think cysts are very common although I don't know about ones the size of a lemon. That sounds painful. I know I have been told I have cysts but it has never caused any trouble for me.

[McBlonde]

Ovarian cysts are very very common. I've had lots of endocrine/hormone issues which I now think were not actual problems with the pituitary, but rather start in the hypothalmus which is responsible for activities of the autonomic nervous system.

The hypothalmus links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary. If your hypothalmus or pituitary is screwed up, your whole body is screwed up.

[LindaJoy]

I've had ovarian cysts for eons. Mine grow huge before my periods and cause a great deal of pain. I've been told to have ultrasounds over and over due to them, but all they say with each ultrasound is, "Yep, ovarian cysts." Then, I'm told to go back in six weeks for more ultrasounds (outer and inner--ouch!).

Lindajoy

[hholmes13]

I had them too...really painful. I also had one rupture when I was 16. I was in so much pain I actually threw up. I seriously thought I was dying because it hurt so bad. After that, I was put on birth control pills to help regulate everything. I would still get pain but luckily no more ruptures. After my daughter was born I haven't had any issues with cysts, but I've continually been on some form of hormonal birth control so maybe that's why.

[arizona girl]

Me too I have pcos. Polycystic ovarian symptom. I'm on a form of glucophage a diabetes drug for it. PCOS is caused by elevated insulin and other hormones. I only have the elevated insulin though and I am not diabetic.

[sue1234]

SHOCKER---- my gyn told me today my labs show I am not in menopause anymore!!! Ugh!! I have had elevated FSH for about 3 years, up into the 80s and 90s, so all my doctors have said I am officially in menopause. Now, my FSH is back down into the 20s and I have elevated estrogen, up around 100. When I had normal periods my estrogen was usually only around 50.

This is not good news. That means I went through 2 years of hot flashes for NOTHING! I'll have to go through that all over again one day. Ugh. I am not a happy camper.

[futurehope]

Sue1234, have you ever heard of a neuroendocrine tumor? I do not know too much about it, but they secrete hormones and cause all kinds of problems. There are a handful of doctors on the US who are specialists for NET. I learned a bit from reading the Mast Cell Forum that I frequent.

Truthfully, I have no idea at all, but I thought if I were you, I would look into neuroendocrine tumors.

[sue1234]

Futurehope, you could very well be in the right direction. I have been having the weird endocrine things for years, and now another one. I have to send this info to my endo and let him know what's going on. Hopefully, he'll give me an opinion.