Sharp pain & scare -Part II

4/13 (Journal):
I was there for 2.5 hours. I met a new doc today who was very patient with me. After the pain continued to get worse, they immediately took me. After a pelvic exam that felt normal, they did an internal ultrasound...twice.

They found an extrememly large cyst (measuring 3.8cm x 3.5cm). She said it's off of my left ovary, and it's so big it's pushing my uterus to the right. They could not see my right ovary b/c my uterus is so pushed over there- even when they went back in. It's likely the pain is happening on my right side b/c that is where everything is being squeezed.

This seems to be what is causing the severe sharp pains. She said that it is measurng larger than it should, so there is some concern. Until 10-12 weeks when you have a placenta, they fetus feeds off of this cyst, called the corpus leuteum. This is normal, however, most cysts are much much smaller (less than a cm). Having a large cyst makes it more prone to rupturing. She said that this would definitely be causing me pain- and that she was suprised I wasn't keeled over much more. She told me that I must go on rest. I asked if there was any way to make it smaller, she said no- but that right now we want to maintain it until I hit 10-12 weeks...

The good news is that they saw a sac. It's only measuring 4.5 weeks along, and therefore there is nothing in it. They can not rule out ectopic pregnancy- it's still too early. But, at this point in time- Its possible the cyst is causing the pain- so the doc told me that I have "just as much of a chance as anyone else for not having an ectopic pregnancy". So while it didn't get ruled out, I felt a little better thinking only the cyst was causing the pain.

She was very pleased at my progesterone and hcg levels and said that they are testing me again to continue to make sure they stay high. She wants me back in 10 days from now (4/23) for another ultrasound. At that point, something should appear in the sac, and they will be able to confirm whether the pregnancy is non-ectopic or not.


I feel better- now that there is at least "one" reason for the pain. Granted, I know I'm not out of the clear until the 23rd, and then again when I have a placenta, but I feel more relief that there is a "reason" identified.One last note- I did tell her about the nurse, and gave her the nurses name. She was quite disturbed herself and apologized for the nurse.