What to Expect With Ovarian Cyst Removal

For those women who are unlucky enough to experience an ovarian cyst that does not dissolve on its own, surgery for ovarian cyst removal is an option. There are several considerations when preparing for surgery that women should be aware of. Most women feel more comfortable knowing exactly what to expect in regards to the possible complications, the actual procedure, the recovery time and the level of pain that is expected after surgery.

Ovarian cyst removal surgery generally involves removing a cyst through either open or laparoscopic surgery. The surgery can be done to remove just the cyst or, if cancer is found, one or both of the ovaries. In preparation for the procedure, your physician will most likely order a series of tests which usually include an EKG, CT scan, an ultrasound, blood and urine tests, and a physical exam. You may also be asked to stop using any blood thinning medication, such as Coumadin or Plavix, aspirin and ibuprofen. You will also be asked to refrain from eating or drinking anything for a minimum of 8 hours prior to your surgery.

You should always have your doctor explain both the open and laparoscopic procedures because there is a chance that, if a laparoscopic procedure will not allow the proper access, an open procedure may be necessary. The surgery generally lasts for 1 to 2 hours and you will be given either a general or local anesthetic; depending upon the procedure used. There are possible complications with this surgery which include excessive bleeding, blood clots, infection, infertility, shoulder pain and recurrence of cysts and/or cancer.

The average hospital stay after laparoscopic ovarian cyst removal is about 24 hours, while, with open surgery, the stay can expect to be extended up to 7 days. The pain after surgery can last anywhere from 3-10 days and usually depends upon the type of procedure used. However, the actual recovery time can be up to 3 weeks for laparoscopic surgery and up to 5 weeks for open surgery.

What Are the Early Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer? Two Signs You Would Never Expect to Be Cancer

I really hate talking about this subject but the more articles and documentation that is out there regarding this terrible disease, the better chance women will start to bother their doctors early enough. Please remember, the earlier the better, as it could be the difference between stage 1 and stage 3 or 4. So what are the early symptoms of ovarian cancer? Here are two you'd never expect to be anything at all, much less a sign of cancer.

As hard as it is to believe, bloating is one of the signs. Isn't that crazy? This is why it's so hard to get the doctors to take us seriously. You make an appointment and go into the doctor and tell him you are worried because you are bloated, and they'll probably tell you to take some Mylanta or Gas-X, and go home and stop wasting their time. And actually 9 times out of 10, that's all you would need. But we're only concerned with that 1 time out of 10, or even less than that. And as silly as it might seem, you just can't take the chance if you want to find this disease early.

All right then, another early sign is indigestion. Yep, another benign-sounding symptom. Here's another complaint your doctor is going to chuckle at. And again, most of the time, it's nothing serious at all. I had these symptoms though, and the thing is, I had never experienced them before so they were not the norm for me.

So the key is you need to know what is normal for you. If you all of a sudden start to have bloating and indigestion, and it remains ongoing, and this is not something that is usual for you, then march into the doctor's office and make sure they check things out thoroughly. I wish I had done that. But, like most people, I just assumed these were maybe signs of getting older and nothing to be concerned about.

Remember these two very harmless-sounding early symptoms of ovarian cancer, and see your physician if they stick around for an extended time.