In January, I learned that I had several "complex" ovarian cysts (see related post). I rushed to a gynecological oncologist to find out what was going on. She recommended surgery to remove the cysts - they aren't supposed to be there, so why hang on to them? And there is always a chance that ovarian cysts can be cancerous - even in premenopausal women.
So on March 1, I had a laparoscopic surgery to remove my cysts. Once the doctor started the surgery, she discovered what looked like stray endometrial tissue (which normally lines your uterus) here, there, and everywhere. So she removed all of that... plus my three ovarian cysts (one of which had grown to the size of a golf ball - and was starting to stick to my bowels).
The removed tissue was sent to a pathologist for analysis, and I received my diagnosis: endometriosis, not cancer.
Endometriosis is a condition that occurs when tissue from your uterus somehow escapes its home and lands in your pelvis or on your ovaries and fallopian tubes. (This picture from MayoClinic.com is a great illustration of what endometriosis looks like once it is established.) The tissue grows and shrinks in sync with your regular menstrual cycle, bleeding each month. This can cause scarring over time - called adhesions - that can damage your ovaries and fallopian tubes and can cause problems with other organs. (Endometrial tissue is very sticky, and "sticks" to other things inside you. Adhesions are more like cement or strong velcro - with the same kind of effect).
Endometriosis can be very painful, although in some women, the pain is very mild. For at least a year before my diagnosis, my periods had gotten quite painful - sharp pain near my ovaries, and tons of low back pain plus severe cramps.
I hoped the removal of the endometrial tissue and cysts would make me feel better, but so far, I feel worse - more pain before and during my period. Yuck. According to the Center for Endometriosis Care, "Pain after surgery - what you can expect", this is normal - the first cycle after surgery can be very painful, as your body works to heal over the places where the endometrial tissue was removed. The site suggests that 12 weeks is the typical time frame for feeling "totally better" after surgery, although some patients report recovering in a much longer period of time - up to one year.
As part of my post-surgery follow-up, I had an ultrasound done (about 6 weeks post-surgery) to see how things looked. To my dismay, I have two NEW cysts. How is this possible?? Is my endometriosis back? According to the Center for Endometriosis Care, "Is my endometriosis coming back?" new cysts after surgery are not entirely unusual - they may be part of your ovaries' recovery process. If you still have cysts more than 6 months after surgery, then it's time to worry.
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