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Re: update: invisible ovary problems - have you experienced different ultrasound results?
From: Eric Daiter, MD (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sat Apr 28 17:10:35 2007
Even small implants of endometriosis can cause totally debilitating
pain, and these are almost always missed on any radiologic test (MRI,
ultrasound, CT, HSG don't have the ability to see endometriotic
implants, just chocolate cysts of the ovary when present). A
reproductive age woman should have several visible functional cysts
(with eggs or producing progesterone, depending on the time of the
cycle) in the ovaries, at differing sizes throughout the menstrual
cycle. Some ignore these are simple cysts c/w follicles (etc) and
others call them "cysts" that may be functional. It is sort of
symantics.
If you are having that kind of pain, a laparoscopy is usually needed to
figure out the cause. Pick an experienced surgeon for best results.
Good luck
At Tue, 24 Apr 2007, ladybug wrote:
>
>Hello Ellen,
>
>Your story sounds interestingly familiar. I started having irregular
>periods, some bleeding between periods. Wanted to find out what was
>going on. Went to my OBGYN and had some tests done as well as an
>ultrasound. Had to wait for the results of the blood work, but the
>radiology clinic that did the ultrasound said everything looked ok.
>Maybe a possible fibroid, but they didn't think so. The very next day,
>I had extreme pain on the left side - to the point that I couldn't stand
>up straight to walk. I have given birth naturally (what a crazy idea
>that was!)...I can handle pain. Went to the emergency room and the doc
>ordered the exact same ultrasound I had done the previous day. It was
>Saturday and they couldn't get the results from the radiology office.
>The radiologist read it and said that he/she didn't see anything wrong.
>A few days later my OBGYN calls with the results of the first ultrasound
>and she said I have cysts???????? also had the results of the blood work
>which were showing a large amount of a hormone. What about hte first 2
>people that read the results. I'm so confused. My husband and I would
>like to get pregnant...the results are both confusing and scary. Anyway
>good luck to you. Hope they find out what is really wrong for you.
>
>At Tue, 23 Nov 2004, Ellen wrote:
>>
>>Hello to all the women out there, puzzling over this same problem we're
>>all experiencing:
>>
>>I posted a week or two ago about having pain in my ovary despite
>>ultrasound results that did not show any problems. This past Thursday,
>>the pain suddenly escalated, coming in waves where I was shouting with
>>pain. I thought it might be my appendix, even though it didn't present
>>in an appendicitis kind of way - but, hey! I was sure I didn't have any
>>cysts. Wrong! An ultrasound at the hospital yesterday showed that I
>>definitely have a simple cyst on that ovary. In addition, the
>>radiologist thought there could also be a collapsed hemorrhagic cyst
>>right in the ovary itself. (I've never heard of having a cyst inside
>>the ovary -- have you??).
>>
>>I have mentioned this pain in my ovary to my OBGYN all summer long, but
>>there was never any imaging to support it, and the pain was relatively
>>mild. Moreover, I was on oral contraceptive, which is supposed to
>>reduce or get rid of cysts. Thankfully I'm seeing him tommorow and get
>>his opinion on these developments.
>>
>>What really is nagging at me, though, is that this problem has been
>>going on for a while, but the ultrasound results kept missing it; the
>>problems have been allowed to get to the point where it's excruciating,
>>when they might have been prevented. I am thinking that ultrasound is a
>>very fallible technology. I have been to about four or five different
>>labs, because I've had real patient-care issues with them. Each lab
>>I've gone to has given me wildly variable results - I've got fibroids -
>>no I don't; I've got multiple cysts - I have no cysts at all; my uterus
>>is getting large - no, it's the same size.
>>
>>Now I've gone to a hospital, where the sonologist was very thorough
>>(damn, that hurt!!) and the test results came back consistent with my
>>complaint (though they couldn't find my appendix... I wonder why??).
>>
>>Have others had such differing results from different clinics? And does
>>anyone know what the variables are in ultrasound technology that can
>>lead to such different conclusions?
>>
>>Guess I'll be signing up for a laparoscopy, to see if we can get to the
>>bottom of all of this.
>>
>>My best to you all.
>>
>>--
>>Ellen
>>
--
http://www.infertilitytutorials.com
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