Effect of ovary &/or cyst removal on weight...?

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I recently learned that I have a kiwi-sized "complex" cystic mass on my right ovary. Blood test confirms that it's benign, but given its size and my age (closing-in on 41) I'm opting to have that ovary removed. I also have endometriosis, so we're suspecting that this could be an endometrioma and back 10 years ago when I had my tubal my doctor mentioned that my right ovary was kind of a mess. So there's no reason to hang onto that tiny trainwreck in my belly.

I've read that just having an ovarian cyst can cause weight loss difficulty...but I've also read that having a cyst can cause unexplained weight loss (no wonder we chicks are so neurotic, right?!).

For those of you who have had cyst removal -- with or without removal of the ovary involved -- did you find any difference in your ability to lose weight?

I also recently started progesterone (Prometrium) for 10 days of each cycle, since peri-menopause was making my cycles really short, but my bleeding would go on for 8-13 days. So far that doesn't seem to have any bearing either way.

cafeaulait7

I've never had any removed, but you might have both PCOS and endo. I do. PCOS does have implications in losing weight, mainly regarding insulin and carb metabolism.

I don't know if the actual cysts affect hormones or just the other way around. I'm also on Prometrium for endo (and PCOS), and it's a Godsend for the pain. It does not affect the insulin problem, however. That's more like Metformin.

I'm probably going on that soon, because my sugars have in fact gotten pre-diabetic, and my triglycerides were high for no good reason Meh, it wasn't completely unexpected!

A large cyst or group might actually affect hormones, though. That's an interesting question. You might have a better profile after removal. If you are having the ovary removed, I'd definitely talk to the doc about exactly how that affects hormones through the month. I'd think just one polycystic ovary could still mess with insulin, so I'd check into whether the other one is polycystic. If it's all endo-related only, I think it's less complicated, lol. Prometrium is the way to go there, imho.

zoom2

Sweet. Yeah, from the sound of it my left ovary is just fine. The right side is the hot mess. I had wondered about PCOS, but that generally affects both sides...? What effect does PCOS generally have on triglycerides? Mine have traditionally been freakishly low and my overall HDL/LDL ratio has been nearly 1:1 in the past.

I'm really looking forward to the long-term results of Prometrium. I'm on 200mg for days 16-25. After just one cycle I only gained an extra day, BUT I only bled for 6, which is amazing. I expect my next cycle to be longer. I was at 21-23 days. I'd be thrilled with 25-26 and not bleeding for more than 6-7 days, to be perfectly honest.

I do wonder what overall effect going down to one ovary will have. I'm guessing it will lessen the estrogen dominance issues...or maybe not, since it would also cut my progesterone levels, as well.

annekka

I had a huge chocolate cyst removed about 7 years ago. By huge Io mean grapefruit sized. Along with it I lost 1/2 of my left ovary. Post surgery is when I gained the majority of my weight, but that's also due to starting back on bcp and doing a year of Lupron (never again will I do hormone treatments). Now 7 years later I've finally started working to lose the weight. I've been losing pretty steadily with calorie counting and exercise. However, I have found that I need to have the exercise, if I were calorie counting alone I'd have a tough time with the weight loss.

MommaChocoLatte

I had laproscopic (sp?) surgery to remove some cysts off my ovaries a few yrs ago. They ended up removing one complete ovary plus 2/3 of the remaining. What I have left still works.. I still have periods.. obnoxious ones at that. I had to go on continuous BC to stop them otherwise they are unbearable and they are actually tied to my epilepsy.

My weight loss did stall.. which had caused a bit of a depression and I kind of gave up for awhile and ended up gaining all the weight I previously lost. I was 11 lbs from goal when I had my surgery and I was unable to exercise or lift heavy objects for 6-7 wks.

My epilepsy medication kind of tied into that and was also a factor in keeping me heavy, which I didnt know at the time. I found that out later. And ended up switching meds.

Had I known all of this going in, maybe things could have been different... but I am still glad I had the surgery. I am no longer having any pain.

zoom2

I had a huge chocolate cyst removed about 7 years ago. By huge Io mean grapefruit sized. Along with it I lost 1/2 of my left ovary.

Did you have any inkling it was there!? I've heard stories of massive cysts that went undetected. Mine isn't painful, but I've had bladder and bowel weirdness. Doc suspects mine might be a chocolate, as well.

The things we endure! Good to hear that post surgery has been positive for everyone.

annekka

I had a huge chocolate cyst removed about 7 years ago. By huge Io mean grapefruit sized. Along with it I lost 1/2 of my left ovary.

Did you have any inkling it was there!? I've heard stories of massive cysts that went undetected. Mine isn't painful, but I've had bladder and bowel weirdness. Doc suspects mine might be a chocolate, as well.

The things we endure! Good to hear that post surgery has been positive for everyone.

About 5 months prior to removal I would spend 2 hours around the time that I was ovulating during one day in excruciating pain. I've always had painful periods etc., but nothing out off the normal. After a few months I went to the doctor, described my symptoms and got send to a gyne. Hadn't needed/had a reason to see one before that. Two months after first seeing a doctor about it I was in surgery. Yes, this was all in the US. Two months from diagnosis to surgery. That's how big it was and how concerned they were about it. After I had it removed I had about two weeks where if I sat a certain way I could almost feel my internal organs moving back into place.

I was very lucky. In fact I'm lucky that I walked away losing only 1/2 an ovary, the gyne thought it had "swallowed" up my whole ovary, but it was just blocking it. I had laproscopic surgery and have 3 incisions plus the belly button one as that was the only way to get the deflated cyst out. It took me awhile to recover and get my energy back. Now 7 years later I've finally rebuilt my ab strength (granted I didn't try a lot for a while).

But no, I had no idea it was there at all before I started have those massive pains. I'm fairly lucky, I'm one of those cases where I have pretty severe endo but very little pain associated. I'm sure if it were ever to "disappear" I'd find ways in which I have been suffering, but *knock on wood*, I've been really lucky.

Yup, one of those odd cases that I didn't know I had it until it started causing problems. There are plenty of us out here, some who have it worse than others. Unfortunately, since so few women know they have problems until they have problems conceiving etc., we seem fewer and farther between than we actually are.

Edited yet again to add that when I lost part of the ovary I did notice myself going through some hormonal changes probably due to less hormones due to the loss. Talk to your doctor about it though.

zoom2

I'm fairly lucky, I'm one of those cases where I have pretty severe endo but very little pain associated. I'm sure if it were ever to "disappear" I'd find ways in which I have been suffering, but *knock on wood*, I've been really lucky.

Endo is weird, that way. I was diagnosed 10 years ago with stage 2 (which isn't super severe)...I had HORRIBLY painful and heavy periods, particularly as a teen (starting BCPs as soon as I got to college was a godsend and likely saved my fertility when I ready to become a mom in my late-20s). That made life so rough, but I really "got" how bad they were when I was in labor and shocked to find that even hard-and-fast pitocin-induced contractions were not significantly more painful than the cramps I had when I was younger. When I was 30 and my doc said "you have stage 2 endo" I wasn't the least bit surprised. I always highly suspected it, but it could never be confirmed until I had my tubal via laparoscopy. My doc was surprised that I didn't have issues getting preggers.

Fortunately, my periods have been a breeze post-ablation, but now I'm dealing with perimenopause causing me to spot at least half the time.