The dermoid cyst alien inside me!! – Jo’s story

After being diagnosed with endometriosis in my mid 30’s I went on Ovranette which seemed to help, but when I reached 50 oh my…. I had to come off it due to age and boy did everything come back with a vengeance. After several months of heavy flooding and indescribable pain I got referred to gynae.

After several scans told small dermoid cyst, no other issues but would need to come out, was told it would be several months wait, but after bloods were tested I was called in to be told I had 50/50 chance of cancer…… Scared, frightened doesn’t describe how I felt at that moment and having to face yet another stranger poking around everywhere, what can I say!!!

Anyway cut long story short 1 week later I had CT scan/ultrasound scan, then following week appointment with oncology/gynae.

Cyst was apparently bigger than large grapefruit!! was attached to appendix and that I would need total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo oophorectomy and cyst removal and that it would be in approx. 6 weeks.

Imagine how I felt when next day I got a call asking me to go to pre op the following day and into hospital 3 days later, I was beside myself thinking the worst (as you do).

So on Saturday 25th July 2015 in I went to be operated on by yet another complete stranger who I only met that morning!!

The op went well but I was unprepared for the severe pain that followed, unfortunately in the hospital not all staff were very caring so was glad to get home.

I am now at the ‘magical’ 6 weeks …NOT, my scar is still quite tender…I had it done as a laparotomy incision and it goes from an inch below bikini line all the way up way past belly button, thankfully I had dissolvable stitches and glue, really think bikini day’s gone lol.

Got to say wind pain and bowel problems were an issue for 3/4weeks but ok now, I am doing most of the exercises as in pre op pack but I feel as if my stomach is going to be forever flabby now, when they tell you to rest, rest, rest just do it cause on the odd boring day I have pushed myself a bit too much but you soon learn don’t do it!!

I must say that now I feel so much better than I have done for a long time if I am honest, you just don’t realise why you feel rubbish till after, I have no regrets what so ever I just wish they had done something 15 years ago !!!

I have some menopause issues…hot flushes bearable, the worst thing is the emotions in fine one day then do nothing but cry.

I also have fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis in both knees, so all this resting is not helping those but I got the all clear last week so life can only get better!!!!!

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