Cyst on Overies

Hi I am also hypothyroid and on thyroid medication. Hypothyroidism can cause infertility. I was unable to conceive until my TSH was below 2 and my free thyroid hormone levels were above mid-range (free T3 and free T4).

Most people without a thyroid problem have a TSH between 1-2mIU/L, and the Endocrine Society reccomends that TSH be brought below 2.5mIU/L prior to conception. http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?ss=15&d...

I have a couple friends with ovarian cysts and PCOS, but they were able to conceive without the aid of glucophages like Metformin (which does prove useful for some struggling w/ infertility and PCOS).

HTH!

Hi L.,
My sister had a similar problem. I would definitely check out your husband, but I will tell you that sometimes the cysts are normal and will burst on thier own and be absolutely no problem. However, my sister was only able to conceive once the cyst burst. So I would check and see if there is any cause for concern about the cyst and maybe see if there is a way to get it removed to open up the track that the embryo goes.

D.

Well the first thing I want to say is you have to take your fertility into your own hands. You and your husband must be very proactive. If you aren't getting the response or treatment you want, find another doctor.

Having said that, I too was diagnosed with PCOS, which is poly cystic ovarian syndrome. Which basically means that I had several cysts on my ovaries. My "fertility specialists" treatment for that was putting me on the pill. Which yes, eliminates the cysts but prevents pregnancy. It was a futile battle each month. Once you get off the pill the cysts came right back. Needless to say he strung me along for YEARS!! Telling me to try diets, herbs etc. I tried everything even acupuncture. It was devastating and depressing. For 8 1/2 years we tried to conceive but with no luck. I was supposed to be seeing one of the top fertility specialists here in Houston. I just think that he was stringing me along for the bill, since fertility treatments are not covered under insurance. I finally gave up. BUT, I was able to find a specialist out of the country who after only 5 months of treatment I became pregnant, carried full term and delivered a beautiful and healthy baby girl. I know that my case was special ( seeing the dr out of the country) but it was a lot cheaper than what I spent here in the US and with better results. I just wish now that I hadn't wasted so much time and had been more proactive with my life. Don't give up, there is a doctor out there who can help. I totally understand how you feel and wish you and your hubby the best and will be praying for you so that you may have a family in the near future.

Good luck.

I understand where you are coming from. Have the Doc check your prolactin levels and see where they are at. My levels were very high (pregnant high) and should not have been at the time before we able to conceive my son. I had cysts on my ovaries and they were blocking the feedback mechanism to my brain to where even though I was having cycles, my body thought it was Pregnant even though it was not. I had to get my ovaries cleaned up and took parlodel to help bring my prolactin down to an ovulatory level. I had a few other complications as well with my uterus, but that was unrelated to the ovary saga.

i dont mean to be the barrier of bad news but i had a good friend with this same problem and hers to was the size of an cantalope and she looked like she was 4 months preg. So she had the operation to remove and a year later it did come back, now i will tell you black women are more prone to getting this, but she was always in so much pain and she was married and it just was not meant to be she ended up at the age of 40 ( and this started at age 26)before she let it all go she had a historectomy. She hated it but hers was bad, yet everyone varys. Good Luck.

I have this problem as well. My OB did bloodwork to look at hormones as well. You may have a mild form of PCOS (at least that is what I had) which essentially means the cyst or cysts prevent you from ovulating as often because they don't let the egg mature as much as it would otherwise. Several options: You can let it go and you will eventually conceive because you do still ovulate. My OB prescribed metformin (for insulin resistance) because that proves to be effective with this problem. After only three months on metformin, I conceived my son. Some women take longer. I know there is more to it after that, in terms of options, but am certainly not an expert. Just a place to start. Good luck!

Oh, honey! I so feel your pain! I went through lots of issues with major hormone imbalance, thyroid issues, cysts... on & on... We had been trying for 3 years when my OBGYN said we probably wouldn't be able to have another child without major medical intervention. So... I started seeing a naturopath thinking I could at least be healthy if I couldn't give my son a sibling (we refuse to use fertility treatments). Well, after working with the naturopath for about 6 months, we found out a few weeks ago that we're expecting! We had gotten used to the idea that our son would be an only child, and now here we are =o)

I realize alternative healthcare is not for everyone, but they have worked miracles for me- not just on the fertility issues, but diet, weight loss, & allergies too!! I believe that getting all these things in line made the difference in allowing us to conceive, along with the giving up & not stressing about it.

After reading over some of the other posts, I should also say that I have not had any cysts since I started working with the naturopath- it is all cleared. No drugs, no surgery.. just herbal supplements I took for a short period of time to get my body back on track. I don't know how it works, but it does. After about 4 or 5 months, I took the advice of both my naturopath & OBGYN and tried a daily ovulation test just to see if my cycles were back to normal and I was indeed ovulating. That's the month we conceived.

Please feel free to PM me if you want some more info or just to talk with someone who's been there. Wishing you the best!

L. - I know exactly where you are at. It's hard, it's frustrating & it's an emotional roller-coaster. Hang in there. The cysts can make things more difficult, but not impossible. My husband & I tried for 3 years, got pregnant, then I lost that baby. 4 years later (7 years of trying) I got pregnant again & I now have a BEAUTIFUL 16 month old baby girl!!! I did fertility drugs because I did not have a regular cycle. I also had some cysts. In the end, about the time I was going to give up & look into adoption (which we still may do), I started seeing my chiropractor who also does acupuncture. This did the trick! Oh - I also used an ovulation tester. They make them that use your urine, just like a pregnancy test, but I found one at the pharmacy that used your saliva & you can use it over & over & over. Keep a calender in your bathroom right next to your toilet, keep track of everything: ovulation testing, periods, when you have sex, EVERYTHING. Go visit with a chiropractor or acupuncturist, the natural approach is not only healthier, but much easier on you!! One last piece of advice...pray, pray, pray.
Good luck, God Bless! Let us know when you're expecting!! (Notice I said 'when' & not 'if') Attitude is half the battle!!

Hi there L.:
I am a gestational surrogate and have carried three times for three separate couples and actually operate my own surrogate agency - Surrogate Angels of San Antonio. Last year (2008) I carried for a couple here in town. I was a patient at Fertility Center of San Antonio with Dr. Martin and Dr. Neal. When we prepped me for the pregnancy Dr. Neal saw a large cyst on my ovary. Cysts on ovaries are pretty common - it is from where the egg released itself in the previous menstrual cycle, but it is the size of the cyst that is important. The larger the cyst the more hormones it puts out and they can preclude pregnancy.

Now, if you undergo treatment with the fertility specialist to get pregnant, one of the meds they may give you can reduce the size of the cyst - that is what it did for me and I went on to carry a healthy boy for my couple. I am getting ready to carry for this same couple again and when I went in last month for my first check, I had no cysts. Cysts can come and go. In rare cases, if the cyst is really large, the doctor may opt to operate and remove it.

I hope this helps and I really pray you are able to get pregnant with the minimum of effort.

Regards
Cori Smelker
Director
Surrogate Angels of San Antonio™
"Perfect Beginnings Brought To Life"
www.surrogateangelsofsanantonio.com
###-###-#### (Office)
###-###-#### (Cell)
____@____.com

As long as your physician doesnt feel the cyst is more than a cyst, you should be able to conceive without any adverse reactions. I have a friend that had a similar situation... finally conceiving after 12 years. Once they quit "trying" so hard, it happened. Needless to say, they were both estatic and have a beautiful little girl who knows how loved and wanted she is!

I had a cyst on an ovary, but it developed after childbirth. (I personally think it was a result of the progesterone birth control pill I was put on when I was breastfeeding... never had any issues with estrogen birth control pills. Although I'm not a doc and have nothing to support that belief except the fact that the cyst doubled in size when they put me back on that pill in the hopes of shrinking it. I just chalk it up to that is how my body reacts to progesterone-based birth control).

Anyway, it grew to about 3.5 cm... (bigger than a quarter, smaller than a half dollar). I was told that the concern with a cyst that large is 1.) that it can grow so big that it surrounds and encompasses the ovary, interfering with the eggs' ability to get out; and 2.) that it could latch on to a blood vein to the ovary, and divert blood and nutrients that the ovary needs to feed and mature the eggs. So, both of those 2 situations could contribute to infertility. Oh, and it was painful. I would be surprised if you have a cyst that large (and which is interfering with your fertility) and not have any pain from it...

I had the cyst removed. Lathroscopic surgery, through the belly button. While my doc did that, she also check my uterus and discovered some scar tissue... so she removed that too.

Good luck!

Hi L.. Here is what happened to me. I had a cyst on my left ovary, plus endometriosis. The cyst did hurt with intercourse I just didn't know what was going on. I had surgery to remove the cyst and that is when they found the endo. After that, no luck so I started doing IUI's. Still no luck. With in 7 months i was back having another surgery for endometriosis that came back. After that, back to IUI's and still no luck. This went on for almost 3 years. So I had a food allergy test done where I found I was having reactions to wheat, dairy, yeast, almonds and eggs. I removed all this from my diet and with in 30 days I was pregnant and on my own with out fertility drugs or assistance. And instead of laying on my back with my hips propped up I layed on my stomach. My acupuncturist recommend this. Makes sense.
My daughter is now 9 months. I know it sounds crazy but I swear this had something to do with it.
Good luck! And you might try getting second opinions. Are you in Austin?

I would be much more concerned about your thyroid levels causing infertility than the cyst on your ovary. That's definitely something the infertility specialists will want to monitor.

I had a large cyst on my ovary in-between my first and second child. I was trying to conceive at the time. My ob/gyn said it was the size of an orange. It was painful. He gave me two options when it was discovered: Take birth control pills to shrink it or try to get pregnant over the next couple of months and the pregnancy would shrink it. I was able to get pregnant the next month without a problem and I've never had a problem with cysts again. I should also mention that I believe my cyst was caused in part by the birth control pills I was on before trying for a second child. I have since avoided taking birth control pills and have used other non-hormonal options for birth control. Good luck!

J. (happily married to my best friend, mommy to 4 (ages 3,6,9 and 12) with another blessing on the way)

Ask your doc if PCOS might be involved. Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome affects fertility in a major way.

I had the same problem, although I didn't know that I had a cyst on my ovaries until it ruptured (very painfully). And I swear that that is why it took me so long to get pregnant, over 3 years, because about 2 months after it ruptured, I got pregnant! And the same thing happened when we were trying to get pregnant again. It finally happened almost 4 years after we started trying again...and again, I had 2 instances with a ruptured cyst and the second time, I had to have laparoscopic surgery to repair a torn ovary due to the ruptured cyst. And of course all of this was after I had gone thru all of the fertility drugs, visits, etc. But after the laparascopic surgery...a couple of months later, I got pregnant again...so yes, I think cysts definitely have something to do with you not being able to get pregnant. After the first cyst ruptured, I asked my doctor if that was why I wasn't getting pregnant and he said possibly, but he wasn't sure since we didn't know how big the cyst was or how long I had it...