Posts by Donna Rodriguez85

Thanks for the reply....
Honestly, I wasn't even planning on trying to get pregnant before the surgery. I just wanted to know if anyone else had been through something similar—if everything turned out okay and if getting pregnant afterward is actually normal. As much as I want this, I’m terrified. What if things really don't improve?
I know it sounds like I'm trashing the Mayo Clinic, but that's not the case... maybe it felt that way at first, but my doctor told me he honestly never expected it to go in this direction. He said this usually happens to women in their 50s when the tumor is several centimeters large, but mine was barely over 1 cm; the whole cyst was only 2.6 cm. A few days after the surgery, once I was feeling slightly better, he called me into his office to show me the images of what happened and exactly what he did. He told me to write down questions for my follow-up when they remove the sutures, which was three days after being discharged from the hospital... at that point, I couldn't even wrap my head around it all. I needed some time to let the reality sink in. I planned to ask everything during the first real check-up, but then I was blindsided by the news that the tumor had ruptured. That significantly increases the risk of metastasis and means I shouldn't try to get pregnant right now. I ended up walking out of that office without asking a single question, just with tears in my eyes. 😢
It sounds blunt, but I was just hoping to find someone here who has been through this—someone who could tell me if they went straight to chemo or if it was like my situation. I just need something to help me feel less alone.

Hi,
I’ve been searching everywhere, but I can't find anything similar. If I'm in the wrong place, please move this post to the right section....

Last spring, after several months of trying to conceive without success, I went to see my OB/GYN to start testing. He performed an ultrasound, and since my period was late, he put me on Duphaston. Everything seemed fine. After that, I went back for follicle monitoring. Since he only did pelvic exams every five days, he told me to keep trying because the follicle hadn't released an egg yet. He instructed me to take Duphaston again starting on day 18 and to come back for a follow-up around day 10 of my next cycle. When I returned, he checked me via ultrasound and told me I needed an urgent CA-125 test and a color Doppler scan. Total shock.
I was back on Duphaston that month too. I had the Doppler scan done at Mayo Clinic, where they told me I actually needed emergency surgery. I took those results to see a specialist at Johns Hopkins. They told me everything looked too minor and that since I’m only 29 and haven't even had kids yet, it wasn't wise to operate on something so "trivial." However, they did suggest one more Doppler scan, specifically at Johns Hopkins, and emphasized that I should try to get pregnant if possible. I'd love to!!! They put me back on Duphaston because my period hadn't arrived, and you can only do the Doppler right after your period starts.
Then the doctor performing the Doppler lost it. He said he was going to arrange emergency surgery because my situation was extremely concerning. He told me I couldn't touch any more hormones—no more Duphaston—and warned that if I did get pregnant, they might have to choose who to save: me or the baby. 😢
I went back to the specialist at Johns Hopkins, and he asked if I realized I needed emergency surgery!?!? The appointment was scheduled within a month... just like a routine procedure. Two to three days in the hospital.
The CA-125 came back good—actually lower than the previous one.
Up until that point, I was furious with the doctor, but he turned out to be incredibly skilled, competent, and caring.
The surgery revealed it was a malignant tumor (borderline). My ovary had adhered to my pelvis, so they had to remove half the ovary, a large portion of the abdominal lining, and clear out that area of the pelvis. I had a drain, and the first three days of recovery were rough. On the fourth day, they removed the drain, and I felt better in a single day than I had in the three days prior. I went home on the sixth day.
The surrounding tissue showed no signs of metastasis.
I was told that if I don't get pregnant within six months, I’ll need another surgery to take tissue samples and check if everything was fully removed or if it has spread.
At my first follow-up, they told me I shouldn't try to get pregnant before the next surgery because the situation is quite serious. They mentioned that during the operation, the tumor ruptured and spilled into my abdomen, which is bad news, especially given how the ovary had already adhered to the pelvis.

My regular OB/GYN keeps insisting everything is fine and that it wasn't truly malignant, telling me not to worry and that it's all irrelevant now. Meanwhile, the specialist at Johns Hopkins, who clearly knows much more about this, is hinting that the situation isn't harmless. He suggested that if the next surgery (in 5-6 months) shows anything suspicious, I will have to undergo chemotherapy.

I want to know if anyone has had a similar experience. How did you handle it, how did it end, and did you recover? Should I even hope to get pregnant in the near future? Should I seek second opinions (though the doctor at Johns Hopkins seems to really know his stuff)?

Sorry for the long post, but I've been struggling with this since November, and I'm just waiting for the day I schedule my next surgery. There's very little information on this here, so most of what I read is in English. From what I've seen abroad, many women are often started on preventative chemo right away.

Thank you!!!!