OB/GYN Discussion Thread

drogi said:I'm 29 and I have a cyst on my right ovary. My doctor suggested surgery because they think it might interfere with my ability to get pregnant. I'm wondering if there are any other ways to treat this besides surgery—maybe some kind of alternative method? I really, really don't want to go under the knife...

What kind? If it's just fluid buildup, birth control pills can sometimes manage that.
Either way, you should definitely seek a second opinion... don't try to be your own doctor.

😁 Hello everyone. Does anyone happen to know of a reliable female gynecologist located in the downtown area? Currently, I’ve been seeing a private specialist, Dr. Burić over on Vinogradska, and she is absolutely wonderful—but I really need to find someone within the network to handle my referrals and paperwork.

Timothy James9 said:What kind? If it’s full of fluid, birth control pills usually handle that.
Regardless—get a second opinion. Don't try to play doctor with your own body.

Typically, you start with hormone therapy—pill regimens—and if things are functioning normally, the cyst should shrink or vanish after a few months. If it doesn't... well, then surgery becomes the only path forward. Definitely seek another perspective, but do listen to the professionals—things can grow on an ovary that are anything but pleasant.

You can get all sorts of things... ranging from those 'benign' ones that just vanish once you start hormone therapy to the tumorous kinds they have to cut out

sweetheart said:I'm 29 and I've got this cyst on my right ovary. My doctor's suggesting surgery because he thinks it might mess with my chances of getting pregnant. I'm wondering if there's any other way to handle this besides going under the knife, like maybe some alternative method? Because, honestly, I really don't want to be sliced open!

Look, if your doctor tells you it’s gotta come out, then it’s basically looking like this

Just so I'm not repeating myself too much...

brisknomad6 said:So, here’s the play-by-play report:

I end up with three little holes in my stomach, and man, you can't even laugh because it hurts like crazy.
I actually tried to bargain with the anesthesiologist for some red wine and maybe some feta cheese when I woke up, but he totally bailed on me.😁 Instead, I just got stuck with an IV drip. Ugh, gross.

Basically, you don't eat anything the day before, and definitely no drinking after dinner the night before. You gotta shave (I did mine at home) and a enema is a must. Then you spend some time hanging out with the ladies in the restroom.😬

Then the doctor comes by and explains exactly what's going down—everything from that first injection to the moment you wake up and how the whole procedure works.

Friday—
You shower in the morning, get handed a Dior gown😬 and wait for the nurse to show up with the needle.
They wheel you into the OR, and that's when things get interesting.

First, you're busy teasing the doctor about his hair or how he looked on CNN the night before, and then he tells you the anesthesiologist is running late so they might have to do it while you're still awake... so you start negotiating, asking if they'll play Vangelis or maybe some country music instead.😂

Then the green-eyed anesthesiologist finally shows up, you settle on how you want to wake up, and then... lights out.😬 (Around 8:30 AM)

/Then they roll you back to a room and you're all smiles, thanking the guys who help move you onto the bed—those were my nurses after everything was done./

You wake up at some random time (10:27 according to my phone) and you and the nurse get dressed, then you call your people to let them know you're okay before passing out again.

By 1:30 PM I’m pretty much fully awake. I'm waiting to feel pain, but... nothing. I feel totally fine. I'm checking my arms, legs, upper body—it hurts a tiny bit... I think I'm getting painkillers through the IV since I feel so steady... I grab my phone and check in with everyone I need to.
The nurse comes in, and I'm dying to go to the bathroom, but she won't let me get up. I can't even have water yet!...

At 4:30 PM my honey arrives. I try to convince the nurse to let me go to the bathroom alone so he can just hold my IV line.😁 Looking in the bathroom mirror, I see those three little holes.

By 7:30 PM, I'm begging the nurse for just one sip of water. I ask if I'm getting anything for the pain, and she says no, then asks if I actually need it... NO, I don't! This hurts less than my last period.👍

Around 11 PM, I finally head to the bathroom by myself without the IV tethered to me.

The next morning, they finally let me have coffee. I head to the vending machine for some coffee and the newspaper... and now I can finally drink juice and stuff again.

I can eat lunch now, though I absolutely hate kale, and of course, lunch is kale.😁

In the afternoon, I head out to a cafe for a coffee...

Monday -
I got dressed all by myself (even though my socks were being super annoying, ugh), packed up (didn't lift my own bag, obviously lol), and made my way to the car on my own

I'm back home now 🙂 just sipping some coffee and typing away

So, listen up girls, don't be scared because, honestly, looking at everything, it’s really not that big of a deal 🙂

Has anyone been to Dr. Belak's office over in the Tresnjevka neighborhood? I'm curious what your experiences have been like there.

brisknomad6 said:They let me have coffee in the morning—heading to the vending machine for a quick caffeine fix and the paper... now I’m even allowed juices in the evenings.

I was even more of a rebel—I practically bolted for the restroom the second I woke up, and by the next morning, the nursing staff was hunting me down in the cafeteria near St. Jude's...

Honestly, the anesthesiologists deserve a medal—I could have almost convinced them to feed me messages through my IV line about how smoking is poison... yet there I was, just two hours post-op, taking a "smoke break" (much to the horror of the nurses). To be fair, I did quit for good a few months later—perhaps those messages just had a delayed effect.

The bottom line for anyone being diagnosed with a cyst: listen to your doctors—surgery really isn't as scary as it sounds.

Hey Gerald Kern77, am I crazy or are we basically water signs incarnate?

Like, seriously, two days after the surgery we realized that just the three of us were able to get back on our feet fast without any major drama or anything... I guess it's because all three of us are total water signs.😬

brisknomad6 said:BBlue, aren't you one of those water-dwellers too?

Basically, two days after our surgeries, we realized the three of us were the only ones who got back on our feet quickly without much drama—all three of us are total water babies.😬

Not quite... according to my zodiac sign, I'm a Taurus (or a Water Buffalo in Chinese)—so, you decide!😉

Laparoscopy is actually great—I was driving again after a week, and back at work within two. Honestly, I still bring it up to my boss just to remind him how tough I am...👍

Taylor Myers8 said:I'm trying to decide between these doctors:
Dr. Gordan Rački, Cleveland
Dr. Sindik, Cleveland
Dr. Jakov Masovčić, Cleveland.
Has anyone here dealt with them before? Or maybe someone could suggest a fifth or sixth option...?

I haven't really heard anything about Rački—not that I know of, anyway. As for Dr. Sindik, he actually handled my delivery and a few checkups regarding amniotic fluid since I was a bit overdue. He’s an incredible specialist, truly, though... I guess you could say he has a bit of a "heavy hand"😁 when it comes to exams. Now, I saw Dr. Masovčić for my last appointment, and honestly, he was just lovely—both in conversation and during the exam😁. He didn't seem uninterested at all, even though I kept pestering him with questions until I was about 4:00 PM
. Oh, and if you're looking for others, Dr. Kovačević is also highly rated, but—well, getting an appointment with her is a total nightmare😠

Sophia Cook4 said:I know a gynecologist over at the Westside Community Clinic—Tanya Pavlek.

I actually just switched doctors because I could rarely ever manage to beat the crowd to a spot in line👎

I was just visiting Aunt Grujic—the one over in 👍—and she really is lovely, though I’d already gone ahead and paid out of pocket for my Adenza coverage 😉.
Now I’m hanging out with Aunt Mihalincic in [[Generic US City]]—because apparently, Adenza doesn't cover everything, damn it—so I’m curious about her expertise. I'll likely be seeing her for my pregnancy care too
.

I have nothing but praise for Dr. Zlopaš over at St. Jude’s Medical Center. He managed my pregnancy, and even after experiencing a miscarriage, he was absolutely wonderful—attentive, quick, and incredibly compassionate when I needed those kind words most. Truly top-tier care.
And just a heads-up: I wouldn't recommend Dr. Konrad Nizetica to anyone within a hundred miles. The man is an absolute disgrace to the profession.

I saw someone mentioning modern diagnostics earlier. Anyone have experience with this? How does the whole swab situation work? Like, does their OB/GYN handle all that, or am I supposed to bring my own results from my primary doctor?

Ashley Vaughn79 said:I was really happy with that doctor at the clinic, Dr. Sikanic-Dugic... you just need a referral...

Look, I’ve been seeing that lady for two years now and she is seriously awesome. Honestly, the only headache I’m dealing with right now is that I’m turning 18 this month—which isn't even a big deal since she can still see me, but the whole insurance/referral thing is becoming a total mess because my primary care doc won't cut me a referral. So yeah, I'm officially on the hunt for a solid gynecologist of my own.

So, I’ve been hunting for a gynecologist and honestly, I’ve been scrolling through this thread so much I’ve practically had a drink or two. Right now, I’m seeing Dr. Miller at the local clinic and I’m not impressed. He can be polite occasionally, but it’s rare. His exams are incredibly painful, and all he does is say, "just relax, just relax..." Look, I’ve seen plenty of doctors in my life, and I know the difference between a careful exam and a rough one. 😠 A lot of you posts seem to confirm that. You have to book your appointment for the first of the month within a specific window, so if you can't get to your phone then, you're stuck waiting a whole month. Unless it's an emergency like heavy bleeding, obviously. 🙄 Last time, I showed up with a referral for a pelvic exam and an ovarian ultrasound. He decided I didn't even need the ultrasound—which is frustrating because I've never had one, and with my family history of uterine or breast cancer, I really should. This thread is getting so long I'm losing my place, so I tried to organize everything into a little list. 😬 If I got anything wrong or if things have changed, let me know (use += for positive, x=negative). Since I live in the suburbs, I'm also curious about Dr. Miller's colleague, Dr. Harrison. I've heard mixed things, but nothing from someone who has actually sat in her office. 🙄
PUBLIC HEALTH CLINICS
Dr. Sikanic ++ (at the community center, needs a referral, mostly sees kids)
Dr. Puvacic +/x
Dr. Kesab Marina +
Dr. Kos x (City Hospital)
Dr. Dmitrovic ++ (used to be at City Hospital, now apparently at St. Jude's)
Dr. Mador xxx (County Health Center)
Dr. Maria Gregov +/xx (Student Union Clinic)
Dr. Mirić +/x (Student Union Clinic)
Dr. Mandic + (Peterson Memorial)
Dr. Kovacevic x (District Clinic)
PRIVATE PRACTICE
Dr. Franulovic +++ (at the County Clinic, looks like they aren't taking new patients)
Dr. Curic + (Student Union Clinic)
Dr. Shedid +++/xx (the one on Elm Street)
Dr. Oskar Kirchbaum + (at the clinic near the train station, if he's still there)
Dr. Doko ++++/x (in the North District)
Dr. Marceta – (in the North District)
Dr. Wahid +++ (on Elm Street)
Dr. Stanic x
Dr. Susac x
Dr. Zlopasa + (Peterson Memorial)
Dr. Asad x (County Hospital)
Dr. Ezgeta + (on New Avenue)
PRIVATE DOCTORS
Dr. Visnja Tadic ++/x (in the West End area)
Dr. Mladen Miljan ++ (Downtown, 3rd Ave)
Dr. Fistonic + (Main Street)
Dr. Tomic + (Oak Street)
Dr. Tihana Mazelin +++ (Elite Medical Group)
Dr. Grujic-Koracin ++++/xxxxx (over on Starry Lane)
Dr. Husar ++/x (Male, District Clinic, 01x3096x827, 27 Main St)
Dr. Snjezana Belak x
Dr. Latin +++++ (at VILI Clinic) >> Dr. Kos +
Dr. Harni ++ (Female) >> Dr. Gudelj Maja ++++++ (works at Harni Clinic)
Dr. Jelekovic + (near the outskirts)
Dr. Snjezana Skreblin Kukic x
Dr. Klinc ++ (right downtown by the plaza)
Dr. Ujevic +/x (Supernova Clinic on Savic Ave)
Dr. Darko Husar ++
Dr. Mato Tarle ++/x (on Drašković Ave, right across from the ER entrance)
Dr. Djuric Predrag + (City Center, 18 Drašković Ave, 4813 700)
Dr. Marton ++ (the lady doctor)
Dr. Konrad Nizetic xx (District Clinic)
Dr. Buric + (lady doctor on Vinogradska Ave)
MIXED OPTIONS
Dr. Branka Potlaceck + (at General Hospital; you can use a referral to get lower rates than private practice)
Dr. M. Podobnik +++ (Mercur Hospital, apparently has a private practice too)
Dr. Topalovic ++++++/xxxxxxxx (Student Union Clinic, seems to be closed to new patients, but has a private practice)
Dr. Tanjica Pavlek + (at the Northside Health Center; she does private work but isn't taking new insurance patients)

OTHER CATEGORIES
Dr. Snjezana Belak (has an office at 5 Sokolgradska St. On Mondays from 1 PM to 5 PM, she sees women without any health insurance. That's really commendable. If you know anyone struggling to afford care because they lack coverage, please pass this along)

My goodness, 🙏 , you truly are an inspiration! 👍

I can't tell if I'm missing something obvious or if my gynecologist just isn't on my radar 😁

Here's the deal: Dr. Smith, private practice, located right on Main Street

Dr. Sabljak at the downtown clinic +++++ if you're asking me 🙂

I'm currently staying at the University of Washington dorms... it's nothing special, really, but I can't complain too much either. As for my contribution to the fund, I've already sent over $0.83
.

Just one quick question for the group: have any of you ladies given birth at Mount Sinai? I’m dying to know—what was your experience like?
It’s honestly such a shame that we don’t have any more experimental or "alternative" birthing options here in the States—you know, like water births or even those specialized birthing stools. Everything seems to follow such a rigid, classic medical routine lately! I was reading about some holistic centers out West that offer much more natural setups, and it really makes me wonder why our standard hospitals haven't caught up with those trends yet. It feels like we're missing out on so many comfortable, intuitive ways to bring life into the world!