Doctors insisted she was pregnant. Strangers asked when her baby will be due. But Keely Favell knew she wasn’t pregnant. Countless pregnancy tests proved negative. She thought she was just really fat.
Already she had trouble walking and difficulty breathing.
It was only because she blacked out one day at work that she decided to see her doctor once more, who referred her to take an ultrasound scan. The radiologist in charge was shocked - Keely was quickly sent for an emergency CT scan.
Turns out, her massive tummy was carrying a 26kg ovarian cyst the whole time.
The obstetrics consultant immediately scheduled a surgery to remove the cyst.
What is an ovarian cyst?
Knowing what is an ovarian cyst will help you identify it better. Ovarian cysts are solid or fluid-filled pockets in or on your ovary.
It’s painless and harmless, and actually occurs quite common with women who still have periods. You can also get one when you’re pregnant. They usually come and go naturally, disappearing within a few months without you ever noticing.
However, ovarian cysts become trouble when they overstay their welcome, or worse, when they grow too large until it starts to become painful - like what happened with Keely.
Removing the ovarian cyst
Now with the cyst removed, Keely is back to her normal life. While the surgery left her with stretch marks and a large scar, she will be able to conceive.
Keely no longer takes for granted the simple things, like driving or walking up the stairs.
I am experiencing pains in my lower abdomen, is it because of an ovarian cyst?
WebMD says symptoms of ovarian cysts problems include swelling, pressure, bloating, or worse, pain in the lower abdomen, which comes and goes.
It’s possible that a cysts needs immediate medical attention. See a doctor immediately if you suffer from sudden belly pain, dizziness and throwing up, fast breathing, fever and feeling faint.
Your doctor might give you an ultrasound, which gives a better view of the cyst (if there is any). Otherwise, your doctor will conduct a blood test to check if you’re pregnant, find out if your hormones are causing the pain, and examine for cancer (for menopausal women).
What are the different kinds of cysts?
Like we mentioned, cysts come and go during your regular period cycle. There’s three different types:
Follicle cyst. Every month your ovaries release an egg, which grows from a follicle (not to be confused with your hair). The follicle breaks open and releases the egg once it is ready. There is chance that the follicle doesn’t break open, causing a follicle cyst. It will disappear in 1 to 3 months.
Corpus luteum cyst. This is a cyst that happens after the follicle releases the egg. Normally, the follicle will shrink and get ready for another egg. But If fluid collects inside, it will become a cyst. This goes away in a few weeks, but can cause pain or bleeding if it grows.
Nonfunctional. Some women have a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), where the ovary makes many small cysts. This makes it difficult to conceive. In rare cases, cancer can cause nonfunctional cysts. Women after menopause have a higher chance to get cancerous ovarian cysts.
Now that you know what is an ovarian cyst, read more: What you need to know about polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS