Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Ovarian Pain--UPDATE!

UPDATE: First, let me say thank you for being concerned! Second, let me just say that I do NOT have a twisted ovary! Thank goodness! Thrid, let me say holy crap was that some seriously intense pain!!! I could barely walk into the clinic from the car. As I was sitting in the waiting room of radiology I started to sweat and felt severly nauseated and J said "you don't look good". He quickly got me a puke bag from the receptionist who concurred that I looked terrible, which is an understatement for how I felt. I was just willing the pain to go away and crying that I wouldn't be able to go to the transfer with K (I was convinced I had ovarian torsion).

After 30 minutes they wheeled me in to take a look at my ovaries and I thought the technician was going to have a heart attack when she saw the size of my ovaries and said that they were "huge" (apparently my ob/gyn didn't tell them about being post-IVF ER and that it was normal). Of course the tech was tight-lipped and wouldn't tell me anything and her probing and pushing just made the pain worse. I would say at one point the pain level approached an 8 (with 10 being the worst). After the scan she asked me to get dressed until my ob/gyn and the radiologist could examine the scans.

While getting dressed I noticed that the pain seemed to have lessened--maybe now a 6. While sitting in the hall waiting to talk to the doc J commented that I looked a lot better and that "I had color again". I explained that I felt much better and the pain continued to lessen as we sat there. By the time the u/s tech told us we were good to go and that the doc would call me I was feeling like I had nothing more that af-cramps and mild soreness in my right ovary (pain level 2-3). I could walk and didn't have pain. At this point J starts teasing me about loving all the attention and says I was making it all up. I became incredibly embarrassed and wondered what my ob/gyn and my RE think of me. **hangs head in embarrassment** The ob/gyn called to say that other than my ovaries being quite enlarged they are fine. The blood flow to them was great, so I do not have ovarian torsion--yay!

Now I'm left wondering WTF caused this intense pain. My ob/gyn and RE said it could've been a ruptured cyst, but other than that they have no idea what could've caused it. Have any of you had a cyst rupture? If so, what was it like? Either way I'm just happy that the intense pain is gone, that all I'm feeling now is mild cramps, and that our transfer day will be just as I'd hoped with me accompanying K.

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I am not one to complain about physical pain and am usually the one who just sucks it up and works through it, but today things are different. Since about 11am, I've been having intense, persistent pain in my right ovary. The pain radiates from the ovary down my leg, is causing right-side lower back pain, and doesn't go away no matter what I do or how I position myself. I called my reproductive clinic and the nurse told me to immediately go see my gyn or go to the ER because they are worried about ovarian torsion. My gyn is full and their u/s schedule is also full, so she said I have to go to the ER. I called J to let him know and burst into tears. I feel like a huge baby and am worried that it will turn out to be nothing, but I also know that I worry about losing one of my ovaries, which happen to be my only functional reproductive organs. As I got off the phone with J my RE called to let me know that he thinks it's just an enlarged ovary bothering me and that he doesn't think I need to go to the ER. Dr. S said that he'd expect me to be throwing up if it was ovarian torque. He had the nurse prescribe me Tylen.ol 3 to ease the pain and said that they'd take a look at my ovary via ultrasound tomorrow when I'm there for the transfer to K.

I can't help but continue to worry (remember I a queen worry wart) that I'm sitting here doing nothing as my ovary is necrosing due to lack of bloodflow. From what Dr. Google tells me most women just experience the pain and don't actually have the other symptoms and treatment is typically delayed because women don't go in right away. The tell-tale symptoms are exactly what I have intense ovarian pain that radiates to the back, side, and down the thigh. My bff, Dr. E, who's an ob/gyn told me that I should go to the ER. In her experience not everyone has the nausea and vomiting. I called and left a message with my ob/gyn, Dr. D, to see if he thinks I should go to the ER. Dr. D's nurse just called back as I was typing this to let me know that Dr. D wants me to go to radiology for an u/s, so she set up an appointment with them so I don't have to go sit in the ER. I love my gyn, Dr. D! So, I'm on my way to figure out what the heck is going on with my right ovary. I'll update when I get back.

23 comments:

Bluebird said...

Oh, honey, I'd be crying too! Between the pain and the anxiety. . .

Hope they can figure it out and there's an easy fix. Will be waiting for an update!

Donna said...

I hope everything is OK!

Rebecca said...

Aw shit sweetie...please let us know what's going on! I will be anxiously awaiting news! (((HUGS)))

Meg. said...

How terrible! =(

I really hope that it's nothing but an enlarged ovary, and I COMPLETELY understand your anxiety.

Hang in there!

Poppy said...

Niki, I'm so glad you are going to be checked out!

I'm saying a prayer for you that all is well. I'll keep watching for an update.

Bobbi said...

Yikes! I hope everything turns out ok. Update when you can

Nadine said...

sorry hun, a woman with sucky ovaries I can tell you the pain can be intense (I could not WALK when I stimmed for the iui from pain - but I have endo and was growing cysts). Because you ahve arleady had your ER - maybe going to emerg is a good idea (where is hte harm). But i can see why you would not want to - if you can not function - go to the hosptial - a quick scan and you will know how everything is.
hugs, hang in there.

Noelle said...

Just a thought...maybe a kidney stone? I often get them, and I often confuse the pain for ovary pain when it really is a stone. The pain can be in the areas that you described. I hope everything gets better!

Caroline said...

Niki - I'm glad the Doctor checked you out and you are OK. It sounds like it was pretty scary.

M said...

i'm glad to hear that all is well. did they say anything about fluid around the ovaries? i had recent bout with ohss, your pain sounds similiar. plus the nausea goes with that too. although i doubt it is since they didn't say anything...

Nadine said...

Fluid around the ovaries is heLL HELL HELL (I was hosptialized for 4 days with a leaking endometrioma and stuck on a moriphene drip)... it can be seriously painful - so take it easy and let yourself heal. Glad it is not a torision, hoping it is just a little drama on the road to great news.

Niki said...

I never thought about the fluid around the ovary. The u/s tech did mumble something about noticing the fluid here, so maybe that's what she was referring to?! Hmm...I'll mention this to my RE tomorrow.

Crystal said...

I have had several cysts rupture.. and yes it does hurt pretty badly. I've been curled up crying before from the pain. :( I'm glad it went away!!! Good luck on the transfer.. thinking of you always...

Anonymous said...

You poor thing. I am glad you are alright - you did the right thing by going.

I have had two cysts rupture - both during sex to Mr. M's embarrassment - and for both he had to take me to the ER it hurt so, so, so badly. The most painful feeling was feeling like my asshole was going to explode - sorry for being so vulgar but that is how it felt.

This is way TMI but the sex was "normal" sex - but my diagnoses on my paperwork and on the computer when I look at my history is "painful sexual act for female" Poor Mr. M. I told him if it happens again, they will probably arrest him!

SMK said...

OMG Niki I am so glad to hear that you are ok. Last IVF after the transfer I woke up vomiting and in excutiating pain and they brought me into the clinic and monitored me for hours... It was terrible I haven't had that kind of pain again... and then 3 hours later just after my u/s the pain went to cramps and I still to this day have no idea what did it. I still say that is why I was unsuccessful... I am soooo glad you are ok and that your little embies are going into K so you can take care of yourself!! I have also had cyst rupture and the pain was bad as well. I think your poor ovaries have just been through soo much. Rest and take care!!! I am thinking of you and I will be checking all day tomorrow to make sure you are still ok!! I worry!! You know I worry!!!

Anonymous said...

Niki-

I had ovarian torsion and needed my right ovary removed. Not to scare you, but more to explain to you what happened...

After my IVF I had the exact same pain you mentioned, and after three u/s's, on three separate days, the RE concluded that I had a few cysts that had burst.

I went on to work one day, and wound up falling to the floor in pain, throwing up all over the place, and I had a fever.

Was admitted to the hospital and they did lap on me. The RE said that's the only way they can tell if you have ovarian torsion, because it looked like I had good blood flow on the u/s's. It turns out my ovary had wrapped around the tube 5 times! Ugh! They operated on me the same day.

Please go to the emergency room if the pain continues, and insist on lap if you get the "cyst" response.

(((HUGS!!!)))

Please take care and email me if you have any questions about ovarian torsion.

Thinking of you!

Dara

*Katie* said...

I just had one rupture three days ago. talk about painful! i cried and went in the bathroom to take a hot shower wile my hubby was sitting on the toilet saying "Whats wrong" over and over... I ended up telling him to just be quite and bail the extra water out of the tub (we have a propane water heater but a slow draining tub so that would be the only reason I would have to get out, not the hot water running out) it has happened before and i went to the doctor and the pain was gone so i know what you mean about being embarrassed.

Cristina said...

I have had many cysts rupture in my life and they are incredibly painful, just like you are describing. I would put the pain up there with labor. After they rupture the pain goes away very quickly. I am no doctor, but I think that might be what it is.

Jaymee said...

OUCH!! so happy that it was nothing too serious. sorry you were in so much pain. HUGS

Shantay said...

LONG- sorry! I had my ovary tort in 2007. The worse pain in my entire life! It was mild at first and just excalated from there. I thought at first maybe I have kidney stones. I went to a local walk in clinic and my urine was fine, but it prolly was kidney stones they said. That was at 3. By 5:30 I was home and could barely keep my head up I was in so much pain. Called for someone to take me to the ER. The ER doctor did some tests... mentioned a cyst b/c it the ovary looked inlarged and gave me meds for pain and sent me home. All of that on Wed. I was in so much pain I never left my bed (other that 5 ft to the restroom) from Thurs 1am - Mon... for an OB appt. He had no clue what it could be. Girl I was in so much pain for so long I felt delirious. I just kept saying it has to do with my hormones. I could feel that much... Tues they scheduled exploritory surgery. I was so dehydrated by then too. Needless to say, I work up from surgery to see a hugh 'c-sec' type scar and to learn they extracted one of my ovaries and there were NO cysts! :( Still makes me sad to think of all the pain and time wasted that the doctors could have done something about it. I went at the 1st sign of pain. Stay on them if you continue feeling pain!

Shantay said...

A lot of misspelling in my post! lol

I wanted to add... at first the pain came and lifted... 3-8-2-7-3-8 type of scale. After 24 hours it was an 11 without meds... no joke! It was a 7 with prescription meds.

Poppy said...

Niki...so glad you are ok.

My daughter just had an ovarian cyst rupture about 3 wks ago. She described it as the absolute worst pain she had ever felt, she was hot, clammy, nauseous and felt faint. Her BF took her to an urgent care. They did a CAT scan and saw fluid in her pelvic cavity. They put her on two antibiotics and scheduled her a follow up with a GYN for the next day. They also gave her vicodin, which she took and it knocked her out. She saw the GYN the next day, feeling much better upon awakening. The conclusion was she'd had a cyst rupture. My daughter is almost 24 and never had any gyn issues before. I hope this was not a harbinger of things to come!

Take it easy and congrats on the two beautiful embryos transferred :)

Fingers crossed!

Karma & Adam said...

Glad to hear all is ok! I have had a ruptured cyst and it was one of the most painful things I've ever been through (and I have had my share!) Hope you're feeling better.