Endometriomas

@candybeason45 'm thinking that you read about the complex cystic masses and endometrial thickness in a pathology report. Is that correct? It is very scary to read this information and wonder what is happening in your body.
Have you talked with your doctor who ordered these tests? It's difficult to decipher the information in a report without your medical history that your doctor has. We aren't medical professionals on Mayo Clinic Connect. We can offer support and suggestions on how to get the information you need.

May I ask if you had symptoms such as bleeding or cramping and this is why the initial MRI was ordered? Here is information that pertains to what you've shared:

--Adnexal Tumors

--Ovarian endometrioma

When you talk with your doctor I hope they have a plan for treatment. Personally for me once I know what the plan is I do feel less anxious. Do you have an appointment with your doctor soon to discuss these results?

I had this MRI done to check for Maralgia parastetica in my leg and check for problems in my hip & that's how this was found. Dr said those are called incidental findings where u find things by accident. So the adnexal mass was found that I never knew I had until that MRI. The Dr had me do a ultrasound 2 months later which I did this last Thursday to see of it grew and it did. She was hoping it would shrink. And yes I read these results from my MRI and the Ultrasound I done. I never even know I had this on my ovary. I don't have any symptoms other than very irregular menstrual cycles. She referred me to an OB/GYN so I'm waiting to get an appointment with them.

@candybeason45 I read your post in the discussion started by @kirstinleigha on serous borderline ovarian tumor. You wrote there that you have surgery scheduled for the 28th. Is that February 28?

I'm thinking that you were shocked and upset when the MRI for the hip diagnosis of maralgia parastetica turned up another finding. This must greatly complicate your life and add to your stress level since I'm guessing that you already have considerable pain because of the hip/upper leg problem.

How are you feeling today? What do you do to ease your mind when it starts worrying about the upcoming surgery and what the results might be?

Yes ma'am it's on Feb 28 and if I told you I was not scared I would be telling a big lie. I still have a lot of hip pain on my left side, I don't have any pain from the tumor, I never knew it was there. When I went to the gynecologist yesterday he told me that it didn't look good & he's thinking it's cancer & I cried & he said it's gotta come out ASAP & he is doing a partial hysterectomy, have it tested while I'm on the table & if it's definitely cancer then he's doing the full hysterectomy & depending on if it's spread then do treatments. I'm so scared. So many thoughts r running thru my head. I've been crying since yesterday. I try not to think about it but it's so hard not to so it's hard for anything to ease my mind right now. I don't know what to do 😪

So sorry to hear about your problem...Sending you a big hug, good wishes and prayers!

@candybeason45 And if you told me this was not a big deal and you weren't scared at all - I'd wonder if that was true.

Truly this must be so shocking to hear from your doctor. You go to the doctor to address the hip pain. Chronic pain is so awful so it must have been encouraging to work with a doctor who addresses the problem. And now there's more that you had no idea was even there.

Being frightened in this situation is awful and at the same time seems like the emotion that would happen under these circumstances. What I'm trying to say is that being scared and anxious is a normal way for any of us to react. It's not a normal situation and it's also, for the present, ambiguous. You wrote that the surgeon will begin with a partial hysterectomy. My guess is that whatever tissue the surgeon removes will be quickly sent to pathology where they will examine it and get back to the surgeon quickly. At that point, the surgeon can decide if anything more needs to be done such a full hysterectomy. Does this sound about right. All the while you will be asleep and don't know what you'll wake up to.

When I had a hysterectomy after I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer I did know that my uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tube and cervix would all be removed. What I didn't know was whether the cancer was found outside my uterus. I found that out when I woke up in recovery. I let myself think about it and also decided to trust my surgeon and her team. This was not easy to do but I just kept reminding myself.

What did I do in the meantime? I took long walks (it was summer) and looked around me for what I was grateful for.

What do you like to do? Do you like warm baths? Going for walks? Cooking? Listening to music? I cleaned my house like crazy figuring I wouldn't be up to it after I got back home. There was something soothing about getting my house clean and ready for my return as if I was going on some exotic trip somewhere. Cleaning occupied my mind and body.

What are your thoughts telling you?

Yes your are definitely correct...he will send it to the pathologist & if it's bad which for some reason he thinks it is then he will do a full hysterectomy right there. So not knowing what I'm going to wake up to is so terrifying. It has my family so afraid right now. I have been trying to keep myself busy. I do like to cook & clean...I'm constantly cleaning a clean house lol but I love listening to music...it just gets me very emotional when I listen to it right now but I listen to it anyways because it's also soothing. I have 2 and a half weeks till my surgery and feels like I have a million things to do to prepare but actually I don't. Guess I'm just feeling overwhelmed. I'm truely scared. Cancer runs in my family alot on my dad's side and right now he's scared to death. To be honest my thoughts are telling me something is bad. I just have that gut feeling it's bad.

@candybeason45 Like you, I have been in a couple situations where things were found "incidentally" as the medical team was looking at something else. What a surprise to my systems, and like you, my head twirled in to big circles of "what if" and "how will I deal with this?!"

To pass the time I did alot of writing it out, getting the feelings out of my head, thoughts out as to what my future might be. Did my best to not "Dr. Google" and go down rabbit holes that there were no logical way out of. Took walks like you have, and found distractions in nature. Let a few friends know, who I could count on for support [this was before coming to Mayo Clinic Connect!] Thought of projects that might be on hold after surgery, and addressed them best I could beforehand. And did my level best to not think the worst outcome, no matter what I might be feeling. Our thoughts can influence what comes down the pike, so I didn't let them go to the negative. Focusing on the positive that even if it is bad, it was found before it got worse, and being grateful for that little blessing. Trusting my doctor, the surgeon, the pathology team.

Did it work for me? Yes. I have dealt with my different cancers and chronic conditions in all the same way. Was it easy? I won't lie and say "yes", but it was the tact that worked best for me. I hope this has given you some hope, and that I can be of assistance if you need me. Just reach out here or in PM.
Ginger

I basically told all of my friends and family & you really just don't know how much true support you have until you actually go through something scary in your life. I have alot of support. I've had phone calls, video chats, texts & fb messages it's unreal. So that makes me feel somewhat better & that everyone has my hand walking into this. I am guilty of Dr. Google I'm not gonna lie. Basically just trying to find ideas of what this could maybe be to give me a better understanding & ease my mind but it doesn't ease my mind. It points to so many different things, ovarian cancer, low grade epithelial ovary cancer, I mean the list goes on so it's frightening to read. And I can't get the Drs frightening words out of my head..."This is not good at all!" "Only option is partial abdominal and with the possibility of a full!" "The word solid to me makes me believe it's cancer, no tumor should be solid!" I mean that's frightening to me. I asked would I have to do chemo or radiation & he said depending on how advanced it is & that he won't know until he gets inside 😪 I do want to thank you for all your insight and encouragement to think positive when in fact it can be hard to. I'm trying to keep busy to keep my mind occupied. So glad tomorrow is Monday because I homeschool my 9 year old, this is our 3rd year so that will keep my mind off of it for some time. ❤️

Dear Candybeason45,

I am thinking of you and wondering if you are getting close to the date of your surgery or are still waiting. I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers and hoping that whatever news greets you after the surgery, you have support to help you manage it a moment at a time.