Need to see a specialist after a diagnosis of polycystic liver disease

I told my internist I was unusually feeling full after only small meals. CT led to diagnosis of PLD - December 2022. Largest cyst was about 9 cm. He confidently referred me to a GI doc for eval. GI doc sent me to a surgeon to have it drained. A month later, it was back. GI sent me back to surgeon for a procedure that was supposed to break down the cyst wall so it wouldn't come back. 2 days before that procedure, I lifted something heavy (gardening) and instantly got a severe pain in my upper abd. Having been a nurse for 40 years, I knew something bad had happened. Went to ED. CT showed bleeding into the predominant cyst. Bleeding & pain stopped. This got the 2nd surgery done the next day. A couple months later I had an ultrasond to evaluate a coincidental finding of portal hypertention. BTW, ALL my labs including liver & kidney fx are completely normal, I rarely drink anything alcohol- I'm healthy otherwise.The US showed the cyst was back. I went back to my internist and asked for a liver specialist. He agreed because he "didn't know how we should follow up." There are none locally. The closest one is about an hour away (I'm lucky but should have gone there first). I made an appt and went last week-8 months of worrying.
The liver specialist looked over everything. Labs, MRI, CT, reports, history, etc. My symptoms had abated but I knew the cyst (and the rest, and the fewer number in my kidneys. And what about the portal hypertension? The local doctors said "we don't treat that."
Relief at the hepatologist: (paraphrased): Your liver is normal in size- it's not enlarged enough to have any worry at all. You do not have portal hypertension- a lab tech had to note that the measurement was very slightly over normal but that doesn't mean you have it. Those 2 procedures you had to drain the cyst never work-they always come back. It is extremely rare to need a transplant. You don't need to worry about this PLD- come back if anything changes." I was hugely relieved, yet more than a little aggravated to have had to unnecessary surgeries. And annoyed at having had to wait and push for a specialist who could have saved me months of worry. If I hadn't had great insurance, I would have wasted over $40K, which the doctors and hospital system made off their ignorance.
Moral: If you find out you have something unusual, demand a specialist immediately. Doctors are incented NOT to make referrals outside their system. You have to ask & advocate for yourself. I should have known this.
I started this group at the beginning of this year since I knew nothing about PLD. There is no known family history (though obviously it's been there- it is known to be passed as an autosomal dominant condition. I heard from one person who'd had a transplant, and have heard of one other from the specialist. That is rare- I'm sorry for you who have needed this (it happens) but for others, it may only be a benign finding. Make sure you see a liver specialist. Also, I may be eligible for a research study on a new drug under development, which is designed to reduce the fluid in kidney cysts- polycystic kidney disease is much more serious matter.