shrink cysts

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Permalink Reply by SheenaB83 on January 8, 2010 at 12:03am

I had PCOS all through my teens and took birth control to shrink the cysts. Later, the doctors told me about this new type of birth control and said I should take the DEPO(depro vera) shot, a birth control injection. This was suppose to keep me from having a menstrual cycle... no cycle, meant not egg to be passed, no egg, meant no cyst, no cysts meant less stress, less pain...but I had adverse effects. I bleed for 8months straight, some days lighter than other but I bleed every day for 8MONTHS! The doctors said there was nothing they could do, they had to let the Depo shot take it's course. It is irreversible once you take it. This shot caused my body to hemorrhage, shedding the lining of uterus for months causing scaring on my uterus and cervix. Turning my PCOS to stage 1 ovarian cancer and Precancerous Cells on my cervix. The doctor said it wasnt bc of the shot, but I have researched and have read where other girls and other woman have had the same thing happen to them.
Later I found out I was estrogen Dominate and that the healthy foods I was eating to get my body back into a healthy state were actually hurting me. I had Ovarian cancer a 2nd time at 20... It took me years of pain and lots of research to find 1 doctor that could tell me what my problem was. And it made since. After my first experience, i freaked out and started eating really healthy. So I thought. I stopped drinking milk bc of the hormones in it and drank soy milk.. and ate more Organic raw veggies, and ate more greek and Mediterranean foods. Little did I know it was all bad for me, due to High levels of ESTROGEN> And now I can't eat carrots, chick peas(hummus), rosemary, oregano, Soy, Carrots, black licorice, there are many foods and herbs that are high in Estrogen. So I join this site to learn more about my health and to help educate others about what I know. Please find out if you are estrogen dominate. this may be what is causing the cysts. You can eat foods to counteract the estrogen levels and with regular exercise you can cure the problem yourself. I will never take birth control ever again. I havent in 5 years and I have been Cancer free for 5years.:) good luck to you and your research!

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on January 28, 2010 at 4:26pm

Finally_a_Mom, thanks for the great discussion topic. Not only has it hit a personal nerve with SheenaB83, it has done the same for me!

I was a late bloomer - not starting my period until I was 16 - and I am, as an adult, thankful that they didn't start earlier, because I began dealing with ovarian cysts soon after starting menstruation. After two visits to the emergency room (which were emotionally, as well as financially traumatic as we had no health insurance) my mom took me to her gynecologist to learn what was going on. 

While I was never formally diagnosed with poly-cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), my new gynecologist was pretty sure that was the case; she started me immediately on Alesse; a combination birth control pill to prevent ovulation (therefore preventing the release of an egg and preventing the growth of cysts). She told me then that women who use a combination pill do have a modestly decreased risk of developing functional ovarian cysts. However, she was also clear that many doctors disagree with the use of birth control pills to control ovarian cysts as there is also research which shows cysts shrink at the same pace with or without birth control pills.

If you have previously been pregnant (which I might assume because of your user name :)), a cyst may develop as your body tries to first ovulate after months of slumber while being pregnant or breastfeeding. Sometimes the only thing that will clarify this, though, is time; which isn't always fun. You can also get an ultrasound to see if the cysts continue to grow or are even still there.

Do you know which kind of cysts you're dealing with? The most common ovarian cyst is referred to as a follicular cyst; a thin-walled cyst which easily ruptures and causes transient pain. Birth control pills may suppress gonadotropins (hormones) in your body which could shrink the already present cysts.

For years, Alesse (and then later, Ortho Tri-cyclen) helped keep my ovarian cysts to a minimum, and so I can attest to the personal success. However, every woman's body is different, and I've recently had to make a birth control switch due to a contraindication between migraines with aura and estrogen, and I don't quite know whether the progesterone-only pill I've been put on will help with the cysts. Only time will tell.

If you do choose to take a birth control pill to help prevent or shrink ovarian cysts, be sure to talk to your physician about your FULL personal health history so that he or she knows exactly which treatment would be most suitable to you.

Also, keep in mind the following ACHES symptoms while on birth control pills:

Abdominal pain - if it is severe or persistent, it may be a sign of blood clots in the pelvis or liver, liver tumors or gallbladder disease.

Chest pain - a sign of blood clots in the lungs; smoking increases this risk.

Headaches - if severe, it could be a sign of a stroke, migraine or hypertension; smoking also increases this risk

Eye problems - blurred vision or a loss of vision may signal of a migraine, blood clot in the eye or a change in the shape of your cornea

Severe leg pain - may be a sign of leg blood clots or deep vein thrombosis

Read more about how to treat ovarian cysts at Ovarian Cysts PCOS and at WebMD if you haven't already. Best of luck in making your decision!

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