GnRH injection questions

[Eleanorbargates]

As I’ve put in past posts, I have a 10cm cyst growing on my right ovary. I’ve been put on a 6 month waiting list for keyhole surgery, but between now and waiting for my surgery my Gynaecologist wants me to start having the GnRH injection. How does this effect you? Will it is cause harm long term when I start having children? And does it actually stop the cyst getting bigger?

Thanks xx

[Anonendolady]

Hi. 10cm is a significant size for a cyst on your ovary. Do they think it’s an endometrioma or another type of cyst? I have suffered endometriomas as large as this before and I personally found at this size and even smaller it was sheer agony.

I have also had gnRh injection (zoladex) whilst waiting for surgery to remove but unfortunately the cyst still ‘grew’ in this time so it didn’t stop it getting bigger in my case or even shrink them. So be warned that this could happen. Menopausal symptoms (without any hrt add back) from the injections can be quite hard to cope with! I suffered the hot flushes, insomnia and rotten headaches too.

I’m surprised you are having to wait 6 months for removal as cysts this big can cause 1. Significant pain, but 2. Increase risk of ovarian torsion. 3. Further damage to the ovary itself if left and the cyst does grow bigger.

Can you push for it to be removed sooner? I had to really fight for surgery and complained to pals on one occasion ..lt did result in surgery date being bought forward.

[Eleanorbargates]

Thank you for your reply x yeh it’s a 10cm endometriosis cyst. I really don’t want to go on zoladex for those reasons. I don’t want to mess up my hormones even more and then find the cyst is still growing. I am waiting for my ca-125 blood results to come back and then might have to have MRI. I have found a private endometriosis centre in London, so if I do actually have to wait 6 months with the NHS I might have to pay to get it removed ASAP. Every day is a struggle. I’ve also been signed off work for two weeks, yet I know I’m not “going to be better” when I get back.

[Anonendolady in reply to Eleanorbargates]

Feel for you. I would advise seeing your GP to see if they can write a letter to say how your pain is increasing and you being off work etc, see if they can get the surgery done more urgently? Or contact PALS.

I’ve had this with something else and got into surgery quicker than anticipated thanks to the letter from my Gp. Also GP was going to send me to the hospital when the pain was getting unbearable, so although I might have only got pain management ... it could have been classed as more urgent had I been assessed perhaps!!!

You shouldn’t have to consider paying privately when suffering so much, but I have been there myself so can relate. Hope you can get sorted xx