IVF and chocolate cysts

[zytajones]

I have a tough decision to make and none of the route is ideal. I had a persistent chocolate cyst (around 5cm) on my only working ovary. My AMH is extremely low for my age and last time they managed to collect only 4 eggs. In normal situation they advice to remove cyst of this size prior IVF but in my case surgery will remove the cyst but also will further decrease my AMH. IVF with the cyst is possible but have multiple risks also. Doctors from the clinics said they are slightly more in favour to leave it and try another round (it will be last round for me anyway).

I just want to know if any of you had an IVF with an ovarian cyst and what was the outcome?

Life really sucks

[JA-fnuk Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Thinking of you & hope everything goes well with your last cycle of treatmentGood luck

Janet

[zytajones in reply to JA-fnuk]

Cas4cat2020 thank you so much for your kind words! xxx

[Millbanks]

Hi lovely, that's a really tough decision. If the doctors are saying go ahead without removing it then I'd be inclined to do that. Can you to the egg collection / fertilisation then freeze all and then have the cyst removed before putting any embryos back? xx

[zytajones in reply to Millbanks]

Hey Millibanks,from what I understand freeze all and do it after removal wouldn't really help as it's the cyst which will impact the quality of eggs (if there will be any!) but I will definitely explore this topic more. Thanks for the hint!

And I think me and my husband decided that we will try it without cyst removal, I have a gut feeling somehow that tis is better route for me.

[Millbanks in reply to zytajones]

I think sometimes you just have to go with your gut… I found that it was often the right call!Wishing you lots of luck xx

[zytajones in reply to Millbanks]

Thank you Millibanks! xx

[Fudge1980]

Hey. This is a tough decision. I’ve had numerous cysts a dermoid and the one you have. I actually ended up having part ovary removed and both tubes in the end after numerous surgeries. so I totally understand your situation. Although this was when I started ivf about 5/6yrs ago aged 36ish. Had numerous operations and it did delay further fertility treatment. I’ve only just started again age 41 due to medical issues. I went for a baseline scan and they found a functional cyst that filled my abdomen but they managed to drain it to my relief! So for me if they are saying you can do treatment I would because losing partial ovary (and your only) would seriously hinder another round. I also know leaving it could also hinder a cycle too. Am so sorry your going through this it effing sucks!!! Huge hugs sent 💕

[zytajones in reply to Fudge1980]

Hey Fudge1980,I'm so sorry you are going through this hell as well. I'm so grateful that I wrote this post as you, all ladies, also helped me to make a decision. I think all leans towards to go ahead with a cyst, I believe this will give me best chance. I will keep you posted, I aim to start with my next period next month.

Good luck to you as well! xxx

[yellow987]

Hi! Unfortunately I am in exactly the same situation as you. A cyst on each ovary and also 38. At my last check I don’t have low AMH for my age (but low compared to someone younger!) but both my IVF doctor and an endo specialist still advised me to think very hard about whether I wanted surgery. The endo specialist wouldn’t advise either way (they said they both carry risks and I have to decide) and when I pushed my IVF doctor they advised against it. He thought removing the cyst could cause (slightly) more damage than going for an egg collection with the cysts as surgery will take good ovarian tissue away with it. I am not sure if I have made the right decision but will be going for egg collection without surgery, and like Millbanks suggestion, I will consider any surgery before implantation. I have had many sleepless nights over this so completely understand where you are coming from 😭Good luck with your decision 💕

[zytajones in reply to yellow987]

Hey Yellow987,thanks so much for your reply. It's really annoying when the doctors says: oh, the decision is yours, we are not really sure! Well, that's why we pay so much to them, so they can help us, as they are specialists, not us! And I'm so sorry that you need to go through this as well. It's so horrrible!

I decided to leave the cyst and go ahead, just like you, after talking with my husband, thinking of doctors' advice, thinking of your doctors' advice and reading tones of things on internet. I hope this is the right decision. I'm not having my hopes high, but I feel like I need to try this last time, and even if negative results, just be in peace with myself that I tried absolutely everything I could.

When do you start your treatment? I will start mine next month, it will be a long protocol as I respond quite ok to it.

I wish you luck!!!! xxx

[yellow987 in reply to zytajones]

Thank you!!

Arh, I am glad you have been able to come to a decision. Yes, that was exactly my thoughts - what are we paying the experts for if we are left to making our own decision?! I think because I expressed a similar frustration (!) to my ivf doctor, that was when I was finally able to get his opinion!! 😆I guess the reason they won’t provide clear advice is because the difference is marginal so I don’t think we can make a ‘wrong’ decision - like others have said, just follow our gut to decide what is the better route for us as individuals.Congratulations on the success with your little boy and I hope this round brings you his much longed for sibling 💕🍀

I plan to start on meds for my 2nd fresh cycle in January … all being well!x

[zytajones in reply to yellow987]

Haha I'm glad you managed to persuade the doctors to give you advice 🤪🤪🤪Thank you - going thorough all this shit is definitely easier knowing we got him.

Good luck for your cycle in January. Not long now and let's hope in both our cases we finally will be able to proceed further! Xxx

[Chel91]

Hi, I'm really sorry to hear about your situation. This process is so hard and unfair! Did you have laproscopy done before to remove endometriosis?

I'm in a somewhat similar situation where I'm trying to figure out whether to do a laproscopy surgery to remove endometriosis before my next fresh IVF cycle. My doctor feels that endometriosis (which accompanies the chocolate cysts) in some kind of way negatively affects the eggs in their development, reduces egg quality, affects implantation, amongst a number of things, and may be why I keep having unexplained RIF and low quality eggs. It is yet another hurdle to jump through after 5 failed transfers, but I'm hoping it may be worth it.

In your situation it's hard to know whether the benefits outweigh the risks, so it's a really hard choice to make. But perhaps if it's your last cycle it might be worth knowing that you threw everything at it so to speak? Best of luck with your cycle xx

[zytajones in reply to Chel91]

Hey Chel91,I'm so sorry to hear that you were unlucky so far and that you suffer from this horrible disease as well. It causes so much harm and pain, it's unbelievable.

Yes, I had a laparoscopy done to remove endometriosis and ovarian cysts back in 2015 and 6 months after I had my first fresh IVF cycle (and only free one on NHS) which was a jackpot and gave me my son who just turned 5. I had 4 frosties from this cycle also but none of those give me a sibling (2 were BFN an 2 were 5-6 weeks miscarriages). In a meantime I had a miracle pregnancy which turned out to be an ectopic one and ruptured and I ended up in an emergency surgery during which I lost the tube but also doctors said that the endometriosis is back and it's quite severe. But because at this point I had several surgeries in the past and because of my extremely low AMH they advised against any further surgery. They said it will cause more harm than good and this diagnose has been confirmed by another set of fertility specialists. I think decision about the surgery is really tailored for a specific patient, so what's not good in my case might be a very good option in your case.

I did decided that I will leave the cyst and try IVF with it. I believe that this way I have slightly more chances in success.

What's the waiting time for an op in your area? I hope you can do it quickly. In my area waiting time is around 1 year and if I would go for an op I wanted to do it privately abroad. Maybe it's something you would consider, just to speed up things?

Good luck! xxx

[Chel91 in reply to zytajones]

Glad you have come to a decision that is right for you, I think that is the main important thing! Sending lots of luck and positivity for your cycle! 💗

Thank you for the kind words! Yes, I'm going to have to do it privately unfortunately, I can't wait that long. I have a meeting with a specialist next month, and then I might get an idea of costs and time frame. Hopefully they can do it asap! xx

[zytajones in reply to Chel91]

Thank you very much, luck is needed very much here :)I hope your meeting will go well and they will be able to do it asap. I'm originally from Poland and that's where i was planning to do my op as the cost is max £1500 and specialists are brilliant as well. Let me me know if you would consider to do it abroad just to bring the cost down - I can always help with clinic choice or translations if needed.

I wish you luck and hopefully you we see a happy end xxx

[Jonesy84]

Hi lovely, I have endometriosis on my womb along with endometriomas on my ovaries and pelvic wall.I had surgery to remove a cyst 11 years ago which over time other cysts appeared. My first checkup for IVF I was 35 and my AMH was 6.8 they advised for me not to have surgery as they were concerned it would further reduced the AMH and were going to put me on a long protocol but in the end it was decided I had a short protocol.

My first round I got 9 eggs of which 5 fertilised. The frozen transfer worked for me. Wishing you all the best and I hope you get your BFP with this round xxx

[zytajones in reply to Jonesy84]

Hey Jonesy84,thanks for your message and I'm so glad to hear you were successful at the end. I was successful in the past as well, after having a surgery to remove endometriosis as it was causing me too much pain and I couldn't function normal. At this point my AMH was already low but we were lucky and hit the jackpot with my son. I was sure that we will have a sibling so quickly and now I see how naïve I was and how extremely lucky we were to have him in the first place!

I'm not having my hopes high now, but I just want to try again, and walk away from this in peace if I won't be successful.