Women's health is all important

It has been raining on and off the past few weeks all over Jakarta, and apparently there is some more rain in store, which, is a good thing. I personally love it when it rains because it cools the weather down a lot at night.

Anyway, two weeks ago my colleague was diagnosed with Ovarian Cysts. Ovarian Cysts is a benign tumor that grows in or on the ovaries. Many women are not aware that they have developed ovarian cysts as they often come with no noticeable symptoms at all. Unlike my Endometriosis problem which is always followed by constant acute pain. In my case, the pelvic pain was so unbearable, they often affected my daily activities. After the surgery I felt a little better even though I had a recurrence endo a few months later!!! But now my endo pain is relatively not as bad as before the surgery, as long as I control my diet.

Back to my friend's story. She began having pains in her lower abdomen for the last 2-3 months. These pains were not like regular stomach ache, she developed a severe pain, spasms, and a constant urge to go the bathroom. She thought these pains could be an ulcer problem; therefore, she did not go to see the gynecologist. The doctor said there's nothing to worry about, her uterus good and prescribed with some meds and vitamins. But she continued to have severe pains under her belly button like someone sticking a lot of needles, and it all hurt too much. Soon to follow, her period also stopped. I suspected all the while she had developed Endometriosis or something close to that judging from her symptoms. Prior to this, she never have had any problem with her periods.

She finally went to see a gynecologist and had an ultrasound which showed a multiple of cysts large and small on both of her ovaries. Her gynecologist said if the suspected mass was smaller, he could try to treat it with medication but since it is quite big, then they would need to have surgery to remove it. He said she was lucky that this cyst hadn’t popped since the gyn saw some suspected fluid surround her ovaries. She is scheduled for a surgery next Monday morning.

Symptoms of Ovarian Cysts :

* Abdominal bloating and pain.
* Feeling of fullness, even after a light meal (cannot eat normally).
* Feeling a frequent or urgent need to pee.
* Back pain.
* Unexplained weight loss or gain.

Take action if any of the above symptoms last more than 2-3 weeks or increase over time.

As a woman we are often told that 'women's problem' is something we have to put up with. Very often we either ignoring the symptoms or attempting self-treatment…hoping they will go away, but we can’t ignore the problems and pain forever. If you believe you may be suffering from ovarian cysts or need a better explanation, then consult a doctor. If you have not heard of it then try to find out the informations from the internet, or the books. Am sure my dear friends Nursy Fe and NursyE can explain this better.

*picture courtesy of Health