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SO YOU HAVE A DERMOID OVARIAN CYST


IF YOU'VE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH HAVING A DERMOID OVARIAN CYST (AKA A MATURE
TERATOMA TUMOUR) AND YOU'RE FINDING IT HARD TO ACCESS INFORMATION AND SUPPORT,
THIS LITTLE WEB PAGE IS FOR YOU. 





6 FACTS ABOUT YOUR LITTLE FRIEND





TABITHA TERATOMA


THIS CUTE CREATION IS BY LUCYLOVEBISCUIT. TERATOMA IS ANOTHER NAME FOR THIS TYPE
OF CYST. IT MEANS "MONSTER" IN GREEK. NOTE THE TEETH AND HAIR ON TABITHA! YEP,
THESE AREN'T UNCOMMON TO APPEAR IN THE DERMOID CYST.


LONG LOST TWIN?


WELL, NOT QUITE. YOU WERE BORN WITH THE DERMOID CYST AND IT'S BEEN SLOWLY
GROWING WITH YOU EVER SINCE. THINK OF IT LIKE A GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM WHEN ALL OF
YOUR BODY'S CELLS ARE FIGURING OUT WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.


PASS THE SCALPEL


YOUR DERMOID CYST MIGHT NEED TO BE SURGICALLY REMOVED IF IT'S GETTING TOO BIG OR
CAUSING PROBLEMS. SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS.


A BIG LITTLE PROBLEM


THE REASON DERMOID CYSTS NEED TO BE REMOVED IS BECAUSE THEY CAN GROW SO BIG THAT
THEY POSE A THREAT TO YOUR REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM AND GENERAL HEALTH: SUCH AS AN
OVARIAN TORSION.


BODY BITS


SIMILAR TERATOMAS CAN ALSO GROW IN OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY, LIKE THE HEAD AND
NECK, THE TAILBONE AND IN THE TESTES FOR MEN. WHO SAYS WE WOMEN GET TO HAVE ALL
THE FUN?


UNCOMMONLY COMMON


A 2016 ARTICLE STATES THAT OVARIAN DERMOID CYSTS ACCOUNT FOR 70% OF ALL BENIGN
OVARIAN MASSES AFFECTING FEMALES IN THEIR REPRODUCTIVE YEARS.


EVIDENCE BASED TOOLS AND OTHER RESOURCES


THE BORING BITS

This general information is no substitute for individual health advice from your
medical team. Your health outcomes and experiences are unique to you. This page
is here as an unauthorised added resource only — to help you feel less alone at
this very weird time!



👩‍⚕️ Cognitive Behavioural (CBT) and other 'Talk' Therapy with a registered
psychologist

Right now you might be in a time of peak stress, compounded by chronic (ongoing)
pelvic pain.

CBT is a type of therapy that's been shown to improve how people suffering from
chronic pain feel. It can teach you ways to interrupt unhelpful thoughts and
improve your self-talk patterns so that the way you perceive your pain becomes
less intense and, as a result, your pain becomes more manageable. 

Talk to your doctor about options for accessing a psychologist who offers CBT
and other therapies.




🏃‍♀️ Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy 👯‍♀️

In most cases, there's no harm in continuing your existing exercise regime while
waiting for surgery. Your doctor may advise you to take a break from any jumping
movements, high intensity exercise, or horse riding. This is because these
jumpy/stop-start movements could put you more at risk for an ovarian torsion
which will require emergency surgery.





OTHER STUFF THAT MIGHT HELP


🥣 🧡 TURMERIC


CURCUMIN IS THE MAIN NATURAL POLYPHENOL THAT'S ACTIVE INSIDE THE TURMERIC PLANT.
THE CURCUMIN IS ALSO WHAT PACKS THE BIGGEST ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PUNCH. IF YOU'RE
TRYING TO REDUCE IBUPROFEN OR OTHER OVER-THE-COUNTER PAIN MEDICATIONS, IT MIGHT
BE WORTH TRYING A SUPPLEMENT LIKE CURCUMIN/TURMERIC.

CURCUMIN: A REVIEW OF ITS’ EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTH IS A RESEARCH ARTICLE THAT
GOES INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT THIS POLYPHENOL. THERE ARE LOTS OF OPTIONS AVAILABLE
AT THE PHARMACY THAT OFFER GOOD FORMULATIONS AT A HIGH THERAPEUTIC DOSE.




🔥 HOT IN HERE


HEAT RELAXES YOUR MUSCLES AND CAN SOOTH ACUTE CRAMPS AND PAINS, JUST LIKE WITH
PERIOD PAIN. TRY ANY HEAT METHOD THAT'S SAFE AND EASY, LIKE A HOT WATER BOTTLE
OR HEAT PACK.




🤰PREGNANCY PILLOW


THIS MAY BE USEFUL IF YOUR PELVIC PAIN IS DISRUPTING YOUR SLEEP AND CAUSING YOU
TO TOSS AND TURN IN DISCOMFORT. THESE ARE EASY TO FIND ONLINE AND COME IN A LONG
U-SHAPE, ALLOWING YOU TO PROP UP YOUR LEG AND EASE YOUR PELVIC AREA.







💚 CBD OIL


THERE ARE RECENT STUDIES SHOWING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CANNABIS FOR MANAGING
CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN. CBD IS THE NON-"HIGH" PART OF THE CANNABIS PLANT (UNLIKE
THC). RIGHT NOW, CBD OIL REMAINS PRESCRIPTION-ONLY AND PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE
IN AUSTRALIA, SO WHILE IT COULD BE AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO SELF-MANAGE YOUR PAIN,
IT'S NOT EASY TO GET YOUR HANDS ON. THERE IS OF COURSE PLENTY OF CBD OIL TO BE
FOUND ONLINE IN THE UNREGULATED MARKET – BUT THIS IS NOT LEGAL AND PUTS YOU AT
RISK OF RECEIVING A POOR QUALITY PRODUCT. AGAIN, SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND
CONTINUE YOUR RESEARCH IF YOU THINK THAT CBD COULD BE WORTHWHILE FOR YOU.


ABOUT THIS PAGE


WHO WROTE THIS?

👋 Hi. I'm Beth. I am a patient who had a 9 cm dermoid ovarian cyst successfully
removed by laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery in 2022.

While I had a very fortunate and textbook surgery, my wait in the lead up to
surgery was isolating and anxiety-provoking. I also experienced an initial
misdiagnosis in hospital, and had to advocate for myself through a difficult
process – with the help of a good referring GP and specialist team.

I worried about being able to keep my ovary, about my pain continuing, and about
my reproductive outcomes. Worst of all, trusty Dr. Google wasn't coming through
with the goods… I couldn't find any info online that was clear and relatable. So
I made this little page in the hope that one day another person with ovaries
will click on it at the right time, and their experience will be easier. 

My inbox is open to anyone who just wants to chat about this topic or has
questions I can help with 📨

Get in touch