I know you're not my doctor, but my ovary is goofy.
July 29, 2008 11:26 AM Subscribe
What's up with my ovary? I had an ultrasound this morning and on the picture of my left ovary there was a long, thin, very squiggly line. I asked the technician but she said she couldn't tell me anything and that the doctor would call me in a week. A week?! I could be dead by then!
(The ultrasound appointment was prompted by several irregular periods and some minor pain in my lower left abdomen.)
(The ultrasound appointment was prompted by several irregular periods and some minor pain in my lower left abdomen.)
Very unlikely worst case scenarios: tumor or ectopic pregnancy. The problem, of course, is that the squiggly line just isn't giving you a lot of info. Much more likely (~99%) that banannafish is right, and you're dealing with cysts.
If you're worried, call the doctor and let him know that you've had the imaging done, and that you're scared. He/She might move you to the front of the line, so to speak.
posted by Citrus at 11:40 AM on July 29, 2008
If you're worried, call the doctor and let him know that you've had the imaging done, and that you're scared. He/She might move you to the front of the line, so to speak.
posted by Citrus at 11:40 AM on July 29, 2008
A week?! I could be dead by then!
No... if it was emergent they certainly wouldn't send you home for a week.
posted by rokusan at 11:41 AM on July 29, 2008
No... if it was emergent they certainly wouldn't send you home for a week.
posted by rokusan at 11:41 AM on July 29, 2008
With all due respect, you are not going to get a helpful answer to this on AskMe. Very few people here have medical training of any sort, and no one has access to your ultrasound result and your medical history. You will either get anecdotal information from people who have seen something similar, or wild guesses from people who have no idea what they are talking about - which can result in either unnecessary alarm ("OMG my aunt had the same thing and it turned out to CANCER!!!") or ill-founded reassurance ("I had a squiggly line too and it was nothing").
If you are truly anxious about this, then call your doctor and insist that you talk to him/her.
posted by googly at 11:41 AM on July 29, 2008
If you are truly anxious about this, then call your doctor and insist that you talk to him/her.
posted by googly at 11:41 AM on July 29, 2008
Response by poster: Duh, I didn't even think of calling. I just left a message and expect a return call this afternoon. Thank you.
posted by orangemiles at 12:19 PM on July 29, 2008
posted by orangemiles at 12:19 PM on July 29, 2008
Is it possible that it was a blood vessel? IANAD but I think I've seen scans in which vessels and veins were visible... that's the first thing that leapt to mind when I read your question.
posted by mistsandrain at 12:19 PM on July 29, 2008
posted by mistsandrain at 12:19 PM on July 29, 2008
An ectopic pregnancy can be a surgical emergency; they would not send you home for a week with one. Many of the other suggestions here would appear on an ultrasound as thin squiggly lines. There are many structures, both normal and abnormal, that could show up as squiggly lines. Googly really has the best answer so far.
posted by TedW at 12:27 PM on July 29, 2008
posted by TedW at 12:27 PM on July 29, 2008
No, you are not going to die in a week or less from a squiggly line on your ovary. Could be a cyst, which is common. Could be endometriosis, ditto, though more problematic and a real pain to deal with long-term (trust me on this). Extremely unlikely that it is an ectopic pregnancy since they didn't give you any immediate urgent care.
Stay calm and nag at the doctor until you feel you have an answer that makes sense logically.
posted by misha at 1:15 PM on July 29, 2008
Stay calm and nag at the doctor until you feel you have an answer that makes sense logically.
posted by misha at 1:15 PM on July 29, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by banannafish at 11:34 AM on July 29, 2008