Breast cyst

[thekarens]

Ablation won't do anything for erratic/short cycles, FYI. If I didn't hate the way BCPs kill my libido I'd be back on them. At 42 my cycles are stupid short (21-24 days, typically), but I bleed for a solid 8 days. After ablation my periods are mostly spotting, but it's still a PITA being visited by AF so much.

I guess it affects everyone differently. I have 2 coworkers who had it done and neither of them has had a cycle since.

BC has the same effect on me, but it's worth it not to have have those heavy short cycles. However, it's not worth breast cysts.

[zoom-zoom]

I guess it affects everyone differently. I have 2 coworkers who had it done and neither of them has had a cycle since.

They're still having cycles, even if they're not bleeding (but I envy their total lack of flow...lucky!! Mine is greatly reduced, but still there). Short of removing ovaries there's no way to actually stop the hormonal cycle before menopause, unfortunately. I suspect I've been battling perimenopause for nearly a decade, already (IIRC I was ~35 when my cycles went from ~26-28 days to 24-26...and now <24) so I hope I'll stop with the cycles nonsense early. I almost certainly had endo since my first period at 12 (heavy bleeding, severe pain)...wasn't diagnosed until my tubal at age 30. My doc tried me on 10 days/cycle of 200mg Prometrium for a few months to help regulate things, but it didn't do squat. Fortunately I otherwise feel great and haven't had any other issues, am just tired of the inconvenience of it all.

I wish I could remember if my first cysts were while on BCPs. I think they probably were, but I don't know if they were due to the hormones or not. 2nd time I wasn't on BCPs, I don't think. Not sure how wonky my hormones would have been while lactating, though. I didn't get my periods back until DS was maybe 9 months old and I think the cysts came and went around the time he was maybe 6 months old.

[thekarens]

They're still having cycles, even if they're not bleeding (but I envy their total lack of flow...lucky!! Mine is greatly reduced, but still there). Short of removing ovaries there's no way to actually stop the hormonal cycle before menopause, unfortunately. I suspect I've been battling perimenopause for nearly a decade, already (IIRC I was ~35 when my cycles went from ~26-28 days to 24-26...and now <24) so I hope I'll stop with the cycles nonsense early. I almost certainly had endo since my first period at 12 (heavy bleeding, severe pain)...wasn't diagnosed until my tubal at age 30. My doc tried me on 10 days/cycle of 200mg Prometrium for a few months to help regulate things, but it didn't do squat. Fortunately I otherwise feel great and haven't had any other issues, am just tired of the inconvenience of it all.

I wish I could remember if my first cysts were while on BCPs. I think they probably were, but I don't know if they were due to the hormones or not. 2nd time I wasn't on BCPs, I don't think. Not sure how wonky my hormones would have been while lactating, though. I didn't get my periods back until DS was maybe 9 months old and I think the cysts came and went around the time he was maybe 6 months old.

I can't blame you for hating the inconvenience. I'd hate it too. That's a major PITA.

I never had problems until my 40s and then my cycles went wonky with the heavy irregular bleeding, which is why I got put on the BCP. To my knowledge I've never had a breast cyst or if I did it was small and I never noticed. Certainly I never had pain in the past.

[OakLeaf]

Ow. Hope you get it sorted ASAP.

[Crankin]

The wonky cycles are a normal part of perimenopause. I started with that when I was around 37-38 and was miserable for 10 years, when my periods stopped at age 48. My already horrible PMS (physical symptoms) got worse. I did have a breast cyst when I was around 33, but after a mammo and an aspiration, nothing came of it and it's never returned.
Glad to be done with all of that! The worst thing was, my periods stopped for 11 months, twice! I thought I was done and then it started up again. Hot flashes were nothing compared to the PMS that i suffered with almost 2 weeks out of every month.