Well, as you know, it is ultimately her decision, and you can play an important role by:
1. Going to the doctor yourself when you experience pain (be a good role model)
2. Take care of your health and well-being, and encourage her to do the same (again with the role model ideal)
3. Provide her with information in a nurturing manner (timing is everything; wait for her to share her concern regarding her symptoms, and have information handy for her), so she can make an informed decision to go or not to go to the doctor.
Many women experience pain during their cycle, and it may be nothing to be concerned about. Pain can be associated with, or caused by, many different factors, but usually pain that has not been experienced before, and lasts more than a few days, and is described as "severe" should be medically evaluated by a doctor to rule out any medical conditions. In lieu of this "perfect scenario", here is information about an ovarian cyst and its symptoms (I'm wondering why she automatically assumed it was a cyst; does this condition run in her family?). If so, she is most likely being checked for this during annual exams with her Gynecologist (do you know when her next appointment is scheduled?). If she does not have one scheduled, and she needs to since she is sexually active on an annual basis, perhaps you can provide the motivation and positive reinforcement by taking her to her favorite place the evening of her appointment? :-)
Symptoms of Ovarian Cysts include:
Most ovarian cysts do not cause symptoms. When they do, pelvic pain and irregular menstrual bleeding are the two most common symptoms. Pain is usually caused by:
* Direct pressure from the cysts on the ovaries and surrounding structures
o This causes chronic pelvic fullness or a dull ache.
* Bleeding from a cyst into and around the ovary
o This causes more intense, sharp pain as the blood irritates the lining of the abdomen.
Pain may come and go on a regular basis. Or it may be more noticeable just before or after your period or during sex.
Other symptoms:
* Urinary discomfort associated with bladder pressure or irritation
* Nausea
* Diarrhea
Again, thanks for being concerned and helping your girlfriend take care of her health. You can show her the information you found, and she may not have these exact symptoms and want to do what is called "watchful waiting" (usually done by a doctor after a medical exam, but it works in this scenario) to see if symptoms re-appear.
The only last piece of advice I have, if she continues to have bothersome symptoms that cause her pain, worry and stress, is to talk with her about her fears of going to the doctor. Has she, or a family member, had a previous bad experience? Sometimes just having someone to vent to, and ease fears (or just listen without trying to "fix" the problems), is a huge help. Are her fears emotional, physical, financial or something else? You two can problem-solve together, if this is what she needs. Otherwise, she may have just experienced pain on a one-time-basis, and this can be common and nothing to be concerned about.
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Well, as you know, it is ultimately her decision, and you can play an important role by:
1. Going to the doctor yourself when you experience pain (be a good role model)
2. Take care of your health and well-being, and encourage her to do the same (again with the role model ideal)
3. Provide her with information in a nurturing manner (timing is everything; wait for her to share her concern regarding her symptoms, and have information handy for her), so she can make an informed decision to go or not to go to the doctor.
Many women experience pain during their cycle, and it may be nothing to be concerned about. Pain can be associated with, or caused by, many different factors, but usually pain that has not been experienced before, and lasts more than a few days, and is described as "severe" should be medically evaluated by a doctor to rule out any medical conditions. In lieu of this "perfect scenario", here is information about an ovarian cyst and its symptoms (I'm wondering why she automatically assumed it was a cyst; does this condition run in her family?). If so, she is most likely being checked for this during annual exams with her Gynecologist (do you know when her next appointment is scheduled?). If she does not have one scheduled, and she needs to since she is sexually active on an annual basis, perhaps you can provide the motivation and positive reinforcement by taking her to her favorite place the evening of her appointment? :-)
Symptoms of Ovarian Cysts include:
Most ovarian cysts do not cause symptoms. When they do, pelvic pain and irregular menstrual bleeding are the two most common symptoms. Pain is usually caused by:
* Direct pressure from the cysts on the ovaries and surrounding structures
o This causes chronic pelvic fullness or a dull ache.
* Bleeding from a cyst into and around the ovary
o This causes more intense, sharp pain as the blood irritates the lining of the abdomen.
Pain may come and go on a regular basis. Or it may be more noticeable just before or after your period or during sex.
Other symptoms:
* Urinary discomfort associated with bladder pressure or irritation
* Nausea
* Diarrhea
Again, thanks for being concerned and helping your girlfriend take care of her health. You can show her the information you found, and she may not have these exact symptoms and want to do what is called "watchful waiting" (usually done by a doctor after a medical exam, but it works in this scenario) to see if symptoms re-appear.
The only last piece of advice I have, if she continues to have bothersome symptoms that cause her pain, worry and stress, is to talk with her about her fears of going to the doctor. Has she, or a family member, had a previous bad experience? Sometimes just having someone to vent to, and ease fears (or just listen without trying to "fix" the problems), is a huge help. Are her fears emotional, physical, financial or something else? You two can problem-solve together, if this is what she needs. Otherwise, she may have just experienced pain on a one-time-basis, and this can be common and nothing to be concerned about.
December 13, 2009 - 9:20pmThis Comment
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