Average Weight Gain with Ovarian Cyst

The average weight gain with ovarian cysts can be estimated by the number of cysts, the size of the cysts, and the duration of the cysts.

In women with a diagnosis of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), there needs to be a minimum of 12 cysts in their ovaries.

Most of these cysts are tiny and range from 2 mm to 9 mm. Most functional cysts are about 2 to 5 cm in size and can weigh up to 0.01 lbs. However, ovarian cysts can be huge and weigh up to 50 pounds.

What is an ovarian cyst?

An ovarian cyst is a sac filled with fluid that develops on or within an ovary. A woman’s lower belly has two tiny, oval-shaped structures called the ovaries (abdomen).

Each month, an egg is released from one of the ovaries. The hormones progesterone and estrogen are also produced by the ovaries. The menstrual cycle, breast development, and pregnancy are all affected by them.

Ovarian cysts come in a variety of varieties. They can arise from a variety of causes and may require varied treatments.

A cyst can range in size from half an inch to four inches, and on rare occasions, it can be considerably more significant.

Compared to women following menopause, women of childbearing age experience ovarian cysts much less frequently. Although it is less common, young girls might also have them.

Most ovarian cysts are benign, which is the majority. Due to their regular cycles, most women produce at least one cyst each month, however, some patients never even notice them.

However, when the cysts are too big, there are too many of them, or they simply don’t go away on their own. You can feel as if you’ve gained weight due to the cyst’s size.

Fortunately, such little cysts exhibit symptoms once they begin to disappear. You must see your gynecologist right once if they result in significant issues or discomfort.

What causes an ovarian cyst?

The causes of various ovarian cyst types vary. A functional cyst is the most typical kind of ovarian cyst.

Only women who have begun menstruating but haven’t reached menopause get functional ovarian cysts. Two categories of functioning cysts exist:

• Follicular cyst.

When an egg isn’t released, a cyst forms. Inside the ovary, it continues to grow.

• Corpus luteum cyst.

When the sac surrounding the egg doesn’t disintegrate after the egg is discharged, a cyst of this type forms.

A few other cyst forms and their causes are:

Old blood and tissue that resembles the uterine lining are contained within this cyst.

Due to the dark hue of the fluid inside of them, they are frequently referred to as “chocolate cysts.” Women who have endometriosis may experience these.

Eggs and ovarian cells form this cyst. They could contain fat, bone, teeth, hair, or skin. These cysts are typical in women who are ready to have children.

Cysts may also result from:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

PCOS can cause several little cysts in females. While there is no need to remove or medicate these cysts, women with PCOS may require therapy for other PCOS issues such as irregular menstrual cycles.

• Early in Pregnancy:

Early in pregnancy, an ovarian cyst typically forms to maintain the pregnancy until the placenta takes shape. The cyst on the ovary may occasionally persist until far later in the pregnancy.

• Chlamydia or another serious pelvic infection.

An abscess is another name for this kind of cyst. The ovaries and fallopian tubes may become infected as a result of serious pelvic infections. As a result, pus-filled cysts develop adjacent to the fallopian tubes or ovaries.

• Non-cancerous growths.
• Cancer (rare).

In premenopausal women, cancer is a relatively infrequent cause of ovarian cysts; less than 1% of new growths on or near the ovary are connected to ovarian cancer.

Postmenopausal women:

The most frequent causes of ovarian cysts in women who have ceased menstruating are:

• Noncancerous growths.
• Fluid accumulates inside the ovary.

New growths on or near the ovary are slightly more likely to be cancerous in postmenopausal women than in premenopausal women.

Average Weight Gain with Ovarian Cyst:

Women with an ovarian cyst can have either a single or a few ovarian cysts or they may have multiple ovarian cysts as a part of polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Women who have a single ovarian cyst can gain weight directly as a result of the cyst. The size of the cyst can directly add lbs to the weight.

A single cyst measuring 5 cm³ or 5 ml can have a weight of about 0.01 lbs. 5 ml is about the size of one teaspoon or one-third tablespoon. The embryo is 5 ml at six weeks.

For a cyst to weigh one lb, it must be around 500 ml in volume. This is equivalent to the volume of two glasses of water or two big apples.

How much does a 10 cm ovarian cyst weigh?

Ovarian cysts are not measured in cms. Because it is a spherical structure, it is measured in ml.

If an ultrasound shows 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm, it means the volume of the cyst is 1000 ml which is a huge cyst and can weigh up to 2.2 lbs or one kg.

A 10 cm³ may weigh around 0.02 pounds. This is the size of a small cyst found in people with PCOS.

However, when multiple cysts are present, the weight will add up. For example, twenty ovarian cysts of 10 ml each will weigh around 0.4 lbs.

How much does a 20 cm ovarian cyst weigh?

A 20 cm³ ovarian cyst is equivalent to 20 ml. Hence, the weight will be equivalent to 0.04 lbs.

If a person has 20 ovarian cysts each of 20 ml volume, the total weight will be equal to 0.8 lbs.

The average weight of an ovarian cyst based on the volume of the ovarian cyst in cm³ and ml is given in the table below:

In literature, huge ovarian cysts have been removed weighing more than 100 kgs. A few are mentioned here [Ref]:

• In 1922, a huge ovarian cyst weighing 149 kgs or 328 lbs was removed by Spohn.
• In 1963, Symmonds removed an ovarian cyst weighing 79.4 kgs or 175 lbs.
• Zamora in 1992, removed an ovarian cyst weighing 72 kg 0r 158.7 lbs.

Average Weight Gain with Ovarian Cyst in women with PCOS:

The size of an individual cyst does not matter these days. This is because, most women are diagnosed earlier and before the cyst reaches a considerable size, it is already excised by the surgeons.

However, small cysts in women with PCOS may be associated with considerable weight gain. This is because PCOS is a condition closely linked with metabolic syndrome.

People and especially women with metabolic syndrome have a tendency to gain weight. In the presence of PCOS, women have deranged hormones that add up to fluid retention and adiposity.

The most important hormones that are abnormally high in women with PCOS are Insulin and Testosterone.

Both these hormones are anabolic hormones and cause significant weight gain. In addition, these hormones are also responsible for irregular periods, acne, and excessive facial and body hair.

Most of the treatment strategies aim toward losing weight and reducing the levels of insulin and testosterone.

A woman with PCOS has an extra 10 lbs weight solely because of her medical condition.

What are some warning signs indicating your ovarian cyst is growing fast?

Ovarian cysts may grow slowly and go unnoticed. Sometimes rapid growth can result in rapid weight gain.

1. You feel extremely bloated

Swelling is a symptom, however, depending on the size, it may be associated with ovarian cysts. Many ladies will interpret that as weight increases.

However, the bulk developing in the stomach may be the source of discomfort and bloating.

Therefore, it’s a warning sign if the weight is only in your stomach because you would already be gaining weight.

2. You always experience satiety:

Ovarian cysts can provide a feeling of heaviness in the belly, just like uterine fibroids can. It could make you feel under strain.

Make an appointment with your gynecological doctor if your bathroom habits are normal but you’ve been experiencing these symptoms for two to three weeks.

3. Are you pregnant?

When an ovarian cyst grows rapidly and is huge in size, it may look like a pregnant belly. When an ovarian cyst grows rapidly or when it becomes huge, a person can feel it from the outside by palpating the lower abdomen.

It reminds me of one of our patients. She was a young unmarried girl who came to our hospital with a huge belly. She was unmarried but her belly looked like that of a pregnant woman.

The girl was very terrified as this is a social stigma for a young unmarried girl to become pregnant. An urgent ultrasound of the pelvis was ordered and she was diagnosed with a huge ovarian cyst.

In addition, to the huge belly that a person can feel from the outside, functional ovarian cysts may be associated with mood swings. This is because of the hormonal changes that occur with it.

What to do for weight gain with ovarian cysts?

If you have PCOD, weight gain could be a symptom or a side effect. To reduce weight, you must follow the basic rules of restricting calories and regular exercise.

Here are some recommendations to reduce PCOD issues, such as weight gain:

• Foods that have been processed or are junk food should never be consumed.

Change to a low-carbohydrate diet. Include a bowl of rice or wheat each day, such as chapati.

• Horse gram.

The ovaries can be stimulated well by horse gram. Try including this in your diet.

Use honey and jaggery instead of white sugar to replace them.

• Meat.

Red meat should be avoided, and fish is advised instead!

• Ghee:

Ghee is a healthy option among dairy products for this disease. Milk should only be consumed in moderation.

Also preferred is buttermilk. Use vegetable oil instead, like coconut or sunflower. Never cook with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

• Garlic and ginger:

Garlic and ginger are suggested as food items.

• Indian gooseberry.

A good fruit or plant that can be consumed every day to help stimulate ovaries is the Indian gooseberry.

Additionally, consuming a decoction made from black sesame seeds, dried ginger, pepper, and jaggery, along with 1 part of each and 4 parts of water, cooked and reduced to 1/4th, can assist in regularizing the cycles. This decoction should be taken twice daily.

• Fenugreek seeds:

Fenugreek seeds should be consumed the next morning on an empty stomach after being steeped in 1 glass of water overnight.

• Asana and pranayama.

Continue your regular asana and pranayama practice to control weight gain. Surya Na mascara is another wonderful method that will support weight management and ovulation stimulation.

Key points:

• A fluid-filled sac that develops in or on one of your ovaries is known as an ovarian cyst.
• The majority of ovarian cysts are active cysts. These have to do with ovulation. Most of the time, they disappear on their own.
• The majority of ovarian cysts are not cancerous.
• Other causes of ovarian cysts include pelvic infection, PCOS, and endometriosis.
• Abdominal pain is one of the symptoms that a cyst may produce. It could also go unnoticed.
• When there are too many cysts or they are too large, you may feel as though you have put on weight as a result of the cysts.
• Shed some pounds. This will improve your symptoms of PCOS.
• The Average Weight Gain with Ovarian Cyst can range from 0.04 lbs to 50 lbs