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Women's Health

Doctors discover 'football-sized' cyst on woman’s ovary: 'The pain was worse than childbirth'

By Madeline Farber Fox News
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A British woman claims a “football-sized” cyst growing on her ovary prevented her from eating properly, causing her to drop about 70 pounds in a year.

Mom Emma Corcoran, 43, told South West News Service (SWNS), a British news agency, that she was dismissed multiple times by doctors who reportedly wrote off her symptoms as anxiety.

WOMAN'S 40-POUND OVARIAN CYST  WAS IMPEDING HER ABILITY TO BREATHE 

A scan of the woman's cyst.

A scan of the woman's cyst. (SWNS)

“I think they thought I was a nutter or a hypochondriac,” she said. “Even I thought I was going mad at times. But the pain was worse than childbirth.”

Corcoran said she also noticed a “wide lump” across her stomach, but thought her bladder was swollen due to her liquid-only diet. (The 43-year-old claims she was unable to eat normally because of the pain.)

The pain at one point became too much for Corcoran to bear, reportedly causing her to collapse. She was then taken to Medway Maritime Hospital in Kent where a CT scan revealed a huge cyst. Doctors at the hospital diagnosed the mom with a dermoid cyst, specifically an ovarian dermoid cyst. These cysts can contain tissue, “such as hair, skin or teeth, because they form from embryonic cells,” per the Mayo Clinic. 

Emma Corcoran, who suffered from chronic pain, anxiety and panic attacks, was eventually diagnosed with a massive ovarian cyst.

Emma Corcoran, who suffered from chronic pain, anxiety and panic attacks, was eventually diagnosed with a massive ovarian cyst. (SWNS)

“Dermoid cysts can become large, causing the ovary to move out of position. This increases the chance of painful twisting of your ovary, called ovarian torsion. Ovarian torsion may also result in decreasing or stopping blood flow to the ovary,” the clinic states.

Pelvic pain, fullness in the abdomen, and bloating are common signs.

Corcoran required surgery to remove the mass. Her right ovary and part of her fallopian tube were also removed.

The 43-year-old mom claims the cyst caused her to lose 70 pounds because she was unable to eat properly.

The 43-year-old mom claims the cyst caused her to lose 70 pounds because she was unable to eat properly. (SWNS)

UNDIAGNOSED TUMOR BEHIND WOMAN'S NOSE, CHIN GROWTH: 'I WAS MORTIFIED, SCARED AND HOPELESS'

Following surgery, Corcoran is back to living a normal life, but noted the time she spent in pain was “more than a year of hell.”

“I want every woman to read my story and get help if they are even a little worried,” she said. “Listen to your body because you know what’s best.”