Warning: Photos in this story may be disturbing to some readers.
Kayla Rahn had been suffering weight gain, pain and unexplained stomach issues for months. In May, the Alabama woman finally learned why — and got some relief when doctors removed a massive 50-pound cyst from her ovary.
"This is one of the largest I have ever seen or certainly removed," Dr. Gregory Jones, an OB-GYN at Jackson Hospital in Montgomery, said in a statement about the surgery. "We are very excited, things went well for her."
The 30-year-old said before the operation, she would feel stomach pain during normal day-to-day activities. "I couldn't even walk to my car without losing my breath," she told WFSA.
Her doctors initially told her weight loss was the solution to her problems, she said.
According to Jackson Hospital, Rahn had been trying to lose weight for about a year, but instead kept gaining pounds.
Despite her dieting efforts, she kept getting asked a question no woman wants to hear: Are you pregnant? She had even been asked if she was carrying twins, the hospital said.
Rahn's pain became overwhelming in May and her mother took her to the ER. Doctors at Jackson Hospital ran a series of tests and found a large mass in her ovaries.
"I do remember telling my mom and busting out crying they were going to fix it. I knew something was wrong," Rahn said in the hospital's statement.
She immediately underwent surgery to have the cyst removed. It weighed in at 50 pounds.
"The technical diagnosis: it was a mucinous cystadenoma. It is a benign condition," Dr. Jones said.
Now that the giant growth has been lifted from her body, a weight has been lifted from her shoulders.
"As soon as I got home and was able to move a little, I tried every shirt I had on and it was awesome," Rahn said."This dress I have on, I actually have not been able to wear in a year."
