Woman issues warning about potentially dangerous ovarian cysts in viral video: ‘Go get your bumps looked at’

A woman has used TikTok to issue a warning about ovarian cysts, after she ended up having what she thought was a “normal” bump removed.

Last week, Kayley Reese, who goes by the username @thesavvykay, uploaded a TikTok in which she shared her experience as a warning to other women.

In the TikTok, Reese, who is from Richmond, Virginia, responded to a video uploaded by another TikTok user, in which the woman could be seen showing a protruding bump that she always has on her lower stomach.

According to Reese, she felt “very compelled” to respond to the video, which has numerous comments from viewers assuring the woman that it is “normal”, because “it is not always completely normal”.

Reese then went on to reveal that she had a similar bump in the same spot that gradually became bigger, prompting her to eventually seek medical attention last month.

At the hospital, Reese said doctors found an eight-inch-long cyst sitting on her left ovary that weighed six to seven pounds and was filled with “two litres of fluid”.

According to Reese, the cyst had the potential to become cancerous and could have caused her to lose both her ovaries.

The TikTok user then shared a before-and-after photo of her stomach with the cyst and after it had been removed, before showing off her “cute new scar”, with Reese encouraging viewers to have any bumps on their body looked at by a doctor.

“If you take one thing from this video, it’s go get your bumps looked at. I also thought it was normal,” Reese concluded, before adding in the comments that she eventually sought a doctor’s opinion because the bump was “completely hard” and “severely protruding” and because she was constantly nauseous and dizzy.

The TikTok, which has since been viewed more than 5.9m times, has been met with a range of supportive comments, with many reiterating Reese’s warning.

“Yes! I kept getting cysts. I have had nine surgeries now, I have endometriosis. Ladies please go get it checked out,” one person commented, while another said: “Yes! Please get checked out, this is how I found out I had ovarian cancer last year.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, many women experience ovarian cysts at some point, with the health organisation noting that “most ovarian cysts present little or no discomfort and are harmless” and typically disappear on their own within a few months.

The Mayo Clinic also states that there are multiple types of ovarian cysts, including those caused by endometriosis, a condition in which uterine endometrial cells grow outside your uterus.

To protect your health, the clinic advises undergoing regular pelvic exams and speaking to your doctor if you notice any changes or symptoms such as pelvic pain, bloating, or fullness or heaviness in your abdomen.

Speaking with Newsweek, Reese said that she feels “extremely lucky” to have recovered from the type of cyst and the surgery with both ovaries and fallopian tube intact, adding that she hopes to use her experience to educate others.

“My experience has made me want to use my platform to spread awareness to all young women. If I had seen this video I know I would’ve gone to the doctor a long time ago,” she said.

The Independent has contacted Reese for comment.