‘I looked nine months pregnant and the truth was absolutely terrifying'
Robyn McGhee thought she was just bloated after the festive season and initially put her weight gain down to that.
In February 2024, when Robyn McGhee noticed an unexplained increase in her weight following the festive season, she initially dismissed it as holiday indulgence. Determined to shed the pounds, she hit the gym and started eating healthier.
"I spent a few months eating healthy and trying to lose weight but the weight wasn't shifting, I was actually getting bigger," she shared. "I could physically see it, it wasn't all in my head."
Yet despite her efforts, Robyn's size continued to expand along with growing fatigue, and soon people were mistaking her for being pregnant. Recounting her experience to The Mirror, the 28 year old Glaswegian expressed the awkwardness: "I just had to say 'no I'm not pregnant' and just leave so they didn't feel awkward. It kind of highlighted how extreme my stomach actually looked."
Looking at those photographs today, Robyn finds it challenging to hold any resentment towards those who assumed she was expecting—her appearance suggested she was far along in pregnancy. "I looked about eight or nine months pregnant, the weight had shot up. But I couldn't eat at all, I'd lost my appetite."
For a time, Robyn even questioned herself due to the physical changes she was enduring: "Maybe I am pregnant, maybe that's what is going on and I just don't have the usual symptoms that you would expect."
Robyn was in a bind, unable to fit into her clothes, go out, or walk easily. When she came back from a June holiday feeling unlike herself, she knew it was time to consult a doctor.
'At that point, I could feel a ball in my stomach and it was causing a lot of pain. I went to the doctor and explained my symptoms and they off the bat said 'are you pregnant',' she recounted.
'I knew I wasn't, I'd taken a few pregnancy tests. '
She expressed frustration at how she felt brushed aside by the medical professional: 'I felt like I was getting dismissed by the doctor, I explained my symptoms and said I was worried it was something more than weight gain and they said 'like what?
'I thought, 'I don't know, that's why I'm here'. '
However, after seeking a second medical opinion, Robyn was fast-tracked for CT scans and blood tests, which led to the discovery of a significant ovarian cyst, measuring around 25cm and weighing over a stone.
As defined by the NHS, an ovarian cyst is typically a fluid-filled pouch on an ovary, with potential symptoms such as pelvic discomfort, irregular menstruations, swollen abdomen, painful intercourse, frequent urination, and quickly feeling full post-eating.
Despite the daunting prospect of surgery, Robyn felt overwhelmed with relief: 'I was relieved, because I had an answer for why I was feeling this way. It was confirming that it wasn't all in my head, it was actually happening to me.'
In September, Robyn endured a three-hour operation for a cyst too large for keyhole surgery, resulting in a prominent scar down her stomach's centre.
Unexpectedly, during the procedure, surgeons discovered she also had endometriosis – a condition where uterus lining tissue grows externally, Endometriosis UK notes it affects 10% of women globally and can cause intense menstrual pain and discomfort during toilet visits.
"I thought my period symptoms were normal, the pains and cramps I had were the type that everybody had," Robyn recounted.
The operation involved removing not only the cyst but also an ovary, fallopian tube, and her appendix, leading to a gruelling 12-week recovery dominated by "ridiculous" levels of pain, although she noted feeling significantly lighter post-surgery.
Driven by the scarce information available, Robyn turned to social media to share her ordeal, saying: "I was trying to research the type of surgery I was getting online and on TikTok but there wasn't that much about it. I thought 'I don't have any reference point of anybody going through a similar situation to what I am'."
After sharing her experience on her TikTok account (@_robynmcghee), Robyn has received messages from individuals globally. "It's been wild, I feel like I have helped people", she expressed.
Despite the surgery being "absolutely terrifying", she reassures others facing similar situations that it was "better than any other outcome".
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