For three years, Allison Fisher lived with pain she couldn’t explain and a body that felt like it was betraying her. At just 20 years old, her belly grew so large and rigid that strangers assumed she was heavily pregnant. The truth, however, was far more alarming — and nearly deadly.
Fisher’s ordeal began in 2020 with constant stomach pain and an irregular menstrual cycle. At one point, she endured a period that lasted an entire year. Despite the symptoms, she avoided doctors. Years of being told her weight was the root of every health concern had left her wary of seeking care. “I let myself believe that if I ignored it, it would go away,” she admitted. Then came the pandemic, which only deepened her anxiety.
By late 2022, Fisher’s belly had grown “rock hard.” She struggled to stand for more than a few minutes and couldn’t fit behind the wheel of a car. Breathing became difficult. “I felt like I was pregnant with 10 kids,” she recalled.
A wake-up call came when her mother was diagnosed with cancer, pushing Fisher to confront her own health. Just before Christmas 2022, she finally went to the hospital. There, gynecologic oncology surgeon Dr. Martin Martino delivered shocking news: Fisher had a 104-pound ovarian cyst containing more than 46 liters of fluid.
The surgery required a full medical team, including pulmonary and cardiology specialists, due to the strain the cyst had placed on her organs. Using robotic technology, doctors successfully removed the mass. During the operation, they discovered her left ovary had twisted three times. Miraculously, they were able to save it — preserving Fisher’s future fertility.
“When we met in the emergency room, she was short of breath,” Dr. Martino said. “It was right before Christmas. I told her, ‘Now’s the time, let’s do this.’”
The outcome was life-changing. “I can see my feet again,” Fisher said after the surgery. “I feel so much lighter, I feel like a person. I can wear clothes, I can do things normal people can do.”
Fisher calls her recovery a “second chance at life.” She’s now preparing for weight-loss surgery and says she’s excited about the future — particularly simple joys like driving and cooking for herself.
Her story is also a message to others who avoid doctors out of fear of weight stigma. “There are other people out there in my shoes who are just so scared to go to the doctor because of their weight,” she said. “I want them to know that they shouldn’t be scared.”
While ovarian cysts are common — most are small, harmless, and go unnoticed — Fisher’s case was extreme. Doctors say her determination to finally seek help likely saved her life.
