A teenager who spent two years assuming she was simply putting on weight was stunned to discover that a massive 3-liter cyst was actually behind her growing belly.
Teagan Edwards, 18, first noticed her stomach getting bigger in 2023, but brushed it off as the result of eating too much junk food. She told Newsweek she just assumed she “was just getting fat” and didn’t think much more about it.
By May 2025, though, it wasn’t only the apparent weight gain that worried her. Edwards, who lives in Toronto, Canada, began to experience back pain, nausea and a feeling of fullness after only a few bites of food. Before long, she also felt a lump near her pelvis—something that finally made her realize that this was more than simple weight gain.
“By May, I noticed that I had a bit of a bump,” Edwards said. “I also had back pain, nausea and vomiting, discomfort and pain from eating, pressure and overall discomfort, and pain in my rib cage.
“When I found the lump, it was located under my belly button, where your pelvis would be, on the right side. I thought something was wrong, but I wasn’t ready to know, so I didn’t think about it very much,” she added.
When she eventually had the lump checked, Edwards was initially told it was likely an endometriosis cyst, although doctors weren’t sure if it was on her ovaries or her stomach.
From there, things only got worse. The discomfort escalated into constant pain, and her stomach kept growing until she looked heavily pregnant.
“I had three ultrasounds and one CT scan, and I also did a lot of blood work,” Edwards said. “It was so uncomfortable, I couldn’t even get comfortable lying in my bed most nights. I work at a restaurant as a server, and all the regulars were gossiping about me being pregnant or congratulating me.”
In August 2025, Edwards finally got a clear explanation for what was happening to her body. Tests revealed a large cyst in her abdomen measuring more than 8.5 inches wide, almost 10 inches tall and over 4.7 inches deep.
It was a shocking moment for the 18-year-old, but also a relief to know there was a specific cause—and that it could be treated—although she had to wait until November for surgery. By that time, the cyst had grown even more, and a surgeon told her that her bump resembled that of someone who was around 30 weeks pregnant.
Edwards told Newsweek: “This shows just how much women are overlooked in the health-care system, and how someone can just be told they need to eat better without being looked at.
“When you’re gaining weight in your stomach, everyone’s first reaction is that they need to go to the gym, but there could be serious issues being overlooked.”
On November 21, Edwards underwent surgery to remove the cyst. Surgeons drained 3 liters of fluid from it, underscoring how large it had become.
Although she is still dealing with some pain and discomfort following the operation, Edwards says she feels much better overall. She can now eat without pain and has returned to a much healthier weight.
After her diagnosis and surgery, Edwards decided to share her story on TikTok (@teaganedwards3), referring to the growth as her “cyst baby.” Viewers were stunned by the footage showing how large her stomach had become. Within days, one of her videos had gone viral, attracting more than 460,000 views and 33,000 likes at the time of writing.
Edwards hopes that by speaking out, she can encourage others to push for answers when something feels wrong.
“A lot of people have been sharing their stories of similar situations, and it’s honestly been great because I had nobody to talk to about this,” she said. “It’s not talked about that much, but I feel like I’m helping in a very small way to educate people on women’s health.
“Women are always overlooked in the health-care system, so I’ve been convincing a lot of people to go to the doctor and be persistent when they know something is wrong.”
The size of her cyst has shocked TikTok users, prompting nearly 300 comments so far.
One commenter wrote: “I’m so happy ur [you are] okay friend because what omg [oh my God] that’s so scary.”
Another person said: “Thank you for sharing. I think we women often ignore symptoms too much.”
A third added: “Omg what if it had ruptured?”
