Many ovarian cysts cause no obvious symptoms. If you have a history of developing ovarian cysts, or if you concerned that you might have one for any reason, ask your doctor to monitor for any obvious signs of ovarian cysts during your regular pelvic exams. Your doctor will ask you questions about your health history, possible risk factors, and any unusual symptoms you might be having. There are a few different types of ovarian cysts including follicle, corpus luteum, and non-functional. Different cysts have different risk factors associated with them, and non-functional cysts can be indicative of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Take a close look at your health history, and work with your doctor to determine if you are at risk. You should be monitored for ovarian cysts if you:  Are taking certain hormonal medications, such as the fertility drug clomiphene. Have had a serious pelvic infection. Have a previous history of ovarian cysts. Have endometriosis. Have polycystic ovary syndrome, or some other condition that affects your sex hormones. If you are post-menopausal, you are at greater risk of developing cancerous cysts. Most ovarian cysts don’t cause any obvious symptoms. Symptoms may occur if your cyst is large, ruptured, or blocking the blood vessels that supply your ovaries. If you have sudden, severe pelvic pain, go to the emergency room or call emergency services immediately. See your doctor if:  You experience pelvic pain, either dull and persistent or sharp and sudden. You feel pain during intercourse. You feel the need to urinate frequently. Your periods are unusually heavy, light, or irregular. Your abdomen is bloated or swollen. Your abdomen feels full or heavy, even if you haven’t eaten much. You have trouble getting pregnant. You experience any pain in your back or thighs You have frequent nausea or vomiting or a fever. Your doctor may perform several tests to determine if you have ovarian cysts. They will probably start by performing a pelvic ultrasound. If any cysts show up on the ultrasound, the doctor may recommend one or more of the following:  A blood-based pregnancy test to detect hormonal changes associated with certain kinds of cysts. A CA 125 blood test to look for elevated proteins that can occur with ovarian cancer and other conditions such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Laparoscopic surgery to examine the cyst directly, remove the cyst, or take tissue samples to test for cancer or other conditions. Depending on the cause of your cyst, its size, and whether it is causing any serious symptoms, your doctor may recommend either removing the cyst or waiting for it to go away on its own. Many cysts heal on their own in about 8-12 weeks.  In many cases, the best option is “watchful waiting.” Your doctor may recommend that you come in for regular ultrasounds over a period of a few months to monitor the condition of the cyst.  If the cyst gets bigger, does not go away after a few months, or causes serious symptoms, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the cyst or, if necessary, the entire ovary.
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One-sentence summary -- Ask your doctor to check for cysts during routine pelvic exams. Evaluate your risk of developing cysts. See your doctor if you have any symptoms of ovarian cysts. Get tested for ovarian cysts if you have symptoms. Discuss your treatment options with your doctor.


If you want to steer with your legs, you'll need to get your legs angled so that you can give your horse this command. Don't maintain a tight grip with your legs around the horse's ribs, as this will lift you out of the saddle and forfeit some of your deep-seat control.  Keep your legs directly under your hips. Your body should be aligned from your ear all the way to your heel. Angle your feet so that your heel is lower than your toe. Turn your toes slightly out so that your lower leg has more contact with the horse's body. Let your legs gently touch the horse's body from the thigh down to the ankle. Turning your head will help you have a better command of where you want to go. Keep your chin up and look straight at a fixed point (a tree, a fence post, etc.) in the direction you want to turn. Let your shoulders turn just slightly. If you turn your shoulders too much you risk losing your balance. Once you've fixed your eyes on a spot you want to turn towards, begin rotating your hips towards that spot. This will send a message to your horse, indicating that a change of course is approaching.  Try to maintain a stable position with the rest of your body. Just give a slight twist of the hips. Don't rotate too abruptly, or again, you run the risk of losing your balance. Once your shoulders and hips are facing the desired direction, you'll use your legs to steer the horse's body. You'll need to coordinate both legs and control how much pressure you use from each leg, as this will affect the turn greatly.  Squeeze gently just behind the horse's girth with the leg outside of the turn you're trying to complete. For example, if you're turning left, your right leg would be your outside leg. Use your inside leg to apply a gentle pressure directly on the horse's girth. If you're turning left, your left leg should press against the horse's left girth and your right leg should squeeze just behind the horse's right girth. If you've done everything correctly, your horse should have turned in your desired direction. if the horse didn't turn, keep practicing or consider trying a more cooperative horse.
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One-sentence summary -- Angle your legs under your hips. Turn your head towards the direction you want to move in. Rotate your hips in the desired direction. Squeeze with your legs to execute the turn.


While you’re starting out, make your own bags, even if this means you need to learn how to sew. Not only will this save you money, but it’ll also help you understand all the ins and outs of the creation process. This knowledge will be crucial as you start to pick manufacturers and sources for your materials.  Staying involved in the production process lets you be in control. What better way to make bags the way you want them to be made than to do it yourself? Keep expanding your skill set as you continue designing. If you’re designing cloth bags, you may want to learn how to weave. You’ll also almost certainly need to know how to sew zippers into your bags. If this is going to be your main money-making job, attend a two- or four-year fashion design program at an accredited school. When you begin pitching your ideas to stores and manufacturers, this could make the difference between a “yes” and a “no” for your designs.  These programs will teach you basic design, production, and art techniques. Some schools may also have courses in business and marketing that could be useful for you.  While you’re in the learning phase, you can also apply for internships with big-name handbag designers or other companies in the fashion industry.  A fashion degree doesn’t guarantee success, and it’s not necessary if it’s out of your budget. It’s even more important to be passionate about your creative and unique designs! As you set out on your design journey, it’s important to know what’s out there and what people like. Become an obsessive follower of fashion magazines and shows. Take note of popular colors, shapes, sizes, and styles to think about where your own bags would fit in the handbag world. Ask your friends and family what they look for in a bag. See if they use multiple bags for different occasions. While you should have a good idea of what’s already popular, you want your stuff to be surprising. Think about what features you would most want in a handbag, and start from there. You’ll be most comfortable designing what makes you happy. Maybe the whole reason you got into handbag design was because you couldn’t find the exact bag you wanted. If you’re struggling to find that perfect purse, you can bet other people are too.
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One-sentence summary --
Work on your sewing and leatherworking skills. Get a degree in fashion to make this your career. Research fashion trends for inspiration. Decide what sets your bags apart.