While I haven't had a cyst that I could "feel," back before I'd ever even HEARD of PCOS, I would get cysts that would rupture on their own.
Generally, it would happen if I exercised very heavily (i.e. walking 4 miles in one day when I usually only walked 2, etc.). When they ruptured it would just be a clear/bloody (if that makes sense) fluid that would gush out. Sometimes just a little, like a panty liner would absorb it, and sometimes more, like it would get my underwear & jeans wet.
After that had happened a couple of times, I went to the county health dept (no insurance at the time) and an APN told me I had a "strawberry mark" on my ovary (ruptured cyst, duh!) and not to worry about it.
When it continued to happen, maybe the 3rd or 4th time, I went back to the same APN, who treated me totally differently (she was kind of rude) and suggested I had an STD. Well I knew that couldn't be the case (impossible to say the least
but still had all the bloodwork, etc. done.
Luckily, around that time, two things happened--1. I stumbled upon 3FC (back in 2002!) and 2. insurance kicked in at my job. I went to an OB/Gyn, who was FACOG certified and talked to her about the symptoms I'd been having, along with the facial "fuzz" and numerous skin tags I'd had removed over the years (they just keep coming back!). She told me that I probably did have PCOS, although there was no way to determine it for sure, and that the "strawberry mark" and fluid were probably very small cysts rupturing--not to be worried about it & it was something I may have to live with.
Hasn't happened to me since then, thank the Lord, because even though I knew what it was, it was still kind of weird to have that fluid just "showing up!"
Anyway, you didn't ask for a book, but I wrote you one
That's my cyst experience! I'm on a low carb diet now, with a regular exercise routine--well, as regular as it can get with a 3 1/2 year old and an almost-2-year old--and I'm finally losing weight and feel better!