1. Community
  2. Women's health
  3. Uterine Fibroids

Fibroid embolization experiences

Posted , 37 users are following.

asa93843
asa93843

Hi!

I have a 6x6 cm fibroid which causes me heavy bleeding and pressure symptoms.

I will be seeing a doctor in two weeks to discuss treatment options as I refuse hysterectomy.

I'm 39 with no children.

I've been reading about embolization and would really like to get in touch with other women who have done this procedure. Has it worked for you? Has your bleeding (and life!) gone back to normal? Has your fibroid shrunk, if so by how much? How was the pain? Do you recommend embolization?

Looking forward to your replies!

Have a good day ladies!

3 likes, 89 replies

89 Replies

Next
  • Michellestar87
    Michellestar87 asa93843

    Posted

    Hello 😊recently is a diagnosed with a 2.5 sub mucousal fibroid which also causes me heavy prolonged periods.is yours a submucousal one? I have researched and for this type of fibroid you can have a hysteroscopy which is a simple procedure.what is a embolisation please?i have tranexamic acid tablets which help greatly if I take it on time,but like this month I forgot I am on now day 9 of my period !!! Hope this helps take care Michelle x
    • asa93843
      asa93843 Michellestar87

      Posted

      Hi! Embolization is a less invasive procedure than surgery. There is alot to read about it on the Internet if you search for Uterine Fibroid Embolization.

      I think my fibroid is embedded in the muscle so I don't think a hysteroscopy is possible for me I'm afraid. :-/

    • Michellestar87
      Michellestar87 asa93843

      Posted

      Mine is inbedded in my uterine cavity he called it a sub mucousal fibroid.hysteroscopy is done under a local anaesthetic and as an out patient.bloody nuisance aren't they.do you suffer very heavy prolonged periods?
    • asa93843
      asa93843 Michellestar87

      Posted

      Bloody nuisance, oh yes! I

      have alot of bleeding especially for like 48 h. Then it gets better but after that follows a week of pink/brownish discharge. No fun at all.

      I need to eat iron pills for a couple of days each month. I had iron defiency when the tested me last year. I hope to get rid of all of this soon, I'm sick and tired of it!

  • samantha59044
    samantha59044 asa93843

    Posted

    Hi Asa,

    Like you I'm 39 with no kids.

    I was diagnosed last year with fibroids, 1x13cm and 1x5cm causing heavy periods to the point of being unable to leave the house due to flooding and suffering severe anemia.

    I had an embolization Oct 19th last year and to date I would say that most of the pressure symptoms seem to have lessened in that I don't have to get put of bed to go to the toilet 3-4 x during the night.

    My periods do seem lighter but are still a proper period. I suppose I expected them to be really light which was naive but I do feel a bit more confident leaving the house.

    Before the procedure I would flood through both a tampon and pad even hour if not 30 mins now I change every couple/few hours.

    Still early days and am due a follow up in April to see if they have stunk. I was advised that at the 6mnths mark the fibroids would have shrunk as much as possible.

    As far as the procedure was concerned it wasn't painful due to the painkillers your given before and during.

    Near the end of the procedure I did feel cramping like bad period pain which I advised the radiologist. I was given more morphine before returning to the ward where I had to stay still for 6 hrs.

    The 6 hrs flew by to be honest I was so tired and wiped out it felt like hardly any time

    One watch out I wansnt prepared for was when you are able to get put of bed make sure a nurse is there to help you. I couldn't reach my buzzer and was so dizzy and nauseous I nearly fell over.

    On the nausea note I was so sick because of the morphine. I was fine when I was lying down but as soon as I sat up I threw up.

    It takes approx 21hrs for the morphine to leave your system so be prepared for that. No one told me about that beforehand.

    I was in overnight and got home the next afternoon. First night again some cramping so take the pain killers your given they will make you really sleepy. The first 3 to 4 days I slept allot bur after that it was just taking it easy.

    I got slight cramping during the night for the first few weeks but really nit bad and now only very occasional during the night I get v.slight cramping.

    I would recommend this as a first option without doubt. Other options for me where far too invasive and the recovery time much longer.

    Fingers crossed they are still shrinking!

    Good luck.

    • asa93843
      asa93843 samantha59044

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your reply! Please let me know how it goes after your next follow up! I'm crossing my fingers for you that they will keep shrinking.

      I think, and hope, that I can deal with a week or two of pain and nausea if it means getting rid of how it is for me today.

    • murnaloo
      murnaloo samantha59044

      Posted

      Hi there Samantha,

      I hope your fibroids are continuing to shrink! Do you feel like you are continuing to improve? You said you had bladder problems - how long before you felt noticeably better with that? I'm six weeks post-UFE. Have had a few good days, but then the pressure and frequency return. I'm surprised at the ups and downs. Thought it'd be a slow, but steady, improvement.

      My fingers are crossed mine are shrinking and my bladder can go back to normal.

    • samantha59044
      samantha59044 murnaloo

      Posted

      Hi there,

      I would say I've had steady improvements, nothing dramatic but a definite improvement.

      I think my abdomen has shrunk a bit, I looked about 5 mnths pregnant before the embolization.

      I am trying to eat more healthy and drink more water (new year resolution!) so it could be a combination of both. Also am still getting up during the night to go to the toilet but that could be all the water I'm drinking too (only once though compared to multiple times before the procedure)

      I just wish there was a magic wand to get rid of them for good (not a hysterectomy!)

      I hope you continue to improve, fingers crossed at the 6 month mark there will be a significant difference.

      All the best, take care.

  • shell69386
    shell69386 asa93843

    Posted

    Hi there,

    I think what type of fibroid you have makes a difference. As said below if it is a submucosal you might be able to have hysteroscopy but then the size of it may mean taking a temporary shrinker tablet such as esmya first.  I have had hysteroscopy but for a 2cm fibroid, but have not had embolization. I do wonder if that is available on the NHS in England. I am aware of it but it wasnt mentioned in my appointments. I have been taking esmya a tablet that can help shrink and that is newly licenced this year. It also stops periods  (in most cases ) for the three months you are on it. (So that can help if you have or have had low iron/anaemia ). I like you am interested in anything non surgical. I am keeping with intermittent use of esmya to manage at present. When you get to menopause they are supposed to shrink but we do not know what age that will be at, only an idea. You are further away than I am.   I have a 5.5 subserosal fibroid, on outside of uterus they do not tend to impact on the bleeding as much as the other two types of submucosal and intramural.   Good luck.   

    • asa93843
      asa93843 shell69386

      Posted

      Hi! Oh, I'm considering Esmya too. I'm just a bit scared of how they would make me feel considering it's affecting the hormones. Do you have any side effects from taking them?

      I'm not sure what kind of fibroid I have. I think my previous gyno has been talking about it being embedded in the muscle.

      I've read somewhere that fibroids only shrink by 10% when we reach menopaus. Does anyone else know if that's true?

    • shell69386
      shell69386 asa93843

      Posted

      Hi there, It sounds like you have an intramural, I have some of them too but many smaller ones. They cannot be taken out by hysteroscopy.         I was not too affected by the esmya, it is preventing the progesterone from getting to the uterus is my understanding, I believe but not impacting on the oestrogen so the view was and others it does not affect you as much as GRNHAs as they can pretty much bring on menopausal symptoms but esmya doesnt. I was prepared to try it as medication is less risky than any surgical intervention in my view. Luckily, the ocassional headache and tiredness were my side effects and if they shrunk the fibroids enought to reduce the symptoms I felt it was worth trying. Anything to avoid a hysterectomy. Of course we all realise it is our choice and no-one can make us have a hysterectomy. It is our body, but of course we are looking for quality of life.  My understanding was that fibroids pretty much diminish when you get to menopause, of course it varies person to person but certainly much more than 10%.  If you read the internet about fibroids it will tell you about when you reach the menopause from medical sites. My consultant also has the view they pretty much go or do not affect you then in the majority.   
    • shell69386
      shell69386

      Posted

      HI again, it seems someone else is saying 'embedded in uterine cavity' is a submucosal. I do not want to confuse the issue. I have had both. Maybe yours is a submucosal then.       My understanding is that submucosal is within the uterus/womb and intramural are in the uterus also but in the walls of the uterus (hence why hysteroscopy cannot get them out)   
    • asa93843
      asa93843 shell69386

      Posted

      Hm. Esmya sure does sounds like an option for me. Has your consultant had good success with treating others patients with it? Do you know?
    • shell69386
      shell69386 asa93843

      Posted

      It wasnt initially offered as it was only licenced pre-operative in the UK for 3 months only until you had an operation, up until the latter part of last year. I made my request and decision to try it based on examples and research I saw on line . I saw the studies on line published by the EMA for its safety testing, but it is a new drug for ongoing intermittent use. The Drs did say it is supposed to be good they did not have examples of individual cases, I think due to it being quite new for them to use in this way. I was asking them for it rather than them promoting it to me. They just want to promote a hysterectomy to me. The first Dr I mentioned it to did say it was good and there is a lot going on with it now, i.e extended licence for longer term use. Have a read about it on line at their website etc. I saw an article on line from a woman who it worked well for her and stopped her from needing a hysterectomy, that prompted me to look into it further        
    • patricia27802
      patricia27802 shell69386

      Posted

      Uterine Fibroid Embolsation is available on NHS England but Gynocology won't mention or recommend it as Radiology performs it. So you have to ask your Gynocology to refer you to Radiology for an MRI scan to test for suitability the result is then given to your Gynocologist but you may have to ask for the results. All sounds silly but that's what happened to me. So just going by my own experience if I could go back in time I would have insisted on it from my 1st appointment. Cos all I was being offered was Hystertomy.

      Good luck whatever you decide

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.