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2nd myomectomy today, found calcified fibroid

Posted , 5 users are following.

dj1409
dj1409

I had my 2nd hysteroscopic myomectomy today (last one on 24th march 2016) and a 2nd fairly large partly calcified fibroid was partially removed. I am a bit worried as to how fast this fibroid has grown since the 1st surgery as I was  informed at that time that the only fibroid has been removed. No other fibroid was seen. But in a span of 2 months yet another 3cm fibroid appears and even gets calcified! How is that even possible? How can a fibroid grow so fast?? Has anyone have some idea or suggestions in this situation? By the way I am taking norethisterone for the last 1.5 months to stop the bleeding and letting my body recuperate from anemia.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • lynn1980
    lynn1980 dj1409

    Posted

    Hi dj1409,

    I had the same procedure done mid 2015. My fibroid was only 2-3 cm. It grew back only a couple months later and made me bleed out! I went back to my doctor and she put me on progesterone to stop the bleeding but told me to seek out a professional to figure out why i was bleeding. So went back to my ob/gyn and she said the stupid fibroid grew back. UGH! She recommended another surgery to cut out the fibroid but I had just done that so I researched and found out about UFE (Uterine Fibroid Embolization).

    I just had a UFE done last friday (still in recovery mode) for the fibroid that grew back to over 5cm. I hope this procedure did the trick. I'd hate to get a hysterectomy at 36 years old! =(

     

  • f91864
    f91864 dj1409

    Posted

    Sorry to hear your situation, its most likely that 2nd fibroid was not spotted during the first hysteroscopic surgery. Did you take medication to shrink your fibroids before the first surgery?  If so that can shrink smaller fibroids so they are not visible during surgery, then they grow back after the surgery. This is the main reason why the best surgeons do not recommend medication to shrink fibroids prior to surgery.

    Also hysteroscopic mymomectomy has limitations on the types and amount of fibroids that can be removed. 

    Also why was your 2nd fibroid partially removed? Is there a plan to remove the rest another time? Was it the same surgeon and another hysteroscopic myomectomy.

    I had open myomectomy surgery to remove fibroids in Januay and 32 fibroids were removed by an experienced surgeon.  I knew I had multiple fibroids, so hysteroscopic was not an option, but did not realise I had that many.

    Not all fibroids show up on the ultrasound before surgery so during surgery the consultant has to make the decision to remove them all or just some. Some consultants remove all and some remove the ones they deem as the largest or the most troublesome, some consultants are not confident in removing several fibroids in one go or large fibroids. Its always best to research the background of surgeons prior to surgery if you have that option or get a second opinion.

    Hope you start feeling better soon.

  • raffaela50396
    raffaela50396 dj1409

    Posted

    I have had fibroids for the last 3 years. I have one that is 4cm and a few smaller ones. My situation is a little different because I am 48 years old and have had all my children, 3, and am hoping to go in to menopause soon, which is when fibroids should shrink on there own. I was anemic for about 3 years. As long as I take my iron, 56 mg a day, I am okay. I do not have any pain, but a bloated belly which I can deal with. I do take 2,000 mg of fish oil a day which I believe helps with the bleeding and 8,000 IU of Vitamin D, which I read that a study was done that women who were low in vitamin D had more of a chance of having fibroids. I was one day away from having a hysterectomy and canceled. I am really trying not to mess with my hormones and to let nature take its course, because of my mom getting breast cancer at the young age if 37. I don't know if it makes a difference, but many women that I know that have had hysterectomies get breast cancer. My doctor says it is not true but sure seems very coincidental.

    • christine65130
      christine65130 raffaela50396

      Posted

      Hi Rafaela, I was in a similar situation to you, thinking menopause would kick in and shrink them ( I was diagnosed at age 50), but beware the fibroids can put off menopause as they secrete hormones themselves . I am still here battling with them 8 years later, having taken 3 courses of Esmya to shrink them. Every time they grow back after 2-3 months. This time has been the longest, but I fear they are once again growing. I now no longer have periods, but only experience menopausal symptoms when taking Esmya, and once the fibroids grow I bleed almost continuously. I reall want to avoid a hysterectomy too.
    • christine65130
      christine65130 raffaela50396

      Posted

      Oh yes, the biggest was only around 3cm when diagnosed, has grown to around 10cm, I have many of different sizes, mostly intramural. 
  • christine65130
    christine65130 dj1409

    Posted

    Hi, they do grow back remarkably quickly, particularly after taking medication to shrink them, as I believe this only 'dehydrates' the cells, devoiding them of nutrients, but as soon as you stop taking it they plump up again. 

  • dj1409
    dj1409

    Posted

    Hi All,

    Thanks a lot for your inputs, it did help me understand better! However I am still confused about 2 things:

    1. My 1st tv-usg mentions 2 fibroids, whereas the 1st hysteroscopic myomectomy found only one and that one has been removed(as per the surgeon). How can he miss a 2nd one if at all it was present!

    2. Within less than 2 months post the above procedure, I was diagonised to have yet another similar sized (3cm) fibroid on stalk via MRI. No mention of calcification. That was a month ago

    3. Had the 2nd procedure yesterday (by a different surgeon) where the calcification was observed. Can Norethisterone cause this? My ob/gyn wasnt much helpful, she said it can happen for an old fibroid! But I am damn sure this is not a very old fibroid, it has grown within the last 2-3 months only!

    I am really scared since I think rapid growing fibroids are NOT a good signsad

    • dj1409
      dj1409

      Posted

      Oh forgot to say that I am only taking Norethisterone (for last 1.5 months) and no other fibroid shrinking medication at all.
    • christine65130
      christine65130 dj1409

      Posted

      Hi, as norethisterone is synthetic progesterone, maybe this actually speeds up fibroid growth? Don't know, but Esmya is a progesterone blocker and that   shrinks them. In the early days of diagnosis I took progesterone and that's when I had the most acceleration of growth. It all seems very hit and miss, and I've seen several gynaes, none of whom seem really interested in WHY the fibroids are there, or what causes them to grow.

      It's quite possible the hysteroscopy missed one of the fibroids the first time too.

    • dj1409
      dj1409 christine65130

      Posted

      Thank you so much...your reply has put my mind to a little ease. Waiting for the tissue report in a few days time.
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