Esmya Tablets Fibroid Treatment

Hi Sporty Chica!

No side effects that I can discern, bleeding pretty much every day and on day 32 of the Esmya now, but no flooding or hemorrhaging so far so I'm guessing that this is due to the Esmya.

My tummy is still very rounded so I'm also guessing the fibroid hasnt shrunk in size.

I so dont want the op, especially at my age, but I have to have a life ...and be able to go places other than work and home!

Lots of love to all of you

xx♥♥

Hi Sporty Chica

I feel much better. I am surprised at my speedy recovery. I am up on my feet after 1week.

I did not have any side effects when i was on Esmya.

Now that the Fibroid is off the way i am going to start TTC.

I wish you all the best.

so excited I found this site with Patient feedback on Esmya! All the literature talks about what happens at three months, but not what happens prior to then. I have large 13x14 fibroid. I was starting to lose hope as I have been on it for about three weeks now and no shrinkage. WIth lupron, it kicked in usually after 2 weeks; i guess i was expecting the same results. It sounds as though it takes a bit to kick in from what I'm reading? ie. about 2 months to start noticing a difference shrinkage wise...my period is to start next week and so...i wait to see what happens. I will keep you posted.

Hi, I've just found this forum and am so relieved I'm not the only one! I'm 39 years old and started having

painful, heavy periods 9 years ago, after having my 4th child. So I presumed after a few visits to the drs that

after four pregnancies, it was normal.

Wrong! About three years ago, my periods were getting longer, over 12 days and I couldn't function at all, with extreme tiredness and constant changing of sanitary protection, I have to carry spare clothes where ever I go.This all came to a sudden reality check when in April of this year I collapsed at work. My GP said I was suffering with stress, because after having my iron levels checked they were not dangerously low. I was advised to go to a gynecologist. I had an ultra sound, biopsy and d&c on my first visit, and was informed of having polyps, one 10cm in diameter. My next appointment was a hysteroscopy, I had another d&c and she couldn't remove the polyp as it was too big and another hysteroscopy was booked in the hospital, this time under general anesthetic. I had the procedure on 5th September and it was aborted because it bled too much and is actually a myoma. I am due for ahyteroscopy again 17th October, they are going to try again! If it doesn't work this time, the only option is a hysterectomy. Which at the age of 39 I'm not that keen, although I've got my family.

I've been taking synarel for 4 weeks and esmya for 3 weeks now, I stopped bleeding last week and have spotting. Unfortunately the esmya has caused skin problems, tiredness, dizzyness, mood swings and hot flushes BUT this is much better than the cramping and heavy bleeding (not sure my husband will agree)

I'm now going to research even more about options. From most the comments on here there are more options out there.

Good luck to you all, with whatever you decide...............

Hey everyone,

It's been really interesting reading through your experiences of Esmya. I'm 22 and so far I have had three myomectomys in 2years to get rid of a number of 12cm+ fibroids. My gynaecologist is obviously a bit stumped about what to do due to my age. No one wants me to have to have a hysterectomy .... So this is the next attempt at at least bringing some normality back to life for a bit.

Has anyone been but on esmya to stop growth like myself, or just for decreasing size of fibroids already there?

Hope everyone who has also had surgery this year is recovering well.

Tx

Hi all, i have a large fibroid outside the womb of ±10x12x14 cm. i have finished my three months esmya 2 weeks ago, here are my experiences:

I did not have any notable side effects, no headaches or tiredness. After about 6 weeks i had some more discharge than normal, but not inconvenient. The first couple of weeks i did not feel any noticable shrinkage, but also no growing. Around week 9 i started noting shrinkage and started feeling much better. I also lost weight, around 100 grams/week. Around week 10 i had 4 days of terrible period. Unfortunately the echo i planned right after the course was cancelled, but i can nearly measure it from outside and it went dwon from 12x14 to around 10x12 or less. Which is still big, but i was really happy with this result.

However, now, two weeks after i stopped esmya, i feel and see it growing, if this continues i think i have no other option than to go for surgery. I still need to get an echo, and i am hoping the growing is due to my uterus lining building up for menstruation, but i am afraid it really is growing back, in spite of the scientific results where they show the effect lasts at least 3 months. Does anyone else have this experience?

I really do not want surgery, but tried UAE and HIFU and now esmya and nothing really helps. I would not mind to take esmya for a longer period but it is not available for longer time.

So if i do have to go for surgery i would like to have it done laparoscopic. Is there anyone who can recommend a good laparoscopic surgeon for large fibroids? Does not matter which country. In my country (NL) there does not seem te be a wide range of experience and they will likely operate on it with a large incision from top to bottom..

I have been told also if I needed a hysterectomy, it would be a vertical incision belly button down. I was backlast week to see my surgeon, I have been off the esmya for 2 months now, I have a constant backache, however, my consultant scanned me, and I had an internal scan there does not appear to be issues with my remaining ovary, kidneys, or womb. I did see the fibroid, and it is sitting centrally within my uterus, I can only

assume this heavy belly and back ache is the fibroid.

My consultant wants me back in 3 months, he has suggested if my iron levels stay up, he will ask my GP for a further 3 months of esmya, I am not sure I want the emotional battle again, as they refused it initially,due to the expense, and this consultant is my private second opinion. We really do suffer, I am in the

process of writing down all the positives and negatives of going back on the esmya if I am successful,

the uterine embolisation, however, I have been told by an ex nurse I would have to pay for this? or the

hysterectomy. I was horrified last year to be told I would need one, but I am edging nearer to this now, it

is only when you have a reprieve that you realise how this impacts on all areas of your life. I know I do not want to continue with this permanent back ache which shifts from side to side.

Hi ladies - an attempted energy boost from Sweden here...

Four months ago I was told I have 2 fibroids (7,5 + 4,5 cm) and that my only option was hysterectomy. Since I don't want a hysterectomy I started to research the phenomena of fibroids myself (I work as a journalist and am used to research reports) and found LOADS of academical research aswell as patient feedback from all over the world. After having read a lot I found that many had been helped by diet that is low on phyto estrogens (fibroids feed of estrogens so for example all soy products, sugar etc should be avoided, there are lists online for further info) and high in fiber. I also started exercising more, taking some food suplements to strengthen my immune system and help my body get rid of excess estrogens and toxins. I will not lie, it was hard work and if you feed me any more spinach in my life I will cry, BUT yesterday I went to my gyno for follow-up examination. This was exactly four months later and besides having lost 12 kg (about 25 lbs) I've managed to shrink my fibroids with 50% without any medication. Since I don't have heavy bleedings operation is now off the table - YAY!!

The reason I'm posting this here is that Esmya is brand new in sweden and my gyno thought we should check out how it seems to be working to see if we can make them disappear completely. I'm glad she's so open to everything, I know not all doctors are which makes it up to us to find the info ourselves. It is our bodies after all - no?

I know for a fact I'm far from alone from having done this and I don't want to pat myself on the shoulder here AT ALL, I just read so many sad reports from you and wanted to share. There are also some highly effective homeopathy treatments aimed at fibroids with great results. There ARE options!

Thank you for all info on side effects on Esmya - allthough I think we need to remember that every body is different and some may hardly experience any discomfort at all. Personally I'm sceptical to syntethic hormones (not bio identical) and I need to do more research before agreeing to take it. Also the only reason I'm considering it at all is that I can't lose any more weight, if that wasn't the case I'd go straight back on the diet. Fibroids LOVE fat (who doesn't )

Stay strong and smiling and believe in yourselves!

Hi Lita

Yup did the research , did the diet for months ....lost loads of weight, bleeding continued. No idea if fibroid shrunk in size but bleeding constantly isnt good. ;-)

So glad its worked for you, not for me though. I enjoyed the diet tbh and could have stayed on it forever!

Hi Lita

Thanks for the energy boost and very pleased the diet worked for you. Keep up the good work and the research, may be you should write a book and share your findings. I'm sure lots of women would find it helpful and interesting and a great way to be healthy.

Unfortunately as kk108 has demonstrated it doesn't work for everyone. Similar to Esmya and with alternative treatments unfortunately they don't work for everyone. It's such an individual condition and everyone's body responds differently.

I agree with you and don't like taking synthetic hormones however when faced with serious regular haemorrhaging my choices are limited. I was put off of alternative treatment by being told my symptoms will initially get much worse before they get better and I wanted to avoid more trips to A&E.

I'm almost at the stage that I want them to just remove my uterus and be done with it!

@lita73

Think you are right about fibroids and sugar.

Before I found out I had fibroids (1 large) my craving for sugar was unreal!

I felt like I was feeding this 'thing' and I 'knew' I was helping it grow!

I tell people this and they laugh,you are the 1st person I have seen writing it down in Black and White

Thanks, Lita - I think we all needed that little ray of sunshine. I am about to start on Fibristal, the Canadian equivalent of Esmya. I will also be changing my diet to nix sugar, fat, caffeine (which I've also heard is bad for fibroids) and taking some supplements. I am encouraged by your note, and plan to beef up my exercise plan. I am not overweight, but I could improve my cardio and muscle tone - who couldn't, right?

Your message has given me a boost, and I might find myself returning to it over the next few months as I work to shrink them.

I will be taking the medicine as well, because I'm 39 years old, and I don't have a lot of time to shrink these fibroids - I want to try to get pregnant, so I'm putting myself on the meds and the diet, so I'm hoping that combining these forces will have a positive effect.

Good luck to us all! Thanks everyone for sharing!

Thanks for sharing your experiences. My one month update on esmya (ulipristal in Canada where I'm from):

-slight headaches

-extreme exhaustion

-fibroid feels softer, some shrinkage i believe but not at all like lupron

-dry mouth

-no spotting

-no period this month

Could someone point in the direction of a good link or website where I could find more information on diet/supplements to take? I too would like to find a surgeon in canada who is capable and will not shy away from non invasive myomectomy. Thanks in advance. I will continue to share my experiences.

Lita...i am encouraged by your expwriences. would you mind providing a brief summary on the diet you followed and supplements you took.