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Fibroids

Posted , 7 users are following.

deborah46874
deborah46874

I have a 4cm fibroid and some other small ones. Has anyone had fibroids removed mine cause heavy bleeding. Bit nervous about any op so would like to hear options. I am 52 and in peri.

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • sharcerv52408
    sharcerv52408 deborah46874

    Posted

    That's funny. You're situation is just like mine. I have a 3.5cm fibroid and some smaller ones. The doctor started me on the mini pill. The other options were, the Mirena implant, the depo shot or lupron shots. There was also something called Ablation where they cut off the blood supply of the fibroids. It is a surgical procedure. Then there is of course, a hysterectomy.

    The Mirena will stop the bleeding but not shrink the fibroids.

    The Depo shot will do both but has terrible risks/side effects.

    The Lupron shot will stop your periods but you are only a candidate for the shots if it is determined that you are indeed going through peri menopause. The lupron shots will thrust you close to menopause by stopping your periods.

    For me the mini pill was the best solution. It reduces the bleeding and shrinks the fibroids and has the least amount of side effects. Talk to your doctor and see which works best for you. Hope this helps.

    • kristi63
      kristi63 sharcerv52408

      Posted

      thank you for this info!  my gyne never suggested the lupron shots or mini pill, but... low dose pill stopped working to lessen bleeding and pain about 2 years ago, and i HAD the ablation which failed.  since i had my tubes tied and had a c-section my chances for ablation failure was really high.  i was told to wait out peri (i'm 52 with very regular and painful periods, not a lot of blood just the heavy cramping) and bleeding if i wanted to, or get a hysterectomy.  i'm going to ask about lupron.  smile  
  • shaznay96184
    shaznay96184 deborah46874

    Posted

    Hiya

    One of my sister's had a uterine ablation.  Stopped her bleeding completely: she never bled again after that and since. She's 62, and has been taking HRT for 7yrs.  She loves it!!

    Me, in stark contrast am still bleeding as regular as clockwork at 54 - gutted! 

    I suspect I may have a fibroid. Maybe I'll get myself checked out soon

    Sx

  • deborah46874
    deborah46874

    Posted

    Thanks Shaznay. Best to check out as I was very anemic and had no idea. Having to work on getting my iron levels up I am taking 210mg x 2 a day. I feel better then start heavy bleeding again so sure iron levels go down. Can you ask you Sister how long the procedure took and did she have to have a general?
    • shaznay96184
      shaznay96184 deborah46874

      Posted

      I don't think it was very long, but yes, she did have a general anaesthetic.

      But - and this is a MASSIVE 'But' (excuse the pun!), this is the sister who was due to have her tonsils removed in her late-30s and right up until the 11th hour was going to do so.  Then she got herself in such a state, she pulled out.  As a result, she continues to have really bad bouts of Tonsilitis as a 62yr old!!!

      Funny tho', because she's always been really good about having internals (ewww, that makes her sound a bit ....pervy!!), but I do recall she was much more philosophical about having the ablation, as her kids was much younger; she didn't want to keep feeling bad etc.  She had previously had a smear which showed some abnormal cells and had undergone a colposcopy (I think??) to remove them.  Another success.

      Basically Deborah, I think I am the 'wuss' in our family:  I absolutely hate anything gynae, and have always bottled out of things.  Thankfully, I've always been pretty healthy, but now I'm starting to look at getting myself checked out/sorted as 'Me Time' (think I used running my own Business for 22yrs as a good excuse to not check things out:  what a stupid irony, I now knowredface!!).

      That sister (I have 3 - all braver than me!!) was over the moon with the results.  She'd previously had heavy, very long periods, and they completely stopped after this procedure, never bled again in her late 40s and went into Peri from there, never bleeding again - Lucky Cow!!

      I also recall a young girl I worked with who's aunt was due to have a hysterectomy because of similar symptoms.  I told her to tell her aunt about my sister's procedure. Result = she actually had this done instead of the hysterectomy, which was also a great success, and didn't need to have the hyste'y at all.

      Tell your GP you're a 'nervous patient', and worried about ops/procedures etc.  There are many of us Deborah, and even though I've only had a general twice as an adult, even with my hatred of anything medical, both procedures have been the best thing I've had done.  Oh, and I had a great night's kip to boot, which is a right treat for me 'Mrs Insomniac'!!smile

      Sx

      PS - Why does everyone assume just because we give birth, we're OK with everything else internal being prodded about?  I can't see many men being such willing, compliant patients if the boot were on the other foot, can you?!

    • deborah46874
      deborah46874 shaznay96184

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your very reassuring email. I had my daughter at 38 and now 52 feeling bad that Mummy is not at her beat. I run a business and find the strain of that with all of this difficult. So something has to be done - I will see Dr tomorrow.
  • maxine87456
    maxine87456 deborah46874

    Posted

    Dear Deborah,

    Gosh, we really have been through the same and I have now come out the other end, so will give you the best advice.

    My story was that I was also fed up with my bloated tummy and the fibroid was 9cm, a big hard lump and I was fed up with it.  Cut a long story short and I don't want to scare you, I also had very low haemoglobin and was feeling more and more shattered.  No energy etc.  I went to a new gynocologist and he gave me a thorough examination under general anaesthetic.  He found a few polyps's in the bladder and that was why there was urine in my blood.  It was the very very very early stages of Bladder Cancer.  It was absolutely fine, as he removed the polyps and I then went National Health, where I saw an amazing urologist, who put me out again and said I was very lucky but fine.  

    To be honest, after all of that, I didn't care about the fibroid.  As you can imagine. I am presently going through the menopause and it has shrunk.  My stomach is now flat and the lump is tiny.  

    It is not a bad idea for you to have a thorough investigation.  We are at a crucial time of our lives and prevention is of paramount importance.

    I am fine fine fine.  Menopause is just one of those things.  My lower back aches and I am quite irritable, but nothing worse than the odd hot flush etc.  

    Try not to worry too much about yourself.  Leave the fibroids alone.  They will shrink.  You are only 52.  I am 56.  It will shrink.

    Good luck.

    Maxine

    • shaznay96184
      shaznay96184 maxine87456

      Posted

      Maxine

      Its reading posts like this, that sometimes make me want to eat my words!! 

      I'll have a pop about our NHS - maybe I'm being bombarded with all the Election manefesto propaganda! - but I am the first to admit that when it works, it bloody well works!

      Fantastic news for you, and what a relief.  I hope that all things said and done  you're well and feeling very pleased to be in some capable hands. 

      Strange really, in that for you your 'Knight in Shining Armour'  actually came in the form of a 9cm fibroid - or do you prefer that accolade going to your Urologist?!  Who know's how things would have panned out for you had you not had that blighter checked out?!

      Onwards and upwards now, ayesmile

      Sx

  • deborah46874
    deborah46874

    Posted

    Update gynae says have to have fibroid removed by hysteroscopy procedure as uterine fibroid. Then after seeing him got really bad pain till the evening when started bleeding bad again. This relives the pain. I was given pro Vera which made me bleed and my low iron went from 8 to 7.5 despite despite taking big iron pills for a month I am now back on norethisteone and transamic acid to stop bleeding. Much better this morning. So if been put on provera and bleeding after 2 weeks go back and get an iron test. 
    • maxine87456
      maxine87456 deborah46874

      Posted

      Hi Deborah,

      Don't take those dreadful iron pills! They are constipating. Go and buy Spatone sachets from Boots. Natural ironised water. Take with orange juice as it tastes a little metallic. Each sachet is the equivalent of 8 1bs of broccoli. It is natural. Leave the fibroid! Please get your bladder checked. I thought my bleeding was due to 9cm fibroid and it was the early stages of bladder cancer. Don't want to scare you but please get checked. It is important. Drink loads of water. Keep hydrated and do some aerobic exercise to regulate your hormones. Also, knock of a few pounds if you can. It will help.

      Don't worry as the bleeding will stop. This is all part of the menopause. Your fibroid will shrink. Mine was 9. Not bothering about it as it is not doing any harm and it shrank with the onset of menopause.

      Hope this is helpful.

      I am fine now. Was lucky I checked my bladder. It was all just a series of coincidences and had my bladder checked because I was going to do something about the fibroid. In the end, forgot about the fibroid as there was a more serious issue.

      Best wishes,

      Maxine

  • deborah46874
    deborah46874

    Posted

    I have an appointment on Tuesday how do they check the bladder out. I was told by my gp not to take spat one as it is watered down and will not get absorbed so she gave me the iron tabs.
  • maxine87456
    maxine87456 deborah46874

    Posted

    Dear Deborah,

    I have a saying in life - 'you exchange one set of problems with another'.  I think if you have a major operation to remove the fibroid and have a hysterectomy, you will find that you will have different issues.  Not necessarily better than the previous problems.  I got propertly checked out by a good gynocologist, who checked my bladder for polyps.  Yes, they put me out for this, however, you can get your bladder checked without going under.  I can't remember how they did my checks. They found I had very very low grade Bladder Cancer and when they removed the polyps, it was fine.  Yes, I was lucky and guess what, I had a large fibroid and naturally assumed that the small amounts of blood in my urine was from the fibroid.  There was a more sinister underlying problem.  Spatone is really good and will make a difference.  Taken with Vitamin C, it will absosrb quickly into your bloodstream.  It costs very little and is completely harmless.  They recommend it to pregnant women.  Cut the coffee, as this destroys Vitamin C in the body.  Lots of calming herbals.  

    Exercise, although you won't feel like it, really helps as it regulates the hormones.  Knocking off those few unwanted pounds too.  Try not to worry.  Get thoroughly checked and stay natural.  Taking out your tubes is going to throw you straight into another whole range of other problems.  Don't kid yourself.  It is a huge operation with risks.

    Best wishes,

    Maxine

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