Fibroids causing bladder pressure?
Posted , 14 users are following.
I've had pressure on my bladder for years now. I've been through all of the urological tests and they are always normal. A scan revealed large fibroids that made my uterus = to an 18-week pregnancy. One doctor said a fibroid was causing my urethra to kink, which led to urinary retention. I had uterine fibroid embollisation (UFE) in December, but it did not shrink the fibroids enough. Apparently, I still have one pressing n my bladder. I do not have any complaints about my periods, which is what most women with fibroids complain about (although my fibroids are subserosal).
My symptoms are: intense pressure on my bladder, which gets unbearable before my period and alleviates somewhat at the end of my period; constant feeling that I need to pee (not urgency, though); weak stream; tender to touch lower pelvis sometimes; discharge, but can't tell if it's vaginal or urinary. I DO NOT have burning, urgency, odour.
Does anyone have any experience with bladder symptoms being from fibroids? I am scheduled for a hysterectomy, but am freaking out -- what if this is not caused by my fibroids at all, but instead is some bizarre bladder condition?!
1 like, 17 replies
hope4cure murnaloo
Posted
Wake for a secon opine. Yes difficult to eal with and perhaps his will put any questions you have to rest and hopefully distinguish som of the anxiety .
Hesse fibroids are growing on th outside of the uterus therefore they enlarge enough to pressure the surrounding organs to cause the urine retention. Very unpleasant feeling to say the least. Miserable is probably a better explination.
So sorry you are going thru so much. I hope your better after recovery from surgery.
I have urinary retention and they can't find out what's causing it. I take a medication to help relax the muscle but it doesn't help that much. It is maddening I can certainly understand your legitimate concerns.
amanda74231 hope4cure
Posted
murnaloo amanda74231
Posted
It took me about three weeks after the UFE to feel back to myself. However, the UFE did not solve my problems and I ended up having a hysterectomy (which did solve my problems). The UFE did shrink my fibroids by 50% but they were still in a position that was causing problems. I'd say any improvement I saw in my symptoms came in the first three months. After that, I felt the same. However, without the UFE, I wouldn't have been able to have my hysterectomy laperoscopically, so for that reason, the UFE was worth it.
What does your doctor recommend?
Dotcon murnaloo
Posted
Hello Murnaloo. Just come across your post and am aware that it is a month old. By now you will probably have had your hysterectomy. If you have, I hope all went well. I can identify with your symptoms. At the moment I am seeing a urologist and a rheumatologist. I have had Kidney/bladder problems(infections and stones) for the last 30 years. At the moment I have severe back pain which feels like a recurrence of kidney trouble. Urologist says it's not and referred me to rheumatologist. He's doing tests for AS and Fibromyalgia. So far he's diagnosed Arthritis in my spine and neck I feel like the "meat in the sandwich" between them. .But,apart from this, a few years ago I was diagnosed with 3 small fibroids which I was told would shrink with the menopause. I don't think they have,and I'm now 65. I've often wondered if they could be contributing to my bladder & maybe back problems. However in the last 2 months I've had a cystoscopy,a pelvic scan and spinal x ray which were all clear and no mention of the fibroids. I have always been loath to prompt doctors to make a diagnosis,so haven't mentioned them.Thought they may have shown up on at least one of the tests. I can't really say that my symptoms are or aren't because of fibroids,but I was very interested in your post. Please let me know how things are. Best wishes Connie
murnaloo Dotcon
Posted
Hi Connie,
Thank you for checking in on me! Yes, I had my hysterectomy on 14 July. It was done laparoscopically, which would not have been possible if I had not had UFE in December, as that shrank my fibroids and thus my uterus significantly (but not enough to alleviate symptoms). I can honestly say that I had more trouble with the surgery to have my wisdom teeth removed than I had with the hysterectomy. I have not even needed paracetomol.
I am sorry to hear how much you are suffering. It only makes things worse when you can't get a clear-cut diagnosis. The only time I've had a kidney infection my main symptom was horrible back pain, so it sounds reasonable that that could be causing your back problems.
I have had systemic lupus for 34 years, so I know a thing or two about arthritic-like pain. I took steroids for 20 years and that did the trick, although the side effects were not pleasant. Once I got to a low enough does, though, even those weren't much of a problem.
The symptoms from my fibroids were about 90% bladder, 8% slightly heavier periods and 2% feeling bloated more than usual. I had a scan in 2011 and was told they were too small to cause problems, although one was already 4 cm. I was told they would not grow more, which was a flat out lie. Even the NHS's website says fibroids grow most in your 40s (I am 46). By the time I had another scan, in late 2015, they had tripled in size. There was no way I could wait to see if they shrank naturally with menopause. My fibroids showed up on a transvaginal ultrasound (have you had that?) and an MRI.
My experience has been if you go to a urologist, they will only consider urological things. If you go to a gynaecologist, they will only consider gnaecology things etc., etc. Maybe that's why no one has mentioned fibroids -- they're not looking for something gynaecological. The only way that I got attention was by telling the doctors "I think this is my problem. Tell me why I'm wrong." A friend had fibroids that weren't particularly large, but they caused her lots of problems. Her doctor told her it's more about location, location, location than size. That's why some women end up with a watermelon-size fibroid before having many symptoms. I'm not saying fibroids are your problem, but if it was me, I'd want to tick that box and be sure.
Like you, I'd had all of the bladder-related tests. I was even seeing a urologist whose theory is that a biofilm infection in the bladder is causing the problems, so I took high doses of antibiotics for a year. Lots of women swear he cures them, but I did not feel better one minute under that treatment. Maybe that is something you could look into?
Also, with fibroids, it may not be the fibroid itself that is causing the problem, but rather the fibroid(s) has made the uterus bulkier and that enlarged uterus is pushing up against the bladder. Our bladders are apparently very sensitive things and they take a long time to recover.
Within 12 hours of having my hysterectomy I felt better. It's been three weeks and I'd say I'm at 70%. Before the surgery, I was never better than 5%. Clearly, the fibroids/my bulky uterus was at a minimum contributing to my bladder problems. I am by no means back to normal, but I have not curled up in the fetal position and cried from pain and discomfort since the surgery.
I'm so sorry that you are going through what you are with your back and bladder. It's very easy to feel like you'll never feel good again and no one in the medical profession really cares. I will say that I only got help when I went private. My GP through the NHS sent me for therapy instead of a pelvic scan, so she clearly thought I was making up my symptoms. I felt so vindicated when the scan came back with a 20-week-pregnancy-sized uterus because of fibroids. Maybe had she taken me seriously, I wouldn't have suffered for so long. If I were you, I'd always get a second opinion and even a third if you don't trust what you're hearing.
Please do keep me posted. I will be thinking of you.
olivia12068 murnaloo
Posted
Hi, I have been in and out of the doctors with what started as UTIs and was treated with antibiotics over the space of 2 weeks. During this time I had intense pressure and discomfort in my bladder but continued to work. Since completinh my 2nd lot of antibiotics I got worse and went back to the doctor...urine came up clear which was baffling me...started coming right a few days later but now I still feel like things are still slightly cramped/bloated and get the feeling not long after urinating that I need to go again. I wonder if maybe I should get checked for fibroids? I do have some weird skin growing over the urethra which I wonder if that aggravates my bladder. The skin is healthy skin (went to gyno about that) but I believe something is pressing onto my bladder (this is just one of my theories. I need another app for a referral to a urologist and am hoping to get a hysterectomy as I've had three children and years of terribly painful periods. I'm only 37 but I've had Enough! I've got a life to live! Can't really help you but I kind of know what you're going through xx
murnaloo olivia12068
Posted
Hi Olivia,
Just wondering how you are getting on? Do you still have the bladder symptoms? Did you get checked for fibroids? I had my hysterectomy 11 months ago and I'd say I've felt completely normal for about 90% of that time. I occasionally have a nervous bladder, but it is nothing like what I had before. I have not curled up in the fetal position and cried uncontrollably since the surgery. I am on Betmiga for overactive bladder, so I assume that's helping somewhat (I was on this before the surgery and it did nothing, so clearly the surgery helped). I've been told that because I sufferred for so long (six years), my bladder (and my brain) are probably trained to feel like I need to pee all the time. I only really notice it when I'm extra anxious or when I'm traveling, which makes sense because I stress out about where the nearest toilet is. I can't believe that fibroids made me suffer so much. I only wish I'd had the hysteretomy sooner. Anyway, hope you are feeling good. Oh, and by the way, my mom had her hysterectomy at 35. I've got several friends who had theirs younger than you!
Caterina912 olivia12068
Posted
Hi Olivia
Amy updates? I also started uti
Went to urologist all cleared but have pressure on my bladder
I am nervous Nelly and habe an appointment with obgyn on Wed
I'm hoping it's nothing major
linda53048 murnaloo
Posted
You give me hope. I am 63 and have a 6 cm fibroid in the top muscle of my uterus. My uterus is anteverted and retroflexed. For 18 months I feel like I have to urinate frequently. So a urologist ordered a vaginal ultrasound which found the fibroid. The urologist thought the fibroid was my problem but the gyn did not at first. After suffering for 18 and using vaginal estrace without Relief so I have a hysterectomy scheduled for 2 weeks out. My gyn surgeon thinks that perhaps with age and ligament stretching that gravity is causing the bladder pressure which gets worse as the day progresses. Cystoscope showed normal bladder, so no IC. I am really hoping that the hysterectomy makes life better again. Do you think it will?
murnaloo linda53048
Posted
Hi Linda,
Just checking in on you. Are you still suffering? Did you have a hysterectomy? If so, did you have it laperoscopically?
Like you, my uterus was tilted, which apparently explains why I had horrible, incapacitating cramps all those years. A 6cm fibroid is a big one -- it's amazing you didn't feel it otherwise. I could feel mine through my abdomen, although it's not like it was protruding. One GP even told me it was just constipation (he needs to retake that module in med school, I think!). I had my hysterectomy laperoscopically and they had to cut up the fibroids to get them out -- they were massive!
I had the opposite issue as you. The urologist said it was not my fibroid, but the gyno said it was. I did not want the surgery, but in hindsight, I'm kicking myself for waiting so long. Also, I thought I'd miss my periods, but it has been heaven not having to think about what time of the month it is.
I will say that I immediately felt better, but it took several months before I felt "normal." I still have days when my bladder seems twitchy, but I was told it may always be sensitive. I'd say I feel normal 90% of the time, compared to never feeling normal. I'll take that.
Do let me know how you are getting on. I hope the surgery brought you relief!
julie53981 murnaloo
Posted
Thank you all for sharing. Can I share this with my Internal Medicine Doctor? I am going through the urine & blood testing right now. I forgot I had some fibroids some years back on a ultra sound. I also have a high & tilted uterus. I have always had super heavy & very painful periods that should be going away & slowing down but are not. I have all the symptoms of menopause except now I have regular cycles every 3-4 weeks that last about 7 days , where before my cycle would last 7-12 days & go 5-12 weeks between cycles. I have been fighting exhaustion and I have to use the bathroom all the time. My doctor thinks it could be an over active bladder- i started to think caused by what ? Some weeks I can barely get any urine and other weeks I have a lot of urine.
murnaloo julie53981
Posted
By all means, share anything you need to with your doctor, although I've found the doctors unwilling to listen to any opinion other than their own.
mary03919 murnaloo
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Thank you so. Much for telling this its pretty much what I have been feeling for a few years now going in for ct scan in a few days to find out I am scaried but seeing this makes me believe its what you had I do however have one more thing my veins stick out down there so will let you know what they want to do for me just take it out I am done having baby's anyway
archana44945 murnaloo
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vg65700 murnaloo
Posted
I have a uterine fibroid that's 6.7 x 6.1 x 7.5 cm. In 1997 after having years of bladder issues my uro/gyn did a Cystoscopy and Hydrodistention to see if i had Interstitial Cystitis. At the same time my gyn looked at my uterine fibriod to see if it was putting pressure on my bladder and i was told it wasnt though it was pendulous, but that i had IC and that was causing my bladder problems, Something had me relook up fibroids putting pressure on the bladder and i then saw your question and it made me rethink what my doc said about my fibroid years ago. i also wonder if it being pendulious would make a difference too. I think i may rediscuss this with my gyn and urologist. Im 56 no kids and obviously dont plan to get pregnant. I just wonder if removing my big fibroid. I have others that are small apparently will make a difference. Maybe the fibroid is even causing my Pelvic floor dysfunction.