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Fibroids......What are the options ?

Posted , 10 users are following.

michelemuffin
michelemuffin

I was diagnosed with uterine fibroids and an enlarged cervix in 2011 but didn't start having major bleeding til now. I mean I have always had irregular periods and discharge to where I have to wear a pad everyday but last week the bleeding got worse and clots the size of a golf ball. I had to sit in a bathtub for 30 mins til the blood and clots stopped coming out. I have an appt today with the gynecologist and am very nervouse cause I have not been one since 2011 so not sure what to expect. I am 44 and my child bearing years are over I just don't wanna think about getting a hysterectomy and hope there is other options . Need some advice please. Thank you.

1 like, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • angel368
    angel368 michelemuffin

    Posted

    Hello Michele

    There are other options besides hysterectomy including: Esmya tablets to shrink fibroids, coil to help reduce bleeding, UFE to cut off blood supply and kill fibroid, or myomectomy to remove fibroids only. Hopefully your doctor will give you all the options, each has its own pros and cons so do a lot of research before you come up with the procedure you feel comfortable with.

    Good luck

    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin angel368

      Posted

      Thank you angel....I will definitely do some research before making a decision but will also keep an open mind as to what my doctor recommends. What is your story on fibroids ?
    • angel368
      angel368 michelemuffin

      Posted

      Hi Michelle,

      I struggled with heavy periods since 2010. I was on tranexamic and mefamenic acid tablets to help reduce bleeding and iron tablets for anemia. I just accepted all of this as a part of getting older. Then in 2014, my periods became drastically heavier, I increased from 2 to 4 pads every 1-2 hours. I also had flooding in between periods, frequent urination, back pain and pressure from the fibroids. I was diagnosed early in 2015 with multiple fibroids and given 3 options. 1. Hormonal treatment that would probably give me lots of side effects, uterine fibroid Embolisation that would be very painful and hysterectomy which is the only 100% cure.

      I wasn't happy with any of my options (don't really like taking hormones, petrified of intense pain, but also didn't want a major surgery that would have me off work and unable to take care of my family for months)

      So I researched online, found this forum, read a lot and finally decided on ufe. I was really anxious but it worked well. I had the procedure in September 2015 and I am now feeling 100% better. I have my quality of life back and wish I hadn't waited so long. Normal periods now, anemia gone, I don't get up in the middle of the night to use the toilet anymore and I am back to being my energetic and adventurous self.

      Find an option you feel comfortable with when you're ready, but know you can get relief and get back to a 'normal' life.

    • angel368
      angel368 michelemuffin

      Posted

      Forgot to add that I lost over 10 pounds and went down a dress size too.
  • fions81332
    fions81332 michelemuffin

    Posted

    There are diff options u can ask your doc about u will prob get a scan to c if your fyvroid has grew any as they can take a groth spurt and grow very quick let us know how u get on
  • 2011
    2011 michelemuffin

    Posted

    Hi Michele,

    Sorry to hear this, you are not alone as I too have experienced this on a few occasions. It is pretty scary! I'd visit your GP/doctor/gynae if you haven't done so already, as there are hormonal options such as norethisterone or the coil. Tranexamic acid can also help with the bleeding and clots. Unfortunately none of the hormonal frontline medications worked for me so I'm now taking Esmya, but the jury is out just now on that one.

    I've found this website to be really helpful, it has a table of the available options for fibroid treatment.

    http://www.fibroideducation.com/images/treatment_options_chart.jpg

    Danni

    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin 2011

      Posted

      Thanks so much Danni for the link I will look at it
  • kourtney55779
    kourtney55779 michelemuffin

    Posted

    Wow I hate they were so bad that you had that experience. When I have a major doctor appointment ONLY For the sake of me being able to absorb all the info I'm being told I'll audio record the visit on my phone. Or so when my husband asks I can let him hear because I can't remember it all.

    I do suggest you do your research before you go so the overwhelm isn't as bad too.

    Take a list of questions.

    Good luck

  • christine65130
    christine65130 michelemuffin

    Posted

    HI, I sympathise with you, I am 58 and have had problems with fibroids for 8 years now, not wanting a hysterectomy and hoping for menopause. The gynaes I have seen here ( in Spain) only want to do a hysterectomy ( what do I need my womb and ovaries for now anyway?) but I am reluctant, partly because I would have to pay for it, and who knows what complications there may be. The one gynae prescribed Esmya, which has worked for me, I have  taken 3 courses of it, and although they grow back the fibroids are smaller and I have not had a large bleed for over a year. It doesn't work for everyone however and there are side effects - headaches, dizziness, hot flushes. At the moment I am not taking anything other than DIM supplements, which I think are helping, but my stomach is still swollen. No bleeding though! Best of luck, I hope your gynae offers a range of treatments

    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin christine65130

      Posted

      Hello Christine . I have did some research and found that a hysterectomy surgery is one if the safest surgeries out there. I don't mind having a monthly period just don't wanna bleed or discharge everyday of the month.

    • fions81332
      fions81332 michelemuffin

      Posted

      I know the feeling iv been bleeding now into my 4th week am just sick fed up with this always worried incase iv leeked through my jeans so fed up cant wait for gyni appointmend av been waiting 4weeks now hope its soon im 49 now
    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin fions81332

      Posted

      Fions I am fed up with it too. I have an appt today and hope to get some relief . I hope u can get in soon so u can get relief as well.
    • christine48435
      christine48435 michelemuffin

      Posted

      I didn't even know I had a fibroid until I was 48 or 49, but it certainly explained how horrible my 40s were with long, long periods and awful clotting and changing tampons every hour on the hour. 

      Hysterectomy was suggested by a sweet older, male GYN at that time because "you're finished with all that anyway," but to me, that was not a good enough reason for surgery. Also he would only entertain abdominal surgery and I was having no part of that. I had an abdominal surgery once (c-section), but at least I got a cute baby out of that deal.

      At any rate, for the last four years or so we have hoped that the fibroid would ride off into the mentopoausal sunset, but it hasn't and so I've decided to go ahead and evict it. Also, I am tired of it sitting on my bladder and having to use the restroom every 5 minutes.

      I had my preop CT scan on Tuesday and haven't been called back in to the doc for any bad news, so I presume that the big fibroid is all we're dealing with, but to be honest, I'm seriously ready to close this chapter of being a nervous wreck every time it decides to have a bleed. Everyone has to come to their own decisions with their bodies. In the US, we don't have Esmya, but if we did I probably would have given it a shot. I feel I gave it a good run but it's time. 

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