Pre surgical stuff
Posted , 7 users are following.
A year ago I found out I had a fibroid that was 6.7cm. It was causing long, heavy periods.
Over the last three months I have had non-stop bleeding. Another ultrasound shows the fibroid made some friends. Now I'm at 7.0, 3.7 and 3.5. My uterus is tipped backward so attempts at biopsies and a saline sonogram failed. Uterus is huge at 16.3x70.x8.5, so it has to be an abdominal cut for surgery.
Today I begged my doctor for a hysterectomy. She was good with it, but we have an approval for a D&C already, so she's going to consult with an oncologist to see if they recommend the D&C or go straight to the hysterectomy without the cell sample.
She told me that before surgery I'd need an EKG and a chest x-ray. Did anyone else have to do those? I'm not sure I understand the need. When I asked, she just said because I'm over 40. That seems to be the standard answer and it's getting old.
I can not believe I actually want surgery, but I want this to be over!
1 like, 11 replies
CoCo2016 Maestra
Posted
I am over 40 and I was scheduled for a hysterectomy and as part of the pre-op I had to have an EKG and chest X-ray. I ended up having a UFE instead and I'm thankful I did.
heather34376 CoCo2016
Posted
How big was your fibroid & where was it/what kind? How did the UFE help you?
CoCo2016 heather34376
Posted
I had several fibroids with the largest being the size of a 20-week fetus. It was positioned on my uterus and I wasn't a good candidate for myomectomy or laparoscopy so my Gyn wanted to do a total hysterectomy and I wasn't comfortable with the idea of anesthesia and surgery. My biggest complaint was the size and I saw immediate results within days of UFE and my doctor said they will shrink even more. Instead of going through my groin the radiologist went through my wrist because it gave less stress on the body and allowed for quicker healing. Hope this helps.
heather34376 Maestra
Posted
Hi, Are you in the UK? Whats an EKG & why do they have to give you a chest x ray?
OMG! I'm 47 have a massive fibroid & have been putting off any decision for a long time, finally when I did make a decision after a local consult to have UFE, I ended up because of size & location seaking a second specilist opinion away from home from an interventional radiologist in the South. Mr Fibroid! Mr Fibroid hadn't the chance to look at my MRI before my consult & journey of over 500 miles but did an ultra sound, I had a pre op & was scheduled for my UFE 21st November. I returned home the thing I know Ia fe weeks later I'm sent a letter saying after looking at MRI he thinks "Fibroid be dying" I doubt this & think there were other reasons. However that left me, Mrs cant make a decision on this! Having made a decision after being told I could have one, to see a specialist then be told I couldn't, only to come home & be told they still think I can. Urrgh. Many on here champion myomectomy, however I am concerned after extensive research re adhension especially with massive posterior wall submcosal fibroid like I have, but also re the morcellation if done by keyhole, which can cause spores & you know how easily these things can spread! So I am left thinking well if one consultant thinks I may get a result from UFE even if small, mayb that would be enough to preveny hsyterectomy & if not, then I tried. So hysterectomy it may have to be or open myomectomy. I am trying to balane up the pro's & con's at 47 of having complete womb removal or just the fibroid. Meaning if I go for just the fibroid I could grow more & here weare again or hysterectomy,with removal of the cervix, reduces the chnce of a couple of more cancers. Urrrgh! Men have it easy! What to do!
heather34376 Maestra
Posted
oh btw - they think I just hae one fibroid - its the same size as your 3 combined 13 cm so I know what you feel like. What will the d & c do, I've not been offered this. I've had a womb sample at my request is that the same? Also what type & where are yours? Would you consider UFE?
normy72890 Maestra
Posted
babybear79 Maestra
Posted
Hi Maestra
I had an 18cm fibroid and the UFE that I had in June 2016 didn't work for me and was a major fail. I ended up in the hospital for 12 days from bacterial infection from the necrotic tissue of the dead unshrunken fibroid. I had multiple blood work, urine samples, chest X-ray and ekg as a routine preop procedure. I think it's to monitor heart rhythms, and to ensure all levels are normal because if something was out of range then they would take care of it prior to doing any procedures.
If you have any questions, let me know and I can give you more details about my experience!
heather34376 babybear79
Posted
Hi Babybear, so what is your plan now? Is your fibroid still 18cm after all that? Flippin heck. Thats one thing that scares me as I'm all too well aware that especially large fibroids can be more prone to necrotic tissue infections & that this can happen as long as 9 months after the procedure (you'd think you were out of the woods then!) Where is yours & what type is it. Are you or have you had surgery?
babybear79 heather34376
Posted
Hi again,
I copied and pasted one of my previous posts from 17 days ago and gives more of a history of what I went thru...if you need clarification on anything I'd be happy to answer more questions for you.
On my last post I mentioned I had my first cycle in four months post UFE op and was on day seven. Well...on day 10 of my cycle I FLOODED and saturated three pads in five minutes and had to double up on pads and was literally flooding to the point where cycle leaked down my legs and couldn't go walk to the bathroom from my bedroom without leaving a trail. That night on October 23rd, I ended up in emergency with a high fever and after doing blood work had a high white blood cell count. I was admitted to the hospital and remained in the hospital for a total of 12 days. I had multiple tests completed and for the first week the doctors said my body was fighting an infection and couldn't pinpoint where the infection was coming from. Eventually after being put on antibiotics and pain medications the cycle would slow down but not stop. I was told my embolization had bloocked the blood supply and oxygen supply to the fibroid but also lead to necrotic tissue that had started to build on bad bacteria in my uterus, therefore and infection started and the pieces of fibroid i had expelled created a raw spot and when I was on my cycle that would not stop lead to the fibroid bleeding. While at the hospital, I had daily fevers and my WBC count was increasing and my hemoglobin was slowly dropping. The gyno team was amazing and took over my case and the end result after much consideration and thought and discussions with all the doctors and the many tests (MRI, chest xray, blood test daily, culture tests and goes on and on...) the final restult was to eliminate the source. On day nine at the hospital, I had a total abdominal hysterectomy and they removed my fallopian tubes, my uterus which was meshed in with the fibroid and most of my cervix. they couldn't remove all of my cervix because the large fibroid had changed the anatomy of the cervix so I will still have to do annual paps exams. I am now 36 days postop. the pain management has been taken care of very well however I do have a seroma, sac full of fluid that has been draining daily sice 5 days post op. Since the removal of the staples, and only using steri strips I have a minor splitting of the incision and now have to go to the wound clinic daily to get it packed. *the splitting has been well managed and now I go twice a week to get it packed and was told the healing process has been quite fast.
With many tears and being on a very emotional rollercoaster ride during my stay at the hospital to make such a big decision, I feel like this was a personal best decision for myself to make to avoid the horrible painful feeling of the post ufe op that i had. while on my cycle i was in major pain for two weeks and felt like my uterus was trying to have contractions to try and expell the fibroid. Now i feel pain free and just now need to deal with the closure of the incision and aside from the healing process feel the quality of life improving. the amount of times I have to void over night has decreased from 12 times to twice a night or even once a night and there is no pressure of course, my bowel movements went from constipation to the point where i can empty completely. my legs don't hurt, no more periods, no fullness. no nothing. I feel stronger by the day and can't wait for a better future!!!
If you have any questions about the procedure, please ask away!!!
heather34376 babybear79
Posted
God bless you babybear, this is what I was afraid might happen if I had a UFE as they say infection in more likely after UFE from very large fibroids. So sorry youve had to endure this but glad you are out the other side & just have to heal now & will not have another uterine fibroid again. x
deanne2 Maestra
Posted
Yes it's fairly standard before any operation. The anaesthetist would want to be sure that you are fit enough to cope with being under anaesthetic. Try not to worry. x