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What are my options?

Posted , 7 users are following.

Heyguys82227
Heyguys82227

Hi everyone, this is my first post.

I'm 27 years old and last year I found out I had a uterine fibroid, by ultrasound, nothing huge, it was around 1 cm big. Since then, it certainly feels like its grown, or more have appeared.

I have incredibly heavy periods, I don't even want to leave the house during them. I use a menstrual cup and a very thick/large pad, and I still soak through my clothes frequently. I have to empty the menstrual cup which holds 12ml, almost every hour, every 2 hours at most during my heavy days. The clots that come out are often the size of my hand. My periods last up to 2 weeks, usually at least 10 days.

During the summer, I developed anaemia, my hemoglobin levels dropped really low, to 8 milligrams per deciliter, which my doctor said could warrant a blood transfusion, but I decided to try a high dose of iron tablets first and after a month or so started to feel slightly more normal.

I have the usual bloated/pressure feeling in my lower stomach, and feel like I have to urinate quite often.

Lately, I've been having lots of bleeding in between my periods too, lots of clots in them. I feel like I'm bleeding more often than not at this stage. It makes me not want to leave the house when I know I could just soak through my clothes at a moments notice when out in public.

I'm on the Evra patch also, which hasn't really helped with any symptoms. I'm planning to go see my doctor soon, she's been on maternity leave for well over a year now so it's been a long time since I've had any sort of help with this.

Any advice on what to expect or any options I may have to help would be  so much appreciated.

Elaine.

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

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  • john12400
    john12400 Heyguys82227

    Posted

    U might want to research uterine fibroid embolization. My wife got that and is very satisfied. Be aggressive!
    • Heyguys82227
      Heyguys82227 john12400

      Posted

      Thanks John, I'll do some research on that now. Glad it worked well for your wife smile

  • SJ1983
    SJ1983 Heyguys82227

    Posted

    Hi Elaine,

    I'm sorry to hear that you're dealing with heavy periods and all that goes with it.

    I had been experiencing problems since 2013 but at the beginning of last year my fibroids symptoms started to interfere with everything; heavy bleeding, bleeding in between periods, horrendous pain, and anemia. After having a laparoscopy my consultant gave me 3 months of zoladex before removing it just before Christmas.

    I'm now awaiting for my periods to return and praying for a 'normal.' Period.

    Where are you based? 'My advice would be up get Get it removed as soon as possible. I wish I dealt with mine sooner. Having said that, mine was misdiagnosed (they thought it was outside of the womb) but I really want to get pregnant and if I could have dealt with it sooner I would have.

    X

    • Heyguys82227
      Heyguys82227 SJ1983

      Posted

      Thanks SJ1983,

      This problem runs in my family, at least 3 close relatives have all had hysterectomies due to fibroids. 

      I'm based in the northwest of Ireland. 

      My doctor has never discussed any options outside of the pill or Evra patch to help me, I'm really hoping that when I see her, she will suggest something new to help, as my symptoms have definitely gotten worse since my last visit with her.

      It's the irregular bleeding between periods that I hate the most, I always have pretty large clots, not just a case of spotting sadly. It's defintely turned me into more of a hermit.

      Thank you for your advice.

    • SJ1983
      SJ1983 Heyguys82227

      Posted

      Don't settle for second best! I was curious as where you were based as I was referred to my consultant from my GP and he's fantastic. He's called Andrew Riddle. Google him and I imagine he'd be one ygan happy to point you in the right direction.

      I did take tranexamic acid at times when on my periods as it reduces the heavyness and clots. I also had norethisterone at times to stop periods to give me a break whilst increasing iron levels. Btw my fibroid was removed via myosure another thing worth mentioninto to your GP regarding options x

    • Heyguys82227
      Heyguys82227 SJ1983

      Posted

      Thanks again,

      It's nice to know there are options with different medications I can try. I'm just assuming my doctor would try something like that before suggesting an actual procedure right away.

      When I first got anaemia, the GP filling in for my regular GP just ignored the fact that I had a fibroid and heavy bleeding, and just told me to take over the counter iron tablets, instead of actually treating the root cause of the anaemia. x

       

    • jess1981
      jess1981 SJ1983

      Posted

      You had your fibroids removed but I wouldn't recommend anyone to have it removed. Just my opinion there are better choice now.

    • SJ1983
      SJ1983 jess1981

      Posted

      I wasn't given another option and desperate to have children. It was removed internally though via myosure. How were yours removed?

  • UFE27
    UFE27 Heyguys82227

    Posted

    Hi, before you consider the options you have to check your uterus to determine what has changed and the most appropriate way to do this is an ultrasound and pelvic examination. Once you have received the results then you can consider the options which depend on the type of fibroid, number of fibroid and their ocation in the uterus. There are some options that may not be suggested to you as they depend on your age and whether you have children or want children etc. The mirena coil is often suggested to aid heavy bleeding but not to those that have never had children but this might have changed now. UFE is not recommended to those that still want children for fertility reasons, so I can't see it being an option for a 27 year old but you never know. The birth control pill is often the cheapest and first option for GPs as it should regulate and help control bleeding. The GP will alway try controlling the bleeding with hormonal pills/ patches/ OUR coils first before suggesting surgical procedures but myomectomy and Hysteroscopic Myomectomy procedures are done when required to remove certain fibroids, so go the GP now and demand an ultrasound.

    • Heyguys82227
      Heyguys82227 UFE27

      Posted

      Hi UFE27,

      My last ultrasound was over a year ago now, and if I recall, my fibroid was at top right hand side of my uterus. 

      I've already had Implanon, 2 types of contraceptive pill, and currently the Evra patch, none of which have really helped.

      My regular GP had always been very efficient and helpful. I haven't had any help at all from her replacement GP so I'm hoping to get some real help when I finally get to see her.

      Thanks for your advice,

      Elaine.

  • shell69386
    shell69386 Heyguys82227

    Posted

    Hi Elaine, are you in the UK?  There are now the Esmya tablets - ulipristal acetate, that help reduce the fibroids and hence the symptoms. In addition while you are on them bleeding is usually reduced or in many cases completely stops ( Mine stopped for the 3 months on them). Sounds like you need something to help stop the bleeding and give you a chance to also build up your iron stores. Good luck,   
  • shell69386
    shell69386 Heyguys82227

    Posted

    In addition to my reply above about Eysma tablets, there are the tablets Tranexamic acid to reduce bleeding as another option, they are just for bleeding and don't work on the fibroids like the ulipristal acetate (eysma) . I chose Eysma. I would not want a coil myself if there are other options.  

    • Heyguys82227
      Heyguys82227 shell69386

      Posted

      Thanks for your response shell69386,

      I'm based in the northwest of Ireland. 

      I finally have an appontment with my doctor on Wednesday the 1st of February. I'll definitely mention those tablets to her, reducing the fibroid or even just helping wth the bleeding sounds like a dream now. I wouldn't want to get the coil either, and would definitely chose Eysma over that.

      Thanks for the information smile 

  • Heyguys82227
    Heyguys82227

    Posted

    Hi guys, I finally had my doctors appointment today. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.

    My doctor has taken me off the Evra patch and prescribed me the Celeste pill which I was on before the patch, she thinks the patch could be contributing to my irregular bleeding.

    She recommended I get the coil fitted.

    She wants me to get my bloods checked in the next few weeks, and to get an internal exam next week when I am not on my period. She also referred me to a Gynaecologist.

    My fibroid was lager than I thought it was, I believed it was 1cm when I had my ultrasound over a year ago, but her records show it was 3.6cm 

    I'm not sure about the coil, I don't really know anyone who's on it!

  • elizabeth17776
    elizabeth17776 Heyguys82227

    Posted

    Hi Elaine I am sad to hear you have such severe symptoms at such an early age. I went through the same in the last 2-3 years where my periods got heavier and heavier till I went to the GP to cut a long story short I had some big fibroids that were causing the heavy periods like you I could not leave the house for 3 days! Please don't wait too long the anaemia does get so bad it will take months to fully recover your red blood cell stores and then you are always tired.

    I had a hysterescopy done and the doctor 'removed' the biggestd of the fibroids and the heavy bleeding imediately stopped. This is a day surgery that makes such a remarkable change to your quality of life. There are other options as well which you can eplore with your doctor but please please do not wait any longer it can be resolved

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