Completely OT: Fibroids

[Mom2Deacon]

I know that this is a personal question but does anyone here have fibroids? I was told that I had them when I was 18 and I haven't had any problems with them but I think they are beginning to cause some. Did anyone experience problems with them and what did your doctor do to help?

I do have an appointment to see a doctor next thursday about this. I was wondering if this may have an easy fix or not.

[fredntan2]

http://www.sirweb.org/patPub/uterineTreatments.shtml#uf

I don't have them, but we treat them at work.

Our Radiologists do a UAE-Uterine Artery Embolization.
Its much like a cardiac cath in that the doc guides a catheter to the artery that supplies the fibroid with blood, once he locates artery he closes off there blood supply with these little embo spheres(looks like tiny pearls)

our UAEs stay overnight in hospital to control the pain. This can be quite painful-the fibroids don't like it when we cut off there blood supply. Your given a pain med/and hypnotic during the procedure for conscience sedation-you'll feel loopy-not totally out and able to respond to us. and when in recovery we hook up you pca-patient controlled analgesia. sometimes women aren't in so much pain and sometimes we can't get it under control. but with each case we're trying to do things so the patient isn't in so much pain.

the uae's go home next day.

a girl at work also had this done
http://www.gynecare.com/bgdisplay.jhtml?itemname=thermachoice_about

You're going to be totally prepared when you see your doc. theres no reason women should live with these problems. Good luck

[Mom2Deacon]

http://www.sirweb.org/patPub/uterineTreatments.shtml#uf

I don't have them, but we treat them at work.

Our Radiologists do a UAE-Uterine Artery Embolization.
Its much like a cardiac cath in that the doc guides a catheter to the artery that supplies the fibroid with blood, once he locates artery he closes off there blood supply with these little embo spheres(looks like tiny pearls)

our UAEs stay overnight in hospital to control the pain. This can be quite painful-the fibroids don't like it when we cut off there blood supply. Your given a pain med/and hypnotic during the procedure for conscience sedation-you'll feel loopy-not totally out and able to respond to us. and when in recovery we hook up you pca-patient controlled analgesia. sometimes women aren't in so much pain and sometimes we can't get it under control. but with each case we're trying to do things so the patient isn't in so much pain.

the uae's go home next day.

a girl at work also had this done
http://www.gynecare.com/bgdisplay.jhtml?itemname=thermachoice_about

You're going to be totally prepared when you see your doc. theres no reason women should live with these problems. Good luck


How badly do the fibroids have to be cause someone to have these treatments? The UAE sounds painful even though the website says they aren't. My fibroids aren't painful but my periods have changed in the last few months. I can't take hormones at all. Bad things happen when I do. I am hoping the doctor can help and won't brush me off.

--Sara

[hmmmcormick]

I had/have one huge fibroid. It has/had been growing for about 10 yrs.or so. It was 13 cm. My uterus was the size of a 5 month pregnancy. I had the uterine artery embolization done. My dr. said that I had two options, the UAE or hysterectomy. I would have gone with the hysterectomy since I was not intending to have anymore children, but I do so much lifting with my child I couldn't afford to be laid up for 6 wks.

The main symptom I experienced was constantly having to go to the bathroom. Even more than when I was pregnant. I would go 10 or more times from the time I got up in the morning at 6:30 until noon. I had some pain and lots of pressure in my abdomen.

The UAE went very well, it shrunk my fibroid by nearly half. It is still there, but I have no symptoms and it can't grow anymore. My radiologist told me that I could expect it to shrink up to 60%, but mine was more like 40%. I will tell you that you feel very, very crappy for about a week afterward. I felt like I had been hit by a truck. I had prescription painkillers for a week. They told me it would be flu like symptoms, but I had quite a bit of pain every time I moved. I'm sure it was nothing like if I had had a hysterectomy,though. If you are considering this I would say it is well worth investigating the UAE.

[Gaia]

I did have them and they wreaked havoc on my life. I would have heavy painful periods for months, then Id go months w/ 'normal' ones. My doc tried cervical ablation but it didnt help. They were small but wouldnt respond. The 1st doc I had when I moved up here told me this was normal for me w/ my family history ( mom was the same & my oldest had a bleeding disorder) and that Id have to live w/ it. Yea well never saw him again. About a year later a different doc took over & I heard good things about him. My twins were about a year old, Id had my tubes tied cause I knew for sure I didnt want anymore. I was 35, had 4 babies and lost 4. I was done. Plus going on 3 years ( except when I was carring Don & Lanie) of periods every 3 weeks that lasted 5-7 days. Going thru a pad an hour. Id miss at least 2 days of work a month because I literally couldnt leave the house. The new doc agreed I needed a hysterctomy and 3 months later I had it done. No hormones as I still have my ovaries. I was supposed to be on bed rest for at least a week and no lifting for 4 but that didnt happen. I was cooking dinner & doing laundry the day I got home. Long story involving my 'long suffering' MIL but you dont want to hear that. If this becomes an option, make sure you rest and get at least a little help for a couple weeks. I developed costrochondritis due to not getting the healing time & trust me, you dont want that!

I think there are meds you can try that are non hormonal or they might want to try something surgical. It all depends on the size and how many. Explore ALL your options before you decide. Go in well informed and you'll do great!

I'll be keeping you in my thoughts. Keep a positive outlook and keep thinking of the best outcome. Positivity goes a long way! (((((HUGS)))))

[fredntan2]

the uae procedure itself isn't painful. the procedure lasts about a hour. sometimes little longer
its the time in recovery that can be painful. but I guess in comparison to a surgical hyst the pain is a lot less.
most of the time we are able to control the pain, there's just s few that we havn't been able to control the pain. say forinstance if you're on a lot of pain killers now and have a high tolerence for pain meds then these people are very hard to get pain undercontrol. there will be menstraul like cramping afterwards adn you'll stay overnight in hospital. and if a person does have horrible pain there are things we are doing to get the pain in control.

I'd say if the exsessive bleeding is causing weakness and affecting your ability to function then you need to fix your fibroids