-- you have options!

[Guest guest]

:

Thanks for your query. You're in the right place in asking questions of the

women on this list -- a

wonderful bunch of women who are very supportive of one another.

Please don't necessarily assume that hysterectomy is your only option, without

exploring first other

alternatives. It is important to determine what is best for YOU. You can do

this by working with

your doctor and learning about your options through the other women on this

list, books/articles, and

info from websites, etc.

Most women try a) treating the symptoms, and then addressing the fibroid

itself. What this means

is you may want to first explore (with your MD) hormonal options (like BCPs,

other drugs to reduce

bleeding, etc.) to treat the symptoms. (And, some women have had success with

natural remedies,

dietary changes and exercise. There are many suggestions in the Archives about

this, including

whether or not they worked. I did not do this, because by the time I found this

list I was well

beyond treating symptoms)

After trying to address the symptoms, there are still options to address the

fibroid problem: a)

hysteroscopie resection and endometrial ablation (removing the endometrial

lining and cutting away the

fibroid (if it is submucosal)); myomectomy (removing the fibroid) --

preferred method if you want

to preserve your fertility; c) uterine artery embolization (UAE), which means

cutting off the

fibroid's blood supply, d) hysterectomy, and e) do nothing.

There are pros and cons and inherent risks to each approach. Each woman's

decision should be based

upon your fibroid (size, location/type), growth rate, the severity of the

symptoms (bleeding, bladder,

pain, bulk (ie pressing against other organs)), age (relative to menopause),

desire for fertility,

etc.

If you educate yourself about your own fibroid and the various options, you will

likely be able to

choose between several options. In my case, I tried the hormonal approach

(BCPs, Depo-Provera). But,

my fibroid was discovered only in January. In March I had the five options

listed above. I was

seriously exploring UAE, but by May my symptoms deteriorated so rapidly that I

ran out of time -- and

options. I had a hysterectomy 6/15/01, just 5 weeks ago, and would be happy to

share my experience

with you. (There are various postings/updates in the Archives about both my

decision making process,

the potential risks of waiting, and my progress each week post-hyst).

Please do not make a decision to have a hysterectomy lightly. But, if you do

decide you have to have

a hysterectomy, it seems that post-surgical activities vary ith the person. I

live alone, so had to

prepare meals, do dishes, etc. from my first day home. (If I had it to do over,

I'd buy 2 weeks of

frozen dinners and keep a list of delivery places handy!!!) I think the

recommendation about not

lifting the pot from the stove is a bit extreme. Just don't fill it with 3

gallons of water! I was

told not to lift more than 10 pounds; other doctors seem to recommed that this

limit be 8. I tried to

keep the weight limit under this, having my own imposed limit of a 1/2 gallon of

milk (64 oz is 4

pounds). Your tea pot with water should be far less than this!

I'm quite sure others can provide better information than can I, particularly on

web sites to

explore. I must have have missed your earlier posting. Sorry. Perhaps you can

get a better, direct

response with particular recommendations if you state your age, interest in

fertility, what you've

tried so far (if anything, since you just found out you had these nasty

puppies), fibroid

size/location, symptoms, your ownlocation. In major cities, other women can

tell you of

gyns/surgeons/radiologists that they have used and liked/not liked.

Best of wishes, .

Marilyn Arnold

lunniss@... wrote:

> Hi

>

> I have just spent the last hour reading all the mail from you guys out there.

> It sounds like a lot of you are well experienced in this fibroid stuff maybe

> you could give some advice to a worried woman. I have had my scan and been

> told that I have 2 fibroids the size of large oranges and that my GP will

> advise me to have a hysterectomy. I do not want anymore children but am

> still worried. I have many questions for the gyneacologist and am now

> waiting for an appointment should be no longer than 7 days. Could anyone

> tell me what it is like to have a hysterectomy I have been told that I may be

> able to keep my ovaries. The doctor said it is not the end of the world but

> it feels like my world is going to change drastically. I am a manager of a

> training centre for young socially excluded kids and do not want too much

> time off, also I have been told that I cannot even make myself a cup of tea

> for the first 2 weeks. Is all this true or old wives tales.

>

> Thanks for your support

>

>

>