Re: A Worrier New to Board

[Guest guest]

You are correct. This " doctor " has very lame reasoning. If you cut

off your arm you wouldn't have to worry about it being broken. Does

this idiot think you should amputate limbs? Fibroids should be left

alone if they are asymptomatic and not interfering with the function

of any other organs.

It may be good to get more information from this ultra sound, but by

no means should you listen to this guy. What nerve! He doesn't

want " women running around with masses in their bellies. " Does the

ignorance and misogyny ever end? Not with this one apparently.

There is an old song, " Do Nothing 'Till You've Heard From Me. " Don't

follow his instructions without talking to the group.

Good luck.

> Hello everyone - I was diagnosed with fibroids a year ago after

an

> exam and an ultrasound. I have absolutely no symptoms. Just

> returned from a regular visit to my gyn, and he is still pushing

for

> a complete hysterectomy. My uterous is the size of a 16 week

> pregnancy and he said that he doesn't like to see a woman " running

> around with a mass in her belly " . I'm going for another ultrasound

> on Friday. I really can't justify major surgery if I'm not

> experiencing a lesser quality of life and if they are not causing

me

> any real harm. I would certainly appreciate your thoughts on

whether

> I should be worried about carrying these three fibroids around

inside

> me. He also said that if I have a hysterectomy, I won't have to

> worry about anything going wrong with these organs in the future.

> That sounds like a lame reason to me. Thanks so much - Sharon

[Guest guest]

Sharon --

What the other women have said is true: your doctor has lame reasoning, you

should get a second opinion, and you shouldn't have anything done if the

fibroids aren't causing any symptoms or life style problems.

I would encourage you to keep up with the growth of the fibroid for a couple

of reasons. One reason is that a larger uterus might (and it might not) cut

down on your options at a future time. Anecedotal evidence suggests that the

women who are having extended problems after uterine artery embolization are

women who had a couple of large fibroids (and a uterus 20-week size or

larger). Also, my impression is that is that it's harder to find a doctor

willing to do a myomectomy on the larger uteruses -- but this impression is

based on living in a place where there are not reknown doctors and on not

having the means to travel to where these reknown doctors live.

Second, depending on where your fibroids are located and on where they grow,

there is the potential of developing hydronephrosis, partial or complete

blockage of the ureter. It's rare. And, according to some of the women on

this list, it may be something that doctors use to scare you into have

surgery. But I know that one of my kidneys had become considerably larger

than the other and drained a lot slower, which would suggest that damage

would have eventually occurred.

> Hello everyone - I was diagnosed with fibroids a year ago after

an

> exam and an ultrasound. I have absolutely no symptoms. Just

> returned from a regular visit to my gyn, and he is still pushing

for

> a complete hysterectomy. My uterous is the size of a 16 week

> pregnancy and he said that he doesn't like to see a woman " running

> around with a mass in her belly " . I'm going for another ultrasound

> on Friday. I really can't justify major surgery if I'm not

> experiencing a lesser quality of life and if they are not causing

me

> any real harm. I would certainly appreciate your thoughts on

whether

> I should be worried about carrying these three fibroids around

inside

> me. He also said that if I have a hysterectomy, I won't have to

> worry about anything going wrong with these organs in the future.

> That sounds like a lame reason to me. Thanks so much - Sharon

[Guest guest]

Dear Sharon:

I think your first instinct was right on. A hysterectomy is a big deal. .

..mostly because of all the functions of the uterus we don't quite know about

yet. I'd find another doctor. . .one less pushy and aggressive.

on 8/29/01 6:34 PM, ebb312@... at ebb312@... wrote:

> Hello everyone - I was diagnosed with fibroids a year ago after an

> exam and an ultrasound. I have absolutely no symptoms. Just

> returned from a regular visit to my gyn, and he is still pushing for

> a complete hysterectomy. My uterous is the size of a 16 week

> pregnancy and he said that he doesn't like to see a woman " running

> around with a mass in her belly " . I'm going for another ultrasound

> on Friday. I really can't justify major surgery if I'm not

> experiencing a lesser quality of life and if they are not causing me

> any real harm. I would certainly appreciate your thoughts on whether

> I should be worried about carrying these three fibroids around inside

> me. He also said that if I have a hysterectomy, I won't have to

> worry about anything going wrong with these organs in the future.

> That sounds like a lame reason to me. Thanks so much - Sharon

>

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