Re: New to this group

March 17, 2001

In a message dated 3/17/01 9:11:20 PM Eastern Standard Time,

ccwright@... writes:

> Hi all, I have a couple of questions that maybe someone can give me

> some feedback. First for alittle background... I had an UAE done in

> Aug 00, had 50% shrinkage after the procedure. My only complaint

> then and now is heavy bleeding. Since the UAE I've had about a 10 to

> 20% relieve in my symptoms. After talking with Dr. Spies, the doc

> who did the UAE, he seemed to think that there must be another reason

> for the heavy bleeding other than the fibroids. Went to my gyn on

> Friday and he suggested doing an endometrial ablation using the

> uterine balloon therapy. What I'm looking for here is some women who

> have had this done and the results of that. Any response would be

> greatly appreciated. I've been a member of the embo group and found

> that site very helpful in making my decision to have the UAE done.

> Thanks Debbie

>

Debbie,

So sorry to hear that heavy bleeding has continued despite

UAE. The page below from Indiana University School of

Medicine describes

candidates for UAE and women with certain conditions who

would not be good candidates. Prior to the UAE, your gyne/IR

ruled out adenomyosis, malignancy, and the other obvious items,

listed on this page and took a very good medical history on you?

<A

HREF= " http://www.indyrad.iupui.edu/public/interventionalradiology/uterine_fibr

oid_embo/candidate.html " >Are you a candidate for Uterine Artery Embolization

for Uterine Fibroids?</A>

http://www.indyrad.iupui.edu/public/interventionalradiology/uterine_fibroid_em

bo/candidate.html

Did your IR and Gyne speculate and offer further diagnostic

tests? Have you had follow-up MRI's since and did they reveal anything?

Did Dr. Spies remark as to what percentage of patients do not get

relief from heavy bleeding following UAE?

Are you comfortable having the endometrial ablation with your Gyne?

Did you mention your Gyne's recommendation to your IR?

My apologies, didn't mean the above to sound like an interrogation--

the continued heavy bleeding sounds so frustrating....you need some relief.

But the question is why the poor results in bleeding reduction.

Marsha

March 18, 2001

> Debbie,

> So sorry to hear that heavy bleeding has continued despite

> UAE. The page below from Indiana University School of

> Medicine describes

> candidates for UAE and women with certain conditions who

> would not be good candidates. Prior to the UAE, your gyne/IR

> ruled out adenomyosis, malignancy, and the other obvious items,

> listed on this page and took a very good medical history on you?

>

> <A

>

HREF= " http://www.indyrad.iupui.edu/public/interventionalradiology/uter

ine_fibr

>

> oid_embo/candidate.html " >Are you a candidate for Uterine Artery

Embolization

> for Uterine Fibroids?</A>

>

http://www.indyrad.iupui.edu/public/interventionalradiology/uterine_fi

broid_em

>

> bo/candidate.html

>

> Did your IR and Gyne speculate and offer further diagnostic

> tests? Have you had follow-up MRI's since and did they reveal

anything?

> Did Dr. Spies remark as to what percentage of patients do not get

> relief from heavy bleeding following UAE?

> Are you comfortable having the endometrial ablation with your Gyne?

> Did you mention your Gyne's recommendation to your IR?

>

> My apologies, didn't mean the above to sound like an interrogation--

> the continued heavy bleeding sounds so frustrating....you need some

relief.

> But the question is why the poor results in bleeding reduction.

> Marsha

Hi Marsha,

I'm not comfortable having the ablation done yet, I don't think

enough tests have been done to rule out anything else. I did have

tests and a MRI prior to the UAE (my gyny did not welcome having the

UAE, not enough data to support it). Dr. Spies went over everything

and told me my chances of the UAE working were about 90%. Not bad

odds. I had a MRI done at 3 months post UAE, that's where it showed

the fibroids had decreased and the total unterine volume is down 50%

(it would be nice if my belly were 50% smaller!!!). Proir to all of

the MRI's and exams, I had a D & C done in the very early stages of

finding the fibroids, all of that came out fine. I don't like doing

something major without having an idea why I'm still having the heavy

bleeding. As far as my gyny is concerned, I would further check into

how many he has done, sucess, etc... before I would let him do it (if

I go that route). I guess I'm back on the hunt again on why this is

happening, more doc, more tests. I was really hoping that this year

I would not have to do anything medical. In Nov I found a lump in my

breast and had it taken out, no cancer, thank God. I've had enough

needles for a life time!! If you can think of something else that I

haven't let me know. Tomorrow I'm going to call Dr. Spies and talk

to him. Thanks for you questions, any help I can have will help. My

family can not understand why I will not have an hysterectomy, I'm

tired of explaining. Debbie

March 19, 2001

Don't dismiss myomectomy. Keep looking for a doctor who is highly experienced

in this procedure. Get a 2nd or 3rd or 4th opinion.

March 19, 2001

Celeste:

I don't know how many fibroids I have, there are too many to count! All I

know is my uterus is the size of a 16 week pregnancy. This is how big it

was prior to UAE and it is the same size one year later. My UAE is

considered a clinical failure because it did nothing for my symptoms, ie,

multiple fiboids and no shrinkage, excessive bleeding and anemia. I never

considered myoectomy as my doctor said I had so many fibroids that they

would basically have to remove my entire uterus to get them all and it would

leave me with massive scar tissue and hamburger for a uterus.

It seemed as if the UAE worked at first. I felt like my uterus had shrunk

(probably pshycological) and my periods were lighter for the first couple

months, but then everything went back to BAD at three months. Like I said

before, I'm on depo provera now, just waiting for the next great cure.

Re: New to this group

>> >

>>

March 19, 2001