Re: New to group, pregnant & worried

April 13, 2001

I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and this group is wonderful-- what a

great resource. I've known for about a year that I have fibroids (I had a

miscarriage last year and an ultrasound at the time revealed a couple of

fibroids that were each about golf ball size). My doctor informed me that

the fibroids probably wouldn't cause me any problems, and she advised against

a myomectomy or other treatment unless I had problems conceiving again.

I had absolutely no problems getting pregnant, either the first or second

time (yes, I know how lucky I am!). I'm now at 20 weeks. Unfortunately, I

seem to be one of the few who will experience complications from one of my

fibroids. I started experiencing a lot pain and cramping a couple of weeks

ago, and could feel a largish (very tender) mass on the left side of my

abdomen. An ultrasound revealed that one of my fibroids (hybrid

subserosal/intramural) is growing with the increased estrogen levels

triggered by the pregnancy, and is now about 6cm. My doctor said that the

location of the fibroid is pretty good (upper left, under the outer lining of

the uterus)-- it shouldn't impinge too much on the space taken by the fetus.

However, I'm at a high risk for pre term labor, and will apparently be in a

lot of pain through the pregnancy. Also, I currently have placenta previa

(placenta is implanted over the cervix), which may or may not resolve itself.

It wasn't clear whether the placenta implanted too low because of the

fibroid or not.

I'm wondering if anyone else out there has experienced any complications due

to fibroids during pregnancy. I feel like I can handle the pain ('though I'm

kind of a wimp), as long as the health of the baby isn't compromised. The

thought of preterm labor is really stressing me out. The fact that I had

cramping starting around 18 weeks doesn't seem like a good sign. Any

thoughts or wisdom would be really appreciated! Sorry for the long post.

BTW, I sleep primarily on my left side, and the fibroid that's growing is on

the left side.

April 14, 2001

Thanks, Theresa. It helps a lot to hear about other people's experiences

with this, and I'm reassured that you were able to carry your children

*almost* to term (and that your daughter didn't suffer any lasting trauma).

Can you tell me whether you experienced any unusual cramping or pain from the

fibroids during your second trimester?

April 14, 2001

:

I have three children and had two delivered with fibroids. all three

children were delivered by c-section and the last one came three weeks early

due to premature bleeding. I believe the bleeding may have been caused by

fibroids. The dr. had a hard time getting the baby out because the uterus

was soo cramped by the fibroids. He said he didn't know how she survived in

the cramped up space. She was bruised on the arms and legs from them

pulling on her! She had to be in intensive care for a week for lung

development, but otherwise okay.

Re: New to group, pregnant & worried

>I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and this group is wonderful-- what

a

>great resource. I've known for about a year that I have fibroids (I had a

>miscarriage last year and an ultrasound at the time revealed a couple of

>fibroids that were each about golf ball size). My doctor informed me that

>the fibroids probably wouldn't cause me any problems, and she advised

against

>a myomectomy or other treatment unless I had problems conceiving again.

>

>I had absolutely no problems getting pregnant, either the first or second

>time (yes, I know how lucky I am!). I'm now at 20 weeks. Unfortunately, I

>seem to be one of the few who will experience complications from one of my

>fibroids. I started experiencing a lot pain and cramping a couple of weeks

>ago, and could feel a largish (very tender) mass on the left side of my

>abdomen. An ultrasound revealed that one of my fibroids (hybrid

>subserosal/intramural) is growing with the increased estrogen levels

>triggered by the pregnancy, and is now about 6cm. My doctor said that the

>location of the fibroid is pretty good (upper left, under the outer lining

of

>the uterus)-- it shouldn't impinge too much on the space taken by the

fetus.

>However, I'm at a high risk for pre term labor, and will apparently be in a

>lot of pain through the pregnancy. Also, I currently have placenta previa

>(placenta is implanted over the cervix), which may or may not resolve

itself.

> It wasn't clear whether the placenta implanted too low because of the

>fibroid or not.

>

>I'm wondering if anyone else out there has experienced any complications

due

>to fibroids during pregnancy. I feel like I can handle the pain ('though

I'm

>kind of a wimp), as long as the health of the baby isn't compromised. The

>thought of preterm labor is really stressing me out. The fact that I had

>cramping starting around 18 weeks doesn't seem like a good sign. Any

>thoughts or wisdom would be really appreciated! Sorry for the long post.

>

>BTW, I sleep primarily on my left side, and the fibroid that's growing is

on

>the left side.

>

April 15, 2001

HI Caren

I am 26 and I was pregenent with a huge fibroid.From the first month of

pregnency, the doctor's were telling me a lot of horrible things. But I put my

trust in God and was praying. Finally by the grace of god, a year ago I had a

beutiful healthy son. So what ever they tell just put your trust in god. If you

have any question, you can email me directly.

April 16, 2001

:

I don't recall any unusual cramping or pain.

Re: New to group, pregnant & worried

>Thanks, Theresa. It helps a lot to hear about other people's experiences

>with this, and I'm reassured that you were able to carry your children

>*almost* to term (and that your daughter didn't suffer any lasting trauma).

>Can you tell me whether you experienced any unusual cramping or pain from

the

>fibroids during your second trimester?

>

April 26, 2001

Dear ,

I was in exactly your situation: no problem getting pregnant, no idea I even

had fibroids until I started having abdominal pain around 6 weeks into the

pregnancy. I turned out I had 3 large fibroids and many, many smaller ones

that caused a great deal of pain, so much so that at one point I even

considered terminating the pregnancy so I could get rid of the fibroids and

start over again. I didn't, thank goodness, but the pain was awfully hard to

live with. I ended up seeing a pain specialist and being put on OxyContin (a

pain killer currently used to treat cancer pain and currently in vogue as

the new fad drug.)

The pain was the main symptom, but I also needed a C-section because one of

the fibroids was blocking my birth canal. At least I knew from a few months

on that I was going to need one, so I could prepare myself emotionally. My

daughter was delivered at 38 weeks and was very small (5 lbs. 4 oz.),

probably because the fibroids wouldn't let my uterus expand any more than

that. But although she was small, she was feisty and she scored 7 and 9

respectively on her APGAR's.

Now she is 2 years old and we're starting to think about having another

child. (See my next post about my U/S earlier this morning.)

Good luck and don't let those fibroids get the better of you!

Jerilyn

P.S. Feel free to email me at my personal address: jerilyns@...

with any questions I can answer.

Re: New to group, pregnant & worried

> I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and this group is wonderful-- what

a

> great resource. I've known for about a year that I have fibroids (I had a

> miscarriage last year and an ultrasound at the time revealed a couple of

> fibroids that were each about golf ball size). My doctor informed me that

> the fibroids probably wouldn't cause me any problems, and she advised

against

> a myomectomy or other treatment unless I had problems conceiving again.

>

> I had absolutely no problems getting pregnant, either the first or second

> time (yes, I know how lucky I am!). I'm now at 20 weeks. Unfortunately,

I

> seem to be one of the few who will experience complications from one of my

> fibroids. I started experiencing a lot pain and cramping a couple of

weeks

> ago, and could feel a largish (very tender) mass on the left side of my

> abdomen. An ultrasound revealed that one of my fibroids (hybrid

> subserosal/intramural) is growing with the increased estrogen levels

> triggered by the pregnancy, and is now about 6cm. My doctor said that the

> location of the fibroid is pretty good (upper left, under the outer lining

of

> the uterus)-- it shouldn't impinge too much on the space taken by the

fetus.

> However, I'm at a high risk for pre term labor, and will apparently be in

a

> lot of pain through the pregnancy. Also, I currently have placenta previa

> (placenta is implanted over the cervix), which may or may not resolve

itself.

> It wasn't clear whether the placenta implanted too low because of the

> fibroid or not.

>

> I'm wondering if anyone else out there has experienced any complications

due

> to fibroids during pregnancy. I feel like I can handle the pain ('though

I'm

> kind of a wimp), as long as the health of the baby isn't compromised. The

> thought of preterm labor is really stressing me out. The fact that I had

> cramping starting around 18 weeks doesn't seem like a good sign. Any

> thoughts or wisdom would be really appreciated! Sorry for the long post.

>

> BTW, I sleep primarily on my left side, and the fibroid that's growing is

on

> the left side.

>

April 26, 2001