3 Days Post UFE

[Guest guest]

Posted this to the Embo group too, but since many of you in this

group are considering all your options, wanted to share here also.

It's been nearly 72 hours since my UFE and I thought I would share

some of the experience. I'll try to be brief and include things I

might want to know.

Medications received:

Ancef – antibiotic – administered just before beginning

Sedative – not sure what it was, but it was mild, it brought my

raging blood pressure down from 150/90 to my more usual 105/60, but I

wasn't groggy.

Tordal – a great anti-inflammatory. My Dr. said that most of the pain

is inflammation. This stuff worked! I didn't have a single cramp

until hours later when it wore off.

Fentanyl – pain relief. This was administered during the procedure

and then I had a pump I could control after. It provided relief

without many of the side effects of morphine or demerol. No nausea,

no constipation, and it didn't make me sleepy or spacey. I hate

feeling out of control and greatly appreciated having a clear head.

Motrin – around the clock

I had talked with my doctor beforehand about what medications would

be used. I am so glad to have avoided nausea and what sounds the bad

drug reactions many of you have written about. I asked him about the

rash some of you experienced and he said he'd never had a patient

with that, but thought it sounded like some sort of reaction (drug,

embospheres??).

During the Procedure:

This was so cool! No pain, no discomfort, and the only sensation was

the not unpleasant warmth when they inject the dye. My only problem

was the angle I had to hold my head at so I could watch the TV screen.

After inserting the catheter, he used a micro-catheter (smaller than

a human hair) to work his way closer to the uterus. This is the best

way to avoid any of the other branches of the uterine artery. He

reached both sides through one incision, though the right side was

trickier to get to. PVA was used to embolize. PVA (basically

superglue) was first used in trauma during Vietnam. He said that

although some doctors use embospheres, he feels better using a

compound that has more than 30 years of safety, efficacy and

stability behind it. It took about 1-1/2 hours. Evidently the process

with the micro-catheter takes longer.

Since:

There have been some periods of pain (like VERY bad menstrual

cramps). I stayed comfortable in the hospital with the Fentanyl and

did take one Percocet yesterday morning, but it really hasn't been

too bad. My fever seems to go up in the evening (100.8 last night),

but the doctor told me not to be concerned unless it spikes above

101.5. Today, day three, I'm up and dressed and did a few things

around the house, but plan on going back to bed or the couch when I

finish this.

My period has started. It was due next Monday, and several days early

wouldn't be unusual, but I feel the UFE brought it on. (My fibroids

had figured if they both shorten the cycle and length the period, I

could support the feminine products industry single-handedly). So far

it's not terrible, but it's just getting started.

Things I learned or would do differently:

*Be still after the procedure! I had a single 1/4 " incision that was

closed just with natural clotting and pressure. Two hours later, the

nurse let me raise the bed a bit so I could eat (I was starving!) and

it reopened. No big deal, but an impressive amount of blood, and it

kept me on my back with the foley catheter in for another 6 hours.

*Bring more to read. I had thought I'd be out of it and just brought

a book I was halfway through. It got really boring and I had to

resort to bad television.

*Don't be afraid of the bladder catheter. Just the idea of it gave me

the creeps, but it was a couple seconds of discomfort followed by a

feeling of needing to go to the bathroom. I had no problem once it

was removed. Still gives me the creeps though.

I learned from the nurses that they admit 3-4 hysterectomy patients a

day at this hospital. I also heard several hysto horror stories.

Right now, I picture my fibroids like the Wicked Witch of the West in

the Wizard of Oz going, " I'm melting, melting. . . " Good riddance.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

If you are in the Raleigh NC area and looking for a great doctor, I'd

be happy to tell you about mine.

I'm off to read my third book in as many days -- what a treat. Like I

always tell my children: There's good and bad in everything!

[Guest guest]

Anyone who's had UFE - how long after the procedure were you able to do

truly physically demanding things? I'm just about convinced to pursue this

option further, but I am curious about the true recovery time, for a person

in excellent physical condition. I realize that it may vary tremendously,

depending on the size, number etc., but I am trying to guage the parameters,

if possible.

Miriam

[Guest guest]

, Thanks for such a great follow-up! Can you tell

me what the embo group is? Adress? Thanks, Agnes

--- jmargaretlee wrote:

> Posted this to the Embo group too, but since many of

> you in this

> group are considering all your options, wanted to

> share here also.

>

> It's been nearly 72 hours since my UFE and I thought

> I would share

> some of the experience. I'll try to be brief and

> include things I

> might want to know.

>

> Medications received:

> Ancef – antibiotic – administered just before

> beginning

>

> Sedative – not sure what it was, but it was mild, it

> brought my

> raging blood pressure down from 150/90 to my more

> usual 105/60, but I

> wasn't groggy.

>

> Tordal – a great anti-inflammatory. My Dr. said that

> most of the pain

> is inflammation. This stuff worked! I didn't have a

> single cramp

> until hours later when it wore off.

>

> Fentanyl – pain relief. This was administered during

> the procedure

> and then I had a pump I could control after. It

> provided relief

> without many of the side effects of morphine or

> demerol. No nausea,

> no constipation, and it didn't make me sleepy or

> spacey. I hate

> feeling out of control and greatly appreciated

> having a clear head.

>

> Motrin – around the clock

>

> I had talked with my doctor beforehand about what

> medications would

> be used. I am so glad to have avoided nausea and

> what sounds the bad

> drug reactions many of you have written about. I

> asked him about the

> rash some of you experienced and he said he'd never

> had a patient

> with that, but thought it sounded like some sort of

> reaction (drug,

> embospheres??).

>

> During the Procedure:

> This was so cool! No pain, no discomfort, and the

> only sensation was

> the not unpleasant warmth when they inject the dye.

> My only problem

> was the angle I had to hold my head at so I could

> watch the TV screen.

>

> After inserting the catheter, he used a

> micro-catheter (smaller than

> a human hair) to work his way closer to the uterus.

> This is the best

> way to avoid any of the other branches of the

> uterine artery. He

> reached both sides through one incision, though the

> right side was

> trickier to get to. PVA was used to embolize. PVA

> (basically

> superglue) was first used in trauma during Vietnam.

> He said that

> although some doctors use embospheres, he feels

> better using a

> compound that has more than 30 years of safety,

> efficacy and

> stability behind it. It took about 1-1/2 hours.

> Evidently the process

> with the micro-catheter takes longer.

>

> Since:

> There have been some periods of pain (like VERY bad

> menstrual

> cramps). I stayed comfortable in the hospital with

> the Fentanyl and

> did take one Percocet yesterday morning, but it

> really hasn't been

> too bad. My fever seems to go up in the evening

> (100.8 last night),

> but the doctor told me not to be concerned unless it

> spikes above

> 101.5. Today, day three, I'm up and dressed and did

> a few things

> around the house, but plan on going back to bed or

> the couch when I

> finish this.

>

> My period has started. It was due next Monday, and

> several days early

> wouldn't be unusual, but I feel the UFE brought it

> on. (My fibroids

> had figured if they both shorten the cycle and

> length the period, I

> could support the feminine products industry

> single-handedly). So far

> it's not terrible, but it's just getting started.

>

> Things I learned or would do differently:

> *Be still after the procedure! I had a single 1/4 "

> incision that was

> closed just with natural clotting and pressure. Two

> hours later, the

> nurse let me raise the bed a bit so I could eat (I

> was starving!) and

> it reopened. No big deal, but an impressive amount

> of blood, and it

> kept me on my back with the foley catheter in for

> another 6 hours.

>

> *Bring more to read. I had thought I'd be out of it

> and just brought

> a book I was halfway through. It got really boring

> and I had to

> resort to bad television.

>

> *Don't be afraid of the bladder catheter. Just the

> idea of it gave me

> the creeps, but it was a couple seconds of

> discomfort followed by a

> feeling of needing to go to the bathroom. I had no

> problem once it

> was removed. Still gives me the creeps though.

>

> I learned from the nurses that they admit 3-4

> hysterectomy patients a

> day at this hospital. I also heard several hysto

> horror stories.

> Right now, I picture my fibroids like the Wicked

> Witch of the West in

> the Wizard of Oz going, " I'm melting, melting. . . "

> Good riddance.

>

> If anyone has any questions, please feel free to

> contact me directly.

> If you are in the Raleigh NC area and looking for a

> great doctor, I'd

> be happy to tell you about mine.

>

> I'm off to read my third book in as many days --

> what a treat. Like I

> always tell my children: There's good and bad in

> everything!

>

>

>

>

>

>

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