To newbee Carol

[Guest guest]

Cheers Carol,

So glad you found our group. You will find, like I did, that the members

here can offer you wonderful support as well as great information that many

doctors cannot.

I hope I can give you some good advice here. I too suffered from the same

symptoms you have: heavy bleeding, clots, embarrassing bleedouts, pain, etc.

I had no idea that I was harvesting fibroids within the uterine cavity. I

had had an abdominal myomectomy in January of 2000, where my surgeon removed

all of my external fibroids (subserosal and intramural) that he could find.

But he did not think to look at the inside of the uterus (endometrial

cavity.) So my symptoms only grew worse after the surgery. I was then

diagnosed with adenomyosis, at age 26, this was because my surgeon could not

explain why my bleeding and anemia problems did not subside. He did not have

the newer technology and training that my current doctor does. But how was

I to know that?

So I lived with taking bc pills continuously for several years being afraid

to have a period. I had let myself go off the pills several times during

those years for a break, but ended up receiving transfused blood in the

hospital because my problem was so bad. I refused to have a hysterectomy as

my doctor suggested.

This last year I went to a new doctor who specialized in fertility problems.

My hubby and I were ready to seek help. He performed a sonohysterogram as

well as a saline hysteroscopy exam in the office. These were new tests to

me, had never heard of them. He found many many large and small fibroids

growing in my endo cavity. I could not believe it. He suggested that I did

not have adenomyosis afterall. He explained that these fibroids were the

cause of my bleeding and pain, not adenomyosis. He said he could remove

them via a hysteroscopic resection surgery. He also said it might take more

than one surgery, but it was a painless and low inpact surgery to recover

from, for me to consider it.

So I went for it, and after three resections my fibroids are gone! So far I

have had one period since going off of the pill after my last surgery in

December. My period was so light and with no clots. I could actually wear

regular pads, go places, and even chance wearing a tampon one day. It was

incredible. I thought all these years that my problem was not operable. Now

I have had a new hope of health and fertility. I am feeling stronger and

more energetic every day taking high levels of iron without all the

bleeding. I think I have almost got this anemia issue beat! Soon my hubby

and I will try for our first child. Oh, and my stomach has gone flat! All

these years of living with that buldge and thinking that the swollen uterus

was inoperable.

So my advice to you is in four parts:

1. Educate yourself about what kind of fibroids you have.

Are they subserosal, intramural, or submucosal? Most of the time women who

have terrrible symptoms have submucosal fibroids (growing inside the

uterine cavity.)

2. Investigate what procedures and treatments are available where you live

for your kind of fibroids.

Can you ask for a hysteroscopic resection if you have submucosal fibroids?

If you have intramural or subserosal fibroids can you ask for an abdominal

myomectomy? Would you rather not have surgery and might try taking birth

control pills instead? Or is uterine artery embolization offered to you in

your area?

3. Get your blood checked for hemoglobin and hematocrit.

With as much blood loss as you describe it is very possible that you have

iron-deficient anemia symptoms. This is not a condition that should be

ignored. If you are anemic your doctor will suggest you take iron

supplements to help boost the bone marroww's production of red blood cells.

It takes dsix weeks for your marrow to replace red blood cells that were

lost from trauma or a heavy period. If you lose too much blood every four

weeks from your period, you will never catch up unless you supplement your

diet.

4. And if your doctor suggests hysterectomy, find one that offers you a more

updated approach to your fibroid treatment.

You no longer have to suffer in silence. We all here know how you feel and

have discovered that there are more options today than ever before. The ol'

hysterectomy no longer is the surgery of choice for women with these

uterine issues.

Good luck my dear, and I hope you can find the relief of your symptoms from

treatment that I have. Even if you are not planning to have any children,

seeing a fertility specialist or a reproductive endocrinologist may open the

doors to better technology and the idea of preserving your uterus with new

treatments.

Blessings,

Sonja