Re: new here....

[Guest guest]

I am the same age as you and I had the same symptoms you are having and I ended

up having a Hysteroscopic ressection. There was only a one day recovery vs a

6-8 week recovery for a hysterectomy or abdominal myo.

My first Dr. told me I needed a hysterectomy and when I started researching the

possible side affects it made me very nervous. Since my fibroid was submucosal

and easy to get to, the resection was a great option. I am having a sonogram in

a few weeks to see if the Dr. has to do another resection, but I will take 2

easy surgeries instead of one major one anyday.

My advice to you is to find out exactly where the fibroid is and what options

you have - all of them, not just the ones your current Dr gives you. I don't

think preserving fertility is the only issue here.

Marsha H.

Kim wrote:

Hi all.

As the subject line says, I'm new here. I've been avidly reading

everything that has come my way, and I have to say I have found it

all to be very enlightening.

I was told after a routine exam last Feb that I probably had

fibroids, but unless it was a problem I didn't need to worry about

it. Well, my period has been insanely erratic for about 4 years now,

and after that, things just got nuttier, if that was possible. In

June I went for the ultrasound.

My doctor's office nurse called me a few days later and told me I had

one small fibroid and I didn't need to do anything about it. Well,

that sort of annoyed me... it was phone call lasting less than a

minute and she was gone. I felt as if I had been blown off. I called

a couple of days later, trying to get hold of the doctor. He was on

vacation. I called the week after, was told he'd call me back, and

then the stupid office lost my info. I called the next day, which is

his regular day off (otherwise he does work six days a week, I don't

begrudge him the time off). The week after that, I went on a vacation.

Since then, I let it ride. I didn't have any insurance anyway at that

point, so there wasn't much I could afford to do on my own, and I

decided that I would just take the wait & see approach for a time.

Since then, my period has become incredibly heavy (it was always

heavy, now it's ridiculous), lasting anywhere from 7 to 14 days with

the average being 10, and also including blod clots that would make

me think I was having a miscarriage if that were possible (it isn't,

I had my tubes tied many years ago). I have serious back pain, feel

bloated constantly, and ovulation is now accompanied by severe

soreness in my breasts. Also, the interval between cycles is anywhere

from 16 to 30 days, and there is no way to guess when it is going to

come. The only real clue to my period coming is that I have to run to

the bathroom even more... In short, I'm miserable.

I tried to make an appointment with the doctor on Friday, and because

of the snow the office was closed. So, first thing tomorrow morning

I'm calling and raising all manner of trouble until I can get some

attention. Oh, and the insurance thing is no longer an issue,

thankfully, so I won't have to sell my son to pay for treatment.

So, my question is this: given that my family history gives me reason

to believe menopause isn't likely for another 15 years (I'm 43 now)

and that I absolutely under no circumstances want another child, and

the whole situation is driving me mad, is there any reason

to " preserve " fertility that I don't want in the first place? I mean,

I'm not using this organ and it is making me miserable. Why keep it,

under these circumstances? I can look forward to a great many more

years of pain and I'm not at all happy about that idea.

Kim

[Guest guest]

> So, my question is this: given that my family history gives me reason

> to believe menopause isn't likely for another 15 years (I'm 43 now)

> and that I absolutely under no circumstances want another child, and

> the whole situation is driving me mad, is there any reason

> to " preserve " fertility that I don't want in the first place? I mean,

> I'm not using this organ and it is making me miserable. Why keep it,

> under these circumstances? I can look forward to a great many more

> years of pain and I'm not at all happy about that idea.

>

> Kim

Kim,

Given that I was 28 when first diagnosed with fibroids but didn't

undergo any kind of medical intervention until I was 42...I do

understand and empathize with your pain. There were many such

incidents, over the years, of severe blood loss accompanied by extreme

depression and mental confusion that certainly made it seem like I was

truly nutsy the entire time. I wasn't. My brain was oxygen-deprived

and my body was fatigued and depleted of iron stores it desperately

needed to function healthily.

You asked a question that was phrased in such a way that truly caught

my attention this morning. " ...is there any reason to 'preserve'

fertility that I don't want anyway?... "

No, there may be no reason whatsoever to preserve your fertility based

on your lack of desire for children at this point in your life. In

fact, based upon your description of abnormal bleeding which seems to

be accompanying one small fibroid, a hysteroscopic resection of what

may be a submucosal fibroid accompanied by an endometrial ablation to

remove the endometrial lining and eliminate your bleeding entirely may

well be an option for you. This would generally take away the

fibroid, the abnormal bleeding, and your fertility while retaining

your uterus.

Retaining your uterus solely for preserving fertility is a

gynecological concept -- it is NOT a concept that transcends this base

functionality into fully describing the total functionality and/or

purpose of the uterus at all. Any physician who believes and espouses

the uterus as simply a baby making machine, is a physician who has not

kept up with medical science and/or simply makes his living off of

convincing women to undergo hysterectomy.

In a great many women, the UTERINE artery contributes to supplying

blood to your ovaries -- if the uterus is removed, the ovaries DIE.

This is NOT menopause. This is surgical castration. Through normal

menopause a woman's ovaries continue to function well into her 60s,

70s, 80s -- and possibly beyond! Their function is at a fraction of

premenopausal functioning but, nonetheless, they do still function and

provide hormonal benefits to the female body. Benefits such as bone

density, libido, lubrication, dermal elasticity, healthy hair and

teeth, healthier heart function....the list is long and yet there is

so much more we need to learn about just how important our ovaries are

and how critically dependent they are on the presence of a uterus

and/or uterine artery blood flow.

In addition to ovary support, the uterus provides pelvic support.

Cutting the ligaments to remove the uterus has shown that 60% of all

such hysterectomies result in prolapse requiring additional reparative

surgery within 10 years of the hysterectomy.

The uterus produces a hormone which research has determined to be

heart protective -- hence when the organ is removed, heart disease

post-hysterectomy increases 4-7 fold.

This is, I believe, only the tip of the research iceberg. A tiny tip.

To date, the uterus has been trashed millions upon millions of times

and simply NEVER saved for further research -- which is why we

wholeheartedly support the Uterine Fibroids Research & Education Act

currently sitting before Congress. We need more science and we need

it, like, YESTERDAY!!!!!

As for your specific case, I am disturbed by the length of time you

indicated your periods have been erratic: 4 years. During that time

period, has your gyn ever done an endometrial biopsy? If so, what

were the results? If not, I would quickly change physicians and ask

for this biopsy as well as the radiologist's ultrasound or MRI report

details regarding the size and location of your fibroid.

If your fibroid is/has been resectable, it is unconscionable that your

current gyn has simply allowed you to continue bleeding while

simultaneously allowing the fibroid to continue growing. At some

point, this type of fibroid can become " too large " for the average

endoscopic surgeon to remove relatively non-invasively in an

outpatient procedure. If your gyn isn't skilled in surgical

endoscopy, he should (or, should have) refer you IMMEDIATELY to

someone who IS skilled in this gyn specialty. Given your ultrasound

was in June of last year and no actions have been taken since then by

your gyn, I would consider his medical opinion MIA and do everything

possible to find a more appropriate physician who is skilled and

capable of working with you NOW -- not another 6 months from now.

Please don't allow this to " ride " any longer. Now that you have

insurance once again, please take appropriate actions to get this

taken care of once and for all. Even if it means switching gyns to

someone who is actually responsive to your medical needs/concerns.

Take care,

Carla Dionne

[Guest guest]

Before you decide to have a hysterectomy please do alot of research. They don't

tell you all the bad things that can happen. I have been on a vitamin regimine

and am doing alot better. I take vitamine A, E, B12,B6, iron supplements, a

multi vitamin, C, and zinc. These all help with bleeding. I also don't eat red

meaty since that causes you to produce bad prosaglandins and causes heavier

bleeding.