my gigantic fibroid

[Guest guest]

LOL,

I had an MRI last week and today my gynecologist told me (on the phone) I have

two fibroids; one " gigantic " and the other small. Reading from the report, not

the films (which I don't think he's looked at yet), he said the big one is 15 x

7 x 13 cm. I asked where it is and he said it's the whole uterus. The gyno is

Dr. Jody Blanco in NYC. I'm 49 have two kids and I know he just wants to give me

a hysterectomy. I got the request for an MRI from an IR, Dr. Khilnani (New York

Cornell Hospital). Blanco is so anti UFE that he even said he wants to prevent

me from having one because he doesn't want for my uterus to " rot " . I replied

that if he was willing to give me a myomectomy, I'd consider surgery, but won't

under any circumstances (except cancer) have a hyst. He demurred (this was

before my MRI and said he'd do a myomectomy, but that with my large fibroid it

was going to be a morbid operation and not advisable.

I've been to five gynecologists and stick with Blanco because my Oxford

insurance covers it and he's affiliated with a top hospital. I liked Stanley

West and probably would have had him do a myo, if not for the fact he didn't

accept my insurance and charges $10,000.

I think Blanco is basically a good doctor (20 years as a gyno at New York

Presbyterian and director of Uro-Gynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery)

but very conventional in regards to fibroid treatment. He recommends myo for

women who want kids and are under 40 something, hysterectomy for all the others

who have big fibroid, have kids and are in their late 40's and older. He thinks

UFE is a potentially dangerous procedure, telling me to ask my IR, " have there

been any long term studies (10+ years) on women who have had UFE and the

incidence of uterine cancer? " . He has blatantly said to me, " You need a

hysterectomy " .

Dr. Khilnani, the IR, thinks I'm a good candidate for UFE. I'll admit I'm

chicken about the particles that remain in the uterine artery forever and also

scared that the procedure will send me into an early menopause. I'm

peri-menopausal but not near menopause according to my FSH.

I've been through the Lupron saga and had negative reactions that were fairly

extreme. My Lupron was administered a year and a half ago, after I hemorraged

and had 5. 3 red blood count resulting in a three unit blood transfusion and a D

& C. This was in preparation for UFE which I obviously didn't have at that time.

I've tried accupunture with a practitioner who specializes in menstrual and

gynecolgic disorders (religiously went every week for six months), used

homeopathy and Chinese herbs. I had normal periods for ten months after the

Lupron wore off, sometimes a little heavy but manageable, until last month when

I was standing at the Xerox machine where I work and started flooding

uncontrollably. This was a couple of days after I thought my period was over.

That's when I went to the IR (also covered oy Oxford, my insurance) and

scheduled an MRI through Dr. Blanco.

I want to do what is the best thing for my body but I'm confused and need some

input. I feel like I'm going in circles. My uterus is up to my belly button and

hard. I wish for shrinkage and control of sudden bleeding. That's my wish. I

don't want to go in for a myo with Blanco and wake up without a uterus. Out of

the doctors I've seen (all respected docs in NYC), Dr. DeBrovener

recommended Depo Povera after Lupron depot, Dr. Ina Cholst recommended a

supra-cervical hysterectomy, Dr. Stanley West recommended a myomectomy, Dr. Mark

Brescia, a hysterectomy with removal of ovaries for safety sake (but suggested I

look into UFE--none of his patients had ever had one and his info was from

reading the web), and finally Dr. Jody Blanco, who insists on preseving the

ovaries but would like to cut out the uterus. Blanco suggests I'll end up with a

massive infection from UFE and he'll have to a hyst anyway, but under more dire

conditions.

I consider myself fairly well informed regarding my fibroid teatment options,

but I'm getting irritable and cranky because there is no consensus and I'm

frustrated that all the good surgeons in NYC that I know specialize in

myomectomy don't accept my insurance.

Thanks for any and all responses and input,

Minna Packer