New Member of Board - I Have Questions...

[Guest guest]

I'm brand new to the board and have read quite a few messages trying

to find my situation in them. It's comforting to know there is such a

board. I have a few questions and don't know if they've been answered

recently by others, but need to know the answers for myself. So if

you can help, thank you

I had an ultrasound because my uterus felt enlarged (pelvic done by

nurse practitioner). The ultrasound revealed a large 10 cm fibroid on

the outside of uterus, as well as many smaller ones. The nurse

practitioner said I probably need a hysterectomy because of the size

of the fibroid, but I'm scheduled to see my OB-GYN (whom I've never

met) in a week. I asked the nurse practitioner about embolization,

but she said that was only done with smaller fibroids.

I've been experiencing increased need to urinate for the past couple

of years and for the past few months I sometimes can't urinate upon

waking, even though I need to go badly. Has anyone else experienced

this? Once I've had a bowel movement, then the urine is able to come

out. This problem happens intermittently. Sometimes if I do Kegels, I

can squeeze out a few tablespoons of urine at a time. There also

seems to be something blocking my bowels, making it difficult to void

completely. I tend to go in 3-5 small bowel movements over the period

of an hour (I don't know if this is normal, but it is a change I've

noticed in the past couple of years). Also, my flow of urine is

usually a trickle these days, but sometimes flows normally. When it

is trickling, it takes me a really long time to urinate. Rather

strange problem, does anyone know where to find info on this?

I'm 47, have had 2 children via C-section. I had an endometrial

ablation 5 years ago because of extremely heavy periods and strong

cramping. They had done an ultrasound at that time, as well as a D&C

before the surgery and said that I didn't have any fibroids. Since

that procedure, I have not had any periods, it's been wonderful as I

had horrible experiences for years. Is it possible I had fibroids

then but they missed them?

Any suggestions would be helpful. I'm very interested in whether or

not the fibroids can be affecting my elimination. I believe it must

be.

Annette