My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

Please tell me your Fibroid experiences

10 replies

BeBraveAndBeKind · 28/06/2020 23:06

I've had a stabbing pain in my lower left abdomen/pelvic area for a week now. I spoke to the nurse practitioner at the GPs on Friday who called me in for an examination and asked about if it hurts to wee. It didn't but I've feeling for a while now that when I go, I'm not going properly and there's more that's just not coming out.

After the examination, she said she thinks it might be fibroids and they're preventing my bladder from fully emptying. She referred me for blood tests and ultrasound and said that if the pain gets worse or I stop weeing, to go straight to A&E.

I've got no other symptoms of Fibroids, no heavy periods or bleeding between periods but the pain is there when I move or cough orr laugh and especially if I bend. It's now started to hurt a bit when I wee (which is sometimes only about a teaspoon full).

What kind of treatment is usually offered? How do you manage them? Any tips to help with weeing because it's really quite uncomfortable but some is still coming out so I don't think the A&E advice applies yet. I don't know what to expect.

OP posts:
Report
SionnachGlic · 29/06/2020 04:36

I have fibroids but I don't have toilet problems, if anything I am going more frequently. My issue was heavy periods & fibroids were diagnosed by ultrasound. I would think if you are having pain that can't be eased by panadol or is continuous that you should telephone your GP surgery to see if they can bring forward the ultrasound or recommend you go to A&E (where they prob will do an ultrasound?). I am presuming that she checked you don't have kidney infection. I hope you get it figured out soon & feel better. I was told by consultant that some fibroids just go away by themselves, others need to be removed surgically altho it sounds minor enough. But you need to know first that is what the problem is.... but don't wait in pain.

Report
ScrapThatThen · 29/06/2020 06:30

Mine was huge but it wasn't painful, it just pressed down a lot when standing, and throbbed when sitting. I lost a Mirena coil behind it and was lucky enough that my NHS surgeon (quite a renowned one, my GP was very impressed) offered me a partial hysterectomy (my family was complete, I kept my ovaries so no instant Meno, though it did follow within five years which is typical of this surgery). I think most people have other procedures first. Hope you find out what's causing it.

Report
ProtectAll · 29/06/2020 06:53

I had a very large fibroid, by the end I was having very heavy periods soaking through pads in minutes at peak flow, pain and severe reduced bladder capacity. Plus I was anaemic so always tired.
Diagnosed by ultrasound on the NHS in minutes then a private hysterectomy at 45 keeping my ovaries so no immediate menopause.
It was a major operation and whilst I feel much better without the pain and bleeding and can go about live normally, my body especially my stomach muscles have never recovered.
However if I had the choice again I would still have the operation.

Report
BeBraveAndBeKind · 29/06/2020 09:56

Thank you all. That's really helpful. I hadn't even thought about fibroids before I went so was surprised when she said that.

She did a urine dip test and said it was clear so hopefully no kidney infection. It definitely gets worse through the day though, almost like my bladder is getting progressively more and more full but I have no urge to wee and am making myself go periodically anyway. The ultrasound should be through in under two weeks apparently so I'll see how I go.

I'm 45 and definitely finished with babies so happy to go with whatever they recommend treatment wise.

OP posts:
Report
LarkDescending · 29/06/2020 12:17

Not all fibroids cause problem bleeding, by any means. Whether they do or not depends on the type and position. I had multiple bulky fibroids which caused bladder and bowel problems and aches & pains (but no period problems) and made me look 6 months pregnant. I had them surgically removed in my mid-30s (myomectomy) and when they had regrown to problem levels again I had a hysterectomy in my mid-40s.

Report
emmathedilemma · 29/06/2020 13:05

www.britishfibroidtrust.org.uk/
this website is quite useful. The location and where they're growing can affect symptons. Mine were diagnosed due to increasingly heavy bleeding. Tried the mirena and pill but they didn't help so I had them treated with uterine artery embolization which is non-surgical compared to a myomectomy which was a higher risk option. It seems to working well so far. Now they've shrunk i think they were definitely affecting my bladder as I used to go from not needing to wee to desperate in a matter of minutes and that seems to have alleviated.

Report
BeBraveAndBeKind · 29/06/2020 19:31

Thanks both. I'll take a look at that website.

@emmathedilemma that suddenly needing to go sounds familiar. Looking back, I think I've been having symptoms for a while. I actually went to the doctors about feeling like I wasn't weeing properly about 9 months ago but he just told me that I was probably dehydrated and to drink more.

OP posts:
Report
mrsantiago · 29/06/2020 19:51

This is probably outing...I had 5 massive fibroids, the largest being bigger than a basketball. I had to have a hysterectomy and an operation on my bowel as one had attached to that. Another had attached to one of my ovaries so had to have that removed too. I had over 5 years of hell prior to my operation. Constant flooding, passing clots bigger than oranges and sometimes bigger, and pain that was worse than being in labour. In hindsight I didn't push hard enough for help, I did try but there seems to be a general feeling from GP's etc that we should just put up with heavy bleeding and pain.
It all came to a head for me as I was so anaemic that I could hardly breathe and I collapsed in work.
My experience was horrific but I am so fortunate to have finally got help and a wonderful consultant who did everything he said he would. I ended up going private because I just wasn't getting anywhere on the NHS. Luckily I had medical insurance through work.

Report
Ragtime69 · 29/06/2020 20:01

I had a uterine fibroid embolization last week. I have one large fibroid the main symptoms were huge clots heavy bleeding back pain and needing to wee a lot. It's a bit early to tell for sure but I am on my period now and it's very light.

Report
BeBraveAndBeKind · 29/06/2020 20:22

Flipping heck @mrsantiago, that sounds horrendous! Good job you had the private insurance.

@Ragtime69 Finger's crossed that it's done the trick. 😊

OP posts:
Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.