Fibroids and possible hysterectomy - Any advice/experience please

[Aimsmum]

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[Whizzz]

My mum went through this a few years back & had a hysterectomy. Obviously its a big operation but my mum is loads better now as she was really suffering before the op. I can question her further if your mum has specific questions - I'm sure she won't mind.

[Aimsmum]

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[desperatehousewife]

I remember my mum having 6 weeks off work - but that was about 20 years ago. It might well be a faster recovery time nowadays. Although i think it's similar to a C-section - ie: major abdominal surgery - and that took 6 weeks to really feel better - although I certainly wasn't housebound for that long with my c-section.

[Azure]

My mum also had this. Her fibroid, when removed, was the size of a pineapple. It was about 12 years ago, so she would have been around 55, but I seem to remember she took quite some time to recover from the hysterectomy. She was lucky to have Dad to look after her, though. She did feel much better after it was all over.

[Polina]

Not sure if this is any help or not, but I had a pretty large fibroid taken out in 1997 - originally they were going to do a hysterectomy too but surgeon decided to do it by chopping it up and taking it out bit by bit - sorry, have no more details than that as I tended to go green when they were explaining it! If your mum would rather not have a hysterectomy it might be worth looking at. Recovery time was about 10 days, and I felt better than I had for years after about 3!

[Whizzz]

Just spoke to my mum. Normal stay in hospital is 7 days - although my mum was in a bit longer as she got a mild infection. They say 3 months beofre you are totally fit but I think its more of a question of being sensible & not doing too much too soon - I suppose it depends on what yoru mum does as to how long she would need to be off work. My mum highly recommends it as she says she felt so much better - she was constantly exhausted before as she had such horrendous periods - poor thing. Anything else your mum wants to know ??

[Aimsmum]

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[CelluliteQueen]

Hi Aimsmum, I had fibroids when I was in my 20's but they were successfully removed (years of horrendous period pain, bleeding all over the place finally over). Perhaps a hysterectomy isn't the only option? Hope your mum gets better soon (and 48 is very young...).

[Aimsmum]

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[Aimsmum]

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[Aimsmum]

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[mummytosteven]

i think there are two - myectomy and endometromial ablation - think that the myectomy is just removing the fibroids and the ablation involves permanently getting rid of the womb lining plus fibroids.

my mum has been through similar - in the end for some reason she decided just to leave things be.
would probabably do your mum good to get her iron level checked/and or take a multivit containing iron anyway to make sure her iron levels don't get too depleted by the heavy bleeding - that will help her feel a bit less tired.

[Aimsmum]

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[mummytosteven]

no her symptoms are as bad as ever - but think she doesn't fancy an op - she takes some tranexamic acid tablets that are meant to help reduce the bleeding a little.

reason I am on a crusade about the iron tablets is for several years my mum has been on a merry-go-round re:anaemia. she takes the tabs for a few months, her iron count is fine, so docs take her off them, then several months down the line her iron count gets depleted again! six months ago she got told that she had chronic anaemia and should take iron tabs for life - then because her iron count was fine after 3 iron tabs a day for a few months her GP took her off them again!!!

[Aimsmum]

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