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fibroid red reduction

7 replies

Runner05 · 29/03/2016 15:49

Hi, I was wondering if anyone who had experienced red reduction could tell me whether the pain was intense from the get go or whether it built gradually?

I've got a rather large fibroid (10cm) and have been told by my consultant I have a very good chance of developing red reduction. Just want to know what I'm looking out for.

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Kstar8 · 29/03/2016 17:07

Hi Runner,
Do you mean "red degeneration"? I googled red reduction but didn't get any results. Red degeneration is when the blood supply to the fibroid dies off and it can cause pain. There's posts on other forums via Google of ladies experiences with it. I don't have any knowledge of it myself but have a large fibroid that I'm hoping doesn't do anything in this pregnancy.

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Runner05 · 29/03/2016 18:10

D'oh! Yes I do mean that. (Baby brain) I've read a few threads elsewhere but they tend to be very American and I just wanted to how if came on for anyone who experienced it. Lots of people talk about what it feels like but not many about the early stages.

I'm hoping I don't get it and that this fibroid doesn't do anything but my consultant (or anyone else who has examined me) didn't fill me full of confidence. I've since read medical journals which have confirmed that red degeneration is by far the most common side effect and all the others are only a slightly increased chance (we're talking one or two %)

Are you under consultant care for yours?

Thanks for replying by the way

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Kstar8 · 29/03/2016 19:03

I've got my 20 week scan next week so I guess this is when I'll know if it's grown and if I need to be under consultant care. Not as yet though.
Red degeneration sounds pretty grim doesn't it? Red wine reduction is more my kind of thing fingers crossed that the fibroids keep quiet.

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dinodiva · 29/03/2016 23:16

I had it and it was bloody painful. From what I recall, like very bad period pain and it got worse, with waves of quite intense pain. I had a warm bath for the pain at first but when she heard that, my midwife sent me to hospital. I was given patacetamol and codeine for the pain, and it was about a week until o was back to normal although I weaned myself off the codeine after about 3 days. It was not fun.

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Runner05 · 30/03/2016 05:51

Kstar fingers crossed it's decided not to grow. I was referred after my 12 week scan after the technician found it and couldn't stop saying things like "wow, that's a big one, did you not know it was there?"
I think whether you are referred depends on size and location, my locations good but the size always gets the dr's telling me how uncomfortable I'm going to be soon... Err thanks!
Thanks to Mr fibroid I've also looked about 6 months pregnant since 3 months

Dino that sounds horrible, you poor thing do you remember whether the pain came on gradually over hours/days or just appeared?
I get worried whenever I get pain in the area of my fibroid (usually it's just bad round ligament pain) but if I knew what I am looking for it might stop me thinking about it.

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dinodiva · 30/03/2016 07:42

I think I began to feel a bit of pain one evening and then by the morning it was a lot worse. It was definitely not normal pregnancy associated pain, and it felt localised to the fibroids (hot water bottles helped).

At the time I thought it was horrendous but it really wasn't as bad as childbirth and I have lovely 6 month old DD yodelling at me this morning!

Hopefully you'll be fine - not everyone with fibroids gets the degeneration. The other thing to be prepared for is that you may not be able to have a midwife unit birth, depending on the size and location of your fibroids - make sure your midwife refers you to the hospital before the birth. Mine didn't actually get around to it until I was about 38 weeks, so that was a bit late! I was signed off to deliver in the midwife unit, but my waters broke and I was induced so I wasn't able to in the end. You'll also probably have to have a managed third stage - meaning that you'll be given an injection to deliver the placenta which I barely noticed by that point!

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Runner05 · 30/03/2016 07:47

Thanks Dino that's really helpful!

Luckily I've already been referred. I've got to have 3 additional scans at 28, 32 & 36 weeks (so it's not all bad) and I'm down for hospital birth with managed third stage. I've also been informed that my little trouble maker might make an early appearance.