Ablation vs hysterectomy. Can someone please help 😢

[NotYourHolidayDick]

I'm absolutely stuck between a rock and hard place.

Horrific periods, bleeding through a super plus tampon plus a pad every hour for 2 days. Painful. Waking 3-4 times a night to change.

Gynae app 2 weeks ago. I've tried transexamic acid or whatever it's called. I've had the mirena and it was horrific and fell out (I'll save the TMI!), every type of pill messes with my head and I have migraines with auras. I asked for an ablation. Gynae said it isn't recommended for me (36) as chances are my periods will come back and I'll end up having a hysterectomy anyway in a few years. So she recommended a hysterectomy and that was sorted.

So today I had an appointment with the surgeon before my pre op assessment next week. And she's offered me a bloody ablation and said I have to make the decision as to which option I want!

Now I utterly thrown. I'm terrified of the major op, but also don't want to just delay the inevitable. I have autism and ADHD and am totally unable to decide.

Can someone decide for me please.
36 year old, healthy weight, finished having kids.

I wanted an ablation dr refused on grounds of age, had hysterectomy it went wrong at 33I became permanently disabled and unable to work. I'd have the least invasive thing first. Aware most people wouldn't have the complications I had but I'd always go with least invasive first. For what it's worth I know 3 people who had ablation in their 30s two have not had periods since, one has lighter periods none regret it.

My mum had the ablation for the same reason as you and it improved her life 1000% with an excellent recovery and that was nearly 30 years ago so I imagine it's even better now.

I had a hysterectomy for fibroids and while I don't regret it, it's a much tougher procedure with more risks, and if ablation had been an option for me, I'd have gone for that instead.

I have had 3 c-sections. Not raised as an issue before having an ablation. The ablation was done about 9 years ago (mid 40s at the time).

The cause of my heavy periods was fibroids in the uterine wall, not protruding into the uterus itself.

Ablation was a total success. I haven't had a period since.

I had an ablation 5 years ago at 37 for the same reasons as you. It was the best thing I ever did. Totally sorted out all my issues and very straightforward procedure.

@GnomeDePlume thank you. That gives me hope. Really glad you had such success. Is it a case by case situation? Do they not know if you're eligible until they have begun the OP?

I’d had a section, was never mentioned as an issue.

CS wasn't mentioned to me either.

I was told I definitely did not have endometriosis or adenomyosis so had the ablation. It stopped my periods but after two years I started getting really bad debilitating pain.

Further investigations showed no endo or adenomyosis but after years of this I was admitted to A&E with bad pain and abdo swelling. The endo/adenomyosis has grown over my cervix and caused a massive infection. I was told that this was a side effect from the ablation. I had an emergency hysterectomy then. Which was fine.

So personally I would have a hysterectomy in the first instance.

I had ablation a couple of months ago, it's been fantastic. No periods since, tiny bit of pain the day of the op but fine the day after. Life changing.

Have you had blood tests? Over active thyroid can wreak havoc on periods and make a chain saw massacre look tame.

I saw my gp about periods being so heavy I was constantly anemic and hair falling out so got referred to gyne at my local hospital

I have had two c sections many years ago and have fibroids too and my ablation was absolutely fine

I would go for hormone and iron infusions first (I did). Ablation second choice. Absolutely last choice hysterectomy.

I can't have hormones.

Everything I'm reading says ablation fails in 17-30% of people my age needing a repeat in 5 years. And that it still hurts monthly.

I'm back to thinking fuck it, just have the hysterectomy and move on.

I wish I didn't have the choice! As of this morning I didn't and I'd come to terms with it!

I had very heavy periods, pretty much as you describe. I had an ablation when I was 35 and haven't had a single period since, no bleeding whatsoever and I'm now 44. I can still semi- monitor my cycle with other symptoms like breast pain, bloating etc but it has literally transformed my life. Recovery was ok- I got an infection a couple of weeks afterwards but one dose of antibiotics and I was fully recovered.
In your shoes (and I appreciate I'm not), I would go for the ablation and if it's unsuccessful then the hysterectomy would be next step.

Does the ablation stop period pains? Mine are bad and I just want them gone. I literally don't know what to do. No idea. Everyone has a different opinion including the doctors 😭

Im on the waiting list for uterine arterial embolisation. If you have fibroids or adenomyosis it might be worth investigating

I don't get period pains at all since my ablation

Post ablation I have had no period pain.

Recovery after the procedure was a breeze. Only bizarre thing was post GA bonkersness. I was absolutely convinced the dog wanted an ice cream. Couldnt wait to get home. The ice cream van came round, I was practically hurling small children out of the way. Got the ice cream, presented it to the dog who was not remotely interested.

It took me having a DVT for my heavy periods to be taken seriously by my GP. Blood tests showed that my anaemia was so bad that I would have had a transfusion if I hadnt got the DVT. Stopping my periods quickly improved this.

I had an abdominal hysterectomy at 36 because of very heavy periods and pain caused by fibroids.

Only in hospital 2 nights. Up the morning after the op, showered and managed to walk along the corridor. No pain relief needed at all but I do have a high pain threshold.

Once home I went for a walk every day on surgeon's advice. Also advised not to just sit or lie around all day. Did very light housework.

Was well enough to camp at the British Grand Prix for 4 days a couple of weeks after the op.

They removed one ovary. Didn't go through menopause until I was late 50's and then sailed through really

I had an ablation at 49, it failed within a year, bleeding worse than ever with crippling mid cycle pain that lasted days as a new symptom.

I then had prostap injections for 18 months to induce a chemical menopause . My consultant thought I was out of the other side of the menopause but my periods returned within six months of it stopping. Ridiculously heavy flooding type periods.

I’ve now agreed to a hysterectomy, if I could do it again I’d just choose the surgery on day one.