Fibroids - anyone got them or had them?

[saltire]

Had a scan last week, because i've been getting very heavy bleeds and pain every month. Went to the Doc today and he said i have a small group of fibroids, the biggest is 6cm across. He said the best option was for me to go to the Gyneacology department and have chat with them about a hysterectomy!! I am stunned at this and finding it a bit hard to take in. Hubby's away for 4 months, and although i can email him he only gets 20minutes a week on the phone and isn't due to call until Sunday.So i'm not really sure who to ask for advice
I wondered if anyone else on here had Fibroids, and if so, how do you deal with them, or have you had them and had them removed/had hysterectomy because of them.

I'm 35 and don't plan on having any more kids, but i have been going around in a bit of a daze as i wasn't expecting to be told that this was my best option.

My mum has a fibroid - after a variety of investigations the docs reckon that it's only a small one, which shouldn't be causing her the extent of period problems which it does. Suggests other than hysterectomy which were made to my mum were 1)Mirena coil 2)a process called endometrial ablation - IIRC it zaps away the uterus lining, and you have to have completed your family to have it. 3)myectomy - which just removes the fibroids.

Obviously there may be differences between your case and my mum's (e.g. no and position of fibroids) which might mean that different treatment options were appropriate, but there certainly may well be other things that the gynae department can suggest other than a hysterectomy.

Best of luck.

Don't let anyone rush you into a hysterectomy, especially not an abdominal one. Yes, they are sometimes necessary, but they shouldn't be immediately suggested for benign fibroids.

In many instances, you can have a procedure known as endometrial ablation. This is where the endometrium - the womb lining - is destroyed with a laser. It's done under regional anaesthetic in the US - very commonly. It's cheap and effective.

Some women also find relief from some types of hormonal birth control.

Finally, hysterectomy can OFTEN be performed vaginally, if necessary, with fewer complications and shorter recovery time. But it should NOT ever be suggested for first line of treatment.

take it hubby may work for govt then (if so fellow sufferer of that here)

not sure if it is worth speaking to someone - there may be other options - maybe drug option or something - also read about a keyhole surgery option with less traumatic side effects etc - not available on nhs but if dh works for forces etc could they support you maybe?

Thanks expat - couldn't think of the right term i think thats it.

A friend of mine in Wales is having a vaginal hysterectomy using keyhole surgery on the NHS, Red. So it IS possible.

But not for fibroids.

Like I said, don't let anyone rush you, bully you or scare you into something you don't feel comfortable with. There ARE alternatives in most cases.

As MTS mentioned, there's also myomectomy - sometimes, the fibroids can be removed.

I have long had a question mark over whether I have fibroids or not: sometimes scans or examinations appear to show them and sometimes not - very odd.

Anyway, it means I have read up on them a lot and I do remember reading that you should not necessarily submit to a hysterectomy because of fibroid problems. The fibroids themselves can be removed with a hysteroscopy or direct through the abdominal wall I believe.

Anyway, make sure you ask about all the options first.

I've got one, has been in there for ages, noticed it in last pregnancy, 4cm across. Am pregnant now and all I have been told is that it might be the reason why ds was breech, and that I might think about having it removed at some point. Definitely get a second opinion, a hysterectomy sounds a bit OTT.

My mother had fibroids, causing her an awful lot of discomfort. She had a hysterectomy as a last resort, was done vaginally (local anaesthetic) and she was in hospital for three days. Her health and happiness have both improved ten fold since the operation.

I had a scan last year as well,and there was no fibroids at all. The doctor said that he thought they had grown very quickly. I think I'll make an appointment to see someone else.
Thanks for all the advice,, i really don't want to have to do this unless it's really necessary.
As i said I've been going round a bit shocked , and i think cos Dh isn't here to talk to i've probably magnified the situation for myself

it's possible the scan didn't pick them up, saltire, back then. and something else, even if they WERE growing suspiciously fast, they should be biopsied like any other tumour before looking at something as radical as removing an organ - i mean, they wouldn't suggest that if it were, say, your spleen.

honestly, i'd be VERY suspicious of ANY doctor who concluded, 'you have fibroids, therefore you need a hysterectomy'. obviously someone who hasn't been bothered to keep abreast of new advances in medicine available for treatment of them.

I've got a big one (I'm 42). It can be felt in my abdomen, especially if I lie down. It doesn't cause too many problems, but is sore if dd kneels on my stomach (as she is wont to do).

Had a long discussion with my gynaecologist, and have elected to leave it be for now. Various reasons- they often shrink at the menopause, and could live with it for a bit longer, don't fancy a hysterectomy (of any sort), ablation not apparently available on NHS around here (and he doesn't think it would work for me anyway), would need a GA for the coil to be inserted (he's tried doing it in the colposcopy clinic and I nearly passed out with the pain), myomectomy- apparently you can bleed like a stuck pig, and need a hysterectomy anyway, if unlucky . If you have to have a myomectomy- apparently it's safer with hormonal treatment for 2 months beforehand- basically an artificial menopause to reduce the blood supply to the fibroid. Didn't fancy that just yet!

Redridinghod. my dh is in the forces -great fun isn't it. Something always happens when they are away.

I've had a look on the intrenet - which i don't like doing for illness as i end up making myself worse. The options that seem to be advised on there are

1. Hysterectomy
2. Ablation
3. Some sort of contraceptive device ie pill. However my GP refuses to put me on the pill because of family history of breast cancer on paternal side of family, so don't know what other form of hormonal contraception i could use

mummytosteven, how does the Mirena coil work then. I know this is probably TMI, but i had a lot of abnormal smears over the past 2 years and had a lot of colposocy done, so now get a bit "tense" when having examinations done.

I'm glad to know though that there are other options availiable.

The Mirena coil contains progesterone, so acts as a contraceptive, and the progesterone should make your periods a lot lighter, or even disappear completely, which would deal with the symptoms - the heavy bleeding. of course as with any hormone there is the possibility of side effects.

I wouldn't need a general anaesthetic though to get it fitted. Would I?

Saltire the 20 minute a week phone call gave it away - where about are you in the country?

i don't know if you having had previous colposcopy would make any difference, but my friend just had two paracetamol beforehand when she had it fitted, and even though she hadn't had any children when it was fitted, she didn't find the pain too bad - it was like a couple of hours of period type pains afterwards.

do you have military of civvy doctor?

maybe go to family planning clinic - i have heavy periods and went there - far more useful

Red Riding Hood, I'm in Scotland! 20 minutes a week is rubbish isn't it? I have a military doctor. I usually have a woman, but she's away for four months!

mummytosteven. the reason ia asked about getting the coil fitted was because ever since i had the colposcopys when i've had my smear test since, or the examination i had last week with the scan, i get so tense about it that it really hurts.

I hope none of you mind me telling you this, my "friends" all knew i was going for the results today and none of them have bothered to get in touch to see how i got on. Am feeling a bit fed up with it all.

thought so - which service

hmmm I don't really know what other relaxation/anaesthetic possiblities would be available. Sounds like the sort of thing gas & air would be useful for, no idea if it is only available on labour wards.

from reading other mirena threads i believe you can get a local anaethetic?

Having a colpo - or more than one - or even treatment for abnormal cervical cells has no bearing on fibroid development.

You CAN use the Mirena coil w/a family history of breast cancer, as MTS pointed out, it works w/progesterone only - the main risk of the combined Pill w/patients who have breast cancer history comes from the oestrogen in them.

Most of the time, you don't need a GA to have one fitted.

I STRONGLY suggest going to a family planning clinic and discussing your options.

Yes, you can get a local to have a Mirena fitted. You can also have a regional block such as epidural or spinal in extreme cases.

Saltire, if you are in the Edinburgh area, there is an EXCELLENT family planning clinic here in town, Dean Terrace Well Woman Clinic. They do coil fittings 2x/week all day, so the docs have loads of experience fitting them. They will do a full consult and exam before scheduling you for the fitting.