Endometrial ablation-your experiences, please.

[FavadiCacao]

I have tried pretty much every hormone therapy, mefenamic acid and anti-hemorrhagics , including Tranexamic acid across the last 25 years. Finally, I met a consultant who has offered a possible solution for the heavy bleeding (Novasure method) but he is not optimistic about the pain as he believes I have endometriosis or/and adenomyosis (an hysteroscopy would be performed before the ablation to exclude fibroids and cancer) and he thinks I might need an hysterectomy few moths down the line.

The above consultant has moved to a different NHS trust and I will now meet my new consultant at pre-op appointment next Monday (surgery should be on the Friday).

I understand the technicalities of the procedures procedures but... What are your experiences? What happens at the pre-op appointment that takes up to 2 hrs? Has anyone with endometriosis/ adenomyosis found the ablation worked? How painful is it after and for how long? Any side effects:back problem;bladder problem; PMT improved/worsened; weight gain; skin problem...?

Thank you

A friend had this procedure and was delighted ............... for about a year. Her very heavy, painful periods have subsequently returned: she now wishes that she'd gone straight for the hysterectomy and is waiting to have this op.

my sister had it and it helped her painful periods

Thank you, dog lover. I suspect that will be me, what scares me of an hysterectomy is having to take hormones: not looking forward to weight gain and migraines again!

My best wishes for your friend, I hope her op goes well.

I'm really pleased to hear that, topsi

I had an endometrial ablation done about two years ago. Beforehand I had long heavy periods with flooding and clots. I now have light periods only lasting about 5 days so for me the procedure was a complete success. I was sterilised at the same time so no contraception worries either. I had it all done under general anaesthetic and as I had private healthcover at the time, stayed in hospital overnight.

Afterwards you will feel quite bruised and battered, but this starts to improve after the first week.

The pre-op appointment usually takes less than two hours. Mine took about an hour. Usually swabs are taken for MRSA, height and weight and BP are recorded, you're asked several health questions and then blood is taken.

I've had no side effects from the ablation other than better periods so it was worth having done. I do still have endometriosis but without the heavy bleeding.

I really recommend it.

Thank you, orangeflutie.
That's reassuring, my last period was 10 days 4 of which heavy but able to leave home on 3 day due to the tranexamic acid. The anaesthetic should be an interesting conversation as I'm allergic to opiates but I'm hoping to get away with what I was given during the last labour.
Interesting you say it starts to improve after a week, because the leaflet says one could be back to work in a couple days and intimacy within a week!! (why do they have to present the best scenario as norm?!)

I'm pleased it worked for you. :) How do you deal with the endometriosis now?has the pain reduced? I would love to be able to get out bed on day 1 and leave the house on the 2! Have you been able to stop taking iron?

Heavy periods are no fun at all. It sounds like yours are very like mine used to be. I got really worried about leaving the house on the first couple of days too. They do start to take over your life. I had one that went on for two weeks and showed no sign of stopping! I eventually had to go to the doctors to get something that would stop it. By that time I was starting to get anaemic so the doctor gave me some iron tablets. I didn't take them that often though.

When my periods were really bad I was working at the time as a carer in the community and it really wasn't good as a lot of the time I wasn't sure when I'd next be able to use a loo! When I found out about endometrial ablation I thought it had to be worth a try.

Interesting what you say about opiates, they certainly don't agree with everyone. I'm sure if you ask there are other options that could be considered. Perhaps an epidural?

The endometriosis is another story really. When I had the ablation the surgeon found an ovarian cyst which he aspirated plus endometriosis. I didn't know I had either, I'd just got used to occasional tummy pain. Then sixth months after the ablation, I was recommended to have an ultrasound when another cyst was spotted on my left ovary. It was thought to be the original cyst that had reformed so eventually I had it all removed. At the beginning of this year I started to get quite a lot of pain on my left again so went for another ultrasound in April. I finally had an op last month to remove another suspected cyst which turned out to be an endometrioma? and adhesions. My left ovary was also removed at my request. I wanted it gone because I was fed up with all the surgery and pain and couldn't see what use it was any more, seeing as all it seemed to be doing was producing cysts.

That's it for the moment, sorry for the essay. I'm hoping that things settle down. I'm in less pain now however I don't think there's any guarantee that the endometriosis won't come back even though the ovary has gone.

orangeflutie - Essays are welcome and very useful. It helps others to understand our condition, it helps others with the same condition not to feel isolated and hopefully it's also cathartic.

Oh the fun of getting to the loo in time!!! I'm lucky that I work from home but I still remember when I used to save holiday days to have day1 off! Prolonged bleeding has also been a regular feature of my adult life (bled six months after dd), so antihaemorrhagic have often been my friend.

My latest consultant was horrified when I told him that I had a laparoscopy for a suspected ectopic pregnancy which turned out to be a cyst on one of my ovaries (with a 'normal' miscarriage) and the cyst is still there 13 yrs later! To that, add pain ranging from early labour pain to fully in labour...

In your shoes, I would have made the same decision. It may sound absurd to most to wish for an early menopause but it does become unbearable.
I hope your pain settles or disappears soon, no invasive operation is ever quick in healing. I also don't envy the decision to be made about replacement oestrogen 'no' vs 'yes'. Where you guided in the decision? have you been offered different types oestrogen?

Thank you for taking the time, knowing there is someone that understands is a real help.

Hi thankyou:) Glad to be of help.

I haven't gone into the menopause yet. Apparently if you have one ovary removed the remaining one takes over hormone production. It does however depend on your age, I'm 44 so it can be a bit borderline, but no menopause symptoms so far.

I still have some pain on the left side but as it's not yet 6 weeks since surgery it's probably all still healing so will have to wait and see.

Sorry posted a bit too early. Do you think you'll have surgery to remove your cyst?

Good question? Just re-read the notes the consultant sent back: he mentions the removal of fibroids, if there and he talks about hoping to perform the hysterectomy vaginally but no mention of dealing with cyst directly.

Most of my last meeting was taken up by my gynae history and and the explanation that my condition may require an hysterectomy. There was never a mention the possibility of just the ovaries being removed (I guess because of the ? adenomyosis). I guess I'll have to ask the new consultant.

Make sure you have a list of questions to hand and if you don't feel happy with the advice given, it's always worth seeking a second opinion.

Good luck x

Thank you.

List is getting bigger :D I'm happy to go for the ablation even if I'm scared and I'm not looking forward to the results of the hysteroscopy. I'd rather not have another laparoscopy but I need to ask whether it might be a better solution to the endometriosis or a further step before an hysterectomy...
Talking to you as made me realise that I'm so desperate for the pain and bleeding 'at a drop of hat' (currently I start bleeding if I lift a washing basket!) that I might have forgotten to ask about/find out different options. Thank you x

My ablation failed. On waiting list for hysterectomy now. Glad I gave it a try though.