Has anyone had fibroid embolisation?

[TheBeanAndTheBee]

I'm keen to avoid a myomectomy or hysterectomy if at all possible. Has anyone had experience of this procedure? And if so could anyone recommend a consultant in London.

I'd also love to get a realistic idea of recovery time. I'm 40 and have a 2 and a 3 year old, how much time would I need help with them for while I recover? Thanks in advance.

Hi, I had an embolisation done last July, at St Thomas's, London. No problems with procedure, it was very painful, but not for more than a few days. I was off work for a week or so. Aftercare was not great.

My fibroids 25cm, it actually grew after the embolisation! I think that procedure works best for smaller fibroids.

Having a tota hysteectomy (keeping my ovaries) in 2 weeks! And after looking heavily pregnant for many years, I CANT WAIT!!!

I had a message on my phone telling me they could fit me in on Monday for an embolisation. It's a bit quick. I'm not sure what to do. 25cm sounds very uncomfortable I have 2 at 6cm.

Oh ladymary! We are on all the same threads with our hideous lumps

From what the various consultants I saw said, I should think you would be a good candidate? Small (ish!) fibroids, not calcified I presume? I think they an grow back but thats not certain.

I can tell you anything you like about the procedure! It was actually quite intersting to watch once I was over the fear.

can grow back- but thats the same with any fibroid procedure

?

I'm a little worried about them cutting off the blood supply to the rest of it. I'm tempted to postpone it so that I can see what the esyma has done. It seems more swollen then the 6cm they say though. They said I can be in and out in a day so won't have to stay overnight. I'm not sure if they have calcified, there was nothing to say this on the MRI report.

Oh yes please, am already on the !

I am suprised to hear they dont want you in overnight. At St Thomas's they kept you in to administer pain relief- I had a self-administering morphine drip and I needed it! Apparently the more pain the better (shows it has worked). I couldnt have gone home in my morphine haze...

I felt no ill effects from the cutting off of blood supply, but do bear in mind it can worsen any discharge you may have (I didnt know this). I have found that to be true- I have at least a week of clear discharge after every period- heavy enough to need maxi sanpro every day . And it didnt work. But it could be very different for you?

I can't stay in, there's no one to look after ds. That's why they are doing it as a day case. I know about the discharge/temp etc, I only stopped taking the esmya 10 days ago though so I'm hoping it's done something. My stomach does feel flatter but it's higher up. I haven't had an AF yet and this was more of a problem than the fibroids.

Chin chin!

Heyyyy... you havent lived until you have stood on the street in a puddle of blood. Thats not any period, thats a super duper fibroid period .

I would look after your DS if you wre in London, really, one nights not a big ask, is he young? Sorry to hear no one will help you

Hope your Esmya worked. Fingers crossed eh.

Oh, that fibroid period, the one that happened in the GP's surgery. Luckily for me my jeans kept it contained. My GP was worried enough to have me carted off to hospital (shame he wasn't worried enough to check my haemoglobin levels after I'd been discharged as I needed a blood transfusion. ) Ds is 14. There isn't anyone else. I'm going to call them and postpone it I think. It's too early and the Esmya won't have had any time to work yet.

Yes, have learned to go in and request blood tests from my GP, they say helpful things like 'oh you look alright' -. Now I just ask for a test if I feel low. Took me a long time to get to that point- living with low iron is hard.

Have been anemic for a long time, transfusion in Jan, 3 bags. Blood pressure was down to 60/40 after a bad bleed and the doctor at A&E still wanted me to wait in the waiting room for 'up to an hour' as there were no beds. Got one once I fainted though!

If in doubt, dont. As my mum always said. I think thats a wise move if you are not sure.

I'd like to see if things will settle down first.

My GP said I looked OK but did a blood test to shut me up. It was 7.2 but I wasn't contacted and only found out when I had a gynae appointment a month later. By this point it was 6.1 and she was shocked that I was still functioning, I hadn't noticed the gradual decline, had it have been a sudden bleed I'd have noticed apparently. It's 11.4 now. I think they are all bonkers.

Hi
I have a fibroid the size of a 28 week pregnancy. I'm 51. I have to have a hysterectomy taking everything except my cervix as the fibroid is pressing on my ureter and causing my kidney to dilate. I've not had a menopause yet but the fibroid is getting dangerous. I'll be taking Esmya for three months to shrink the fibroid so that I can have a bikini like incision rather than a midline which is more painful in recovery and more obvious as a scar.

Esmya will work for 6 months after the initial three month course but then the fibroid will start to regrow. It is only a per op medication. Not a miracle cure. Also my fibroid is too large to shrink after menopause and they can still keep growing on some women as trace amounts of estrogen are found in foods etc.

Ps I've been told that Esmya prepares the tissue better for surgery and if the fibroid smaller less blood loss. With an embolisation there is more danger of damage to urinary Tract and bladder. All surgery has its dangers.

Best of luck

Ps taking ovaries as I'm probably near menopause and if you have hysterectomy the ovaries only work for 5 years or so after because uterus gone.

Hi,
I'm new to this. So good to find a conversation about this. I have been struggling for a year, really anaemic and five fibroids between 12 to 15cm each. A cyst of 10cm was in an ovary but my last scan showed it had disappeared. I've been through the mill a bit with another huge op for something else so having more surgery wasn't advised. Finally I'm on a drugs trial for Esmya at the university hospital as here in Nottingham doctors won't prescribe it. Or you can pay privately.
Anyway week six and I'm happy having missed a period and reduced pain but I'm having lots of hot flashes, I'm really bad tempered or tearful and my breasts which are ff anyway are just so sore and heavy which is like being premenstrual all the time. I'm trying to persevere but I'm finding it a bit tough. Does this sound familiar to anyone else?

(The good news is that I think my tummy doesn't look quite as pregnant but it's still very much there !!!)

Hi ladies. So pleased to have found this site. Week 2 of Esmya after being diagnosed with at least 2 (intramural) fibroids 8x6cm or 20 wks size. Hideous periods, anaemic and expanding tummy! Declined embolisation after long discussion with expert gyne who said shrinkage was minimal and could take a year. Going to have a laparoscopic hysterectomy late jan after being on Esmya for 12 weeks. Interested to hear from anyone who's been down this road or could offer advice on recovery time from the op.
Nice to know not alone. :-)

Please I have anyone had embolisation surgery, and please can I get pregnant after that. And how many months can I stay before trying to pregnant. Am so scared of embolisation just had my MRI scan last week. Please I need answers urgently before I can make up my mind .