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Original poster

Anyone had an endometrial ablation?

32 replies

basilbrush · 12/09/2013 14:16

Good afternoon ladies -

I'm looking for good (and bad!) stories from anyone who's had this procedure done for very heavy periods.

I'm 35, don't want any more children and don't want to use coil / pill for various reasons. I suffer from incredibly heavy 8-9 day periods that are ruining my life and this operation seems like a good option. My consultant put me on medication to reduce the bleeding which did help a bit but made me feel totally drowsy and incapacitated for several days a month - couldn't work / drive etc

Can anyone advise? Did you have a local or general anaesthetic? Did you suffer any long term side effects?

Thanks!

OP posts:

BawbagBiggins · 12/09/2013 14:22

I had one in December last year under GA for the same reasons.
Had a small bleed in january and haven't had a period since, even though they thought it would be unsuccessful due to a fibroid that couldn't be totally removed as it was embedded in the wall of my uterus.
Highly recommend it.... just need to find something to cintrol the PMS now and I'll be very happy.

catmadcaz · 12/09/2013 15:24

I had one done years ago...It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I was having terrible periods really heavy, and ruining my life I was house bound with them for 2 days every month. I tried every tablet/pill going even tried a mirina coil nothing worked.

In the end I was so badly anaemic I needed a bblood transfusion and had an urgent ablation carried out.

I had a GA but did not have to stay in the hospital it was just a day case, go in the morning and home in the evening.

I had light bleeding whilst healing which gradually over the weeks subsided and no periods or anything since. So for me a total sucess!

27cats · 12/09/2013 17:23

Ablation earlier this year for nightmare periods with flooding etc. Best thing I ever did! I was nervous but there was no reason to be really, as everything was remarkably straightforward. Had a couple of easy days afterwards but that was more to recover from the GA, so tiredness and a bit of tenderness not pain as such. Now have manageable periods and am not anaemic.
The only thing is I am late 40's so was sure I didn't want any more children, obviously it is not something to consider if you are not 100% sure of this.

tammytwigg · 12/09/2013 17:32

I had one done in may this year, best thing I've ever done .it was done under GA. as a day case they did put me off for 2 weeks as I have quite a physical job in retail. I was about 6 weeks with a bit of a discharge and then since then nothing .like you terrible periods flooding anaemic I would highly recommend it only if you don't want more children though ,I feel like a new woman .

littlemisswise · 13/09/2013 13:30

I had mine done 6 years ago. It was the best thing I ever had done. My periods were really bad, I had tried the Mirena which didn't agree with me so had the ablation.

I had a GA and it was done as a day case. I did have a lot of back ache after, but I have back problems so maybe it was that.

My periods have started to get heavier and more painful now but still nothing like they were before. I can still leave the house and am not restricted to wearing black. I got my period on holiday recently and even using a regular tampon and sunbathing in a bikini didn't bother me. Before I had it done I wouldn't have dared!

mizu · 14/09/2013 21:25

Had this done nearly 3 years ago and it was GA and I went home afterwards.

Think I had a week off work. Had heavy periods that were lasting 12-13 days (really heavy for only 5ish though) and used to feel so dizzy and get so pale.

I still get periods but they are 5 days in total and light in comparison.

mizu · 14/09/2013 21:26

PS I had had the Mirena coil in for about 18 months which did help too but I felt terrible with it in and will NEVER take anything hormonal again.

PinkFairyArmadillo · 14/09/2013 21:32

My mum had one done a few years ago and it changed her life, she says she wishes she'd had it done sooner.

I'm reading this thread with interest as I'm currently fighting an ongoing battle to have one. I have horrendously heavy periods which keep me pretty much housebound for a few days each month. I've had to cancel two sets of plans I had this week because I just daren't leave the house when it's bad.

I keep getting refused one (despite exhausting all alternatives) because apparently I'm too young at 30 to make a decision which will impact my fertility. DH has had a vasectomy now and I'm hoping if I go back and say we've got permanent contraception already in place that they might be a bit more open to me having it done.

LunaticFringe · 14/09/2013 22:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

QOD · 14/09/2013 22:50

Yeah, stopped the horrible pains but still have periods

Overnight in hospital but was lucky enough to get it under private medical insurance

Original poster

basilbrush · 18/09/2013 07:54

Thank you for all these helplful stories!

It does seem that everyone here is glad that they had it done which is very reassuring to see. I honestly think it would change my life :-)

I have 3 DC (and certainly don't want anymore!) and DH had the snip last year so I really hope that at 35, they will consider me for the procedure.

I've got months and months of horrible periods (AKA not daring to sit on sofas in my own let alone anyone else's house...) to go though as I am still waiting to be re-referred to the consultant. I was seeing one and then I got unexpectedly pregnant with DC 3 which obviously solved the problem temporarily! Now I have to be re-referred by GP all over again (=6months?), then wait for procedure (=another 6 months?). Sigh :-(

But thank your comments, I feel there may be light at the end of the tunnel!

OP posts:

Morgause · 18/09/2013 07:57

I did. Made life so much easier until I slid into the menopause. I still had periods but the loss was reduced by two thirds and the pain only came on day one.

TheOrchardKeeper · 18/09/2013 08:07

My mum had one but it reverted back to the surprise flooding, bad pain and constant periods so she's now having a hysterectomy. (she's going through the menopause so it might be related).

TheOrchardKeeper · 18/09/2013 08:08

(she didn't have a period for 4 months after the op though. Just a shame it didn't work).

LunaticFringe · 18/09/2013 08:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

27cats · 18/09/2013 13:21

I'm sure it depends on the area, but from going to GP to request one to having it done was less than 5 months for me. So you never know, you might get it sorted quicker than you think.

Original poster

basilbrush · 19/09/2013 13:45

LF and 27cats, that's more like it!

GP appt on Monday afternoon - fingers crossed

OP posts:

Crutchlow35 · 21/09/2013 12:24

Mine didn't work. It failed completely and I knew within 10 days of the op it had failed.

I was in and out in a day. A long day as I could have been out earlier but my blood pressure went a bit bonkers after the GA. I had my op on the Monday and went back to work on the Thursday.

10 days later I had a period. Just the same as before. Utterly horrendous the only improvement I had was that I didn't have the sudden flooding that I had been having.

Went back to hospital but was told they needed a 6 month history before the next step. Consultant told me that it had failed but our nHS needed the 6 month thing before allowing a hysterectomy which I finally had done in February this year.

Crutchlow35 · 21/09/2013 12:26

I think the failure rate is small though.

Scarlett70 · 03/02/2015 23:11

I have just had this procedure - 2 weeks ago- I feel fine. 44- 2 kids so no intention on having more. Friends that have had it done recommend it - minimal bleeding and shorter periods... I am hopeful.

pacr1600 · 09/01/2019 22:34

I know this thread hasn't been posted to for over a year, but maybe someone will see what I'm sharing. I was diagnosed with severe anemia after about 5 years of heavy bleeding with periods in my late 40's-early 50's. So in 2009, I had an thermal ablation (one where they use hot water in a balloon to burn the lining). It was done in a surgery under an IV anesthesia. Doctor found a polyp which he removed and noted the fibroid (submucosal) which he did not remove. The recovery, etc went fine - minimal issues and I was back to work. No periods for a couple months, then light ones until menopause within three years (2012). In 2015, I abruptly began having an awful smelling discharge and wasn't sure where it was coming from. I had to begin wearing panty liners again and the occasional tampon. The discharge was like the last few days of a period and it smelled awful. This has been going on for about 4 years now and I can't get a GYN doctor to figure out what the problem is so I have begun doing my own research. And if I knew then what I know now, I never would have agreed to the procedure. When an ablation is done, the uterus is no longer open because when it heals, the sides stick to each other in scarring. It becomes a closed pancake of an organ - meaning no longer can the cervix be opened up and a tissue biopsy done because the scarring has closed it up. I am now having this discharge but the doctor cannot look inside to see what's going on. They can only do an ultrasound, measure the thickness of the lining, and shrug their shoulders saying they don't know what the problem is. And look at me crazy because I won't accept that I have to live with a foul smelling bloody discharge the rest of my life. My grandmother died of uterine cancer and one of the early signs of cancer is post-menopausal bleeding.

If I had it to do all over again, I would endure the bleeding until menopause. My journey to find a doctor that will help me continues. There is a doctor in Rochester, NY, USA - www.cmdrc.com - that treats complications of ablations. The website is very informative and educational. I recommend learning as much as possible prior to consenting to an ablation. Best to all.

Nat6999 · 09/01/2019 23:28

I was offered ablation but the day I went to have that & an ovarian cyst removed, the machine wasn't working. I had a laparoscopic sub total hysterectomy 6 months later, if you are sure you don't want any more children & are having heavy, painful periods & flooding, it's a permanent solution. I was only in hospital overnight, went to theatre early evening, back in bed by 8.00pm & on my way home by 9.00am next morning, very little pain, I was driving within a week, a bit tired but after having periods that had left me extremely anaemic it was nothing, I took spatone for a couple of months & my iron levels were above average.

Karenhaw · 28/01/2019 21:49

I had mine done in Nov 2018 had s heavy period 11 days later and still having periods for the last 2 mths which for the 1st 3-4 days is so heavy worse than before ,I go back to see my consultant on 6th Feb hoping I can get this sorted xx

Vanessa01 · 04/03/2019 15:38

Hi all,
I had a Endometrial Ablation June 2018. For the first 6-7 mths great.
Now my periods are back to the way they were before, and I am back on Iron Tablets too due to severe enaemia.
I intend on going back to my doctors, and this time insist on a Hysterectomy which I have been refused for the last 10 yrs.
It's a good procedure for those who don't want or can't take tablets or want a coil fitted, but it doesn't work for everyone.

PlaneMummy · 21/02/2020 09:30

Hi everyone and thank you for all the honest posts on here to read. I fall into the middle aged mum sector who has had her children, her other half has had a vasectomy, am anaemic and have a lot of blood clots as well as heavy bleeding when having a period ‘sector’ (phew! ). I also have a couple of small fybroids but have got to the point where enough is enough! I was wondering if anybody had had an endometrial ablation done by radio-frequency? I had been offered the procedure three years ago but was incredibly worried and concerned about the side effects. I have however said to myself that there may of course be no side effects and it could give me a new lease of life!! Currently I feel I could sleep on a knife’s edge and am now struggling a bit with day to day requirements of a working mum. Any feedback gratefully appreciated. Thank you xx

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