IVF after fibroid removal experiences?

[Undermilkgood]

I'm 6dp5dt of my first transfer, and it looks like it's failed - getting heavy spotting and it's all very AF-like, and I'm on cd30 of my usual 28-day cycle so that lines up right.

I have a couple of fibroids, one quite large which pushes into the wall of my uterus. During the process a doctor checked and said it shouldn't be an issue, but the doctor for my egg collection told me afterwards that if the first attempt fails we should look at it again.

Has anyone had fibroids removed prior to IVF, and if so what was the process? How long after removal were you able to go on to try IVF again? If you were already going through IVF, was the removal carried out at the clinic or at a regular hospital? My main concern is that this is going to take many months to resolve, after waiting for so long I'm itching to get on with things - although I know there's no point being impatient!

Thank you!

@Undermilkgood Sorry it’s a negative so far, I know it’s an awful feeling. I have a subserosal fibroid, meaning it is outside of the womb cavity, so I’ve been told be multiple consultants that it will not impact on implantation, no need to remove. Mine is large at 5cm.

Are yours inside the cavity and do you know their sizes? Normally anything over 1cm is considered an issue. I actually have 2 uterine polyps which will be removed by hysteroscopy this month. I’ve been told I can do my FET straight away, it’s better to get on with it as they can grow back. My private clinic are doing the procedure, NHS wait list would be horrendous.

If you need to do a full cycle again rather than FET after removal, then perhaps you would need a longer gap, but I’m not sure on this.

@IslandStars Thanks for your reply. I can't fully remember the details of it, I was told it wouldn't be an issue so I didn't pay too much attention! I think it was 6cm and outside the cavity but pressing into the wall, changing the shape of my womb.

I'm having IVF through NHS, if it does need removing and I need to go on a waiting list rather than my clinic doing it I think I'll have to go private for the procedure.

Thanks again, and best of luck with the hysteroscopy and FET!

@Undermilkgood You're welcome, thank you. It's good that it's outside of the cavity. If this round isn't successful, i presume you'll get a review appointment to discuss next steps, at least that's what happens with a private clinic, so just double check on whether they consider the pressing against the wall to be an issue. Worst case, you could pay for a scan / private fertility check up to get a second opinion. Best of luck with it.

@Undermilkgood Hello, I had a large fibroid removed from the top of my womb before treatment. It was huge (18 cm) and affected different aspects of my quality of life, not only fertility. I heard all sorts of opinions on having a myomectomy done before deciding to go ahead with it. One doctor told me not to consider as there was a high risk of having to perform a hysterectomy, while others told me that I would never be able to get pregnant with such a large fibroid. I booked an appointment with a specialist gynae surgeon who gave me reassurance that it was, indeed, possible to have it removed and reduce the risk of a possible hysterectomy. I was on Zoladex injections for six months before surgery and the fibroid shrank to 12 cm. It was still an open myomectomy but a successful one and I'm so glad I had it done. My advice is to go for specialist advice - GPs and even hospital consultants are very quick in telling women not to do anything about it as fibroids tend to disappear with menopause.

Six months after surgery I felt pregnant naturally but unfortunately it ended in chemical pregnancy at 5 weeks. I had never been pregnant before and believe that it wouldn't have happened if I still had that huge fibroid. I am currently doing IVF treatment and got to embryo transfer with two A grade blastocysts.

All the best with your treatment and don't hesitate to ask for a second opinion!

Hello @Fabsco hope you don't mind me jumping into the thread..
I have 2 fibroids as well, outside the cavity though.
NHS said it does not affect me TTC, but I've had 3 failed IVF cycles already.
Now going private at CRGH.
Can you please advise any good doctors if fibroid needs to be removed?

@Beingamom My fibroid was also outside the cavity and one NHS doctor (gynaecology consultant and uni professor) told me not to worry because they would shrink with menopause. My fibroid was already 13 cm at the time. I then saw a private gynaecologist and obstetrician that is very well known locally who told me that I should never consider myomectomy because the risk of hysterectomy was very high in my case and "you can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs".🙄 Honestly, the stuff that we have to hear from male doctors...

I asked my GP for another referral to see a gynaecologist consultant and surgeon who is specialised in fibroids. It took six months to get a consultation with him but he was the doctor who stated very clearly that my fibroid was affecting my fertility due to its size and weight, as it was compressing my womb. He put me on the NHS list for a myomectomy and told me to wait for a pre-surgery letter, which only arrived two years after I had already done in privately.

Because it was taking so long for the letter to arrive, I made an appointment with another gynaecologist consultant and surgeon in a private practice. She works with the NHS consultant that I saw previously and they are both highly experienced in myomectomy surgeries - I researched their qualifications with the local Trust. She gave me reassurance that the risk of hysterectomy would be reduced as much as possible.

I don't know where you're based, but would definitely recommend a consultation with Dr Priscilla Devaseelan if you live in Northern Ireland. You need to trust the surgeon who will perform your surgery and know that they'll do everything they can to save your womb. In my case, the fibroid was affecting my quality of life as I was walking around with a seven-month pregnant belly and suffering with heartburn, frequent urination, awful cramping, etc. I was willing to take the risk but was reassured by Dr Priscilla that it would be small because of the pre-surgery treatment.

Good luck with your treatment and don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion!

@Fabsco thanks for your response. I am based in London and have been advised by my consultant in a private clinic to potentially scoop out a part of the fibroid. But she will refer me to another specialist to make the final decision.
My fibroids are 3cm and 5cm in size.

@Beingamom that's great! Your fibroids are small but I'm sure you'll feel much better after having them reduced. Best of luck with your treatment!

@Fabsco thanks a ton!

@Undermilkgood I hope you don’t mind me asking how you’ve got on? I’ve had my fresh IVF transfer fail and then my FET should be next week and I’ve got a fibroid which is on my lining pushing into the cavity but my cavity was clear on hyterscopy? It’s only 1cm and has not shrunk with the zoladex I’ve been on for 2 months. They said for removal it would have to be open abdominal surgery and not a lap or hyterscopy. I can’t help but think it’s gonna affect our chances. X