Heavy periods after fibroids

[njshep]

I’m 51 and seemingly nowhere near menopause.
last year I had a 4cm fibroid removed and a uterine ablation due in insanely heavy periods. I was told I may never bleed again. Wrong.
my periods have still been heavy although not quite as bad so I rang the surgeon. Had another ultrasound. All looked good but the base of the fibroid is still there.
thos month another heavy period with huge clots literally falling out of me. It went on 10 days.
I had the fibroid removal due to anemia…. Ferritin was 6 now is 13.
anyone a similar story?

I was half-heartedly offered a hysterectomy for my fibroids. The gynaecologist didn’t seem to think there was any other solution. Given my age and irregularity, it didn’t seem worth it.
I don’t suppose that helps much. I hope you are ok.

That is the issue. If I knew menopause was imminent and would solve the situation I would just ride this out. Without knowing I’m left being anemic, it disrupts my teaching career and my fitness regime literally is stalled one week out of every month due to the unpredictability and intensity of each period.
I also wonder about the impact of chronic anemia on heart health. My dr said supplements are like trying to fill a bathtub without a plug (even though I take them) and I can’t do infusions due to having anaphylactic food allergies.
Stuck in anemia purgatory.

Ask about uterine embolisation. I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned.

Same situation after ablation, now waiting for the go ahead for hysterectomy, they have booked me in for hysteroctopy (sp), biopsy and fibroid removal first even though I don’t have any concerning fibroids. I’m 41 so they want to leave my ovaries in even though I’m already peri. I take iron tablets when I’m bleeding or I end up with low iron and feeling totally crap.

Hysteroscopy

I tried a few things to get rid of mine but unfortunately I just seemed to grow new ones. After 2 years trying everything I did plump for the extreme hysterectomy. It's been 10 weeks since the op and I feel amazing. I'm a bit younger at early 40's so could have ended up waiting another 10 years for my periods to stop. The relief at not having another period is immense,
Prior to the hysterectomy what treatment worked best for me, was a monthly injection to put me into a chemical menopause.

Would a mirena coil be an option? Stopped my heavy bleeding and my ferritin levels have gone from 5 to 39.

How has your recovery been? I’m stressing about recovery as I’m rubbish at resting. I’m only having a partial hysterectomy so I have been told my recovery will be quicker, I’m also reasonably fit and healthy, I have a disabled dc to care for and not DH/DP so I need to be back in my feet pretty quickly.

My mum had a hysterectomy in her 40’s and said she instantly felt better, best decision ever.

Mine was laparoscopic. Tubes, uterus and cervix removed through my vagina. I was very very worried about the recovery as I am a wuss about pain. The first few days were painful. I was also incredibly tired and nauseous. I forced myself to sleep through this. The pain for me was mostly wind related and pain in my shoulders when they pump you full of gas during the op and it migrates to your shoulders. But from day 1 I forced myself out for a slow shuffle,
I was precious about lifting things but honestly, apart from the tiredness I was ok after the first week. The tiredness was something else though.
My life is no longer ruled by pads, flooding and pain.

Thank you, that’s exactly what I’m having done. I am more worried about feeling sick as I’m petrified of being sick, hoping they can pump me full of anti sickness meds, there’s a lot of pain killers I can’t take due to them making me sick (I would rather be in pain than risk being sick). I have experience the horrid gas pain after having my appendix out a couple years ago, mint tea and moving around seemed to help but it was pretty awful. I’ve been told I will only need to stay in for one night but I am a wimp so will probably be 2 nights. I just can’t wait to go a week without bleeding. I fear getting my period and no longer know what is my period and what is random bleeding apart from the fact I get awful PMT with my period. The thought of never wearing pads or period pants agin fills me with excitement 😁

Best wishes! I had forgotten I can't take dihydracodeine for that reason - once I stopped taking them the sickness went away. Use it as an excuse to take it easy for a bit. Slow but sure is key to your recovery here.

My gynae has not quite recommended hysterectomy for my small but very troublesome fibroid. She said that fibroids are a fairly common cause of post menopausal bleeding though so warned me that when I do finally hit menopause (currently peri, but only 44 so possibly 10 years from now) I could still have bleeding which would have to be investigated (hysteroscopy) every time to check it's nothing more sinister. She said first line therapy would be resection and ablation but that couldn't guarantee another fibroid forming and bleeding. She didn't say anything about embolization.

How did you get the fibroid removed? Myomectomy?
I can't get that because the doctor says that once you're too old for children they don't do it, only hysterectomies. It seems to be more complicated surgery so if I were to have surgery I'd go for the hysterectomy. (I have another thread open all about not wanting that surgery...)

I had the myomectomy at 50. It’s was via hysteroscopy.
It helped a bit but didn’t get it all.
Still battling heavy periods

Interesting because where I live myomectomy is only for women still likely to have children. Over mid 40s it's a hysterectomy.

I’m in Canada.
it was the first solution presented. I’m sure hysterectomy is probably the next.