Fibroids - question about pain management

[WhatNextImScared]

I’ve posted on this issue before, but quick round up:
i’m 44, probably early peri but still regular cycles
previous fibroids removed 2024, only caused heavy bleeding, had Mirena fitted then but had it removed in just this year due to cramping and bleeidng
INSANE periods since - 2 weeks long, 2-3 days of abdominal pain that has taken me to a&e, no painkillers touch it. Vomiting with pain can’t work etc

had a scan, fibroids back, have a date to see a surgeon to discuss the op next wwrek

BUT things have suddenly got worse. Before I was fine between periods, this month my period has ended but the (mild-moderate) daily period pain hasn’t. Dragging feeling, pain when passing a stool, heaviness, cramping. Keep expecting to bleed again but it’s just a little bit of brown/yellow discharge . Consistency in line with cycle (eg currently EWCM).

What painkillers have helped any of you? Or anything else? Nothing is helping I’m so fed up. Can’t wait for my appt next week to get an operation date.

Anyone ??

No sorry. Hopefully a little bump will help you find someone with experience.
I had a large fibroid, but wasn’t aware of the implications. Just put up with it. I’m so pleased to be past it now! Flooding and almost continuous bleeding was my problem. No treatment. Just relieved to eventually stop bleeding.

I'm 50, still regular periods, always painful and heavy. After I started hrt they got much worse, similar to you. Scans showed fibroid and likely the hrt had made them grow.

Doc gave me some NSAID, it didn't touch the sides.

I have some tramadol left from a bad accident, that works wonders but I think they rarely prescribe it now. Stronger prescription cocodamol from a different accident, I think you might be able to get that. I do find normal soluble cocodamol works OK for a while and puts me to sleep so that's good at night.

Can you get in line for a hysterectomy? I think it's the way to go..

Thanks everyone. Cocodomol doesn’t touch the sides. I’m trying Syndol with the muscle relaxant next full cycle to see if it helps. As you said, I can’t get tramadol. I think they pretty much only give it to inpatients now, because of the lessons of the opioid crisis in the US.

The plan is that they’re trying fibroid removal plus a new coil first, and if that doesn’t settle things/fibroids return I will be on the waiting list for hysterectomy. I am happy to have the hysto but I am at a point in life (young kids, shift working DH, older parents) where I just don’t really have the space in my life for the 8 week recovery. We’d have to find a way if I needed it but it seems impossible to me.

I think what’s scaring me is that it all seems to be worsening rapidly each month and now I don’t have any discomfort free days (though the unmanageable pain is when I’m actually bleeding)

Did you find life post-menopause easy? I’m wondering whether all this hell will make meno itself not seem so bad

Have they suggested a hysterectomy? I had a fibroid which grew rapidly and so large I had to undergo an emergency one.

Naproxen helps my fibroid pain

God yes! Absolute doddle. I mean, I didn’t realise my peri symptoms were that, so I went from unbearable periods to everything stopping. I have fibromyalgia so don’t know whether menopause contributed - I certainly wasn’t able to reduce symptoms with HRT.

I tried HRT but started having bleeds, also the HRT was unreliably available

But my post years have been so straightforward. The joy of wearing white clothes, sitting down and not worry ming about leaving a stain… joy!

I have a few fibroids but removing them has never even been suggested unfortunately. I just have to deal with the flooding and back pain they cause. Am wondering how people get surgery once let alone twice on NHS?

They have suggested it if the fibroid surgery + a new Mirena doesn’t stop them recurring.

i do wonder if it’s growing rapidly. I had a scan a month ago and it was only 3cm, but I will raise this question when I see the surgeon next week.

What was the emergency situation that occurred for you?

I have private health insurance through my husband’s job.

It’s Awful that it’s rarely offered on the nhs. I didn’t realise. I cannot imagine living in this much pain for the next decade.

Doesn’t touch mine unfortunately. It’s weird. I get migrajines and painkillers will deal with it. Absolutely nothing seems to help my gynae pain since this started a few months ago

Hi OP - do you have a single large fibroid or multiple ones? There is a procedure called Fibroid Embolisation which is done via interventional radiology. Recovery is quick. I have had this done for a single very large fibroid 9cm diameter. Recovery was just few days, no surgery. Do w pore if this is an option.

Honestly I’d get the hysterectomy, I was 45 when I had mine for fibroids and I haven’t looked back in the 12 years since.

Mine was full open surgery not keyhole and yes there was a tough recovery, but it was preferable to continuing with the pain and flooding. And after a few months I got my life back.

I kept my overies so didn’t go straight into full menopause.

how many weeks were you physically incapacitated for?

I just don’t know how we’d manage the recovery period - I have a 5 and 9yo and my husband works long shifts, I’m also self employed and we can’t afford for me to take the time off.

My aim is to get a few more years down the line before I do it.

Single at the moment. Last time I had multiple smaller ones removed. I’ve not heard of this procedure but the referral from the gynae was for a specific procedure so not sure I can change.

Rapid growth within 4 - 5 months . I had been under private medical care so it had been previously checked every 6 months. I felt it when lying on my front at exercise class . They did an ultrasound and I was fast tracked under the two week rule on NHS. Luckily the fibroid was benign. It was scary though. I had to have full incision as they had to remove in one piece. My ovaries and cervix were removed as well in case there had been an issue but I was much older than you so had already been through menopause on HRT. Went back on HRT after surgery.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_health/5496901-large-fibroid-what-now?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

Thanks this is such a useful thread