Six weeks (or less?) and my fibroids are already killing me.

[edeluna]

At least I hope it's the fibroids (one is huge, around 11cm -- although it might also be a cluster of small fibroids according to my last scan earlier this year).

Since yesterday afternoon I've had pretty bad abdominal pain. It feels like it usually feels when my fibroids are feeling sensitive before a period. Except that the discomfort is not tapering off at all.

I spoke with the early pregnancy unit at my hospital, and they suggested/prefer that I get my GP to fax them a referral. But GP's office insists I see the doctor there first. "Call back tomorrow at 8am and I'll see if there are any appointments available."

Grrrr. I'm curled up in bed, running to to the loo every half hour. There's no blood or anything, just steady pain and having to pee a lot, and not being able to eat much even though my stomach is growling. So I do think it's most likely the fibroids getting happy on hormones (or maybe already dying off? But I thought that would happen in the fourth or fifth month, not the sixth (or what is actually very likely the fifth) week.

I'll go to the EPU tomorrow morning, but I'm not sure they'll even be able to see anything if they do a scan this early. But hopefully they'll at least be able to rule out an eptopic pregnancy or any other serious complication.

Has anyone else had a similar experience that supports my fibroid theory?

yes

my first PG I had major issues. From day 1 I had discomfort then about halfway thru they were killing me. I had something called "red degneration" which means that they outgrow their blood suuply and die

I had to go to A&E and get morphine!

I only wish at that time I had people to speak though that had been through it as it was very scary

So here's what I know. Its VERY common, yet not alot of data. It can be VERY painful. There are strong painkillers you can take that wont harm the baby, dont be a martyr. Take the drugs! and it does not tend the harm the baby! Its shit for the Mum but the baby just happily grows away!!!

my pain started quite early.

you need a scan, and they can measure them and see

OH any my second pregnancy, nada! they have kind of calcified! nice....

GOOD LUCK

Thanks, porcamiseria. Sounds like you went through quite a lot with your fibroids. I hope mine don't get so bad that I need morphine. Scary! Glad to hear pg #2 has gone so much more smoothly.

I went to the EPU today and had a scan, which confirmed that it is just the fibroids, not an entopic pregnancy, causing the pain. And the pregnancy is in the correct location. Yay! Still too early to see the baby, but I'm going back for a follow-up scan in two weeks, so hopefully will be able to see something then at 7.5 weeks.

I'm now taking paracetamol, which has helped a little. I was finally able to sleep for a few solid hours this afternoon. The pain isn't gone completely, but I hope it will ease even more over the next few days.

Thanks again for your comment. It really does help to hear from others who have gone through a similar experience.

Hi there

I had terrible problems with my fibroids in my first pregnancy. Like you, I had one massive one (about 12cm ) and loads of others. They were very painful, particularly in the early weeks. I believe that the increase in progesterone in the first few weeks "feeds" them and can make them grow/be painful. I had a big bleed at 13 weeks which scared the life out of me (particularly as I'd had 2 mc's already). The baby was fine and they couldn't say it was definitely the fibroids that caused the issues.

On the plus side, there were no negative effects on the birth and they had shrunk susbtantially and caused no problems in my second pregnancy

@Tillyscoutsmum That must have been really scary. Glad baby was alright and the fibroids didn't interfere with your second pg. It sounds like that's fairly common. Of course, at 37, I may not have the luxury of experiencing a second pg that would be free of fibroid discomfort. Just focused right now on getting through this one.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

I'm 39 and 14 weeks pregnant with multiple fibroids.
I am so happy (probably not the right word to use), to see there are other expectant mums like me.
I knew I had fibroids before I fell pregnant but was told I had no chance of conceiving until I had them removed.
How wrong was my GP.
I have had nothing but continous pain since I was 6 weeks.
Two weeks ago I had a massive bleed, I'm talking collusal here, and to cut a long story short was led to believe by a casualty doctor that I had had a miscarriage.
But, when I saw the gynaecologist it transpired I hadn't and she said this could be down to my fibroids.
There was nothing they could do until after I had the baby.
Afew days later the huge one which is about 11cm and covering my cervix degenerated.
Death seemed like a less painful alternative.
I was hospitalized and not even morphine could rid the pain.
I also had another big bleed and again the medics could not determine why so have ascertained it must be the fibroids.
I have been told the fibroids will probably result in me bleeding throughout my pregnancy.
And I shouldn't be concerned unless it is bright red for more than two hours or heavy.
I had a bleed yesterday with some pain but it susbided within an hour.
A couple of hours I passed a blood clot but again I've been told not too worry to much as this could be the congealed blood from the earlier bleed.
So, if you are pregnant with fibroids, prepare yourself for pain, angst and numerous trips to the hospital.
But, fingers crossed there will be a happy ending in the end for all of us.

Lolly - just wanted to say that I had numerous bleeds between 13-26 weeks and all was well (dd is very much here causing chaos )

It is very scary and at least the degeneration will make childbirth seem like a walk in the park (and I can say this after having a 10lb 5oz baby !)

Between having dd and ds, I started taking wheatgrass juice (on the recommendation of a fellow fibroid sufferer on MN). I have to confess, I was quite skeptical but, it took us 18 months, 2 mc's and hell of a lot of pain to have dd. By comparison, we conceived ds in the second month of trying, no pain, no bleeds, no problems and my largest fibroid has shrunk from 12 cm to 5 cm.

I'm not sure if it can be taken during pregnancy but it may be worth looking in to or at least bearing in mind for after.

@lollysunshine So sorry to hear how difficult your pregnancy has been. There seems to be so much variation in how fibroids affect pregnancies, with some women having hardly any trouble at all and others in constant pain throughout. I hope things eventually get easier for you and that everything works out in the end.

@tillyscoutsmum I think wheatgrass juice does have some phenomenal health benefits, but I haven't had it in a long time. Will look into whether it's considered safe in pregnancy.

I don't think my fibroids have started degenerating yet, but I'm almost relieved to hear that something, in comparison, can make childbirth seem easy. Still sounds scary though.

Did you also end up on morphine when your fibroids degenerated, or did you handle the pain some other way? I really, really don't like the idea of going on such serious drugs while I'm pregnant. Let's hope it doesn't get that bad.

I didn't have morphine but only because it happened over the xmas holidays and my midwife was useless. I phoned her in tears telling her I was in agony and she said it sounded like ligament pain . By the time I'd taken myself off to hospital after a week of hell, the pain had started to subside and I made do with paracetamol and ice packs

They don't all degenerate so it hopefully won't happen to you ...

edeluna

try not to worry too much! I only regret that (a) I worried so much and (b) I suffered the pain

trust me, when those bitches degenerate you HAVE to have morphine. really, there is no alternative

and it does not harm baby. unfortunately as the other lady said the dose help, but not 100%

just try and remember there is a happy ending in site, fibroid degneration does not harm the baby

Porcamiseria and Tillyscoutsmum, thanks for the reassurance. There are some scary stories out there, but I know my case won't necessarily go that route. I'd rather have an understanding of what could possibly happen, though, than be caught totally by surprise and then panic.

I'll try not to worry too much!

In fact, today has been pretty good. I haven't taken any paracetamol since 4am and managed to go for a short walk and do some cooking this afternoon. So nice to feel half-way normal again!

Thanks again, everyone, for sharing your stories.