I've just found I'm pregnant but I have several huge fibroids

[Lollysunshine]

Hi Everyone,
Earlier today I had a positive pregnancy test.
I'm over the moon but shocked because a few months ago I discovered I have several huge fibroids that were effecting my fertility.
I'm actually due to see a consultant in two weeks time.
I'm really really worried because I've been having awful painful stomach and leg cramps in the last few days.
Does anyone know if this connected?
I'm 39 so delighted I have fallen pregnant but am so scared about any hiccoughs that will come my way because of my fibroids.
Has anyone been through this and come out the other side ok?

Thanks

Hi, I've been lurking on here for a while but wanted to delurk when I read your post - I'm in a similar position.

I have large fibroids as well, one of them 11cm, one 8cm, and a couple of smaller ones. I found out about them at an EPU scan last year. I had a missed miscarriage with that pregnancy but the consultant assured me that it was not related to the fibroids in any way.

I was due to start drug treatment to shrink the fibroids prior to having a myomectomy but discovered I was pregnant again before I got to go ahead with that. I'm currently 33 weeks pregnant and the fibroids grew during the first trimester to their current size. I've had medical complications, heavy bleeds and several episodes of bad pain, possibly all due to the fibroids (no one seems to know for sure) but through it all the baby has been absolutely fine. I'll have to have a c-section as the largest fibroid is blocking the cervix (and my baby is transverse as there isn't much room) and I've been warned it could be quite complicated - risk of haemorrahging, etc - but my obstetrician has been very reassuring. I've had regular scans to keep an eye on things.

I hope that things go smoothly for you. I remember all too clearly how fearful I was when I found out I was pregnant again, worried about what could go wrong. A couple of other women I spoke to who also had fibroids told me they'd had quite a few bleeds in the first half of their pregnancies (up to 4 or 5 months) but their babies were fine. You may end up with a very medical route through pregnancy, but then again you may not have any problems at all - fingers crossed. Congratulations, and hope all goes well.

Im currently 39 weeks with a fibroid the size of a tennis ball near to the birth canal. I had it with my last pregnancy too and it hasn't given me any problems this time round . Apart from me looking larger than normal as the baby was sitting quite high up.
The only thing is that the Consultants err on the side of caution. They talk about CS and want you to go to appointments where they say "this could happen etc"
Building up to my last labour it was seen as abit of a deal, but on the day of the birth, it wasn't even mentioned.

I managed to deliver normally last time and this time, Im hoping to go against their advice to deliver at home.

Lolly I discovered I had fibroids after falling pregnant and experiencing quite significant pain early on. As it turned out in the end my fibroids are in the wall of the uterus, rather than impinging into the cavity, so they didn't have much impact on the pregnancy itself (apart from making me much bigger than usual - they grew to 15 and 10 cms, and are still about that now - and necessitating a c-section for blocked cervix & transverse lie).

I think the pain early on was due to the rapid growth of the fibroids resulting from changes in hormone levels. I wonder if that's what you're experiencing?

Thanks for all your messages.
It has really reassured me.
I've woken up in a bit of pain and cramping but at least I know it may be because of my fibroids.
Hopefully I'll be able to see my GP this week and talk this through.
Thanks.

Yes, good idea to see your GP asap; you may require extra scans to check on the activity of the fibroids throughout your pregnancy (I ended up having more than 10 ultrasounds and an MRI! But that was partly because mine weren't behaving/looking like typical fibroids, and they were worried about more 'sinister' possibilities before they actually decided they were fibroids )

After they made that decision they just wanted to keep monthly checks on the growth of both fibroids and baby, and the scans were reassuring for me too. Yours sounds more straightforward in that you know what they are to start with, so won't have that worry, at least!

Let us know how you get on

My mum did - she had a normal pregnancy, though found it more difficult because of the extra weight. Ended up having to have a hysterectomy a few months after my brother was born, and when the fibroid was weighed it was 6lb10oz - 10oz bigger than my brother

But she was okay and is absolutely fine now, and my brother is now a healthy pain in the arse 13 year old Best of luck with everything.

me too, mine got to the size of a rugby ball last PG

try not to worry, they are very common and whilst a huge pain, they cause inconvenience more than anything else

last PG was blighted by them TBH. early on I got pain, then mid PG I had fibroid degeneration and had to be hospitalised for pain management, it did pass tho

I think the issue is FEAR, I spent my first PG very scared which was not fun

try to remember that they do NOT harm babies, just cuase pain for the poor mummies xx

I have a whopper of a fibroid - in my last pregnancy it grew to about 12cm. Mine, although enormous, didn't present a huge problem as it's on the outer wall of the uterus. I was under consultant care, was advised to have a hospital birth, but managed to labour normally. I had a canula inserted into my hand during labour, which was a precautionary measure - fibroids can cause post-partum haemorrhage and in my case they waited to see whether I was bleeding heavily and dealt with it by putting Syntometrine (? I think?) into the drip after the birth.

Fibroids are v commonly identified during pregnancies, and they do respond to the pregnancy hormones which can make them grow. Try not to worry!

ps I have had 3 people ask if I'm having twins as my bump is so big - at 33 weeks I feel full term and am struggling. Like porcamiseria says, more of a pain for mum than baby.