Fibroids - what treatment did you have?

[20DigitCombination]

I've just been diagnosed with large fibroids. This explains a lot of symptoms I've been having which I thought were due to peri menopause.

I've got to discuss the scan results with my doctor but in the meantime I've been googling treatment options! I was wondering what treatment others were offered, especially at a peri menopausal age.

Following.

When I was pregnant they identified that I had a couple of large fibroids but nothing offered.

I am now 51. My periods are infrequent and heavy. I have always had heavy periods. I assume because of the fibroids.

Suffered horrendously with heavy bleeding for 14 years. Medication did nothing. In the end I was so anaemic I had to have blood transfusions. That was the time my gaenocologist advised a total abdominal hysterectomy. Aged 50. My god it was the best thing ever. Never looked back and should have done it years ago

I was diagnosed with fibroid early 40's. main symptom was extremely heavy bleeding. I guess the treatment offered will be based on your own symptoms?

I tried tranexamic acid, mirena, esmya , and finally last year a uterine fibroid embolisation. my bleeding is now extremely light.,However I am now early 50's. so whether it that's due peri or the ufe maybe hard to say.

My fibroid was very large btw 15cm .,but I think symptoms are more based on location rather than size

Embolisation.

I'm sorry you're going through this but it's good that you have a diagnosis. That took about five years for me. Then a recommendation of embolisation. Then GP silence for a year. Then, when I enquired, a flurry of apology for not letting me know that the only qualified consultant in the area had moved on. So then another wait. It's probably more readily available now than it was nearly two decades ago.

The actual treatment was completely successful. (Also interesting to take part in, as you're awake.) Careful follow-up treatment too. But I know it's not suitable for everyone.

Good luck.

Thanks for the replies. I've been having heavy bleeding, long periods, pain, anaemia and fatigue. I've been on tranexamic acid and iron tablets so far. I'm glad I have a diagnosis as I thought this might be something I had to put up with as part of peri menopause.

Mine were very large, the pain and bleeding ridiculous and my consultant advised a hysterectomy.

I've had them for about 25yrs with heavy bleeding but that has been managed with tranexamic acid fortunately. The symptoms vary so much as to location, size, rate of growth & individual hormonal profile. I would always try the simplest, least invasive approach first.

I had a large one, gave me a bit of discomfort but no other symptoms that I recall. Although my coil had got tangled up with it and could not be removed. GP said my surgeon was highly regarded. He offered me a partial hysterectomy keeping ovaries and cervix. Afterwards he told me it was a big and nasty fibroid and worth getting out. I was 42 and typically meno starts within five years of this operation, usually sooner rather than later but not surgical menopause. I went through a bit of a tough time until started oestrogen only hrt.

I had a six month course of zoladex. My best friend has embolisation but they came back. She is now on zoladex long term but with hrt thrown in. We are both 41. My bleeding is still heavy but it now lasts for 5 days instead of 40+ and only one day is "flooding" heavy.

Early 40's here
GP recommended the mirena. It made the bleeding longer, heavier and gave me cramps like I'd never had before. After several months they tried putting me on the pill as well but I had a migraine after 3 weeks so had to stop taking it and it didn't stop the bleeding anyway! Then they gave me noristherine to take continuously to try and give me some respite from the bleeding. I think all that did was store it up as I then had a mega bleed (had to sit on the loo it was coming that fast) with big clots when I assume the mirena bled itself out cos it's since been declared awol. Good riddance to it!
Then I had uterine artery embolisation just over a year ago. Bleeding was lighter for the first few months but now it seems to have settled back into a cycle again I'm still getting heavy days that mean I need to take tranexamic acid and can have some level of bleeding for up to 10-11 days every 23-24 days. I've just had an MRI scan and waiting on consultant appointment to see what it's shown and what they suggest. If the fibroids have shrunk as a result of the UAE I think I'll ask about ablation. The hysterectomy route is tempting but I'm not sure if it's too extreme for my symptoms.....
The fibroids trust website has a good summary of treatment options but it does depend how large they are and where they are located.

Tranexamic acid, then embolisation then hysterectomy.

Did you have the hysterectomy because the embolisation didn’t work @FoolsAssassin ? I’m rather disappointed in the results from mine given how optimistic the consultant was beforehand.

Thanks for the further replies. That's quite a range of treatments. I'm early 50s but still have regular periods.

I was having very heavy periods. One " period" I bled every day to a greater or lesser degree for 6 weeks. I had one large fibroid, I could feel my uterus when I laid down, it was the same size as an 18 week pregnancy. I had ankle ordeal. I was tired and fed up. I eventually had an abdominal hysterectomy (transvaginal not possible because I had never had a pregnancy). Best decision ever. Very quick recovery. Ankle oedema resolved within 24 hours. Driving at 7 days. Felt like I was walking on air. No regrets whatsoever. (I was 48 when I had the hysterectomy)

I have opted for a myomectomy. Mine can’t be removed trans-vaginally as they are growing within the uterus wall. Hysterectomy was offered but I think it’s too invasive even though I’m not considering any more kids. TA just made the clots bigger and more painful to expel. I was advised embolisation may not have a good long-term outcome and so I am opting to have the fibroids surgically removed. A mirena will be inserted after surgery to prevent uterine walls from collapsing. Let’s see if it helps.

Three pendunculated fibroids, the largest 10cm long. Heavy periods and pain, especially when going over speed bumps etc.

I split with my ex and couldn’t face a potentially hysterectomy at the time as I’d have to cope alone and it’s a major op, so chose private acupuncture instead. £50-£60 per session in my area.

My big fibroid is a bit smaller probably due also to age, and the acupuncture has sorted all my period problems (heavy, long, frequent).

Thanks all. Did you get referred to a gynaecologist or was the treatment just discussed with your gp?

I was treated by my GP initially but following scan that showed single large fibroid I was referred to Gynaecologist of my choice.

@Elieza did the acupuncture actually shrink or get rid of

Sorry posted before finished—it looks like the acupuncture only shrunk one fibroid slightly? @Elieza

@emmathedilemma

Did you have the hysterectomy because the embolisation didn’t work *@FoolsAssassin* ? I’m rather disappointed in the results from mine given how optimistic the consultant was beforehand.

Yes kind of . The fibroid did shrink substantially but my uterus didn’t and when the surgeon operated he found it stuck to my abdominal wall plus reducing my bladder capacity by half.

The embolisation didn’t really stop the bleeding much or the abdominal pain and I am really glad I did have the hysterectomy.

None if I'm truly honest ! I've been diagnosed with several large fibroids, endo and also adenomyosis. But because my symptoms from all three has "just" been severe pain and the fact that I have no fertility issues, I've been largely ignored.They tried putting me into a premature menupause for six months to 'rest' my womb but they had to stop it then due to fears of bone damage .I've basically been told live with it until menupause naturally kicks in ?! They refuse to consider a hysterectomy even though I'm finished having children and my husband has had a vasectomy.I've been prescribed cerazette birth control pill to help and it does but I'm still in pain

I had horrendous heavy periods, due to fibroids, all my adult life. Every treatment known to woman kind was tried over the years (various forms of the pill, mirena coil, etc) - nothing worked. Eventually had a uterine ablation (finally got agreement for the surgery at 40) - so no need for hysterectomy. Absolute game changer - no more pain, no more periods, I actually got my life back. Ask your gp/gynae op - I hope you get it sorted, it’s no way to live.

Myomectomy because the fibroids were too large for embolisation. I had embolisation 4 years later as more fibroids appeared.

Embolisation has been life changing for me as opposed to myomectomy which made naff all difference to flooding and anaemia. Hopefully I’ll be ok until menopause.