Fibroids - just diagnosed

[Onlyadaughter]

Had ultrasound and diagnosed with 4-5 fibroids, the largest is around 3cm. Getting blood tests done and have follow up appointment with GP to discuss things next week. I'm kinda surprised how quickly it's being dealt with but need to do more reading and see what options are available. GP had mentioned the mirena coil previously but I did a little reading and it seems like that makes the bleeding worse? Has anyone tried medication for it with any success?

I'm really aware of them now. It explains a lot over the years. Thanks for any advice.

I got told they shrivel up and go away with menopause. They make my periods heavier so I take tranexamic acid when I need to. They occasionally sit on my bladder which is a pain. I have no idea how many I have or their sizes! They are very very common and usually found in relation to other investigations for something else unrelated. I count myself lucky, I have a friend who recently had a 20cm one taken out! They will take them out if they are causing to many problems.

Exactly this. My mum had all sorts of tests and the consultant said no point having surgery at her age - in time they would stop causing so many problems. Really annoying while you have them though. Especially if you have a late menopause (my poor friend is still nowhere near really at 53!)

What problematic symptoms do you have? It's really all about that. I have three, much bigger than yours, and they have never caused a single problem. They are intramural which I think is the least troublesome type. Worth asking GP what type you have if you don't know already. If they give you trouble, investigate options for dealing with them. If they don't give you trouble, leave them be.

My fibroids actually appeared while I had the Mirena coil.

The coil was fitted while I was having a polyp removed (42 at the time). The consultant had a good look around (!) at the same time and said that he had detected one small fibroid, but that it would most likely disappear now the coil was there.

It didn't though - by the time I had the coil removed for good 10 years later (age 52), having gone through the menopause, I had a several fibroids of varying sizes, and this is still the case now, another 10 years on. No sign at all of them disappearing.

But I had no bleeding of any type while the coil was in - that was why mine was first suggested, as I had become seriously anaemic through heavy periods (in part due to the polyp, though I'd always had heavy periods anyway). The Mirena coil was a Godsend for me in that respect!

I don't know if the fibroids are causing me any problems or not, but I am just starting to wonder if the combined bulk of them potentially pressing on/ near my bladder or other parts of the urinary tract might have something to do with the frequent recurrence of UTIs that Ive been having this year.

That's what the sonographer told me, they shrink when you go into menopause. that's similar symptoms to what I get @MrtwiceKnightly feeling like I need to pee (often after having just been) and heavier periods. I'd not heard of that tranexamic acid, will google. Sonographer said I could have had them all my life. I also get a bit of lower back pain, twinges in pelvic region and tiredness, and they impede me when I'm exercising (certain yoga poses etc) or doing housework, kneeling or bending etc. Not major issues really but it all makes sense now. My stomach juts out and I'd always wondered what was going on because I'd lost some weight and yet it remained but didn't look like just fat. It's good to have answers.

I am also curious to find out what type I have, and where they are located. I'm sure the sonographer mentioned something but I was very conscious of my full bladder and also relieved that it wasn't anything bad wrong with me so not really listening. Will be good to discuss with my GP once I have blood test results in.

@Onlyadaughter tranexamic is a wonder drug, I can actually leave the house on the heaviest days. It doesn't stop periods but it definitely lessened the heaviness. Sometimes I have to pee after having just gone which is super annoying and a new symptom is wanting to pee and then not being able too, but I think that might be peri-meno rather than fibroids 😁 good luck with the investigations.

Are you sure its the fibroids and not endo causing your bleeding/pain and bloating OP? A friend had years, and years of investigations with her bladder. Eventually she was told it was in her head and to seek mental health support! She finally had a laparoscopy, which showed endometriosis on the outside of her bladder. Once it was burnt off, she then had 3 children and no where near the issues she'd had before.

I have 3/4 fibroids (depending on the scan), all about 3cm, but in various positions. I never had any issues. Very regular periods, not heavy. I was only aware when I got pregnant and had 1 sided pain, which was a sign they were changing size due to pregnancy hormones.

How old are you OP? TTC or not, family finished, menopausal? If TTC, they might do a hycosy. They instill dye into the uterus and fallopian tubes to check the exact position of fibroids and shape of the uterus.

I agree that tranexamic acid might help short term, but I'd be wanting to get to the actual cause!

I was told by the sonographer on Saturday after a 2 year battle being told by disgusting consultants who couldn’t be bothered and lied to all intense purposes the fibroid had disappeared and at one point the nhs were happy prior to treat me as mad (I wasted an awful lot of time having suffered the ‘ultimate treatment’ of the coil) that fibroid without contrast meant not much and I’m sorry I have no faith however many hysteroscopys later you might start listening.

If someone had told me in May 2023 they had no intention to sort a fibroid, I would have been richer for it.

It sounds like yours are symptomatic if they are pressing on your bladder or making you bloated.

But depends if you feel they are reducing your quality of life or if they are causing problems like anaemia.

There are some medication options such as having a zoladex injection, treatment such as embolism or surgery - myomectomy or hysterectomy.

I had hysterectomy as mine was huge and an atypical type but there are lots of options.

I had 3 i think, one larger than the others - I can't remember exact sizes but remember my womb was the size of being 14 weeks pregnant. I tried the mirena which was sold as cure all to my bleeding issues and it gave me a year of absolute hell! I had bleeding even heavier than before, longer periods, spotting in between periods and cramps so bad I had to take days off work. I used 2 forms of sanitary protection for about a week at a time every month and worried constantly about leaks. I took tranexamic acid too which helped but also seemed to give me headaches. After numerous trips back n forth and being told to give it time to settle down it eventually bled itself out in a particularly spectacular episode that resulted in a trip to A&E at 5am one morning!
Having tried the combined pill (gave me a migraine) and mini pill (bled for 12 weeks continuously) i cashed in work's private medical cover to get them treated and had UAE which has worked fantastically. It's probably by perimenopause and HRT too but my periods are now light and down to 4-5 days rather than 8-10.

Mine caused terrible bleeding that made me severely anaemic, solved with a hysterectomy.

The tablets to slow bleeding had little effect for me but have heard work well for most people if they have this issue.

I'm in my 40s, no kids by choice. Not sure about endo, doesn't that cause loads of pain? Sounds like various treatment options, think a hysterectomy might be a bit extreme in my case but will see what else is available. Yeah I've read about the coil making periods awful and also read about some tablet or other can have acne as a side affect and I had that most of my life so would like to avoid that! @MiddleAgedDread that sounds horrendous, glad you finally got something that worked, what is UAE though (I can only think of United Arab Emirates?!).

Will see what blood tests show and take it from there.

@Onlyadaughter I had polyps and fibroids, and apparently not huge ones, but they managed to push out the Mirena I finally decided to have fitted to help with my super heavy periods. I guess it's down to the position of them, but just letting you know my experience. I eventually had a hysterectomy (I'm 52) this year as was too tired of being so tired with anaemia.

Uterine artery embolisation

When I had my hysterectomy they found endo as well as fibroids. I had not been aware that I had endometriosis as well.

My symptoms were increasingly heavy periods, Was using three types of heavy sanitary wear and bleeding straight through.

Heavy dragging pain low down, and then heart palpitations, deep deep exhaustion, cold hands, increasing anxiety.

Some of the symptoms were from blood loss and ended with needing numerous blood transfusions.

I was 40 when had hysterectomy.

All of the above was gradual, developed over around four years and by the time had hysterectomy I was a wreck.

Please keep a close eye on any symptoms you start to develop. Access treatment sooner rather than later as they really can creep up on you.

Interesting, I guess I'll find out where they are when I speak to my dr and that will factor in on treatment options. @MiddleAgedDread thanks will check that out.

@OpalSpirit surprised you weren't aware you had endo before, but I don't know much about it. I'll mention it to my dr as well see what they think. Sounds like you've been through a lot. I think mine are milder but will see what dr says.