Large fibroid… what now?

[TulipNoodle]

Hey all. I’ve recently found out via ultrasound that I have a large fundal fibroid - just over 10cm. Am waiting for a follow up appt with the GP but from everything I can see online, surgery feels likely. I have incredibly heavy periods where I need at least 2-3 forms of protection, I’m anaemic, I have a lot of pain, and some mid-cycle bleeding.

Im in my early 40s and finished having kids. Has anyone been in a similar situation and did you end up having either fibroid removal or a hysterectomy? Thanks!

No definitely. I’m not sure about the hysterectomy but I definitely need the fibroid removed before it causes more issues.

Where I live they will not remove just the fibroid if you are over a certain age. The only operation you would be given is a hysterectomy because it's a more straight forward operation than fibroidectomy.

There are other treatments, though for me they are all things I don't want. If I was bleeding every day, I might change my mind though.

Removal/embolisation depends on the type of fibroid and where it is. Mine was 18cm - I looked about 7 months pregnant and felt like I had a bag of potatoes strapped to my belly - and was growing in the uterine wall. Embolisation just kicked the can down the road a year as it was able to find an alternative blood supply. I finally had a subtotal hysterectomy and ovary removal (I also had a 6cm ovarian cyst) and it was the absolute best thing. I felt so light after. Recovery was smooth. I went onto HRT and really had a new lease of life.

The other thing to note - if they just remove the fibroid, more can grow so you could be facing the same issue in a few years. Removing the uterus removes that risk, along with the risk of uterine, and in my case, ovarian cancers.

My gynae told me - and all the research supports - that fibroids are overwhelmingly likely to appear in your 40s and 50s, sometimes in your 30s but are relatively uncommon before that. Nobody has any way of knowing of course but I am surprised a gynaecologist would predict fibroids to have been there since puberty. Theoretically, as they're hormone fed, they can appear once you're fertile but usually not until you're older.

I had dozens of fibroids and the largest was the only one which could have been removed due to the location. I was advised that it was likely to come back and the others were still growing so fibroidectomy wasn't the best option. I was given another option as well but again, it was only partially removing the issue and likely to be temporary. The hysterectomy was the only option to definitely remove the underlying cause and prevent recurrence.

Ok maybe I misunderstood the doctors comment, or maybe they started then but only got very large in my 40s

I was similar, had a coil fitted, all great. Had an ultrasound at 55 and the fibroid had gone.

Oh right. Ive already had surgery to remove fibroids and this one has grown back in that time, so perhaps it is my only option. I’m glad they aren’t just leaving me to get on with it, but it just seems like a lot.

Oh wow, that is huge! You poor thing. Glad you felt better afterwards.

I had one very large fibroid which caused very heavy bleeding (more bleeding days than not in a cycle, huge golf-ball sized clots). It never caused pain so I didn't push for medical intervention for years - it was just an inconvenience to bleed so much.
It was a single fibroid and melon-sized.
It was diagnosed when I was 32 and removed when I was 36, I expect it had probably been there since my late 20s based on symptoms.

I had a myomectomy which wasn't straightforward - I lost several pints of blood during the surgery which wasn't expected, and needed a transfusion, and had to be transferred to ITU. But after discharge I recovered fine and went on to have 2 healthy dcs. No sign of any further fibroids since then, on any of my pg scans, and periods have been fairly normal since (had other changes due to pg/copper coil/peri, they are a bit heavier/longer but I assume it's due to the coil).

It's worth asking about a myomectomy although perhaps they don't see the point in avoiding a hysterectomy for women over childbearing age.

"It's worth asking about a myomectomy although perhaps they don't see the point in avoiding a hysterectomy for women over childbearing age."

This is it. Myomectomy is more complex so there's no point doing it if you're not going to have children (in the opinion of the doctors at least). Where I live, they won't do myomectomies after 43.