Fibroids!

marybishop

Hi all

I'm sitting here (slightly uncomfortably!) having just had a fibroid removed by laparoscopy on Monday morning. It was on the outside of my uterus at the front so pushing against my bladder and was getting bigger rather than smaller! It was first diagnosed about 18 mnths ago on a scan and measured about 2.5cm. Symptoms had got worse (nothing like some of you poor ladies have put up with!) but it was getting more uncomfortable and although I'm 48 I decided I couldn't wait to see if it just disappeared after the menopause especially as I'm not sure when that might be!

Anyway I had another scan in January and it had grown a bit so I discussed the options with my GP who offered me a referral to a consultant gynaecologist which I took. She was a lovely lady who again went through all the options from doing nothing to a full blown hysterectomy and all points in between! As I didn't want the recovery period associated with a hysto I decided to go down the myomectomy by laparoscopy route rather than the UAE which I didn't particularly like the sound of (mainly because of the risk of infection but that's just me). She did warn me if she couldn't remove it by laparoscopy then it might turn into a more open operation so I was prepared for that.

So on Monday I had it done - it turned out to be 5cm so slightly bigger than it had looked on the scan and I also had some endometriosis which she removed as well. The worst bit has been the trapped gas which they have to put in to move the other organs around to get to the right bits! I think some is still trapped! I've been signed off from work for 2 weeks because the job I do is quite heavy but it's up to me to see how I feel then and to go to my gp if I don't feel ready to go back so she can sign me off for longer. Tomorrow I have to take the dressings off (not looking forward to that as they seem stuck fast!). I'm feeling a little better each day but if anyone has a good tip for constipation please let me know!!!

I don't know if I made the right decision - part of me thinks I might have been better to have a hysterectomy and be done with the whole thing in one go but then the recovery period is longer. I suppose only time will tell.

xx

dramaqueen1973

Helloooo

Wow you actually had yours done on Monday, well I hope you feel better soon! Mine is 6cm so far and it makes me look pregnant!!! How long did the referral take from gp to Consultant take???? Then how long from consultant to op?? I dont want to be sat here for months waiting for hospital appointment!

thank you for replying and I hope your recovery goes well! Was it painfull, how long were you in for?? God sorry I feel like Im asking all of these questions and bombarding you now!!!:(

As for constipation the only thing I know is good is senokot, its in Supermarket.

xxxxx

marybishop

Saw gp back in January, then saw consultant in Feb, slight detour to another consultant re the option of uterine artery embolisation which I wasn't sure about so had to then wait a month to see first consultant again to discuss other options, saw her mid March and she said she could do the op on 12 April! And that was all on the NHS even though I saw her at a local private hospital which is where she then did the op. It's all been through the NHS Choose & Book scheme which I understand is nationwide except for Scotland whereby your gp refers to to wherever has the shortest waiting time. I couldn't have had better treatment if I'd paid for it! When you see your gp maybe mention the choose and book scheme for the quickest referral?

The most painful bit has been the gas which gets left behind. I've had it before with other laparoscopies and unfortunately it's the downside of the operation. It's basically just like trapped wind only worse! I felt sick after the operation due to the anaesthetic but as soon as I'd had the anti-sickness injection I felt much better. I think initially I was on a high due to the anaesthetic still being in my system and felt worse the following day and have been a bit up and down since. (I came home the same day even though they had said I could be in for one or two nights - maybe they kick NHS patients out quicker!!!) My tummy is still swollen but I'm not surprised as obviously she's had a good rummage around plus internal stitches where she removed the fibroid and three small incisions - oh and constipation doesn't help! I also can't stray too far from the loo at the moment as I'm making sure I drink plenty of fluids!

All in all though it's been OK and I'm just hoping the end result will be worth it.

Good luck! xxx

patchwork_cat

If you are younger the myomectomy may not be suitable, as I would tend to believe from your user name. I wasn't even offered it as an option as with a myomectomy there is a strong chance that the fibroid will regrow.

With UAE you do receive prophalactic antibiotics ( there is a risk of infection in all operations )and you don't have to have a general anaesthetic, which is a very big plus. I really don't think there is any perfect solution and yet again I am feeling aggrieved at our local PCT, talk about slow and despite asking for an appointement with a female consultant to go through the options I got a male registrar who offered me UAE or hysterectomy. I dismissed UAE at first too and still have my doubts, but really don't want a general anaesthetic.

boopopps

Hi,

I am 34 and had a hysterectomy on 30th November 2009, having suffered since the age of 13. I was rushed to hospital with suspected appendicitis but they later found I had an imperferated Hymen (I was having periods but not seeing anything due to no outlet). They made an outlet for me.

Since then I have had polyps, they were removed. I still suffered pain and extremly heavy bleeding which was put down to my weight. I was refered to a dietician!!! The Dr tested me and said I defo had gynae probs and sent me for a second opinion. Thank god he did, they found endometriosis. This was removed as best they could however it was risky as some was around the kidneys and bowel so had to be left. As a result I had little relief.

March 2009 they suggested an abalation which they said would take away my fertility but help the bleeding, this failed.

In the meantime I received prostrap injections to put me in a medical menopause, but I bled erratically and was so emotional I could not cope.

Finally in November after much debate they said they would do the hysterectomy early, they had planned for 38. When they opened me up there were complications, not only did I have endometriosis but also fibroids. My ovaries has attached themselves to my stomach wall and were growing there. This was due to cysts on them that had burst. I was basically a mess and they had to do a good tidy up.

I have no children and will not be able to have any now but at least I have a life of some sort, prior to this all I did out side of work was sleep. I still suffer some pain as they believe that there is possibly still some endometriosis that is not visble to the eye, but I have no more bleeding. I was not supposed to start HRT until 6 mths after the op as it can stimulate the growth of remaining endometriosis, but the sweats, itchiness and sleepless nights were too much to bear. My HRT patches have solved all this, just hope nothing grows back!

I would seriously consider the options they give you. Hysterectomy may seem extreme but a lot of the other op's fail and you end up having even more surgery, like I did. Still early days for me at the mo, but I am hoping the benefits continue to outway the risks.

Good luck.

recovering_spendaholic

patchwork_cat wrote: »

If you are younger the myomectomy may not be suitable, as I would tend to believe from your user name. I wasn't even offered it as an option as with a myomectomy there is a strong chance that the fibroid will regrow.

With UAE you do receive prophalactic antibiotics ( there is a risk of infection in all operations )and you don't have to have a general anaesthetic, which is a very big plus. I really don't think there is any perfect solution and yet again I am feeling aggrieved at our local PCT, talk about slow and despite asking for an appointement with a female consultant to go through the options I got a male registrar who offered me UAE or hysterectomy. I dismissed UAE at first too and still have my doubts, but really don't want a general anaesthetic.

I was absolutely against having a general anaesthetic (because of my paroxysmal AF) and was told that I could have an ablation with sedation. I have to say that it was the most painful thing I have ever had to endure and they had to abandon it because the pain was so intense that I couldn't keep my lower body still. I don't know if they had given me insufficient sedation but I really wouldn't want to have an ablation under sedation again.

patchwork_cat

It isn't normal to do an ablation without a general though and UAE is routinely under local with a morphine pump. If I was older the course I would definiately want and actually would still like to try is GnRHa, which I know you have tried Recovering Spendaholic. I have read that they can give GnRha for longer than 3/6 months as long as they add in other hormones to counteract the bone thinning. As I said every year that you are nearer to the menopause the more likely a course of GnRHa would put you into the menopause. Some will not consider this a good thing, but I think that a lot of us fibroid sufferers would say I can't wait!

Just wanted to add some times I give up, I went to the consultant on wednesday and was on, so I took a change of clothes and the consultant said - oh have you brought me a gift, umm no it is a change of clothes, oh why is that ha ha, well I have fibroids and need a change of clothes some times, ohhh you like to wear a different outfit for different occassions! He really didn't get it, DH and I were stunned!

Feeling incredibly anaemic today, I can really not believe my previous blood test as I can't even go around the supermarket at the moment without getting out of breath and weak. Going to have a duvet day -mixed with clearing the washing mountain, but no ironing and despite MSE and the enviroment I am using the tumble drier as well as that is much less work!

I do know that this may not work and I might end up having a hysterectomy, but 85 % of women don't and a hysterectomy is as some have said a major operation, I so nearly did this with keyhole (LVH) as they made it seem like a very minor op, but then I realised the incision might be smaller, but the op is the same.

I have since thought about it and would like to have a hysterectomy and retain cervix if I do have to go this route (preferrably LASH,) despite the fact that my GP actually said that they can't do a hysterectomy without removing the cervix and then asked me well how does it stay in, I really do give up sometimes!

Recovering how fair up the list for the AF op are you now?

recovering_spendaholic

patchwork_cat wrote: »

It isn't normal to do an ablation without a general though and UAE is routinely under local with a morphine pump. If I was older the course I would definiately want and actually would still like to try is GnRHa, which I know you have tried Recovering Spendaholic. I have read that they can give GnRha for longer than 3/6 months as long as they add in other hormones to counteract the bone thinning. As I said every year that you are nearer to the menopause the more likely a course of GnRHa would put you into the menopause. Some will not consider this a good thing, but I think that a lot of us fibroid sufferers would say I can't wait!

Just wanted to add some times I give up, I went to the consultant on wednesday and was on, so I took a change of clothes and the consultant said - oh have you brought me a gift, umm no it is a change of clothes, oh why is that ha ha, well I have fibroids and need a change of clothes some times, ohhh you like to wear a different outfit for different occassions! He really didn't get it, DH and I were stunned!

Feeling incredibly anaemic today, I can really not believe my previous blood test as I can't even go around the supermarket at the moment without getting out of breath and weak. Going to have a duvet day -mixed with clearing the washing mountain, but no ironing and despite MSE and the enviroment I am using the tumble drier as well as that is much less work!

I do know that this may not work and I might end up having a hysterectomy, but 85 % of women don't and a hysterectomy is as some have said a major operation, I so nearly did this with keyhole (LVH) as they made it seem like a very minor op, but then I realised the incision might be smaller, but the op is the same.

I have since thought about it and would like to have a hysterectomy and retain cervix if I do have to go this route (preferrably LASH,) despite the fact that my GP actually said that they can't do a hysterectomy without removing the cervix and then asked me well how does it stay in, I really do give up sometimes!

Recovering how fair up the list for the AF op are you now?

I agree with you that some doctors just don't get it at all with regard to the heavy bleeding! I was in hospital once with an episode of AF and I had my period. I told them that I flooded and they were dismissive but when they saw the state I was in (I couldn't get up and down to the loo without asking first because of the heart monitors)they were horrified and that's how I got referred on to the gynae.

I think I am a few months away from my AF ablation. I see the cardiologist next Wednesday. My big problem with the AF ablation is that I am quite (well, very) overweight and they don't like to do AF ablations when you aren't a normal BMI because the resoning imaging things which they need to "map" the route don't work as well through loads of fat (which makes sense if you think about it) so I am desperately trying to lose weight - although without much success at the moment unfortunately.

patchwork_cat

Yes, but he was a gynae!!!

dramaqueen1973

Hiya Guys

Wow thanks so much for replying, I almost feel like a wimp now compared to what you guys going through!

Anyway came home today to find a message on answerphone from Doctor to say blood test I had revelaed I was aneamic again!!!!! Bless her she said I need 3 iron tablets a day to bring levels up and she now realised how much blood I was probably losing and I must feel exhausted!!! She was so lovely, I hope they realise now!

xxxxx