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Ladies, I have read posts from women who said they looked pregnant with their fibroids. I have two which my Dr. said equals the size of a three month fetus which has made my uterus the same size. If you look or looked pregnant, where did it show because mine are right around my C Section scar. If you didn't have pain or bleeding (started menopause in Feb) but have to pee all the time and look fuller, would you get a hysterectomy or leave it alone and let time shrink it a bit? I am tired of always having to find a bathroom wherever I am and being self conscious of my puffiness.
Ladies, I have read posts from women who said they looked pregnant with their fibroids. I have two which my Dr. said equals the size of a three month fetus which has made my uterus the same size. If you look or looked pregnant, where did it show because mine are right around my C Section scar. If you didn't have pain or bleeding (started menopause in Feb) but have to pee all the time and look fuller, would you get a hysterectomy or leave it alone and let time shrink it a bit? I am tired of always having to find a bathroom wherever I am and being self conscious of my puffiness.
HAVE THE HYSTERECTOMY! You will be so amazed at how much better you feel after those fibroids are gone Besides, these things are not going to shrink or go away on their own.
I was like you, dragging my feet about doing the surgery until my body took the decision away from me - I started a period and would not stop bleeding.
When I hemorrhaged I had to have emergency surgery. In hindsight I wish I'd done it two years sooner. I have felt great ever since.
My Dr. said they have not gotten any larger in the last few years and it did not cause me to bleed abnormally. I don't at all now since I am going through the change. That is why I'm not sure I want to have major surgery.
My Dr. said they have not gotten any larger in the last few years and it did not cause me to bleed abnormally. I don't at all now since I am going through the change. That is why I'm not sure I want to have major surgery.
Well, I was almost through menopause when I hemorrhaged, was down to a period every 6 months.
I had hard periods my whole life - thanks to endometriosis, so I was so glad they were coming to an end.
Then WHAM, I get the one that just wouldn't quit. On the 10th day of it I was on my way to my doctor's office to see him about this when I actually hemorrhaged in a Walmart (you know us busy mom's - thought I could pop in there to just pick up one thing on my way to the doctor, lol!)
The surgery is not nearly as major as you might think - they do so much laproscopically these days. Sure, you still need the 4-6 weeks to regain your strength and find your sea legs, but it's so much easier without an incision.
Well, I was almost through menopause when I hemorrhaged, was down to a period every 6 months.
I had hard periods my whole life - thanks to endometriosis, so I was so glad they were coming to an end.
Then WHAM, I get the one that just wouldn't quit. On the 10th day of it I was on my way to my doctor's office to see him about this when I actually hemorrhaged in a Walmart (you know us busy mom's - thought I could pop in there to just pick up one thing on my way to the doctor, lol!)
The surgery is not nearly as major as you might think - they do so much laproscopically these days. Sure, you still need the 4-6 weeks to regain your strength and find your sea legs, but it's so much easier without an incision.
Do you mind if I ask how large yours were and if you had more than one?
Yesterday was 4 years since my hystertomy, I wish I had looked at every alternative before having the surgery. At the time several of the alternatives were just coming out but in four years maybe there is more proof of the newer choices. If I had it to do over I would have taken a year's time and tried several other things. I can't remember the names, but the in office laser treatment of the uterus, is one I would try now. Also birth control pills, will swink them. I had a complete hystertomy, and I miss my hormones, a lot. Take your time, know there is no other choice before jumping, it is not an easy procedure, for me there was more than just surgery recovery to go through.
Yesterday was 4 years since my hystertomy, I wish I had looked at every alternative before having the surgery. At the time several of the alternatives were just coming out but in four years maybe there is more proof of the newer choices. If I had it to do over I would have taken a year's time and tried several other things. I can't remember the names, but the in office laser treatment of the uterus, is one I would try now. Also birth control pills, will swink them. I had a complete hystertomy, and I miss my hormones, a lot. Take your time, know there is no other choice before jumping, it is not an easy procedure, for me there was more than just surgery recovery to go through.
If you "miss your hormones" they must have taken your ovaries.
But a hysterectomy for fibroids does not take the ovaries, just the uterus, so your situation is a little different than bbtkitty's.
I am so sorry you are unhappy with the way you are feeling and I do hope you'll discuss that with your doctor soon to see what might be done
Ladies, I have read posts from women who said they looked pregnant with their fibroids. I have two which my Dr. said equals the size of a three month fetus which has made my uterus the same size. If you look or looked pregnant, where did it show because mine are right around my C Section scar. If you didn't have pain or bleeding (started menopause in Feb) but have to pee all the time and look fuller, would you get a hysterectomy or leave it alone and let time shrink it a bit? I am tired of always having to find a bathroom wherever I am and being self conscious of my puffiness.
Hi, and thank you for your post. Our situations are very similar and as I was doing research this past year I couldn't much helpful info or ANYONE in a similar situation.
I just turned 51 and had my full hysterectomy and oophrectomy 2 months ago. A year ago after my exam and a pelvic ultrasound, the Dr told me I had an enlarged uterus and several fibroids the largest one was the size of a softball. My periods were a 'little" bit worse, but still only lasted 3 days and were not at all painful. That was it. He told me I'd need an ABDOMINAL hysterectomy. Absent any other symptoms, I really wanted to avoid surgery. I got a second opinion and was told that fibroids were normal and he agreed that in my case surgery wasn't necessarily recommended. I went back to my dr, he agreed.
Over the next year, I read as much as I could looking for others with similar situations and searching for options that might shrink the fibroids. I couldn't find anything significant or very useful. During this time, I did start to feel that my abdomen was more "puffy" and I needed to pee more often.
This past summer I went back for my annual and had another ultrasound. It confirmed that my inflamed uterus was the size of a 12 week pregnancyI also had MORE fibroids (golf ball size) they were still not painful and periods not significantly changed, but I COULD feel the puffiness from the fibroids and it was starting to bother me. . I don't feel that I "looked" pregnant, but my entire abdomen (above my C-section scar) felt was "fuller". I was also noticing that my energy levels were plummeting. I asked the Dr, if because of my age, peri menopause, if they would start to shrink as hormone levels started to drop, he said no. He KNOWS I didn't want the surgery unless it was really necessary. I'm sure if taking the pill would have helped, he'd have offered it as an option. You can ask about endometrial ablation, but for me, it wouldn't have helped. We agreed to schedule the LAPRASCOPIC surgery.
In the recovery room, the Dr told me that there were more fibroids than he'd seen in the exams. I asked if it definitely WAS the thing to do. He said yes. It was relatively painless and I got 6 weeks off work to recover. It was heaven! AND OMG, I feel SOOO much better. I have my energy back, don't pee as often, can breathe deeper, clothes fit better. I didn't realize how long I'd dealt with low levels of energy as it had become my new norm.
I'm taking low dose hormones. The current info is that they do NOT cause cancer and he at least one patient in her 70s who still takes them so she doesn't go nuts.
So, from my experience in a situation similar to yours, IF your Dr says you are getting MORE fibroids have the surgery. They do NOT shrink or go away with age and the growing, multiplying fibroids WILL affect your quality of life.
If you "miss your hormones" they must have taken your ovaries.
But a hysterectomy for fibroids does not take the ovaries, just the uterus, so your situation is a little different than bbtkitty's.
I am so sorry you are unhappy with the way you are feeling and I do hope you'll discuss that with your doctor soon to see what might be done
What? In my experience hysterectomy includes the decison if the ovaries should be left or not. It's oophrectomy. What you do depends partly on your age.
According to my Dr the average age for the onset of menopause is 52.4 years. By the time you hit your 50s they begin to stop working. His comment to me is that they actually become a liability as the rate of ovarian cancer increases. He would have left them in, but the disadvantages outweighed the benefits.
One thing I've come to believe for certain is that EVERY woman is different and the more we share on this can be very helpful to others!
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Besides, these things are not going to shrink or go away on their own. 
