Thread: Fybroids

Originally posted by nobimbo
Again I stress to please read the many posts from women who have actually had UAE.

Not to be argumentative in the least, but 'my' suggestion would be to gather the research (on the available treatments)...and then discuss your current condition, and 'goals' with a qualified physycian who is open to all the options.

I'm not pro or con any particular treatment, but each case will be different, and all possible options should be based on a combination of research and consultation with one or more qualified medical professionals who hopefully have no financial or 'advocational' connection with a particular treatment.

Good luck to all...(hey...I'm in the same boat )

Kat

Kat,

I totally agree it's so important to research all the options. In regards to UAE, there are not many gynecologists who will recommend it, and there are many who will refuse to refer a patient to an IR. Many are misinformed about the risks and unnecessarily scare their patients into having hysterectomies.

I guess my situation was unusual, because my gyn never even
mentioned hysterectomy to me, although my fibroid was growing fast over two years and I was having horrible bleeding episodes. It was always "watch and wait", and he prescribed progesterone a few times as a "chemical D&C", which always screwed me up worse and stalled my weight loss efforts. I'm sure if I had not been morbidly obese at the beginning of all this, he would have been quick to suggest hysterectomy. A year after I was diagnosed with the fibroid, I had also lost a great deal of weight. He mentioned a couple of times since that I might want to wait until I've lost all the weight, then have a hysterectomy and abdominoplasty (to remove the excess skin)all at the same time! He never told me about the UAE option; I found that out on my own, did research, scheduled an appointment to talk to him about it, and he was supposed to call me back with IR referrals. After a week and a half passed with no call back from him, I found one on my own, called his office and left a message for the nurse to please send my records to the IR. A couple of days later I received a call from the nurse telling me that the doc had a couple of IR names for me to check out...and the first one she told me was the one I had already found on my own! She said she never got my phone message from a couple of days before. Things that make you go hmmm!!! I was actually luckier than some women, though. I have read about women whose gyn's "fired" them when they made the choice of UAE.

So, yes, I agree that one needs to investigate all options. I just want to prepare those who are looking into this that they might encounter some ignorance or resistance from their docs concerning UAE.

Linda

My gyno told me this week after a transvag. ultrasound that I have a small fibroid. The past 6-8 months, I've been getting wicked pain, only on the lower left side, during the first 2 days of AF's visit. Last nite, for example, I took 2 Excedrin migraine/extra strength but only got about 2 hours sleep, even w/ my usual sleep med.

Is it like this for you guys, too? This is just NASTY! I've come to really dread my periods and look forward to the ones I skip.

My fibroid never gave me bad pain, only terrible bleeding and increased urination, since mine is pushing on my bladder. Fibroids can give various symptoms depending on their type and location: cramping, back pain, sciatica (sp?) pain down the leg, hip pain, urinary frequency, urinary leakage, bowel problems, heavy bleeding. Fibroids do tend to swell and enlarge during your period.

Linda

Check out this short article from Medscape.

Abdominal Myomectomy Versus Uterine Fibroid Embolization in the Treatment of Symptomatic Uterine Leiomyomas
Razavi MK, Hwang G, Jahed A, Modanloo S, Chen B
AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2003;180:1571-1575

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare treatment efficacy and complications of abdominal myomectomy with those of uterine fibroid embolization in women with symptomatic uterine fibroids.
Materials and Methods: We analyzed the outcomes of 111 consecutive patients who underwent abdominal myomectomy (n = 44) or fibroid embolization (n = 67) over a 30-month period. The mean ages of the two groups were 37.7 years (range, 28-48 years) and 44.2 years (range, 31-56 years), respectively. A questionnaire and review of medical records assessed all procedure-related complications and changes in symptoms. Length of hospital stay, time until resumption of daily activities, and pain medication requirements after the procedure were also analyzed.
Results: Follow-up times for the myomectomy and embolization groups were 14.6 and 14.3 months, respectively. The respective observed success rates in abdominal myomectomy and uterine fibroid embolization patients were 64% versus 92% for menorrhagia (p < 0.05), 54% versus 74% for pain (not significant), and 91% versus 76% for mass effect (p < 0.05). The complication rates were 25% (abdominal myomectomy) and 11% (uterine fibroid embolization) (p < 0.05). The respective secondary end points for the two procedures were 2.9 versus 0 days mean hospital stay, 8.7 versus 5.1 days of narcotics use, and 36 versus 8 days until resumption of normal activities. These differences were all statistically significant.
Conclusion: Uterine fibroid embolization is a less invasive and safer treatment option in women with symptomatic leiomyomas than myomectomy. Menorrhagia may be better controlled with embolization, and myomectomy may be a better option in patients with mass effect. Both procedures were equally effective in controlling pain.


Linda