Uterine Fibroid (female content- of course!;)

[Rebecca]

I might have one of these- but I also have some other symptoms that are confusing... I saw my doctor yesterday- and go for an ultrasound on Tuesday.

I have been having lots of discomfort, bowel issues, irregular bleeding...

she felt a "baseball" sized something on the back "top" of my uterus. She thinks it is probably a fibroid. But she did say she has to determine if it is "on the uterus" or ovary... or...?

 

I, of course, am trying hard not to be terrified.

 

I will be 34 in Feb.

I have had six children. My youngest is 20 months. She said that I have no risk factors for uterine cancer, etc.

 

I do have family history of fibroid on my mom's side- with my mom's two sisters and grandmother having this issue.

 

Talk to me.

Thanks,

Rebecca

[MariannNOVA]

:seeya:, okay, Rebecca: I've been there and have sat googling everything I could think of till the u/s.

Fibroids are so incredibly common, I was astonished. My sister is an ob/gyn, and she was amazed that I was astonished at how common they were......duh? I didn't go to med school. :glare: HOW would I know that?:glare:

The symptoms and discomfort you describe are consistent with a fibroid or fibroids (I had three of them, I think). High levels of estrogen really exacerbate them and with 6 children and the youngest being 20 months, it's not surprising that you are having difficulty.

 

They will be able to tell right away from the u/s, and they may want to do a hystero-salpingogram on another appointment -- all protocol, so if they decide to do that, don't be concerned.

Has your doc advised you to treat the discomfort symptomatically? Ice or heat packs, don't use aspirin (aggravates the bleeding), if you use Motrin please check the recent recall notice, limit caffeine, and try to get off your feet a little.

You should take great comfort in the fact that you do not have a family history. Please keep us updated...........and i do have a funny 'fibroid' story: when I was pg with the twins, who are now 9, I was having awful pain and discomfort from my fibroids. I was on the phone telling my dd who was 20 at the time and in college that my fibroids were really giving me trouble b/c both babies were kicking and laying on them. She sounded puzzled, but that was all. The next day, she calls me and says: 'Mom, do you mind if I ask why your thyroid is giving you trouble b/c the babies are kicking it and laying on it?' I burst out laughing.........and I cleared up the confusion. She told me that she and her roommates were SO confused at how in utero twins could aggravate one's thyroid! :w00t:

 

Mariann:D

[Rebecca]

Thank you Mariann- so... much!

 

I am encouraged to hear that you had babies after a fibroid diagnosis-

as we still want more children- and I was concerned about that...

 

O- I appreciate your reply!

Blessings,

Rebecca

[MariannNOVA]

Thank you Mariann- so... much!

 

I am encouraged to hear that you had babies after a fibroid diagnosis-

as we still want more children- and I was concerned about that...

 

O- I appreciate your reply!

Blessings,

Rebecca

 

Oh, you are SO welcome! I had three children after I developed the fibroids - one single pregnancy and one twin pregnancy. I had two children before the fibroids appeared. Please let us know how it goes. Mariann

[Tree House Academy]

Like Mariann said, Fibroids are so very common. When I was 29, I had abnormal bleeding and had to have an ultrasound. The doctor, at that time, told me that in his years of practice, women around my age just did not have uterine cancer with no risk factors. He said it was so unlikely, it was almost unheard of.

 

The ultrasound will tell them so much more and they will be able to definitely tell whether it is, in fact, a fibroid right from the ultrasound. They have a specific appearance. Most of the time, they don't even have to be removed because they are most always benign. I think BCPs and hormones can helpt to shrink them too, but don't quote me there. Please update after your ultrasound and let us know how it goes.

[Rebecca]

Thanks so much Treehouse Academy!

 

I forgot to write- that my bleeding has been very strange. Irregular... and weird. My last "normal" cycle was in October. I had a "light" with some spotting cycle in November- and then went 40 days(with spotting around time (p) was due- and now have been bleeding for 11 days. (Not heavily). I am to start progesterone tonight for 10 days to regulate this hopefully.

 

Because I haven't had these major heavy bleeding times- I feel scared.

 

I am also horribly bloated (esp. in the evening) and uncomfortable!!

 

Thanks for your words. I need them!

Rebecca

[Rebecca]

:001_huh: :bigear:

[Momma2Many66]

I found out I had a fibroid during an ultrasound when I was pregnant with my 3rd child. I was 32 years old at the time.

 

I was very concerned on how it would impact my health (my fibriod at the time was about the size of a large golf ball and grew a bit more throughout the pregnancy).

 

I had a wonderful doctor who just checked on it every so often during the pregnancy and advised me after giving birth to breastfeed as long as possible, for breastfeeding shrinks the fibroids and helps keep them at bay. He also joked with me that If I could continue to breasteed until I hit 40, I would have no future problems with these pesky fibroids and would need no possible surgery for them. At the time I laughed along with him, we were not really planning anymore children after number 3, so I never figured I would be breasfeeding for the next almost 8 years. I laughed and God had other plans for us !

 

After giving birth I breastfed my 3rd child for over two and a half years, right into and almost throughout my next pregnancy with number 4.

 

While checking on baby number 4 during my pregnancy ultrasound, the doctor looked and told me there was no sign of anymore fibroids and everything looked wonderful.

 

Those fibroids never did return (I am now 44) and I went on to have 3 more children after the initial finding of my fibroid. Numbers 4, 5 and 6. All were breastfed for over 2 and a half years each !

 

So please take heart and don't worry and remember, breastfeed, breastfeed, breastfeed as long as possible !! Breastfeeding not only helps baby in so many wonderful ways, It does so many wonderful things for mother's health also !!

[Rebecca]

Thank you!

It is not too reassuring as I am still nursing my 20 month old 1-2 times and have been nursing ever since he was born. :confused:

 

But thanks again,

Rebecca

[Ruby]

I had my uterus taken out when I was 32. Mine was the size of a grapefruit. I did not have any pain or issues but my husband wanted it out just in case it was cancerous. I had surgery for it. Fast and easy. painful for the first three weeks. Got better by the end of about 6 weeks.

I did some research after the fact because it really seemed like it was a common thing that is growing in occurence. I had a naturopathic doctor that told me my hormone levels were off. She said that your level of progesterone to estrogen is supposed to have a certain ratio and that just because your estrogen is in a normal range doesn't mean that your estrogen to progesteroned is in balance. There seems to be a link between how we eat/ exercise etc that has a strong effect on our hormones. I have been working on drastically changing the way I eat and live. I know that some fibroids can shrink on there own even though mine grew dramatically in just 2 years. I think there is a hormone link. Just my two cents. It's worth researching. Ruby

[Mom2boys]

I was just diagnosed with fibroids, and was surprised to learn that 80% of women have them by age 50. But most people have few to no symptoms, so they don't even know they have them. Mine were found with a pelvic ultrasound. And the tech told me right away that they were fibroids and not tumors. The two look very different on an ultrasound. :grouphug:

[Rebecca]

Thank you for these replies.

I am very impatient waiting for tests!

Rebecca

[Chrystal]

I JUST had a uterine fibroid embolization almost 2 weeks ago.

I only had one, but it was in the muscle layer and had caused a lot of problems for years, frequent urination, bloating (from retained gas in the bowel), constipation, painful and irregular periods, and heavy bleeding among them.

I went through the options 1. birth control pills-sometimes help, but if you stop you are right back where you started and at 37 I didn't want to stay on them. 2. lupron injections-the next step after bcp-once again you can only take for a lifetime total of 6 months. You are put into chemical menopause (an all it's symptoms) and as soon as you stop, you are right back where you started. 3. Partial (above the cervix) hysterectomy- uh, no thank you. 4 Total uterine hysterectomy- once again, No thanks. 5. Myomectomy-where they go in and only remove the fibroid. I wasn't a candidate from where mine was located.

6. Uterine Fibroid Embolization- the radiologist goes into the femoral artery and injects a substance into the vessels that feed the fibroids. In about 6-9 months the fibroid usually (95%) shrinks enough to alleviate symptoms.

While my OB was able to get a general idea of size and location from the ultrasound, the radiologist did an MRI with contrast to find the exact location and size of the fibroid and whether or not mine would benefit from the procedure.

Something to consider as you through this.

[Rebecca]

Thanks Chrystal...

Has anyone had fibroids without heavy bleeding- but still irregular periods, bloating, heaviness, etc.? And possibly- irregular periods and then extended bleeding?

 

Rebecca

[Donna T.]

Many years ago, I had a uterine fibroid that had to be removed. Mine was very large. I actually had had no symptoms and was not even aware that I had it. It was discovered at a routine exam. Mine was the size of a grapefruit. Because it was so large, I also lost an ovary and a fallopian tube. I went on to experience years of infertility. Eventually, my first child was conceived through IVF and my second was conceived three years later without any medical intervention. Prior to my first birth, I had an ectopic pregnancy and a very early miscarriage. My infertility wasn't caused so much by the uterine fibroid as it was by the scar tissue that resulted from its removal. My husband and I have always wanted more children but so far, we're still waiting.

 

This was a long time ago and I'm sure that the techniques used to remove fibroids is so much better today. If it were today, I doubt that my fertility would have been compromised.