UPDATE IN LAST POST: More peri-menopause questions: super heavy periods

[elegantlion]

UPDATE 10/31/20 : in last post 

UPDATE So, I ended up in the ER this morning. After an ultrasound, they diagnosed me with Adenomyosis and gave me a prescription of progesterone until I follow up with an ob/gyn. Fun times 👎 I read through all of your replies, I appreciate you all sharing. I'll come back to this thread once I take a nap. 

 

ORIGINAL POST

To Begin with, I've already made a doctor's appointment but can't get in until next week. 

I'm used to heavy periods, clotting, all those wonderful things peri-menopause brings. I'm 53 and had hoped to be done by now. For the last few years my periods have been wonky, light, then heavy, then light. Ironically very few other symptoms, I'm not moody, no hot flashes etc. 

This period though has thrown me for a loop. Heavy clots, heavy flow for over 10 days, very few cramps. It's annoying and I'm glad I don't have to go anywhere. I've tried the progesterone cream, Ibuprofen route and in the past that has worked, but not this time. I'm already taking iron supplements. 

So I've read websites, etc. I'd be quite happy to just have a hysterectomy and be done, but I know other options exist, assuming it's just end of peri-menopause and not something else like fibroids or polyps. 

So if you've had some surgery done, either ablation or other, were you "happy" with the results? What else should I look into before my appointment next week. 

 

Edited October 31, 2020 by elegantlion
ADDED UPDATE

[Joker]

I don’t have experience with surgical options yet but I’m right there with you and will be following along here.

 I had an appointment last month to address things and was told I can’t have an ablation because I have one fibroid that is too large so it’s contraindicated. He mentioned a different procedure but it sounded really invasive and he mentioned a hysterectomy. I’m choosing nothing yet.🙃I go back in a few months so he can check the size of my fibroids again and so I’ll have time to figure out what I want to do. Good luck!

[KatieJ]

Several of my friends had ablations and that took care of it. 

[elegantlion]

15 minutes ago, Seasider too said:

Ablation gave me 5 great years of normal flow before the heavy flow returned in full force.

Do be aware of recovery time. For a full abdominal hysterectomy you need to anticipate up to 8 weeks if recuperation time, though often they can do a laparoscopic procedure. My uterus was such a mess that I wouldn’t know what had happened til it was a done deal, if she could make the lap work and had to open me up, I needed to be prepared for the longer recovery. Thankfully she was able to do it through the scope, but that surgical team is probably still telling stories about that battle scarred uterus!

 

I've heard this about ablation, so I'd prefer to not have this issue again. 

I've had two abdominal surgeries (including a full anesthesia c-section), and I have scar tissue to boot, so I've dealt with longer recovery, not fun, but could do it again if necessary. 

[elegantlion]

10 minutes ago, Joker said:

I don’t have experience with surgical options yet but I’m right there with you and will be following along here.

 I had an appointment last month to address things and was told I can’t have an ablation because I have one fibroid that is too large so it’s contraindicated. He mentioned a different procedure but it sounded really invasive and he mentioned a hysterectomy. I’m choosing nothing yet.🙃I go back in a few months so he can check the size of my fibroids again and so I’ll have time to figure out what I want to do. Good luck!

Ugh, not fun. I'm sorry. 

1 minute ago, KatieinMich said:

Several of my friends had ablations and that took care of it. 

thank you, glad to hear it has worked for some. 

[PeppermintPattie]

I had super heavy periods and when I finally went to the doctor about it, I was diagnosed with a fibroid. I had a hysteroscopy where they cleaned everything out of my uterus. It was done in a surgery center under general anesthesia. I was sore and tired for a week afterwards, but I only needed ibuprofen when i over-did things. The biopsy of everything they removed came back as "the good kind" of pre-cancer. The doctor offered me an iud with a hormone in it (if I remember right) or a hysterectomy. If I went the iud route, I would have needed a uterine biopsy after a certain length of time to check to see if the pre-cancer was returning. Since the surgeon said that a biopsy only checks 4% of the uterus, I didn't think that was a sure enough thing and had a hysterectomy. They removed everything since I was 53 and close to menopause anyway. 

I love not having periods anymore! My energy and my moods are more steady. The only thing I regret is having the hysteroscopy. I wish I had just had the hysterectomy and gotten it over with, but that's only a minor regret.

There's a website called hystersisters with forums and lots of articles. It's a good place to learn more. 

eta: my surgery was laparoscopic, and I have no other health problems. I stayed in my PJ's for two full weeks, but then I was able to be closer to normal. It took about 4 months to feel completely healed. 

Edited July 23, 2020 by PeppermintPattie

[elegantlion]

4 minutes ago, PeppermintPattie said:

 

There's a website called hystersisters with forums and lots of articles. It's a good place to learn more. 

 

Thanks, I'll check that out, thanks for sharing your experience too. 

[maggie18]

I got a Mirena and it completely took the problem (and my periods!) away. 

[Loowit]

My sister got an IUD and that helped her a lot.  She has used it for years and never had any problems.

I had a d&c when I had an ovary removed and the doctor thought that might help but it didn't.  I finally decided to try an IUD before asking for a hysterectomy, but they couldn't place it because my cervix wouldn't dilate.  They ended up giving me a bc insert in my arm.  It was helping a lot, but then last week I started cramping and spotting, and now I am back to heavy bleeding, cramping, and clotting.  If it continues I will be asking for a hysterectomy.

[Hilltopmom]

I had an ablation over the winter- it’s amazing. Have only had a bit of spotting a few days since. No cramps, no bleeding through my clothes 🙂

I really hope It never comes back!!

Edited July 24, 2020 by Hilltopmom

[Junie]

I started taking a prescription called Lysteda which has literally been life-changing.  My gyn put me on it after I had to have a blood transfusion.  My cycles are much more manageable now.

[elegantlion]

So, I ended up in the ER this morning. After an ultrasound, they diagnosed me with Adenomyosis and gave me a prescription of progesterone until I follow up with an ob/gyn. Fun times 👎 I read through all of your replies, I appreciate you all sharing. I'll come back to this thread once I take a nap. 

[Guest]

Adenomyosis. Haven’t heard about that. I’m glad you got the answers you needed. I have not a had a period since last December but now it’s here with a vengeance, making absolutely certain I know I am not through menopause yet. 😑 I had a gush (thank god I was at home!) that instantly went right through my shorts. I was actually pondering this like, what’s the solution if you have to leave the house? Wear incontinence underwear with an overnight pad? 

[elegantlion]

On 7/23/2020 at 2:07 PM, maggie18 said:

I got a Mirena and it completely took the problem (and my periods!) away. 

 

On 7/23/2020 at 2:15 PM, Loowit said:

My sister got an IUD and that helped her a lot.  She has used it for years and never had any problems.

I had a d&c when I had an ovary removed and the doctor thought that might help but it didn't.  I finally decided to try an IUD before asking for a hysterectomy, but they couldn't place it because my cervix wouldn't dilate.  They ended up giving me a bc insert in my arm.  It was helping a lot, but then last week I started cramping and spotting, and now I am back to heavy bleeding, cramping, and clotting.  If it continues I will be asking for a hysterectomy.

I know this is an option for treatment. I'd rather just have the hysterectomy and be done. 

On 7/23/2020 at 8:06 PM, Hilltopmom said:

I had an ablation over the winter- it’s amazing. Have only had a bit of spotting a few days since. No cramps, no bleeding through my clothes 🙂

I really hope It never comes back!!

That must be so nice. I bought this lovely light green skirt a few weeks ago and I've been afraid to wear it. 

On 7/23/2020 at 10:21 PM, Junie said:

I started taking a prescription called Lysteda which has literally been life-changing.  My gyn put me on it after I had to have a blood transfusion.  My cycles are much more manageable now.

I'll ask about this too when I go in for my follow up. 

[elegantlion]

19 hours ago, Seasider too said:

I’m so sorry, what a bother. If I were you, I would definitely be talking to my gyn about an ovary sparing hysterectomy. I wonder if an ablation is even an effective option for your diagnosis, I’m thinking it may not be. 

Yes, this would be preference. I'm 53, I really don't want to have to deal with issues again. They mentioned the side effects of having one yesterday, like dryness and lowered libido. Like the issues I'm having now are worse than the side effects.

4 hours ago, Quill said:

Adenomyosis. Haven’t heard about that. I’m glad you got the answers you needed. I have not a had a period since last December but now it’s here with a vengeance, making absolutely certain I know I am not through menopause yet. 😑 I had a gush (thank god I was at home!) that instantly went right through my shorts. I was actually pondering this like, what’s the solution if you have to leave the house? Wear incontinence underwear with an overnight pad? 

Ugh!!! I've been fortunate to not need to go many places. I even took a change of clothes to the ER yesterday since I wasn't sure how long I'd have to wait. 

[Hilltopmom]

12 hours ago, Quill said:

Adenomyosis. Haven’t heard about that. I’m glad you got the answers you needed. I have not a had a period since last December but now it’s here with a vengeance, making absolutely certain I know I am not through menopause yet. 😑 I had a gush (thank god I was at home!) that instantly went right through my shorts. I was actually pondering this like, what’s the solution if you have to leave the house? Wear incontinence underwear with an overnight pad? 

Umm... I may have desperately tried wearing a toddlers overnight diaper once on a day I needed to work but was gushing. It didn’t go so well.

[Ottakee]

8 hours ago, elegantlion said:

 

I know this is an option for treatment. I'd rather just have the hysterectomy and be done. 

That must be so nice. I bought this lovely light green skirt a few weeks ago and I've been afraid to wear it. 

I'll ask about this too when I go in for my follow up. 

I had something similar over major covid shut down....thankfully my doctor stayed open.

I bled heavily for 33 days (despite 2 prescription meds).  Since I had gone 18 months they had to do the full work up and endometrial biopsy, etc.  Yuck.

I WISH I could have done the hysterectomy.  I told the doctor I could be there at 6am the next day if I could.

My insurance though and gyn wouldn't want to go to that as my tests all came back "normal".

I ended up with the hormonal IUD.  Since I am single there is no concerns over ethics of birth control forms.  Insertion wasn't pleasant but not bad.   I did though have 8 weeks of spotting and cramps......more annoying than anything.   

I still wish I could have had the hysterectomy and been DONE ....so if you want that, hopefully it is an option for you 

[Guest]

54 minutes ago, Hilltopmom said:

Umm... I may have desperately tried wearing a toddlers overnight diaper once on a day I needed to work but was gushing. It didn’t go so well.

I can totally imagine giving that a whirl! 

[elegantlion]

I just wanted to update this. I was originally scheduled for a hysterectomy in February! I was able to get in due to cancellation (thankfully because I was still having problems). 

I had everything including ovaries removed last Tuesday (the 27th). I'm healing fine - there was plenty of scar tissue from previous surgeries. I feel better even though I'm recovering. 

The pathology report came back - still need to talk to the doctor - but they found multiple fibroids, so I'm glad I had the surgery done. 

 

[Ottakee]

Glad you were able to have the surgery.  I still wish I could have but covid delays interfered and now that the IUD is working they don't want to do the surgery.