Fibroid located up high

Hello,
I am scheduled for surgery on 12/7. I have an enlarged uterus with a basketball size fibroid. I asked the doc for an epidural since I don't want to be put out. He said that since it was so high up on the abdominal that I could not have this option. Well my queston is has anyone had surgery high up like that. I can actually see the shape of my ball right at he top of my stomach under the breasts.
Has anyone ever elected to just have the fibroids removed and kept their uterus? I am 41 so I figure menopause is around the corner and if one were to grow back it would shrink at that time.
Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Nicolette - I can't answer your question but wanted to bump this back to the top.

You might ask the "fibroid removal only" question in the "options and alternatives" section of this message board too.

I had fibroid on my uterus, cysts on both ovaries and had trouble with my cervix for several years...hence my tah/bso March 2000. I had general anest...and everything went smooth.

It's always best to check out options though...AND second opinions are good too

Hi Nicolette and welcome to Hystersisters. I'm glad you found us!

I did have fibroids but two of mine were hidden in the edometrium and I also had one growing out toward an ovary. Here are some links though that may help you:

http://www.nuff.org/

http://myhyster.tripod.com/adm/popup...cf0a9d9c43c1ef

I do know there is a surgery to take just the fibroids out called myomectomy. You will probably see info on that on the links above.

We'll be right here to support you!

and s

Sherry

Hi Nicolette,

I have not had the surgery you are talking about - a myomectomy. As someone that had fibroids, I did discuss this option with my doctor. Although some fibroids can be successfully removed this way, it was my understanding that they frequently return. At 45 years old, I was not interested in waiting for menopause in hopes the fibroids would shrink. As it turned out, pathology on my uterus revealed Adenomyosis. This was likely the culprit of my ongoing pelvic issues. We all make our decisions based on what is right for us. I also don't believe that hysterectomy is the answer to all of our gyn issues. I think this is a good discussion to have with your doctor. I believe a myomectomy is a fairly significant surgery also, but clearly not as final as a hysterectomy. Maybe trying this route is an alternative that works for you? I am not even sure if this is an option for you because of its size? Again, a good discussion to have with your doc. Hope you find some answers! All the best!

Hi there. I am a veteran of a myomectomy...and I have to say that having been there, done that, I am NOT an advocate of this procedure.

The only really compelling reason I can see for having this surgery is if you are not finished with your family. If you would like to try to conceive, then go for it. Otherwise, the old "you are close to menopause so they won't grow back" story is pretty tired and just not true most of the time! The weird hormonal surges of perimenopause seems to make these suckers grow back faster and meaner than they were before.

I can only speak from my own experience, but the myo was SOO much more painful and harder to recover from than my hyster, that I couldn't believe it. The main reason I put off my hyster too long was because the myomectomy was so bad that the idea of more surgery made me crazy.

My fibroid was 27cm long...the size of a seven month fetus. I had general for the same reason...it was so huge it was right up under my right rib. The epidural only numbs you from the waist down, so it wouldn't be a good idea if the stuff they need to remove is higher!!

No one can make this decision for you, but PLEASE think long and hard before subjecting yourself to a procedure that is just as invasive, more painful, and most likely ineffective in the long term. I wish I had known then what I know now about myomectomy!!!

Karen

I've had 1 fibroid on a stalk removed transvaginally, and 4 open myomectomies. Like Karen said, I chose the myomectomies because of my age at the time, and the fact that I was in otherwise good health and thought children were in my future. That is the only reason my doctor has supported doing FOUR of them. I've heard it's not unusual for fibroids to grow back .. though I am told it is unusual how I seem to grow them so well.

My fibrods were not nearly as large as yours. (tennis ball at best)though at times there were several and some that were just plan icky looking (doctor's exact words). You should discuss further with your doctor why he is recommending a hysterectomy over a myomectomy. You may also want to get other opinions. Just remember, removing the fibroids is no guarantee that they won't come back (and sometimes quite quickly).

And Karen ... thanks for the comparison on the two surgeries. I've been wondering if the recovery was the same or easier. Though, because they keep going in through the same place, each surgery has been easier to recover from.

BSQ