don't want 2nd ablation

Hello everyone. I'm new here. I had a balloon ablation about a year and a half ago for excessive bleeding and excessive pain during my period. I did get relief and lighter bleeding.

Well, for the last two months heavier bleeding is back and the pain too.

So instead of another ablation, I'm going to talk to my doc. about just getting a hyst. I just don't have a lot of faith in a procedure that only worked for a while the first time.

I had pain to the point of passing out with the first ablation (not the average response) so I don't want to have another if it's not going to have a better chance of working.

Also, does anyone know the odds of complications from a second ablation compared to a hyst? I know this is a really broad question, especially depending on the type of hyst. But let's say the type of hyst. with the least complications compared to the second ablation complications.

I've been reading through lots of the site. And why the different types of hysts? If we're talking about uterus removal only, then what are the main benefits/downsides of the different types for uterus removal?

Anyway, glad to be here. Relief is on the horizon, I know.

You have to check with your insurance too if they will pay for a second. I know my insurance won't. It says only one per lifetime.

Good luck on whatever the decision is! I meet with my dr in Dec for deciding whether I have surgery.

good luck with your decision. i had the lsh (kept cervix and ovaries)..which i believe is the least invasive hysterectomy. its the best thing i've ever done for my health and i have no problems at all.

I also had an ablation that didn't really work. I didn't look into having a second one, the topic was briefly mentioned by my dr., but was quickly brushed away knowing it already failed once.

I had a vaginal hysterectomy 10 days ago. So far, so good. It wasn't very invasive, I don't have any external cuts at all. My dr. removed my uterus, cervix and one ovary.

Well wishes with your decision, it isn't easy.

I also had the thermal balloon ablation about a year and a half ago. My ablation was basically a success, but other things led to me to my hysterectomy.

After the ablation, it was "easy" enough, I thought it would be worth doing and re-doing as often as needed to keep up the results. (Not that it is recommended, or actually possible, but I found it to be that tolerable of a procedure.)

Fast-forward to my hysterectomy. I had the LSH, and honestly the recovery wasn't really that much worse than the ablation. In some respects, it was actually easier. If I had to choose all over again, I wouldn't hesitate to have the hysterectomy.

I had a Novasure ablation in January '07 but again it only worked for a while. It turns out Novasure can't be done twice so a second ablation wasn't an option for me. My PCP had suggested a second ablation and I wasn't at all sure I wanted to do it since I figured it wouldn't last very long and I didn't want to deal with not knowing whether or not it worked for months on end. I read that a second ablation has a higher chance of complications than a first ablation. I don't know how it would compare to hysterectomy though.

There's lots of information on this site about the different types of hysterectomy. Some of them are more suited to certain conditions than others-e.g. vaginal hysterectomy might not be possible in the case of large fibroids. You'd have to talk to your doctor to see what sort of hysterectomy would be the best option for you.

Thanks to everyone! Really. And ACW, your post is like a ray of hope for me (corny, but true.) Thanks everyone, again.

Hi there,

I have not had a hysterectomy, but I have had a Novasure ablation. I did a lot of research on it via a website called
www.endometrialablationdiscussion.com

I also had a lot of pain after my ablation and also a low grade infection. But my dr. was insistent that it was easier than a hysterectomy. It did cure my bleeding... but I have other unrelated problems.

I have a girlfriend that used to have such heavy bleeding that she would actually hemorrhage and have to go to the hospital. For personal reasons (her only daughter died as a teen), she does not want her uterus removed. So she had a roller-ball ablation done. It helped for awhile like you, but then started the bleeding up again. She did have a second procedure, I think roller ball a few years later. The second one seemed to do the trick. She still has some problems like fibroids, and her dr. wants to do a hyster, but the bleeding has dropped to a reasonable level.

I don't think that the fact of having a second ablation is of risk. you definitely should ask your dr. this. I think the risks are more dependent on the type of ablation, rather than the fact that it is your second. I did find that if you have adenomysosis, ablations, in general, are not very effective.

CC