Disappointing visit to doctor

I understand your frustration with your doctor!! I began to have heavy periods and my female doc blew them off as my age, I was 40. I went to a regular gyno who found me to have an enlarged uterus, tests led to a nice sized fibroid. She told me we would do nothing. I almost fell off the table! Her lack of concern fueled me further to see my current gyno. He agreed that something should indeed be done and also, with the history of cancer in my family, we have good grounds to do the hyster. The same original doc also blew off my high blood pressure, so upon visiting another doctor, I found out I had a mass on my thyroid, which turned out to be cancer. SO, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR!! I am a firm believer in searching until you have the answers you want. I know many insurance plans are a pain in switching docs, but we are worth it and deserve the absolute best care we can find! Good Luck!

I would also ask about embolization. I've heard and read that only a few patients are candidates for this procedure and it may not be covered by insurance. I remember that one sister on here went for embolization and had a complication with it not taking completely and still ended up having a hysterectomy. Make sure you get at least another opinion. My dr. was great. He discussed my options with me ranging from hormones to hysterectomy and then after an ultrasound it came down to either UAE or hysterectomy. After pathology came back when my TVH was done, it turned out that embolization wouldn't have helped me anyway. Good luck to you. s
Here is a link that talks a little about it.
http://www.fibroid-choice.com/embolization.html
found in the above link...
"The biggest concern is that a patient should have when contemplating embolization is that the procedure is still in the experimental stage. As a result, it is tricky and brings with it many possible complications. The most prevalent danger with this method is still in the experimental stage. As a result, it is tricky and brings with it many possible complications. The most prevalent danger with this method is that, in blocking the blood supply to the uterus, the reproductive system is compromised. Many of the supportive arteries of the womb are permanently damaged, and contrary to what many patients are told, they will not be able t have children after the surgery. There is also a great risk of infection, and few fibroids respond to the treatment."

Super big to you!! I know how difficult it can be to have an incompetent doctor. I still remember going to the OG/GYN who told me that my PCOS was all in my head because I was divorced!

One thing to be aware of concerning whether fibroids are inside or outside the uterus... My doctor (who is wonderful, thank goodness) told me that the ultrasounds showed that my fibroids were all inside the uterus. Even the ultrasound technician told me that. My doctor also told me that my uterus was about 14-week size. When he actually got in, though, he discovered all my fibroids were outside the uterus -- about 10 golf ball-sized and one huge one that was pressing on my spine. And my uterus turned out to be the size of a basketball! When I asked my doctor how everyone could misread the ultrasounds so completely, he said that ultrasound is an imperfect science for detecting these things and it's not unusual for them to not show what's really there.

So the moral is, if they've only diagnosed this through ultrasound, it may be wrong. I think it's time for another doctor.

Kathie

I second that the ultrasound is imperfect device. The interpretation also is key. My first ultrasound was done when I had severe pain in my right ovary which I am now sure was a cyst, the lady who did the ultrasound said nothing unusual. I later got my u/s report and it said there was an enlarged folicle. First they can't tell that they can only assume that, and to assume that on someone who isn't having symptoms of pain would be one thing, but I was having severe pain so it would be more logical to assume that there was a cyst on my ovary. Years later is when I had more problems with cysts and had one removed then had the ovary removed. After that I was having pain on my right side and ultrasound was done and get this the u/s technician found an ovary over there. When I told her I didn't have one she couldn't figure out what that was she said it was right on my uterus. *Hello* genious? So this was as big as an ovary at that time. Then later I had an exploritory surgery to figure out what was causing all the pain and the doctor didn't find anything to note. Well it wasn't until I went to two other doctors and a few more ultrasounds with people thinking they found an ovary on that side before I found my doctor. Her tech knew right away that was a fibroid but she insisted it was small only 3-4 cm. Yes I do realize that is a lot smaller than most and no I don't know why it hurts so much but it does so I don't see why they don't just take my word for it. Either way something 3-4 cm isn't exactly small in my mind. Either way my point is that it not only depends on the quality of machine but also the experience of the person using it.