Hysterectomy or not? Losing a lot of blood.

I'd love opinions on these results please, what would you do?

I got my sonohysterogram and ultrasound results today. I just finished my 3rd round of 3 months on 3 months off fibristal. Although fibristal is supposed to stop the bleeding I lost roughly 100ml each month the last three months I was on it. I'm 50 and done having kids. First period after finishing fibristal started yesterday, I've lost about 130ml of blood so far. Just started taking transexamic acid for the first time today. Followup appt with gyno in two weeks to discuss test results.

"Uterus is 13.6 x 8.5. 7.4 cm"

"At least 5 fibroids are identified as follows,
2.7 x 2.1 x 2.1 cm anterior intramural
2.9 x 2.8 x 2.2 cm anterior lateral intramural
1.6 x 1.5 x 1.1 cm posterior intramural
1.8 x 1.5 x 1.0 cm posterior intramural
2.5 x 2.4 x 1.8 cm anterior fundal intramural"

I wanted to just give my recent experience with Transexamic acid, or lysteda. I was on it for 6 months and it was wonderful. BUt then I took two car trips about 7 hours each within two weeks of each other in a low riding car that made it tough to bend my legs. I developed a DVT, or a deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot. This medicine can develop clots. Please be careful and be sure to be cautious with long car rides, airplane rides or any other activity where you need to sit for a long period of time. I am now off the meds and on blood thinner. I am very bummed because the Medicine was so helpful. I am not saying to get off of it but just be aware. My doctor even was shocked I developed a blood clot. I knew the potential of the medicine creating blood clots and even asked my doctor twice about the possibility but he did not think it would be an issue. Just something to be aware of. I hope you find relief from the bleeding. I am back at square one trying to determine what.

Those are very tiny fibroids. I suggest embolization, aka uterine artery Embolization. All fibroids are treated at once when they embolize at the artery level. This treatment should resolve the heavy bleeding and the fibroids will shrink to nothing. This is performed by an Interventional Radiologist not a GYN. It is the least invasive and most effective option available for multiple fibroids. I highly recommend it as a first step. There is an IR search tool on google. Many IR's are now treating fibroids so you should have lots of choices near you.

I have three fibroids
2.4cm
1.7 cm
1.3cm
Heavy period each month for four months and I requested hysterectomy myself to the specialist because I want quality of life

Hysterectomy is not a hard decision for me. And I recover pretty well.

I forgot to mention my specialist doesn't recommend the artery method. All I can say is pls do research on google. It will list the pros and cons of each methods

Hi there,
I'm happy to give my honest opinion, if you're interested.

I'm 37, and had my second child almost a year ago. After my fibroids shrank, the biggest was around 4 or 5cm and my uterus was about 300ml is size.

My 1st period post baby I lost 500ml (I wear a menstrual cup so could measure very accurately).

My 2nd period I lost 1.5L of blood. Yes that's right 1.5L. So I did go ahead last week with a hysterectomy because that is just ridiculous!

Those fibroids of yours aren't really that big, and to be honest, 150ml would have been my dream!

You're also a lot closer to menopause than I am also. If I were you, I would personally wait it out until menopause. There a lots of amazing supplements that a naturopath can give you to help with hormones and bleeding.

My Gyno also did mention that if I was closer to menopause, there were other drugs that he could put me on to 'get me through' to menopause (and reduce the bleeding).

My Obstetrician also mentioned about birth control helping with the bleeding-but I personally didn't want to go down that path (putting hormones into my body for various reasons). I'm not even sure if that's an option by though I would mention it.

Good luck with your decision

I am in the same boat, with many fibroids, pelvic, lower back and leg pain, and lots of flooding. I woke up this morning to a tsunami!!! Had to clean my path to the bathroom, soak my clothes, shower, pad up and redress! TWICE!!!! UGH!!! I had it all under control using birth control until I was diagnosed with breast cancer and my salvation is no longer safe for me to take. I am scheduled for a total hysterectomy, oorphorectomy, salpingo in July, but I am not sure I won't bleed to death well before then ( sort of kidding :/) That is at least two periods away!!

Other than the meds you have previously reported which will not work for me due to hormone status, what suggestions does anyone have to slow the bleeding? I have also thought to switch to the cup, but feel a menstrual jug is more necessary, and probably not in existence.

Any suggestions???

Hi Hysterresister,
I'm so sorry that's not good at all.

I tried for 3 solid months to control my fibroids and bleeeing with diet and supplements from a naturopath. But it just didn't help in the end.

I cut out all meat, dairy, sugar, caffeine, processed food, and most gluten.

Initially I had a 8 week gap between my periods (I was regularly 32day Cycle). But then it came back with a vengeance. It was probably the huge shock of dropping to low calories that delayed my period.

If I had been finished breastfeeding, the other thing I was going to try was a juice fast for as long as I could. I have heard wonders about it shrinking fibroids but I lost so much blood in my last period that I couldn't possibly go another month to try it out.

Regarding the cup. I switched to a cup as I was sick of buying pads/tampons and this helped a lot to reduce the use of pads, and also to keep track of blood loss. It's a bit tricky and can be messy. But I didn't mind getting one hand a bit messy and it allowed me to change less often. I felt like the pad was a backup. After I got the cup, I never had a spill or leakage on clothes/bedding/flooring. You do need to feel comfortable to be able to change in a public place (if you go out when you're really heavily bleeding) and walking out of a cubicle with a bit of blood on your fingers. Sorry for tmi but that's the truth!

You've only got 2 more cycles so you'll have to weigh up the cost and if it's worth giving it a go. I got mine from divacup.com

All the best, I hope you recover well

Hello!

I turned 50 and the flood turned on full force due to Fibroids. I'm not a purist but also wanted to try to keep all of my body parts. Over the course of the last 31/2 years I've had 2 blood transfusions (2 pints each time), a hysteroscopy, and an IUD. All improved my quality of health and life for a while. Late April this year I had a full force deluge (at a restaurant with friends...of course) and finally said yes to the hysterectomy. They got me in immediately and I had a subtotal abdominal hysterectomy removing tubes and both ovaries on May 2, 2017. I'm glad I tried all of the options and I am also thankful to be looking towards a future without constant bleeding and blood transfusions. I wish you the best of luck with your decision. Keep asking questions and reading material until you find the solution that is best for you. (Hugs)

maebow... try keeping some disposable gloves with you (latex or nitrile if you're allergic to latex). I use the Flex ring... it's like a cup but WAY more comfortable - similar to a diaphragm, but softer. Flex is also messy to remove and insert, but wearing a glove really solves that problem.

For you ladies out there with fibroids, I highly recommend Uterine Artery Embolization (aka Uterine Fibroid Embolization). Most gynecologists do not even discuss it with their patients because gyns do not perform it (and don't make money from it)... UAE is done by an interventional radiologist. Everyone is different and some ladies might not be a candidate for it, but it is fast, safe, easy and effective and covered by insurance. The recovery is so fast I do not see why anyone would proceed to a hysterectomy without first trying UAE, especially with the risks of hysterectomy.