Ablation vs Hysterectomy?

Hi, my name is Leigh. I'm 42 years old with 2 kids. I had my tubes tied 8 years ago. I've been having abnormally heavy periods with lots of clots and severe cramping for several years now. 2 years ago I was diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia and put on "watchful waiting". A biopsy was taken but showed no abnormalities at that time. Now, this past month the doctor diagnosed me via ultrasound with 4 1cm fibroids and confirmed the endometrial hyperplasia.

The bleeding and cramping has been so much worse in the past month. The cramps never end and my last period lasted for 11 days. I'm bleeding again now and it's awful. My husband and I had sex last weekend and the cramps were the worst I've experienced since childbirth.

Last Thursday I had a second endometrial biopsy. Once the results from that come in, I'm to have an official consultation to decide a course of action. I asked her what my options were and she told me that provided it's not an infection that can be treated with antibiotics my options will be endometrial ablation or hysterectomy.

Is there something wrong with me that I'm leaning towards hysterectomy already? I don't like my uterus anymore. It hurts all the time and it bleeds way too much and I'm just done with it. I've been looking at info on the web regarding ablation and I've seen comments from a lot of women who say "yeah it was great for a while but now the bleeding's back just as bad as ever and I now have to have a hyst anyway."

Of course if the biopsy comes back and shows anything abnormal an ablation won't be an option anymore. In 1992 I was diagnosed with cervical dysplasia (subsequent to diagnosis with HPV) and treated with a LEEP. Anything comes back looking even remotely like cancer and I want it gone.

I know I'm supposed to feel devastated at the thought of losing my uterus, but I don't. I want the pain and the bleeding and anemia to stop. I want to be able to have sex again without the godawful cramping. I'm tired of worrying about my increased risk of cervical cancer. I was adopted so I don't even know my family medical history.

I'm not even sure I want to consider ablation at this point. My childbearing years ended 8 years ago. I just want my life back with a 100% elimination of symptoms. Ablation looks to me like something that might work to reduce some of my symptoms while a hyst looks like a glorious light at the end of a long dark crampy tunnel. Is that wrong?

My situation was somewhat similar to yours without the dysplasia part. I saw the ob/gyn after us confirmed enlarged uterus, fibroids, and extremely heavy, frequent periods. The Dr. discussed several options, but then frankly told me he didn't do ablations because they don't work long term and he didn't think it was a good option. He actually suggested the lap hyst with BSO that I went on to have as the best option. Where I see I am most like you, I was very happy to hear that! I too wondered a little bit if I was wrong to not be lamenting the loss of my usterus, but I didn't want to have to do a whole bunch of needless procedures to get to the end result of hyst. I was ready to be free of that unwanted uterus! I was done with it 18 years ago with the birth of my third child. I was no longer attached in any emotional way and was very frustrated with all that was going on, messing up my active life! I had the procedure and haven't looked back. I have felt great - although it's only been 2 weeks. I am 44 and was ready to have my life back. Good luck with your decision, but I say - go for it! The hyst is the cureall to the problem and you won't have to worry about "how long will this one last". Just wanted you to know that I totally relate to what your saying and feeling. Don't feel guilty about being ready to shed that unwanted part! It's not what makes you YOU - you are what makes you You! We don't need our uterus to be a woman, mom, wife or anything else. Matter of fact, once it's gone, you'll be an even better YOU because you'll have one less stress on your mind!! Best of Luck!

I went the ablation route and suffered for four additional years. My PMS morphed into PMDD. While the ablation solved bleeding issues, the cramping, mood swings and PMDD were turned up full force.

I was finished with my uterus and didn't like it any more either. I am just over a week out from my hysterectomy and really wish I would have done this four years ago!

With that being said, I have a co-worker who had the ablation done and she is thrilled with the results.

For me, good riddance!

I had an ablation done about 2 yrs ago. Heavy bleeding. pain. Awful experience. Took an hour and a half in office. My daughter training as an nursing assistant..said they normally take 30 min. It worked for about a year..somewhat. About 1 year of increasingly worst pain. Then I got admenoysis..hyst pathology report stated that the adhesions were probably from the ablation.

I think that the ablation is short-term at least some of the time. I had a total hyst/Davinci done a little over 5 wks ago. No regrets whatsoever. Highly recommend it!!! Last period(two weeks prior to surgery was more painful then the surgery).

Hi, I'm new here also. I am 49 yrs old and have 3 fibroids, each about 4cm. I have been suffering with heavy long periods for the past 2 years and frequent cramping and pressure. I didn't find out that it was fibroids until April of this year. I am seriously considering a hysterectomy also. I feel guilty about choosing this option because I know that I'm not suffering nearly as badly as many fibroid patients. Menopause should be in my near future, but I don't know how much longer I'm willing to wait. I no longer enjoy going to my aerobics classes because I'm either bleeding too heavily, feeling crampy, or too tired from the anemia. I have several close calls of embarrassing situations with blood coming through my clothes and I'm so afraid that next month will be worse. I too do not want the UFE for the same reasons that you don't. I really think that it is a quality of life decision and I know I deserve a better quality and hopefully a hyst will give that back to me. Good luck with your decision and remember that it is a very individualized thing.

Kathy

Thank for the replies and support ladies. It's good to know I'm not alone in feeling this way. I know it probably sounded like I've got a really good handle on this, waiting for my biopsy results is agonizing! The pain isn't so good either. I also have fibromyalgia so when I get cramps it makes everything hurt worse. 800mgs of ibuprofen gives me maybe an hour of so-so relief.

I just want answers and I want the pain to stop.

I feel so horrible cuz all I wnt to do is lie around like a hairball. I can't play with my daughter or clean the house or anything.

Leigh, I too feel for you. I am now 2 days away from my TAH BSO :-( If my dr. had offered me another option 3 years ago I might have taken it, but he didn't. I had the Novasure, and it only lasted 3 years for me and here I am now getting ready to go in anyway for total abdominal hysterectomy after the last 5 mos. of sheer misery. The dr. will take everything because I am 52, in menopause and don't need any of my parts. I am so miserable and can't wait for it to be over. I would recommend you do not postpone the inevitable. I wished someone would have told me that all I did with Novasure was buy time. I did ask for a picture of my parts, since they have been a part of me for so long. Maybe I will have a small funeral! That's what my friend did! I always try to add humor to life things, it helps to ease the pain. Better days are ahead. Hang in there!

My Dr. would not do the hysterectomy until I had an ablation AND a hysterscopy. I was really upset especially since I ended up having to have a hysterectomy anyway because neither of those worked long term so I CERTAINLY understand just wanting to go ahead with the hysterectomy. My dr. claimed he had to do all the other for insurance purposes plus he's VERY thorough and wanted to make sure no caner and etc. Mine was due to fibroids, heavy bleeding, hyperplasia and enlarged uterus. I had everything removed except for the cervix. He said my left ovary had already quit producing hormones anyway and the right one almost. He did put me on premarin and so far (Knock on wood) menopausal symptoms have been to a minimum. I'm 2 weeks post op and am doing very well except for the fact that because I felt so good, I did overdo and do have some pain now. I'm going back to dr. today for a check up but I'm very glad I had it done and certainly understand your wanting to just do that without having to go through all the other.