Alternative therapies/treatments for fibroids

I am interested in knowing if there is anyone that has had success with alternative therapies to reduce large fibroids (enzyme therapy, accupuncture, medication, diet etc.). I am becoming more hesitant about surgery as my TAH date approaches. I am terrified of being under the knife!!
Also, it is my intention to keep my ovaries if I have the surgery. I would also like to keep the cervix, my Doctor does not feel this is necessary....Any feedback out there?
Thanks for listening!

Hi There!

I remember reading in your first post, you said you were not able to have any less invasive prodecures. (That's why I didn't direct you to our "Options & Alternatives" Forum right away.) Anyway, if you want to connect with members who had other treatments for their fibroids, I suggest you participate there. You will certainly find many women who have avoided a hysterectomy thus far, with other remedies.

We always say that a hyst should be the "last resort" after other treatments have been explored. Please, if you need to do some exploring, do some reading and post your questions in our Options & Alternatives Forum -- it's terrific!

I response to your question about keeping your cervix, I hope some members will be along soon to share their experience. I didn't keep mine, and don't miss it a bit.

s and Best Wishes!

You can try changing your diet to eliminate meats with hormones, dairy with hormones, and fish with pesticides. The hormones and chemicals can cause your tumors to grow. Additionally, stepping up aerobic exercise and eating a generally low-fat diet can help stop the growth. You can also take a host of cancer fighting supplements to try to decrease tumor size. They include: shark cartilege, astragalus, garlic, echinacea, Vitamin E, Maiitake Mushroom, fish body oils, and plant enzymes to help absorb them better. Of course, you should check with your doctor, health food store and read all directions before attempting this. I tried it and I don't think it worked. However, to add insult to injury, the BCPs I was taking to control bleeding, plus the iron I was taking to prevent anemia both are known to cause fibroid tumors to increase in size. So, maybe I just held my tumors at bay until my hysterectomy. Like you, I thought all options were worth a try before I agreed to surgery. Good luck.

Linda

I was trying to avoid a hyster for the last several years hoping that as I reached menopause, the fibroid would shrink. I was terrified of having the surgery. I tried the enzymes several months ago and the first month it seemed like the fibroid was shrinking. My stomach felt smaller and less pressure. However, it was short lived and the next month I felt the same as I did prior to taking the enzymes (30 a day--it was a pain, but if it worked, I was willing to do it). I began clotting severely and wound up in the hospital (clotting was not due to the enzymes--just the fibroid) . Enough was enough and I agreed to a hyster. My fibroid was the size of a cantelope and was becoming very uncomfortable and coupled with the clotting, I could not wait.

The TAH BSO was done Feb. 4th and I am doing great. I am so thankful I had it done. I was soooooooooo against having the surgery, but have had a very uneventful recovery so far. I had an epidural w/sedation and woke up w/no fogginess and very alert. I went back to work at 2 weeks (dont recom for everyone, but I cleared w/Dr.--I have a desk job and could take rests any time I wanted and worked 4-6 hour days)

I would have loved to find something to really shrink my fibroid and avoid surgery, but it was not meant to be for me.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

About two and a half years ago I read Dr. Lee's book, "What You Doctor May Not Tell You About Pre-Menopause." In it he talks about using natural progesterone cream to balance hormones and oppose estrogen dominance to stop or possibly reverse fibroid growth. I did the therapy according to the book for about eight months and did not have any difference (perhaps it halted their grow, but certainly didn't reverse it). I also did my best to eliminate foods treated with hormones.

It became apparent to me that at 37 or 38 I had at least 15, possibly 20 more years of natural hormones in my future and even halting my fibroid growth was not going to be enough for me.

But I see from your previous post that you may be a bit closer to menopause than I was, so it might be more likely to succeed.

Some women experience sexual dysfunction after hysterectomy, and the reasons are varied as to why - part of it is that there are a vast number of nerves in the pelvis and though a great deal is known about female anatomy, each person is wired slightly differently - so what works for most surgeries for most women might not for a small minority. Removing the cervix can cause shortening of the vagina, though most women notice no difference. The cervix is dense with nerve endings and some women have a great deal of sensitivity in theirs, so knowing where your orgasm originates (through contact during intercourse with your G spot or through stimulation of the clitoris).

Last, if your doctor does not want to talk to you or listen to you about why you value a body part that is not involved in your fibroid problem (your cervix), then I suggest finding another doctor who is interested. I kept my cervix, and I'm not saying that it's something that everyone should do, but every doctor should be willing to talk to you and abide by your wishes if you want to keep it.

You might want to seek out a doctor who is experienced in myomectomy (surgical removal of fibroids) or more conservative hysterectomies such as laproscopic supracervical hysterectomy. Some wome have found that a course of lupron to shrink fibroids before surgery can be very effective in making the less invasive procedures prossible.

Take care.

	Quote:
Originally posted by roseline I am interested in knowing if there is anyone that has had success with alternative therapies to reduce large fibroids (enzyme therapy, accupuncture, medication, diet etc.). I am becoming more hesitant about surgery as my TAH date approaches. I am terrified of being under the knife!! Also, it is my intention to keep my ovaries if I have the surgery. I would also like to keep the cervix, my Doctor does not feel this is necessary....Any feedback out there?

Dear roseline:

I would like to invite you to come over the the Options Forum https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/for...p?s=&forumid=4 where you will find lots of gals hoping to avoid a hysterectomy.

Here is a link to the fibroids section of our Resources Directory:
https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/lin...=browse&cid=26 and you should also be sure to check out the website www.thefibroidplace.com

It's important for your emotional well-being for you to feel comfortable with your doc's recommendations. Seek out 2 or 3 medical opinions... get smart about your options!! Ultimately, only YOU must live with your pre-op symptoms AND your post-op results, good OR bad.

I am sending huge cyberhugs