Fibroid: Vaginal hysterectomy 2/27/17 not sure I can go through with it.

Hello, I'm new and trying to decide if I can go through with my hysterectomy, keeping ovarys. I'm not sure that my symptoms are bad enough to warrant a hysterectomy. I have a fibroid the size of a walnut that covers the front half of my uterus, pushing it backwards. Sometimes I have pressure, like I have to poop. I also have lots of digestive issues, like gas bloating diarrhea. I don't know if they are caused by the fibroid or not. My fibroid pain comes and goes and it's annoying, but not terrible and I'm not sure if it's causing my back pain. Heavy unpredictable periods . I take iron. I know so many women have it worse than me. I just don't know what to do.

You sound very overwhelmed right now and that is perfectly understandable. I would suggest you try to get a second opinion in the next few weeks and see if another doctor agrees that a hysterectomy is the right path forward for you. I had fibroids myself but they were very large - grapefruit size. The thing about fibroids is that they feed on estrogen so if it is walnut-sized now, it may over the course of months or years grow larger. You need to weigh this surgery against your symptoms. Do you have heavy and painful periods? Do your periods last for more than a typical 5-7 days? Is your quality of life being compromised? Only you can answer these questions and until you feel comfortable with a decision, you should not feel pressured into having surgery. Take your time, get all of your answers and then decide what is right for you! We'll be here to support you through this journey. Check out this article below as a start.

Do I Need a Second Opinion for My Hysterectomy?

I put off surgery for about 10 years, with ablations, and D&Cs etc. It allowed my fibroid(s) to grow to the point where the less invasive methods were not possible, and I had a much bigger and more serious surgery than if I had opted to do it earlier.

If you feel you need a 2nd opinion, I'd encourage you to seek that out. If you're asking for a woman-to-woman opinion, I'd say don't let your fear stop you from making a decision that may keep things easier for you.

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Originally Posted by LLC I put off surgery for about 10 years, with ablations, and D&Cs etc. It allowed my fibroid(s) to grow to the point where the less invasive methods were not possible, and I had a much bigger and more serious surgery than if I had opted to do it earlier. If you feel you need a 2nd opinion, I'd encourage you to seek that out. If you're asking for a woman-to-woman opinion, I'd say don't let your fear stop you from making a decision that may keep things easier for you.

Yes you are right about fibroids growing and more serious surgery. I don't think mine is growing at the moment. According to my GYN it has shrunk, but I've only noticed an improvement in symptoms in the last month. I have lots of ups and downs. Just a couple of months ago I had to leave work because my over night pad leaked in less than two hrs. So embarrassing. So I don't know if I'm really improving or if I'll just end up like it was again. I've been dealing with this for 6 years. I would like to get a second opinion, but I don't think I have time. My GYN is leaving the practice to teach, so it's now or never, if I want her to do the surgery.

If you are determined to get a hysterectomy, you should discuss the different styles of surgery with your gynecologist/surgeon. Mine said that if I need a hyst in the future, she would NOT do it vaginally as that method cuts some ligaments that help support the pelvic floor. I am sure there are many women who have successful vaginal hysterectomies, but I would want to preserve as many supporting ligaments as possible.

If you want to avoid a hyst, there are certainly a lot of other options for treating fibroids, such as myomectomy, uterine artery embolization (UAE aka UFE), and Accessa.

Only you can decide what's best for you and I can certainly appreciate wanting to stick with a gyn that I trusted! A second opinion is always a good idea. I wouldn't rush into anything without carefully considering my options. After all, you are the only one who has to live with the result of your decision (and you are the best one to make that decision!) Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Its a decision that only you can make but I was also in the same boat. I had fibroids removed twice and had extremely heavy periods. The third time I went into see GYN he said I had more fibroids. I couldn't take it any more! I had extremely painful and HEAVY periods. I was bleeding 25 days per month on average. I ended up in the ER numerous times as the bleeding was so bad. I scheduled a hysterectomy (kept ovaries) at the age of 40. On my way to the hospital I started to have second thoughts (until I tried to get out of the car and there was blood running down my legs). It was the BEST thing I ever did. Good luck to you !