How awful can fibroids make you feel?

I was just diagnosed with two moderate fibroids, am severely anemic due to heavy bleeding and am perimenopausal to boot.
Anyway how bad can these things make you feel? I have muscle pain, pelvic pain, and back painall, am tired, and getting pretty darn grouchy. How long did you docs let you go, and does anyone have suggestions for making myself feel better until we get all of this straightened out???

Hi, Judymoody,

I was also diagnosed with uterine fibroids, and I didn't feel well, for a variety of reasons. I was anemic, due to extremely heavy vaginal bleeding. I had back pain, and sitting was uncomfortable for me, because my tailbone hurt. I was also perimenopausal, and I was irritable at times.

For me, it took several years of medical intervention, before I finally chose a hysterectomy. I tried hormonal treatment and minor surgical treatments. None of these treatments relieved my sumptoms. I saw three different doctors before choosing a hysterectomy. I was eventually eager for the surgery, and it was the right answer for me. I'm almost nine months postop, and I feel great. Life is good, once again.

If you were recently diagnosed with uterine fibroids, your doctor will probably want you to try noninvasive treatments. That's a good thing, in my opinion.

Hysterectomy is major surgery, with an initial recovery period of six to eight weeks. It takes six months to a year for complete healing to occur after a hysterectomy. I'd advise any woman who's considering a hysterectomy to obtain at least two medical opinions before choosing the surgery.

I'd suggest that you work very closely with your doctor, to find a treatment that will relieve your symptoms. Also, I think it's a good idea to find as much information as possible, so you'll be aware of all of the possible treatments (and their pros and cons.)

Hystersisters is a wonderful website, and we're neither for nor against hysterectomy. Please let us know if we can find information for you, or if we can just offer support.

Good luck in finding the right treatment for you.

Sending healing hugs,
Helen

Hi Judy!

Welcome to Hystersisters!

I can't add any more to what Princessh Helen has offered, but I did want to welcome you and to encourage you to continue your research into options for your condition so that you and your DR can come up with the best plan of care and treatment for you.

Best wishes! I hope you will stick around, and let us know how things do progress for you.

s,

Helen and Toonces
Thank you for your sage advice. Another factor I have to take in consideration is a non-functioning gall bladder that needs to come out - but no surgery due to low blood count. I know my physician is considering hysterectomy - and I'm not so sure I don't agree with him - I'm not sure how I feel about Lupron, Provera or any of the other drug treatments, those are what I've found the most information about anyway. I don't plan for any more children - am not even in a hurry for grandchildren. So I may be game for a hyster, but would like to retain my ovaries if possible. This web site is a wonderful resource, as are the hostesses and other caring women who post such thoughtful, non-biased replies.
I have one more "procedure" something about uterine
tissue??? Sounds like a pap smear, only for the uterus. Thanks ever so much for your replies- you all provide courage to those of us entering these uncertain times. Julie W. (Alias Judy Moody -
some days Judy Moody is much more fitting)

Hi there,
I too have aliens (aka fibroids). My ultrasoound report stated that there are 'multiple large fibroids, the largest measuring 14cm'. I also have ovarian cysts one of which has 'internal septations'.

I am due to go back to the on Friday 8th. I am a bit p....d off with him because he did a hysteroscopy last Nov. and removed a pendunculated fibroid. I would have preferred the whole lot out. He didn't really check out the ovaries at the time so there's no telling how long the cysts have been there. I could have spent the Christmas break (our summer hols in Australia) recuperating.

Like you I feel lousy and tired. My back and right leg ache and I have to get up at least once a night to go to the toilet.

Sorry to ramble on, I'll let you know what transpires on Friday - I'm fed up and at 44 I'm not going to have any more kids. Timing is difficult though as I am a teacher and don't really want to have all that time off work.

Keep on going!! It's ultimately your decision. Speak to you soon.

Take care,
Diana

Hi Judymoody,

At 53, I have many fibroids inside, outside and in the wall of the uterus. I always thought my doctor was "letting me go".
I would return home after the appt and my husband would say ,"how long is the doctor going to let this go on?"
I never realized that my doctor was giving me space. In the past, if a woman was in this shape the doctor would take everything out in a flash. Now, it seems that doctors let the patient yell,"uncle" unless there is of course cancer, or prolaspes etc.
Finally, my doctor says," well, Maralyn are you ready to call it quits yet? " I guess I always felt that I could put up with it, and I didn't want major surgery because I'm a whimp and it was just fibroids!!!

Well, fibroids can make your life hell. I'm all those things you mentioned with bone ache, pelvic pressure, back pain, leg pain etc. At times, the uterus feels like a hot, hard, stone and I can hardly walk.

How many times have you stood in a bathroom stall, trying not to let your slacks hang in the wet floor, with your purse around your neck because there is no hook, trying to unwrap and secure a new maxi with one hand, with your hair in your eyes, knowing that you are about to pass a clot, when your legs begin to ache from squatting,(I never sit on a toilet seat).....this is when I think,"what am I doing this for?" There has got to be more to life than this bleeding.

To answer your question, the pain and misery of it changes most aspects of your life. I have become a slave to it. I have lost the person I once was. I have to get up now because my right back and right leg are throbbing. It is time for me to yell," UNCLE!".

Life is short...I have decided if my blood work returns with no clotting problems, I will have the surgery. I have suffered with fibroids for too many years and at 53 menopause is still not here.

Most likely your fibroids will enlarge as mine did...if you are perimenopasal. You are estrogen dominate and of course fibroids just love estrogen. And what help can we expect going through the change if estrogen therapy encourges fibroid growth?

Time for my anemic body to rest...I wish I had answers for you.
All of us are so different ..yet so much alike. Study your options, read, read, read. Put yourself first...it's time for you, to think about you. Bless you
Maralyn

My goodness! Maralyn....I couldnt have said it better myself. Have you been peeking in my stall at the public restroom? My doctor also waited for me to "give up" before we finally scheduled my surgery. Good Luck to you Maralyn and thanks for the well written post!

Blondi

Oh Maralyn and all - what great posts - it's nice to know others share such similar experiences, one of the great things about this site. Your humor and insight are touching. I feel better all ready! I will be watching for your posts to see what you decide, and hope to make my decision by the end of March, after a second and third opinion. Take good care - wouldn't it be a relief not to have to lurk in those stalls!!!

Judy Moody

Hi Judy,

I thought I had 2 fibroids in my uterus. Each one 6cm. One on the top of my uterus and one on the bottom. Turned out to be scar tissue, adhesions and adenomyosis.

There were 2 separate u/s done by 2 totally different hospitals and doctors.

Just be careful, because, it can be other things! I had the exact same symptoms that you mention and I was diagonsed pre-menopausal as well. I'm not in pre-menopause. My hormones were going haywire, according to the doctor because of the adhesions.

Sara