Making the Right Choice--How Much Bleeding is Considered Intolerable?

Hi! I'm new here, and I am so glad that I found this forum. I am 45 years old and have suffered with fibriods for many years--heavy, painful periods. About 3 years ago, I had an Endometrial Ablasion, which gave me great relief for a little over 2 years. It didn't remove the fibriods, but it did help the bleeding and discomfort. During the past 9 months or so, I've noticed my periods getting progressively worse again. They are not quite as bad as they were right before the Ablasion, but seem to be headed in that direction. How bad does the bleeding and discomfort need to get in order for me to seriously start discussing a hysterectomy with my doctor? Fibriods to run in my family and my mother, aunts and grandmother all had to have hystos before they were 50 years old. At this point, I'd be happy just to get it over with, but I don't know if my periods are bad enough to consider it yet or if I'm just being a wimp. How bad is bad? Thanks for any help you can give me--you ladies are awesome!

well for me, super clots and having to wear a superplus tampon and extrathick pad together and having to change both every hour or less, taking a towel to bed to sleep on, and bleeding for ovre two weeks at a time, was the final straw for me, going in on wednesday.Thank the lord.

I think it comes down to how much it is having an impact on your life.

If you can't leave the house sometimes, or you leave but have to be in the bathroom more than once an hour, or if you are waking up in blood soaked sheets. If you are anemic. If your fibroids are growing and pressing on other organs causing pain or incontinence or bowl blocks.

there are quality of life issues and health issues.
You've already tried an ablation. Maybe you want to try a myomectomy (removal of fibroids). You are 45--- what is the history of menopause age in your family?

Only you can decide if you have had enough - but then the surgeon is also obliged to make sure you meet certain criterion for a hyst.

I strongly suggest you talk to a couple of drs (a second or third opinion is ALWAYS a good idea) -- and also decide how much you are prepared to cope with.

I know it isn't an easy decision - but be as well informed as you can about your options and evaluating what is happening with you.

Hi Catiana,

I agree with the other ladies. It does come down to what is the "quality of your life with fibroids??"

I had two large fibroids. I had pelvic pressure 24/7, bladder incontinence where I had to find a restroom on the hour and I was starting to get heavy bleeding. I was bloated and really run down with no energy. I felt 86 instead of 46!! Also, fibroids run in my family. My mom and two sisters have had them.

I finally decided I wanted my health back. Now in post-op, I am fibroid free, no more b.c. and no more periods. It feels good to be healthy again.

I can suggest just checking out all the alternative methods and all the hyst types. It gives you lots of questions for your Dr. And maybe get another opinion. I got two opinions myself and I was glad I was a candidate for a less evasive hyst.

Good luck. The decision making can be hard and we Hyster Sisters are here to help.

Mary

Dear Catiana:

Welcome to HysterSisters

85% of hysterectomies are done for quality of life reasons, not to SAVE a life. Ultimately, only YOU must live with your pre-op symptoms AND your post-op results, good or bad.

Here is a link to our Resources Directory, where you will find lots of info: https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/link.php?s=

Get smart about your symptoms and your options, and make the best choice for YOU. I am sending huge cyberhugs

Thanks so much. You ladies are the BEST! I have an appointment with my doc the end of this month and I'm going to see what she says about it. I may ask that she do an internal sonogram just to see what the heck is going on. I know sonograms aren't totally accurate, but the sonogram I had before the Ablasion 3 years ago, did show my fibriods. We'll see what she says. It may be a matter of watching and waiting until I really can't function anymore. I just don't know if I want to get to that point.

Catiana:

I just wanted to respond to tell you your experience sounds exactly like mine. I had terrible periods and passed out one night on the toilet from blood loss, cut my eye. I knew I *had* to do something. So I had an ablation in 1/03 for this terrible bleeding, and it helped a lot for about 10 months. Then slowly the bleeding started back again. I ended up having 11-day periods, about every 24 days.

One thing that helped me was in May 2004, I began using progesterone cream. I read Dr. Lee's book, What Your Dr. Won't Tell you about Premenopause. And I decided I was estrogen-dominant. The progesterone balances the estrogen. Well, for me, progesterone cream really worked on the bleeding! May be worth it for you to try.

But then the fibroids started giving me pain. I am in pain most of the month now. The progesterone, while it helped the bleeeding, did not reduce the size of the fibroids. So for me, it's time for a hyst.

Bleeding is a problem if it is VERY heavy, more frequent, or repeatedly longer than normal. It also may be making you anemic. It did me. Are you feeling tired? Fatigued? You don't have to be a superwoman and live with the bleeding.

Hope this helps.

Cindy

Thanks, Cindy! The bleeding isn't quite as bad as right before I had the Ablasion, but I have noticed that each month it gets a little longer, a little heavier and a little crampier. Like I mentioned in my post, I'll be seeing my doctor at the end of this month and I will see what she says. I'm ok with watching and waiting, but I will not and cannot allow myself to get to the point of being incapacitated. My life is just too hectic. I do feel tired, but I don't think it's anemia. I think it's working full time outside the home, taking care of a house, husband and three kids and going to college part time!

Cate,
I had uae in March 2003 for my fibroids and I have been pain free ever since. The procedure was a breeze. The first 2 days recovery were tough, but after that I was out and running around again from sun up to sun down. Fibroids also run in my family and mom and both sisters had a hyst by age 40. They are somewhat jealous that I was able to dodge the hyst bullet. Unless you're wanting major surgery, you might want to check out this sight. Lots of women there are or have been right where you are now.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group.embo/

Best of luck and good health to you!

Cindy