Can anyone DESCRIBE "fibroid pain"?

I was all set to have a hysterectomy.. and then the progesterone only b/control pills -- after 4 months-- suddenly worked: ie. stopped the bleeding almost entirely.

But still now.. i still have a dull to sharp pain where the fibroid is.
If i eat, it "flares up" ( feels like a migraine headache right on the spot)-- or if i feel the tiniest twinge of stress.

But my dr. doesn't know why this pain is there.

Women say they have "pain" from their fibroid but I'd love-- if possible -- some detailed descriptions of it???

Thanks !
~ Karin

Hi Karin,

For me, fibroid pain felt like a hand was "squeezing" my insides. Just a constant discomfort in my pelvic area.

It also felt like the three weeks after I had my DD. I think my Dr. at the time called it "lead bottom". A pressure from the uterus area.

Boy...I just realized it is kinda hard to describe fibroid pain!!

Mary

The weird thing for me is that I don't think my fibroids themselves were painful, it's what they were pressing on.

They pushed on my bladder, which meant that whenever I had even a little bit in there it was painful, and heaven help me if I got a lot in my bladder and tried to hold it. There were a couple of times where I was literally doubled over as I tried to get to the bathroom - and then when I went there wasn't even that much in there! If I laid on my stomach, I would immediately feel bladder urgency, usually whether there was anything in there or not.

Mine also pushed on my spine, and the few days before my period when thing were really bloated up it hurt my lower back, and kind of one kidney. It wasn't a sharp pain, more of a nagging ache that felt like it came from the bones, not from nerve pressure or cramps.

The other discomfort was a bulky pressure I would get. Especially if I was wearing jeans or something else tight around my waist and I would lean forward or something like that they would just make things feel confined. Also, sometimes right around my cycle, if I sat wrong or had a big meal, it felt like it was all pressing on my liver and/or my diaphragm.

I think you're going to get as many different answers as there are women with fibroids. What the do to each woman is different, though we all share the same stories of pressure, cramps and bladder and bowel urgency.

Take care.

Karin,

I was having pains like you describe. They were on the left hand side and I thought it was something else. It did seem to be worse, like yours after I ate. I had had an endometrial resection done in May which was supposed to remove the fibroids. It's where they remove the lining of the uterus and all the junk that goes with it and it's supposed to get rid of periods. It didn't work. I had also tried BC pills, but that didn't help either.

Anyway, I started feeling pain about a week later and eventually saw my regular doc who ordered a CAT scan. He said I had an enlarged uterus. To make a long story short, my fibroids grew back, the pain got worse and I eventually had a total hysterectomy (two weeks ago). My ob/gyn said the fibroid and uterus were about the size of a football at time of surgery.

The pain I felt wasn't unbearable, but it was annoying and sometimes felt like someone was stabbing me. I also started to bleed more than I did before I got the first procedure done. My periods would last for two weeks. I also was anemic and weak from all the bleeding. I think the pain was because the thing was growing. It was similar to the first trimester of pregnancy, when your uterus expands along with the baby. My doc said it had grown outside the uterus, which is probably why he didn't get everything with the first procedure.

I'm glad I got everything out eventually. The only pain I feel now is from the incision, which isn't as bad as the fibroid pain.

You might want to have other tests done to rule out other problems.

I honestly wish I would have had the hysterectomy years ago. I feel so much better now. Good luck.

Vicki

Hey, Karin:

Mine is like BAD period cramps, sometimes almost like labor. Also lower back pain. The pain I get radiates down into the tops of my thighs. I also have chills with my pain sometimes. I HATE it!

Mine

pushed on bladder made me bloat - felt like stomach was in my throat -leg stayed numb - could not bend 1 week prior to surgery - was able to move morning after surgery ha go figure!! felt exhasted and tired all the time

2 weeks post-op and feeling great now !

I have a very high tolerance for pain, so its hard to pinpoint what it feels like. My uterus is 16 week gestation size, and I am scheduled for a TAH on 10/14. I have a constant feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen, and a lot of lower back pain. I have an umbilical hernia, which is obviously exacerbated by the fibroids. About the time for my period, it begins to ache and the ache radiates into the pit of my stomach. I am willing to bet afterwards, I will be surprised at the absence of pain I was not wholly concious of.

Hi,

I've often described my pain has a hand squeezing everything on my right side (someone else wrote the same thing). I also get pain in my lower back (achy pain), pain in my leg, and lots of bloating, and overall aching on the same side. Occasionally, I feel bladder spasms and sharp pains.