Questions about symptoms-bleeding, cramping and swelling

Hi, I have a few questions about my symptoms and I'm wondering if anyone else has this too.
I have an enlarged utersus and fibroid. I have continuous bleeding and cramping, even though I'm on the pill continuously to try to stop the bleeding (up to 2 a day). Whenever I do physical exercise, even a 2 km walk my abdominin swells and I look like I am 4 months pregnant. I then get more cramping and bleeding, especially in the middle of the night. Even if I have a stressful day at work this will happen. I'm scheduled for a partial hysterectomy in October. There is a 6 month waiting list. I feel tired and miserable. Does anyone else have this??? If so how do you make it stop?
Thanks

Oh mitten...I am so sorry that your wait time is 6 months! I can't give you any reason as to why what is happening to you is actually happening. I experience the same thing, have been for about a year. It gradually got worse as the time passed & when I could no longer take it anymore that is when I broke down & finally scheduled my surgery. My wait time was only a little over a month & even that seems a bit unbearable at times.

Prior to deciding what to do about my enlarged uterus, fibroids & ridiculous dysfunctional bleeding, for a year I was on the pill with little success, I still had a lot of break through bleeding.

I work 12 hour shifts & am on my feet for most of them, my belly always seems to look like a little budda by the end of my days. I can't tell you the last time I was able to wear a form fitting shirt, it is awful & so frustrating!

I can certainly relate with what you are going through & sympathize. I wish that I had a cure for you. Mine is finally coming in the form of removing the cause in exactly 2 weeks. Hip hip hooray!

Best of luck to you & I do hope that someone out there has some good advice to give.

Best of luck to you mitten. My surgery is a little over two weeks from now and I'm not sure how much more I can last. I finally reached a breaking point and had to schedule it. I've tried almost every pill there is and I finally stopped having "breakthrough" bleeding and I think it just became one long continuous period with a few glorious scattered days of not. I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue a few years ago to go along with my endo and fibroids I've been fighting for 15 years. So far, I haven't found a good way to ease anything. A few things here and there that work for a little bit, but nothing long lasting. My fix will be here in a couple weeks when they remove all of this evil stuff from me.

Good Luck Mitten, I hope things become a little more bearable until your surgery.

Coleysue
TVH w/ BSO - but possibly TAH on May 9

Mitten,

I have the same symptoms... the last time I tried a walk which is the mildest form of exercise I ended up in the ER with severe bleeding and cramping. I was put on premarin for 15 days to stop the bleeding which worked pretty well and ibufrofen-500mg with vicodin-500mg for pain when necessary. After the premin was done, my OB put me on Provera to space out the next mentrual cycle.
I have been feeling pretty good since my cycle started a little over a week ago and I am currently on the pill BUT... 8 days and going my cycle does not seem to be going away even though I am on the pill and mild cramping which an advil or tylenol can take care of.

Why is your wait for surgery so long? Mine is at the end of May but that was by choice.

Talk to your doctor to see if there is something more than the pills that they can prescribe to relieve your symptoms before the surgery.

Hang in there

Thank you everyone for your support and feedback. I was starting to think I was going crazy with all this stuff.
I think the reason why I have to wait so long for surgery is because I'm from Canada and the wait times are so long. I'm on a cancelation list but women with cancer will be called to go before me (which they should).
I just can't believe how tiring this all is. Bleeding non stop and pain is the pitts. I'm trying very hard to stay positive because I don't want my husband or kids to worry. My oldest son is autistic and he feeds off my emotions, so I can't let him know that I'm worried or in pain.
My iron is low so I have been prescribed medication to look after that. Hopefully that will help. He also prescribed me an anti-inflamatory med to help with pain. Advil just doesn't cut it anymore.
Can an enlarged utersus cause this much problem with bloating and pain? I'm starting to wonder how big it really is.
The specialist wanted me to try getting an IUD to control the situation but my family doctor disagreed and said that the only solution was a hysterectomy because he said I have 15 more years before I'm in menopause. It's pretty hard to know if the specialist or my family doctor is right. I think my family doctor seems to care more about the long term situation with me and the specialist didn't spend much time with me at the appointment (3 minutes). I asked him do I just suffer for the next 6 months and that is when he prescribed me the medication.
Who knows maybe I will be lucky and get in sooner!!!
Thanks again for your advise and support.
This is a fantastic website!

I'm so sorry you had to be put on a waiting list! That would drive me insane!

I don't have the enlarged uterus (at least they didn't tell me I did) but I have fibroids. Last year is when I can remember starting to have heavier periods and the cramping was worse. I found out in December about having a fibroid about 2-3 cm in size. By the end of February the worse periods turned into nightmare periods! I now have had 5 periods since the first of February and I pass large clots. I have discovered that if the clots are big enough they will push a tampon right out! I have been taking 800mg of ibuprofen, 2000mg of vitamin c, an iron supplement and the doctor put me on a different birth control. The birth control doesnt work at all. The ibuprofen and vitamin c helps with slowing down the bleeding for awhile but then it just comes right back. I guess we are just the 'lucky ones' that fibroids decide to show symptoms too.

Good luck to you & I hope you can get moved up on the list soon!