Massive Fibroid?? How did that happen?

Hello..my first time to post here. Love the site. But 6 weeks ago found out at my routine yearly..that I have a massive fibroid uterus. Two years ago I was told I had a few about 6cm...now they tell me my uterus is a "20 week" ..wow..seems huge. My surgery is booked for the 26th of this month. I would be much calmer if I knew this was common. Terrified they will wake me up and say it is something much worse. The GYN said it is always a little concerning when they grow so fast...Anyone else have this happen.She did say the ultra sound indicate only fibroid but can you trust that?
Thanks

Welcome!

I suggest that you read the radiology report because sometimes doctors don't tell you specifically what the report says. My radiology reports found a thickened endometrium stripe which they attributed to a POSSIBLE fibroid. They couldn't see anything initially. On laproscopy, my uterus is big and globular, and the suspected outcome is adenomyosis. That is different than fibroids. But the last ultrasound I had looked like a vine of big plump grapes. So we just won't know what it is until my gyn takes it out.

Those fibroids you have are pretty big. It would be hard to miss them on the ultrasound. But ask your gyn about what else the problem could be so you know what you are facing. That'll be less scary for you.

Good luck to you!

Hello! Glad to hear I'm not the only one with a growing fibroid. I've had one fibroid on my posterior uterus for 10 years but was always 4cm but this past year has grown to 7cm. Doesn't sound horrible until you put it in my tiny 5' body. My gyne suggested a hysterectomy and I got 2 more opinions and they agreed. I'm 41 years old and have about 10 more years before menopause and I can only imagine how big this fibroid could get in 10 years. So I've decided to have a subtotal hysterectomy on 12-12. I'm nervous as I've had 3 c-sections so I know partially what I'm in for. I'm not sure how much this fibroid bothers me (occasional heavy periods and cramps, low back pain, and trouble with bm's) so I guess I'll find out after the surgery. I think you get used to the aches and pains and don't necessarily relate it to the fibroid. Anyway, I'm nervous too and will be glad when it's over. Good luck to you.

Kathy

Hi Mikay:

I just went thru the same thing .. I wondered how something could grow so quickly .. the ultra-sound suggested nothing but a fibroid and I had my surgery earlier this week .. I am waiting the results of the pathology report. It's all "greek" to me :-( Having had two c-sections I knew what to expect in terms of surgery.. but this is nothing like a section.... perhaps because of the worry associated with the why/how of the fibroid and wondering what the results might show.. and this swollen tummy :-( Not pleasant.. but there are so many threads indicating better days ahead... so I am trying to be patient and hopeful of a speedy recovery...

Try not to worry... it is a relief to be rid of the fibroid.

All,

I had a huge fibroid removed in July. It really wasn't bothering me, but had grown rapidly. I had chosen to ignore it, until it got so big that people were asking when the baby was due and I had to have a vertical incision!

Now that it is gone, I find all sorts of mysterious things have cleared up. I no longer have bowel problems. My skin isn't dry any more. Strange! I guess that a fibroid that large can cause all sorts of grief without you even knowing it.

All in all, I feel much better now that the surgery is done. I have more energy. I was lucky to get to keep an ovary, so haven't had to deal with HRT.

Hope that you all have a similar experience.

Kathy

Regretably, I have discovered ultrasounds are not the best tool for finding all the fibriods. I had a lime size one detected five years ago. My periods became progressivley worse so I went to my Dr last year, she said my fibriod had not grown but my lining was uneven. After a round of HRT, a d@c, a mymectomy, I was oozing "healing serus fluid" from the scar tissue 2 weeks a month after my period. Went back to my surgeron who did another ultrasound and said he found 2 new fibriods startring to grow. Once he started my TVH, he found a huge fibriod sitting between my uterus and bladder no one had ever detected. All these years I learned to live with my one little fibriod, who knew he had a big brother in there as well.

Dear Adrift,

How those fibroids sneak up on you is pretty amazing. I never had a problem with 's and then I suddenly had 13. Definitely not my lucky number. It's true though that ultrasounds aren't that great, and those hysterosonograms are suppose to be more accurate but, man, those hurt. I'm told they are easier if you've had a child, but I can't see how when that area always is sore from constant bleeding and cramps.

I've never gotten a straight answer as to why or what gets them started, but obviously I give them a good home. Well this little condo community I've started is going to stop. I'm having some major renovations done November 24 and they will have to move out.

I found out about a year and a half ago that I had a fibroid, but my Dr said not to worry that many women have them and never have problems. At my next annual check up, I asked if menopause was on the way because I was gaining weight about the middle. After the exam, she said it wasn't menopause, I actually weighed less than the year before. What was going on was that my uterus as the size of a 12 week pregancy. She was concerned that they was grown so much in a year's time. She said that there was a 1% chance that it was cancer. I decided to go on and have a vaginal hyst before the uterus got too big. Everything has been fine. The path report was clear, recovery was easy, and I am not having to deal with the heavy, painful periods that I was having.

I had 3 fibroids for 7 years. They were just growing slowly so we were just keeping an eye on them. Well, they had a large growth spurt and grew over 1/3 in size in a short time. I started feeling presure all the time. My Dr snuck in a CA 125 test that showed a possiblity of cancer. So, I went from holding off surgery to having it with 2 day notice.

Because of the location of the fibroids, the Dr could no longer feel my ovaries. I had to have ultrasounds every 6 months to keep track of them. At the end, we could only see one fibroid because it was so large. We could just guess how large the other 2 had gotten.

Everything turned out just fine and I am recovering just fine. Good luck with yuor surgery!

Tracey

yes, that happened to me too. I think that the HRT that I have been on now for 2 1/2 yr. has something to do with it. I have had these fibroids for 20 some odd years, but the doctor said they were small enough and unless I had symptoms and they start to bother me, not to worry about them. When I developed searing pain on the left side on and off and right through to my back I asked to dr. to take another look. She found that the fibroids were as big as a 6 mo. old fetus. I made the decision to have a hysterectomy. I am going for my TAH BSO on Nov.14th.
that's getting real close.

I was like you, and thought that what if they find something more serious than fibroids. I know that I am in good hands and I am not going to worry about that anymore. Good luck with your hyster, sister.

Beate