doubts

my surgery is now booked for the 29 of april. i am scared and having so many doubts. and am still figuring out the site. so much great information if i go through with it, but i just don't know if i can. This is my situation :

My issues started in aug 2011 - had a 'flooding/hemorrhaging' episode that sent me to emerg. Follow up included seeing a gyn and having ultrasound. At that time I had three fibroids - 4cm right fundal, 4cm left fundal, and a 4 cm subcervical. I chose a wait and see approach. For the next 17 months I bled almost constantly having periods that lasted 20-25 days of the month. Then in January 2013, my periods suddenly appeared to go back to normal. In July 2013 I had another huge hemorrhaging episode that again landed me in emerg. This one was way worse than the first one. They sent me home with transaxemic acid and told me the next time i have an issue to try taking that to stop the bleeding. Everything was fine until my November period. Another huge flood! Took the transaxemic acid and things seemed to get under control. December was fine. January 2014 ... transaxemic acid not working, bleeding so out of control, clots like you have never seen. By the time i got to emerg i was in shock from blood loss and passed out in emerg. I ended up in hospital for three days and needed 5 blood transfusions before they could get my blood levels up to a safe level. I don't have the details of my new ultrasound (but plan on calling to get them), I was just told that my existing fibroids have grown (the subcervical one has doubled and is now 8 cm) and there are multiple new ones. I have asked about myomectomy and have been told that it won't work for me. He did suggest the possibility of embolization and said i could try it, but not a great chance of success, therefore risk vs benefit ration not good. Also, I have read about it and I think they use a contrast agent in the procedure that I am allergic to. He did send my file to a team of specialists in Toronto to see if they think I can have the hysterectomy laproscopically, but that doesn't look likely. (still waiting to hear back) He has said they will try to leave the ovaries, but everything else including cervix will be removed. I think he is looking at all possible options for me, i just feel like my hands are tied. He has me on a three month prescription of Fibristal to stop the bleeding, allow me time to rebuild by blood and strength, and shrink the fibroids before surgery to make things easier, less risky, and less complicated. Surgery booked for April 29. I did have a mini-consultation with the gyn who was on call in the emerg on my most recent repeat visit (after the big episode and I was discharged i went back because i started flooding and they had told me i shouldn't do that anymore) and she was in agreement with my regular gyn - she said she agreed that the hysterectomy was my best option. To me, the hysterectomy should be my absolute last resort, and in some ways after this experience, I think I'm there, but in other ways I just want some other options. I am scared and this is not what I want.

I suggest consulting with a very experienced Interventional Radiologist who specializes in UAE to get more info about embolization. It has a very high success rate for bleeding symptoms. That way you'll get all the info and you can make an informed decision. I had UAE in 2007 but I had bulk symptoms, pressure, pain...not bleeding....had very large fibroids and more than they could even count. The procedure helped a lot, my symptoms were gone but 6 years later one of the fibroids found another blood supply and grew large again. I wound up having hyst 6 wks ago. I'm still glad I had UAE and now 6 weeks after hyst I feel so soooo much better with those fibroids gone.

Good luck ... I know how hard these decisions are. I'm so much more at peace now too as my fibroids/uterus caused me anguish for a decade and I went back and forth trying to decide what to do.