Symptoms of fibroids?

Hello Sisters...once agian I have more questions....After learning that I will be having a TAH (when I thought I could just have an Ablasion) due to large fibroids and enlarged uterus. I started to wonder about some of the other dicomforts I have been having beside heavy blleding , cramps, LONG periods....discomfort when using tampons occasionally.....and wondered if others have had these problems because of fibroids. #1 very gassy....YUCK! #2 bloated fleeling even with an empty stomach #3 VERY weak bladder....I could wet my pants if I sneeze...another yuck! #4 very loose bowels #5 back pain #6 leg & foot cramps. Has anyone found that these were a problem for them as well, and did surgery solve some of these problems? I feel like a hypocodriac! Thanks for listening!

Hi llburg

I certainly had the very weak bladder - I used to 'leak' all the time, so I'd have to make sure I always wore a panty liner, and I would feel like I was bursting to go but there wouldn't be much to show for it.

Drinking a litre of water before my last ultrasound was agony!

I'm amazed to see how much my bladder can actually hold now without me feeling uncomfortable.

I had 4 main fibroids, one was 9cm x 8cm x 7cm, one was round - 7cm diameter, and I had two slightly smaller ones, plus some little ones, so my uterus was pressing on everything.

Glad it has gone !!

I had to go to the bathroom about every 30 minutes for a long time before I had any pain or anything. Last night I slept for 5 hours before waking up to pee. That is a personal best for me!

I had staining in my panties after BM's, I could never seem to completely empty. The second doc I went to told me I had a rectocele, and that was repaired during surgery also.
It was great-I actually am normal now with BM's.

I had back pains, hip stabbing pains, and bad pain down the front of one thigh. The hip stabbing pains and the pain down the front of one thigh are gone. I have a history of back problems so they haven't completely gone away, but are much relieved.

I had migraine headaches-they are gone! Still have some headaches but they are NOT migraines and don't make me cry and see double and make me crazy.

I feel great now-still some healing to do, but all those preop problems are gone-no more heavy pressure, labor-like cramping, pelvic pain, and problems with bladder and the rectal area.

My fibroids were much larger than expected and I hope that they will relieve my symptoms:

1. bladder - I always felt like I had to go, and my bladder couldn't hold much. When I had bronchitis earlier this year and coughed so much, I had to wear a pad for leakage.

2. bulk - just plain stuff in my gut, it made me feel full. when I was bloated before my cycle started, I'd actually feel the pressure all the way up on my diaphragm and liver.

3. bulge - a 16 week uterus! I looked pregnant for at least two years and towards the last few months, I could feel them during intercourse.

4. bleeding - I didn't realize that my flooding at the beginning of my cycle wasn't normal until recently, I just thought that was the hand I was dealt by genetics

I know the bladder problems are resolved and it's only been a week! My tummy is flatter than it's been in five years (and I weigh about five pounds more than I did back then!). And I know I won't be anemic anymore!

i had the bladder and bowel problems. both seem to be gone without the giant mass of fibroids. i had a lot pain when driving on windy roads, that is much better, too. i had 2-3 week periods, controlled for 10 years with bc pills. i had back pain and migraines and bloating and cramping, too. i haven't had a headache since surgery, but not due for PMS yet (verdict is out on that for a couple of cycles). but it is truly wonderful to sleep all night without being awakened by a bladder that thinks it is full! I had a uterus that was the size of an 18 week pregnancy. We thought it was one large and a few small fibroids, but the big one turned out to be a huge chain of smaller ones. Doc thought they may weigh 10-12 lbs. and were filling my whole pelvis up to my belly button. I will find out hopefully from the path report how big it all was. We called it the ALIEN! i was really glad to get rid of that. good luck to you. dee

Hi

I had a hysterectomy four years ago after being diagnosed with fibroids. I had many of your symptoms, even having to sit on a plastic bin liner at work as the bleeding was so heavy and non stop. Also, no bladder control, and a feeling of tiredness constantly. I can say now, that the op really fixed these things, so it is well worth it. It takes a while to get back into physical activities, but it really helps, you will feel like a new woman (I did)

Just the savings of not having to buy so many sanitary products ( I ended up using incontinence pads) is wonderful. Bladder is much better as sugrgeon did a slight repair.

So, you go girl - will really help!!

Regards Karen

I had problems #2-5 that you listed, plus I felt "blobby" instead of energetic. The right side of my abdomen "pooched" out due to the fibroids and jeans began to feel uncomfortable. I had a Burch procedure for the bladder at the same time as the hysterectomy. All of my problems pre-hyster are GONE! Hope it goes well for you.

I never was plagued with the horrible menstrual bleeding, but did always feel bloated and gassy. I had the stress incontinence, too. I....believe it, or not...... NEVER attributed any of it to fibroids. Thought this was all a normal part of aging. I am a nurse, for God's sake! Denial, I discovered, is a very strong emotion....LOL! Was diagnosed with, "The biggest fibroid tumors I've ever felt", while my doc was just doing the usual pushing around on my abdomen during a pelvic exam. Of course, it had been a while between exams.........At any rate, I have to remind myself to pee, now! Don't even have to cross my legs when I sneeze. Pooping is a breeze, too....didn't realize I was having problems there until after the pressure from the fibroids was removed. Even though I have a bad case of the swellicus bellicus, it is still more comfortable than the fibroids were. I did not need bladder repair....my doc and I gambled on that one...and won. The only thing wrong with my bladder was all the pressure on it, which is now gone. Sent a card to my doc last week with the check for his bill.....I made a list of all the ways the surgery has improved my life

OMG, I have had all these symptoms for so long that I had gotten used to it. Back aches, hip aches, terrible cramping, 10 day periods, constipation, very active bladder,(was running in yard playing with nieces and actually thought I emptied my bladder). I neglected the symtoms as I have been preoccupied with my son. He was in a serious car accident in which he suffered a broken neck and many other injuries. Should have taken some time for myself. So couple weeks ago, flopped on bed on my stomach (which I never do) and it felt like it was laying on a grapefruit of something. Went to doctors and have fibroid the size of a cantalope. Am having sonagram tues, biopsy thurs. and surgery as soon as he can schedule. I have lost 35 lbs. in last year and 1/2 and am so nervous about gaining it back after working so hard. I finally feel good about myself. Now this.... Am hoping though to feel like a new women with more energy afterwards. Good luck to all of you

WOW- this was a great thread for me to come upon.
I have so many of these symptoms.
I went to my gyn today and she said one of the things she was going to check for was fibroids. Now I know why!