Fibroid question

I'm sorry to bother everybody with another post. But I have a question about fibroids.

I've read all the literature, but my problem has always been that I don't recognize symptoms--physical or emotional--in myself whenever I read health information, so although I can read about it, it's hard to really get it to sink in.

I've read a few posts here about how fibroids made people feel tired. I'm a pretty active person. But not as much as a year ago.

I don't know if I've slowed down because the fibroids are making me tired, or if I'm tired because I've slowed down and am not in as good shape anymore. Why do fibroids make you tired? Is it from anemia, or are there other reasons?

I don't have anemia, but all this exercise just feels like too much work and I'd rather just go take a nap. Also, I sleep a lot more, too.

Are the fibroids making me lazy? Or is it just me?

Soini,

Boy...I asked myself those questions over and over. I honestly did NOT know I had two large fibroids before my annual exam last fall. I had experienced more tiredness, I noticed.

And, I go to the gym regularly and I was losing interest in doing my favorite stomach crunches, due to some pressure. I didn't actually give it a second thought. My bladder incontinence felt worse and I actually just thought it was from getting older.

I did not have very heavy periods either. I noticed they were healthy - running 5 days - and I thought that was great for a 46 yr. old. I was not anemic either.

So...I felt like an IDIOT when my Dr. said I had two large fibroids. I eat right, exercise, keep my weignt normal, do not drink, no smoking, etc. So...my first reaction was what happened??

In talking to my Dr., fibroids can run in the family history. My mom and sisters had them. But, they did not have hysts!! I was producing more estrogen and that was feeding my fibroids.

So after the initial shock, I just started looking at my health. How were the fibroids affecting my lifestyle?? I started to have pelvic pressure all the time, I had to run to the restroom on the hour for a trickle and my energy level made me feel 90 years old.

For me, a hyst was a good decision. No more fibroid pressure, no more b.c, and no more periods. I was past childbearing years so the "use" of my uterus was postdated.

I can just suggest asking yourself the same question. How is your health and lifestyle living with fibroids?? Do you think it will get better or worse??

And check out ALL alternative methods and hyst types. The more info. I gathered the better I felt about my direction.

Best wishes.

Mary

That's the thing I keep reading here. That you should think about how this will improve the quality of your life.

Well, I didn't realize the quality of my life was being affected by fibroids until recently. I had no obvious health problems. Just heavy, clotty periods that were suddenly painful, feeling "fat", feeling like exercise is just too much work, sleeping 10 hours or so if I can get it, the BM problems.

I'm definitely going to ask for the hysterectomy. I want a solution that will stay solved. I had no idea it was such a major surgery. I just hope they will let me set up my laptop at home so I can continue to do my job after I start feeling better. 6 weeks is a long time without work.

I have been tired too, esp. the week B4 my period. Basicly, I really only have a week and a half where I feel pretty good.

This all started when I began having strange pains in my hip joints. I have a lot of pain anyway (due to back surgery) so I chalked it up to that. I found all this stuff out during routine office visit.

Maria

Well, let's see it's 3:30am, I've been exhausted all day and now the pain from my period is SO BAD that even after my usual two Aleve, I'm up and walking around trying to find some relief. I take a nap every day. I'm anemic usually after my period and then build up again, but like someone else on this thread already said, I've got a good week and a half before the whole thing starts all over again.

I haven't exercised in over a year--it makes me so exhausted. I'd have to rid my calendar of everything else to be able to do that--

I'm definitely going to have a LAVH now--I just want to be done with this.

So you are not alone in the tired dept!

B

Right ovary removed--enlarged and multi-septated, D&C, hysteroscopy to remove fibroid Jan 2004, fibroid grew back, noted Sept 2004, suspected adeno also.

Soini:

Thank you for this post. I have had a similar experience. I have been increasingly tired for two years. I have had fibroids for years (since my 20s -- I'm 38 now), and never, NEVER was told or thought my tiredness had anything to do with the fibroids. I was convinced I had thyroid problems. I even went to an endocrinologist. My thyroid always tested normal. It wasn't until I came here that I saw that fibroids were making people tired. I got copies of my medical records looked at some blood work from 2003 vs. my blood work from 2004. I noticed my hematocrit and (can't remember the other measure or oxygen in the blood) had both gone down considerably. They were still officially "normal," but right on the edge, and they had gone down very noticeably.

I am now convinced that the answer to your questions is YES, fibroids can make you tired. In my case, mine doubled in size in 1-1/2 years. Think about the energy your body is putting into growing these things.

But don't wait for the medical establishment to tell you your fibroids are making you tired. Unless you're officially "anemic," I doubt you'll hear that.