large fibroids/no pain

I am wondering if anyone has had a similiar experience--I went to my annual 3yr check up (ok I was always regular before that) and found out I had 4 (at least) very large (1-2 oranges and 2-3 golf balls) fibroids. No symptoms, except, now that I stop to think about it, perhaps a bit of pain w sex and a bit of a puffy stomac and some loose bowls, and I have to pee a lot, but not much comes out. I also have fairly extensive endrom- but again, no symptoms. Also no children--I'm 46. I went to 3 Drs thinking one would advise no hyster--but to no avail--Of course all say its my decision. I'm sched for 11-29. All said my uterus is apx 4.5 mo pj. which makes me want it out. I feel ok about this but a bit weird bc no symptoms (I guess I mean pain and bleeding). Anyone w this same problem? Any chance I'll feel better when I don't really feel bad now- I'm kind of scared I'm opening up a "can of worms" w the surgery. Any help would be appreciated. Tx

Hi,

I was in the same boat as you 7 weeks ago! I had a very large fibroid (11.5 cm), but had no pain at all. I did have heavy periods and was anemic. Also, I had to urinate frequently and didn't move my bowels regularly. I was used to living with those symptoms, however, because they came on so gradually. My doctor finally convinced me that I would feel so much better if I had a hysterectomy as it would improve the quality of my life. And you know what? He was RIGHT!! I had a TAH (kept ovaries...I'm 36) on 9/17 and I knew on post-op day 1 that I had done the right thing! I felt this energy return to my body that I hadn't felt in a long time. My bowel and bladder function improved greatly and I don't have that "full" feeling in my abdomen any more! My uterus weighed 600 g., which is 10 times normal! So although I didn't have any one obvious symptom like pain, I am so glad I had it done as I feel better than I have in years! So I know exactly what you mean! Good luck to you. For me, it was definitely worth it!

That's a dilemma. No symptoms...and it's your choice? What would make you choose surgery?

Is there a reason that you feel the surgery is needed? It's great that you've gotten three opinions...but it's strange that they are putting this on you.

Perhaps you might want to do some reading and posting on our forum Hysterectomy Options and Alternatives before your surgery. For most of us, the choice was either a life-enhancing one, ie, end of horrible symptoms; or a non-choice, ie cancer. If you are not suffering and there is no harm happening, why would you choose the surgery? And why now? Seriously, I think if I were you, I'd really think this through. Major surgery with a major recovery, for no real reason?

Maybe you need a few more opinions?

GOOD LUCK!!

Karen

Deborah, I have go admit I am with you on this one, I have been diagnosed with suspected Adnomyosis (its hard to tell until its out and you get the path report) but I have agonizing hip and back pain that is very commonly associated with this disease. They usually find a few other things too once the surgery is over. I expect a multitude of sins. You have no symptoms but yet...you listed some. I too have some bu t they dont disrupt my life. I am 48 and menopausal with no children by choice. I am having my surgery specifically for the hip and back pain. Yes I realize this may be musclo-skeletal, but I am following my "gut ' reaction on this and know it has been following a sor t of hormonal cycle. LOrd knows the docs never helped on that one.
Mysurgery is Tues, any questions this is the place to learn.

You can always choose to do nothing for now, and if you do start having more problems (or the current ones start to annoy you), you can always do something about it then.

I had more dramatic (pain and bleeding) problems with my fiboids. Also digestive troubles, back pain and leg pain during my periods. I also caught every little bug that came along - the "little cold that's going around" would flatten me for weeks. I think that was from being run down due to the bleeding, but maybe my body "fighting" the fibroids also was a factor. I haven't caught a thing since my hyst, almost a year now...

Maybe it would help you to ask your doctor(s) "What's the worst thing that could happen if I just go on the way I am?" If they say "Well, you might start having cramps someday." that's something you can deal with. If there could be more insidious problems - things you wouldn't know about until they were serious, then you might want to get them out now. Fibroids are almost never cancerous, so don't let any of the scary-sounding names for them scare you into surgery (leiomyoma, tumor, etc.).

Good luck making a decision, and do take your time - there's no reason to rush into anything.

As you can see by my signature line, I've had an ongoing battle with fibroids. Of the 4 surgeries I have had (I don't list one in the sign off), I had bad symptoms leading up to the first one and the second one. Meaning I was quite anemic... walking around with a quarter tank as my DR liked to say. I was 34 when these cropped up and each time the DR has recommended a myomectomy rather than a hysterectomy. During the 4th surgery he almost had to do a complete removal because I had a "big nasty looking tumor" on both sides of the uterine wall. I hear having two myomectomies is not uncommon, but after that... well the hospital staff affectionally refers to me as their fibroid poster child. Since my fibroids grew back quickly and large this time (approx 8.5 cm n growing) I said enough is enough and have chosen the TAH, though my DR is willing to do either because of my age. (25 ... um plus 14)

I guess my point to all this is that you always have a choice. I'd weigh the size of the fibroids compared to the years before you anticipate entering natural menopause. I will also say that more severe symptoms can appear overnight. I have been surprised to learn I have fibroids again each time I have been told.

Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions I may be able to answer.

BobbySue

Hi Deborah,

I had my last internal exam, and pap test along with my regular check up by my family doctor 4/01. Was told everything was fine as usual. I started having irregular periods in July and was told by same family doctor to see a gynecologist since I was having problems. Now mind you, no problems before, no pain, nothing and I am 48 years old, no children. Sent before seeing gyn for a sonogram and upon first appointment with gynecologist the second sentence out of her mouth was that I needed a hysterectomy. I almost passed out. That the last thing I expected to here. She said my uterus was the size of someone who was 4 months pregnant because of multiple fibroids. I thought it was just middle age spread. She said I was too skinny for middle age spread. I did go for a second opinion by a doctor who was in addition to being a gynecologist was also an oncologist. He stated that same thing--hysterectomy. The second opinion was very, very helpful. I also asked questions regarding ovaries. Ultimately, that decision was up to me. My doctor has told me since then that it is not uncommon for women not to have a problem and have large fibroids in the uterus. Hope this is helpful. I am new to this site so not my experience in answering questions.

Your situation sounds just like mine. I had my TAH on Oct 23, 2001 (see my previous post for description) and only after many moons of soul searching. My main concern was "Why don't I feel worse?" Like you, after thinking about it I know I had pain with intercourse and lower back aches pretty frequently. But these things seem to develop over time and so it is easy for some of us to down-play the problems, or maybe even not realize what we feel is not normal. The final straw was being told the size of my uterus was a 12 week pregnancy. No wonder none of my waistbands fit! I scheduled my surgery in a daze. I felt like I was reserving a table for dinner at a restaurant. But I know that there would never be a time when I was 100% mentally ready, so I just did it.

What really irks me is how so many women I know personally say having a hysterectomy was the best time of their lives, inferring, of course, that the experience would be the same for me. But these women had non-stop periods and daily pain-something that did not happen to me. The choice to have a hysterectomy is an extremely personal and, in many cases, subjective decision. That's what makes this site so terrific...there are all kinds of women with different experiences willing to share knowledge without coming off as "Hysterectomy, Rah Rah Rah".

By the way, these past 13 days have definatley not been the "best time of my life". After the initial relief that it was over, I am now dealing with the recovery part of it and it is going slower than I had hoped. But I do feel it was the best, maybe only, decision I could have made for my circumstances.

I wish you well. Make sure you are comfortable with your doctor and you have a support system in place at home.

Same situation--I couldn't find one person (didn't know about this website at the time) who wasn't happy that they had the hysterectomy. Like you said they all had problems, usually for years, and were happy to have it done and over with.

I don't feel like I am progressing as I should. However, after reading these different posting, I can see that everyone progresses in their own way.

I am not use to being ill. I have worked for 30 years. Up until this surgery I had only missed 2 days work because of illness. That is what makes this so hard no symptons, no pain. Just irregular periods starting in July, plus my last two periods before the surgery where normal--that figures doesn't it.

I guess it time to just get over it though, and move on. It's hard, but it's over and done with.

Deborah, it shows you are online, but I do not know how to get to you. Please email me to see if we can chat.
Tammy