Fibroids are abnormal growths of the uterine muscle that are generally benign. They are usually discovered during a routine pelvic exam.

Non-symptomatic fibroids may require no treatment or surgery. Rather, the doctor may require frequent check-ups (usually every 6 months) to monitor.

If symptoms are present, fibroids are usually associated with pressure, irregular uterine bleeding, abdominal enlargment or pain.

For most women with symptomatic fibroids the decision to treat the uterine fibroids is based on issues of quality of life.

Depending on the size and placement of the fibroids, treatment may involve surgery or hormone therapy or both.

Treatment Options for Fibroids

Myomectomy - Fibroids surgically removed, uterus wall carefully repaired.

-Abdominal incision
-Laparoscopic surgery - Endoscope is passed through small abdominal incisions.
-Hysteroscopy - A tiny lighted telescope passed through the cervix into the uterus. No external incisions are needed.

Hormone treatment for temporary shrinkage of fibroids (example: Lupron)

Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE or UFE) - Procedure in which arteries are blocked, cutting off blood supply to the uterus.

Myolisis - Laparoscopic procedure, laser, or electric current is applied to fibroid to coagulate the tumor and its blood supply. Coagulation causes the fibroid to shrink and not return. Similar procedure: cryomyolysis freezes the fibroid.

Hysterectomy - Removal of uterus.

Each day brings news of new treatments for Fibroids which are not addressed here. Explore your treatment options thoroughly.

Endometriosis is a condition in which endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus, usually in the pelvic cavity. It is not a malignant or premalignant condition.

Symptoms of endometriosis are characterized by pain: pain with menstruation, pain with sexual intercourse and increasingly severe pelvic pain.

The intensity of suffering caused by endometriosis varies from woman to woman. For most women, a hysterectomy is not necessary to treat endometriosis and its milder symptoms.

Treatment Options for Endometriosis

Continuous low-dosage combined oral contraceptives

Progesterone or Progestins

Lupron

Danazol - a weak compound with androgenic effects

Laparoscopy - to remove endometriosis from pelvic cavity.

Hysterectomy - removal of uterus and ovaries is used as a last resort for treatment.

Please note: None of the above treatment options are guaranteed to be a cure for endometriosis including hysterectomy.

Each day brings news of new treatments for endometriosis which are not addressed here. Explore your treatment options thoroughly.

Muscular weaknesses in the pelvic area can result in protrusion or herniation of the uterus, vagina, bladder and/or rectum. Childbirth and aging can lead to a weakening of these muscles that provide pelvic support.

Rectocele - fallen rectum

Cystocele - fallen bladder

Enterocele - fallen small intestine

Uterine Prolapse - fallen uterus

Vaginal Prolapse - fallen uppermost portion of the vagina

Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Prolapses

Hormone therapy (post menopausal women)

Pessary (A device inserted into the vagina to support the prolapse(s) & make the patient more comfortable. There are various sizes, types, and shapes of pessaries, each tailored to fit the individual woman.)

Surgical Treatment Options for Prolapses

Anterior colporrhaphy - surgical correction of cystocele

Retropubic urethropexy - elevation of the angle between the urethra and bladder

Sling procedure to provide support for the urethra to increase the resistance to urinary flow

Posterior colporrhaphy or perineorrhaphy - correction of rectocele

Sacrospinous ligament colpopexy - correction of vaginal wall prolapse

Re-suspend uterus to preserve fertility

Enterocele repair - reinforcement of the vaginal supporting structures to prevent herniation of the small intestine.

Hysterectomy

Prolapse repairs may be done with or without a hysterectomy.

Abnormal or dysfunctional bleeding occurs for hormonal reasons, because of polyps, endometrial hyperplasia, and for other conditions including fibroids, adenomyosis, pelvic infection and uterine or cervical cancers.

Bleeding can be an inconvenience or interrupt your daily activities and may be associated with pelvic pain and uterine cramping.

Non-Surgical Treatment Options

Hormones to regulate ovulation and menstruating for hormone related bleeding

Progestin containing IUD (Intrauterine device) for endometrial hyperplasia.

Surgical Treatments

Endometrial Ablation - Removal of the endometrial lining/tissue

Hysteroscopy - for removal of polyps in uterus and/or cervix

Hysterectomy - removal of uterus

A hysterectomy is used to treat abnormal uterine bleeding only when other approaches have failed.

Each day brings news of new treatments for excessive bleeding which are not addressed here. Explore your treatment options thoroughly.

Chronic pelvic pain is a symptom, not a disease, and is a very common symptom. Approximately 10 percent of all women visiting their doctor complain of pelvic pain. This pain may be caused by a variety of conditions including pelvic infection, endometriosis, adenomyosis and pelvic adhesions (from a previous surgery). Other conditions that may cause pelvic pain but are unrelated to gynecology may be irritable bowel syndrome and interstitial cystitis (Discussed below).

A diagnostic laparoscopy provides insight into the cause of the pelvic pain with the most common findings endometriosis and adhesions as the problem.

Pelvic Infection/Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is an infection of the pelvic area and is difficult to diagnose but is usually cured with antibiotics.

Pelvic Adhesions can usually be treated with laparoscopy.

Non-Gynecological Causes of Chronic Pelvic Pain

addiction or substance abuse problem

anxiety

arthritis

chronic appendicitis

chronic interstitial cystitis (chronic bladder infection)

depression

lumbar disk disease

diverticulitis (intestinal inflammation)

fibromyalgia

hernia

inflammatory bowel disease

irritable bowel syndrome

physical or sexual abuse

scoliosis and posture related problems

Interstitial cystitis is a chronic, and often severe, inflammation of the bladder wall, the cause of which is unknown. Primary symptoms are urinary frequency, urgency, and, for some, severe lower abdominal or perineal pain. However, IC patients rarely test positive for infection in standard urinalysis and urine cultures.

In some cases, women wiith pelvic pain that is unexplained, a doctor may recommend a hysterectomy assuming her pain is gynecological when in fact her pain may be from undiagnosed Interstitial Cystitis.

Unexplained pelvic pain should be explored to determine the cause before a hysterectomy is scheduled.

Cancer is the most compelling reason for a woman to have a hysterectomy. A hysterectomy is usually performed to treat gynecological cancers: uterine cancer, cervical cancer and ovarian cancer.

Cervical Cancer is easily detected in early stages from a pap smear.

While hysterectomy is the usual treatment for all gynecological cancers, with cervical cancer, there are other treatment options including cryosurgery, LEEP, cervical conization and carbon dioxide laser. These options depend on your particular cervical cancer's progress/stage.

Beyond the hysterectomy as a treatment for gynecological cancer, chemotherapy and/or radiation may also be necessary.

Posted by 11queen

Thanks to all that suggested a second opinion. I did and Im very happy with that decision. After, more ultrasounds and sonograms, and bloods tests. My bleeding has stopped and everything seems to be "normal" for now. Both doctors had left surgery an open door, but feel its not totally necessary at this point.

I'm sure surgery will probably be in the future, but I'm glad
i did not jump into anything so quickly. If things change I know I will be back to this website.

Love to all ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by sheepladyinWA

I had a hysteroscopy, D&C, endometrial biopsy thing done a week ago yesterday and afterward, my doc said if she found anything she'd call before our follow-up appt on Nov 30th. Well, her staff called yesterday and left me a message to call them today, which I did. I have endometrial hyperplasia, the polyp she removed was fairly large and had pre-cancerous/pre-malignant cells in it, and that she recommends we do the hysterectomy as soon as we can. She also saw evidence that my endometriosis is back so in her mind, that makes the hyst that much ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by lise38

Why are the biopsies of the uterus done in the doctors office without any pain medication I'm still spoting from mine too. ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by poeticashes

I am waiting to schedule a hysterectomy after a 16 year battle with endo. Now have adno too. But so afraid of how this will affect my sex life. any hints? Thanks Ashley ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by colheights

Why would I choose abdominal partial hysterectomy over the laproscopic procedure which seems so much easier to recover from? I have a large fibroid, and am keeping my cervix and ovaries.

Thanks. ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by nanou-ct

Please give feedback. I am 38 y.o and was treated with Lupron for the past 6 mos. to see if I am a candidate for a hysterectomy. I felt greeaat except that I suddenly started getting migraines and nausea. I wast started on the estrogen patch and eventually the higher dose alleviated my migraines but the nausea was intense and I wasn't eating. My doctor told me to stop everything! and that I'm not a candidate for a hyster. ooferectomy b/c of how I responded. It's been 2 weeks off of everyting and I am miserable with all my PMS symptoms and p ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by Idnim

I am going on Thursday for a biopsy of uterus. That will decide what level of hysterectomy I need and how soon it will be done. I've had 3 c-sections and recovered well. After reading posts I am worried this will be worse... ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by colheights

I am waiting to hear back form my OBGYN, who is consulting with another doc who the lap hysterectomy. I am 44, have a 5 year old son, and a big ol fibroid that has to come out. It is 11.5 centimeters, is giving me extremely heavy periods that are disabling.....urinary incontinence, and a heavy feeling in my stomach. Chances are 50/50. So we will see. They are going to call me tomorrow. I really don't want to have the abdominal procedure, cause I do have to take care of my little guy, and my husband cant take so much time off.

Any similar st ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by kellykel

Last year I had the novasure, D & C & hysteroscopy. The doctor was not very optomistic afterwards since the uterus would no distend during the procedure. We decided to wait it out a few cycles to see how things were. Well, I waited just shy of one year due to some family issues. I suffered the entire year. I showed my doctor a calendar I kept this year and he saw that I'm bleeding more than not. BC pills did not help either. I'm going back in two weeks with my husband to discuss a hysterectomy. Because of my family history, we will be d ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by rayden01

Hello All

I'm new and a friend thought maybe someone can help me with answers? 3 years ago I was 31 at the time I had serve bleeding I bled for 6 months straight and I have been to hospitals and doctors and they just told me it was abnormal bleeding and my dr. suggested Depro Prevera, It worked great for 3 years I got off it because it was eating my bone density so I got off it in July 2009 and I started bleeding October 1st and haven't' stopped it would be light and then very heavy where I was going through a pad every hour. My dr. put me o ..... [Read more of this discussion]



Browse the Alternatives and Options Forum - [Click Here]

Posted by cella63

hello hystersisters, I was oringally schedlued for a tah on nov. 4th of 09. Went to a get a 2nd opinion and was advised i could have laparscopy surgery and have both 0veries removed.. so on Oct 22 i went to out patient, had the surgery and back in motel room by 4:00p.m. I had tumors of both overies which all turned out to be begine..thank God. I'm doing so well. I suggest everybody to explore the possability of Da Vinci robotec surgery or laparscopy surgery. Just google and go from there. IN my case and my thoughts the older a Dr. i ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by crunches1

No need for surgery!

Thanks to everyone who supported me in this forum. I was told I needed a complete hysterectomy because I had a miscarriage almost two months ago, but otherwise only had anemia and extremely light periods. No other adverse conditions related to my 2cm--I think that's the size--fibroid except that I was initially told it could be putting pressure on urinary bladder. I chickened out of the surgery which was scheduled for Oct 10, 2009. It just didn't 'feel right'.

Went in to the second opinion gyno. Had pelv ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by JMO12

I am 58yrs old and have have had terrible pelvic pain for 10 months. Had to stop working 5 months ago. CT scans did not "diagnose" the problem. Long story short, my urologist has been trying different combinations of drugs for the past 5 months including antidepressants and narcotics. He thinks it is nerve dammage. It sounds like ( all the symptoms) pelvic congestion to me. Either way I have spent the better part of every day in bed. Tired of all the different drugs, I decided to try acupuncture. I really didn't think it would help but I ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by SW Florida

When I first considered a hysterectomy after years of my gyn telling me the only way to get rid of the heavy periods would be to have a hysterectomy, I came here to this site.

However, because of Hystersisters, I became educated about my alternatives, and watched surgeries of various options.

I decided I was not going to have Laproscopic vaginal assist, but rather, supracervical laproscopic hys.

I went to my second opinion doctor. I am so grateful I found her.

She was really intrigued I knew what I knew, and said at once, "wai ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by xenablue

[size=2][color=DarkOrchid][font=Comic Sans MS]A couple of weeks ago, I posted here looking for any information on prolapsed fibroid removal from women who've gone through this. It seems this is quite a rare occurrence according to all I've spoken with, including my OBGYN.
Well, hopefully my experience will help someone else.
Today I had surgery for a prolapsing fibroid, which was diagnosed in early November, 2008, during a routine physical with my OBGYN.
I had been bleeding for over a month at the time - nothing serious and on and off, an ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by gochay

A year ago a GYN told me I had to have a hysterectomy as the best treatment for complex atypical hyperplasia. She told me that it turns to cancer in 25% of cases and that since I was past child-bearing, I didn't "need" my uterus, ovaries, or cervix any longer.

I disagreed, pointing out that 75% of cases resolve themselves with menopause. She became very defensive sent me away--refused to speak to me about hormone treatment options at all. She referred me to a gyn oncologist who basically said the same thing--that hysterectomy was the "stand ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by toffeenut

abdominal surgery 9/8. dr.s couldn't find the grapefruit sized tumors. so they didn't take anything out, looked all around. they just disappeared. I truly believe God healed me. I'm small but they put 7" horizontal incision. In post-op I stopped breathing and they had to bag me. God was watching over me there too! I gained 9lbs of abdominal edema in 2 days. pain was/is an issue. I am bruised all over my abdomen and it's draining blood now. my eyesight is terrible now,I hope that gets better. ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by faithingod

I just wanted to share this..

I was diagnosed with simple Atypical hyperplasia -- which means that they found pre-cancerous cells in my uterus. This started out with me having fibroids that were bleeding horribly and consistently where I was very anemic and even advised to have a transfusion at one time.

Anyway, I was scheduled to have a hysterectomy on Monday, August 25, 2008, but I prayed and prayed because I just didn't feel that cancer was what God had in store for me. It didn't feel right.. but I was soooo very afraid! The docto ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by ChanceHope

As I mark this time as my 5 year survival..
Every now & then, someone will still ask me how I am and ask some questions regarding my treatment using progestins vs surgery. I'm happy to say that I'm still alive and seem fine. : )
For those of you who are just beginning to consider using progestin treatment vs surgery and haven't done a lot of reading, I'd like you to read my website before reading this info. My profile has a link to my website for a better overview.

There's been a few recurrent notions that I'd like to comment upon and so ..... [Read more of this discussion]


Posted by Zone_V

In May 2007, I was hospitalized for 5 days for Acute PID. While IV antibiotics cleared the infection, I was left with massive adhesions in my pelvic region. My ovaries were completely encased in adhesions and there were adhesions attached to my bowel and uterus. I was at risk for future infection because the adhesions contained pockets of infectious material. In addition to the adhesions, there was a dermoid teratoma on my right ovary.

After I healed from the infection, I began to research my surgical options. Doctors in my area recom ..... [Read more of this discussion]



Browse the Alternatives and Options Forum - [Click Here]

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding - Hysterectomy the Answer?

Could your pelvic pain be the result of interstitial cystitis?

Endometriosis - Can endo return after a hysterectomy?

Endometriosis - Hysterectomy the Answer?

Fibroids - Hysterectomy the Answer?

Hysterectomy Recommended to You?

Hysterectomy to Treat Cancer?

PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome/Disorder

Pelvic Pain, Adhesions and Infections - Hysterectomy the Answer?

Undiagnosed Pelvic Pain? Endometriosis? Hysterectomy a Cure?

Unexplained Pelvic Pain? Interstitial Cystitis? Hysterectomy?

Uterine Prolapse and Related Issues - Hysterectomy the Answer?

Browse all Hysterectomy Alternative Articles

Hysterectomy Alternatives - Fibroids

Hysterectomy Alternatives - Prolapse

Hysterectomy Alternatives/Options Resources

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Robot-Assisted Myomectomy to Remove Fibroids

Abdominal Myomectomy to Remove Uterine Fibroids

Uterine Fibroid Embolization

If you are in menopause or will be menopausal within the next 5 years many in the medical community encourage the use of hysterectomy for handling fibroids or excessive bleeding with the notion that "you are finished with your uterus anyway!"

Likewise if your uterus needs to be removed but your ovaries are seemingly healthy, many surgeons suggest removing them because "you are about to go through menopause anyway."

Ovaries provide helpful functions even after we have been through menopause.

No matter your age, HysterSisters believes it is in the best interest of the patient to explore options and alternatives first and to keep healthy organs even if you are menopausal.

Many women are concerned how a hysterectomy will affect their sex lives. Few women feel comfortable talking to their physicians about these matters. HysterSisters encourages you to become informed.

Uncomfortable or not, talk to your doctor about your concerns. Read books and scout reliable websites. Women who explore and research prior to their hysterectomy tend to have a more satisfying outcome.

Many women report being happier with their sexual lives after their hysterectomy.

Other women report some form of sexual dysfunction.

A woman's sexual health is complicated and dependent on emotional health, physical health and physiological response.

While it is impossible to predict anyone's personal outcome, HysterSisters encourages women to research, explore, examine this subject prior to scheduling surgery.

Beginning a fitness plan, even now, can have long-reaching affects on your health. You can look and feel better, reduce your stress, and increase your energy with regular exercise.

By simply increasing your level of activity, you can begin to burn more calories which is essential if you are overweight. (Remember, it's all about math: Burn more calories than you eat!)

Stop smoking today.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have collated decades of research and reported that regular physical activity:

Helps control weight

Reduces the risk of cholesterol

Improves endurance, strength and flexibility

Improves joint range of motion in people with arthritis

Aids sleep

Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety

Reduces the risk of developing many diseases, including:

Heart disease

High blood pressure

Diabetes

Osteoporosis

Colon cancer

It's quite simple. Your future health depends on your health today.

Whether a hysterectomy is in your immediate future or some other health option, your recovery and regained health will be easier if your body is more fit.

Some women have even reported their health so improved after shedding excess weight, stopping cigarette habits, and adding exercise to their schedule that their gynecological health improved too.

Begin today and stick with it!

Take a deep breath.

Inhale. Exhale.

While this decision can be overwhelming, be encouraged!

Life is full of uncertainties but with loads of knowledge, a great physician whom you trust and the love of family and friends, you can forge onward.

Once you've explored all your options, tried every treatment, learned all you can, you will be better prepared to make that decision with hope.

And no matter your decision, the HysterSisters wishes you better health and blessings galore.