Hysterectomy or UFE for large fibroids

I have decided that I want to do somethng for my large fibroids this Fall.

My doc has given options including UFE or open hysterectomy. He also offered waiting until menopause, and other things. I just recently started taking transaemic (sp?) acid for bleeding and it has been very helpful, but I still have discomfort from bulk, acid reflux, some constipation, and frequent urinaton.

Logically, I shoud try the UFE first, but my fibroids are large.
I have not had them measured (last doc was in Feb) but I can feel them easily when I lie down. At least as big as a fist, probably bigger.

I like my doctor and have had multiple surgeries with him. He is not pushing hysterectomy at all.

I *dread* recovery. I hate being in the hospital. I dread 6 weeks of not feeling wel. But to get it over and done with?

I have read that UFE can be painful, not get great results and I may need a hysterectom anyway, and the thought of two procedures sounds like a waste of time and a pain in the rear.

I need to call and start making consults. I am slightly afraid of surgery this time because of some low red blood cell counts (mosty resolved after iron infusions) and being older and heavier than before.

I am concerned about things like keeping ovaries and cervix (I think I would like to keep both). I think the other risks are not that worrisome, but there are risks.

I am concerned about pain and ineffectiveness of UFE.

Indecision is not helping me, and I do need to make the consults and commit the time to working this out.

Just need to keep taking one step at a time and think this out. Thanks for any support.

I had great results with UFE! My bleeding stopped immediately and this allowed me to rebuild my strength. Bulk was slow to diminish but it did shrinking about 90%. My pain was very well managed and I had little. It was a relatively easy recovery too. Realize no matter what choice you make it will take time for your body to recover from fibroids and whichever procedure you have. My fibroid was 9 cm when I was embolized. Let me know if I can answer any specific questions about the procedure. Get the most experienced IR you can find to ensure it’s done properly.

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Originally Posted by KBecks I have decided that I want to do somethng for my large fibroids this Fall. My doc has given options including UFE or open hysterectomy. He also offered waiting until menopause, and other things. I just recently started taking transaemic (sp?) acid for bleeding and it has been very helpful, but I still have discomfort from bulk, acid reflux, some constipation, and frequent urinaton. Logically, I shoud try the UFE first, but my fibroids are large. I have not had them measured (last doc was in Feb) but I can feel them easily when I lie down. At least as big as a fist, probably bigger. I like my doctor and have had multiple surgeries with him. He is not pushing hysterectomy at all. I *dread* recovery. I hate being in the hospital. I dread 6 weeks of not feeling wel. But to get it over and done with? I have read that UFE can be painful, not get great results and I may need a hysterectom anyway, and the thought of two procedures sounds like a waste of time and a pain in the rear. I need to call and start making consults. I am slightly afraid of surgery this time because of some low red blood cell counts (mosty resolved after iron infusions) and being older and heavier than before. I am concerned about things like keeping ovaries and cervix (I think I would like to keep both). I think the other risks are not that worrisome, but there are risks. I am concerned about pain and ineffectiveness of UFE. Indecision is not helping me, and I do need to make the consults and commit the time to working this out. Just need to keep taking one step at a time and think this out. Thanks for any support.

and greetings from another fellow fibroid sister!
If your doctor is suggesting that you need an abdominal hysterectomy for your fibroids, then in addition to seeing an IR, I suggest seeing an OB/GYN who specializes in treating fibroids, who might be able to offer a less invasive option. If you do opt for surgery, and he doesn't think that laparoscopic surgery is an option, then I suggest asking if Lupron might change that; my largest fibroid was about the size of a jumbo grapefruit, and I was given 2 monthly shots, which shrank everything to the point where I was able to have my surgery done laparoscopically. Lupron works by temporarily shutting down estrogen production, so as an added bonus, it will stop the bleeding, enabling you to rebuild your iron stores to a safe level. Wishing you all the best for whatever you decide!

My doctor gave me a range of options, including waiting it out for menopause (I'm 50 and the average age of menopause is 53). I started transaemic acid for the bleeding and that has been very hepful. Had two or three iron infusions in Feb/Mar that were very helpful, and the struggle right now is the bulk symptoms.

I have consults for next week -- not sure what to do. Part of me wants to move forward and have something done before the holidays this year, and part of me is more cautious and thinks -- maybe wait it out? I don't know.

I guess my question is how do I find an experienced IR doctor? I was referred to the hospital and I think its just -- you get who you get. We have several hospitals in our area and I can research this more -- any tips for how to look at this?

I waited and my fibroid grew 2 cm in one year. Waiting put me one step closer to hysterectomy, a surgery I really didn’t want. I was desperate when I tried UFE and was surprised how much better I felt the next day. Specifically the bleeding. I had headaches, crazy fizzy hair, digestion disruptions and the list continued. The day after UFE my hair was soft and silky again! Fibroids make their own enzyme and after I was embolized that production of toxic fibroid enzyme stopped. My fibroid was very dominant and there was no way in heck it was going to get better without intervention. I markedly improved on many levels after one week. The bulk dissipated about 40% the first year and has shrunk considerably over time. I suggest speaking to an Interventional Radiologist to get a take. Personally I didn’t take any drugs or hormone inhibitors because my hormones were a mess. Adding more made no sense. The fibroid was the problem and I wanted the fibroid addressed. UFE addressed only the fibroid.

I had a consult for UAE/UFE today and it went well. The nurse practitioner said that they typically have good results and can work with most people with fibroids. A MRI would need to happen to know for sure, and they would also want a biopsy beforehand.

I am meeting with my OB/GYN next week to discuss hysterectomy. I am leaning towards the UFE/UAE.

I am wondering if I should make an appointment with another UFE/UAE provider to "shop around" basically see where I am most comfortable.

Since I have spent some deductbile this year, I would hope to do either procedure this year to save some money. The UAE would require 1 day in the hospital. They said the procedure is as costly, maybe more costly as a hysterectomy.

Might be a good idea to speak to another IR, just to see if the requirements are the same. I didn’t need a biopsy or an MRI. And my costs were minimal. Although things may have changed. I had UFE when it was less common.

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Originally Posted by KBecks I had a consult for UAE/UFE today and it went well. The nurse practitioner said that they typically have good results and can work with most people with fibroids. A MRI would need to happen to know for sure, and they would also want a biopsy beforehand. I am meeting with my OB/GYN next week to discuss hysterectomy. I am leaning towards the UFE/UAE. I am wondering if I should make an appointment with another UFE/UAE provider to "shop around" basically see where I am most comfortable. Since I have spent some deductbile this year, I would hope to do either procedure this year to save some money. The UAE would require 1 day in the hospital. They said the procedure is as costly, maybe more costly as a hysterectomy.

I had a UFE four and a half years ago for a bunch of fibroids. I had a tough few days after the procedure (painful cramping). Last year I had a problem with my back and had some x rays and it was found that the fibroids did not shrink and I ended up having a hysterectomy about 7 weeks ago.

I think that the decision is very individual. I know that 4 years ago I was not ready for a hysterectomy but knew I had to do something and I felt really good about the IR I was referred to. I'm glad I went to with the less invasive procedure first and am thankful that I had that option.

After the UAE/UFE consult this week,I will talk with my OBGYN about hysterectomy on Monday. I feel that the UAE was sold to me somewhat -- the nurse practitioner was saying they get great results in almost all cases. However, with my very large fibroids (I can feel them) what I read online tells me that 30% of UAE patients have a hysterectomy later. I have also read that UAE patients may not be satisfied with the reduction (I'm reading 50%, but some are saying 80% - 90%).

At this point I am leaning towards hysterectomy although I have a lot of questions. One procedure vs. two is appealing, although I do not look forward to the recovery. My past surgeries went well but the recovery is slow. That's just what it is.

I am looking foward to talking to my doctor, who I've worked with for a long time, on Monday and hope for a meeting that helps me make a good decision either way.