Uterine fibroids...

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  • lesdarts180
    lesdarts180 Posts: 2,729 Member
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    Hi, I found this thread a few days ago and I'm interested to know how people got on after a hysterectomy. I'm having mine in January.
    My story is a bit different to most of the above. I'm 69 years old and only found out about my fibroids a couple of months ago although I've had them at least 10 years and probably more than 20 years. About 18 months ago I developed a prolapse that impacted on my activities quite seriously. My GP wanted to pursue "non - invasive" solutions first so I was referred first to a physiotherapist - who just gave me slightly different pelvic floor exercises to do, which were useless. Then the GP decided to try a pessary to support the prolapse. That was slightly more successful but I really wanted a hysterectomy. Eventually, about 12 months since first seeing a doctor, I was discussing the possibility of surgery when I mentioned a very small blood spot. That galvanised her into action and I was referred to a gynae-oncology clinic, where I had ultrasound, MRI, CT etc. That's when the consultant told me about the massive fibroids. Co-incidentally, I had an MRI scan 10 years ago at the same hospital (for arthritis in the hips) and the oncology consultant was able to compare the two scans which showed the fibroids were there 10 years ago. He also said that they very rarely grow after the menopause so I've probably had them at least 20 years.
    They caused no problems until a couple of years ago when they probably helped to cause the prolapse.
    I've also got a large cyst on one of my ovaries so the whole lot is coming out in January. By the way there was no evidence of cancer and given that the uterus has been in this state for at least 10 years without much change I'm not worried about cancer.

    Sorry about the long story, what I really want to know is how long did it take you to recover from a hysterectomy?

    Perhaps I should start a new thread?
  • lesdarts180
    lesdarts180 Posts: 2,729 Member
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    @BarbaraHelen2013 and @BrownSugar174 , thankyou for your responses. I'm looking forward to improved quality of life, including improved bladder function and being able to be more active walking and other exercise.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
    edited December 2019
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    tracybear86 wrote: »
    I have not been diagnosed with fibroids but I did have an endometrial biopsy this year due to some other issues. If you decide to do this, take some pain reliever before you go and have someone go with you to drive you home. Pain is different for everyone but I think I have a pretty good pain tolerance (played competitive softball with a partially torn rotator cuff for 6 months). This procedure was incredibly painful for me. It felt like someone was dragging a knife around inside my uterus. And she had to do it 3 times. By the third time I was on the edge of passing out (cold, sweating, white as a sheet, tunnel vision). They had to get me some juice and let me lay down for a bit before I could sit up. Then I had to sit in the waiting room for a while because I had to drive myself home. Don't make plans after either because you will probably have some wicked cramps. It can be a useful diagnostic if your OB/GYN thinks there is something going on but be prepared that it may be painful. I would do it again if ever necessary but I would take some pain killer before and take someone to drive me home.

    Thank you so much for this. I’ve been following this thread because I just had an US looking for fibroids. They didn’t find any, but found instead Adenomyosis and an enlarged and thickened uterus. So biopsy is scheduled for 1/6. Because of your post, I know to be prepared with pain killer before the procedure as well as hot packs and to have my husband drive.

    I hope everything ended up ok for you after the biopsy.

    Oh, in addition I got a follow up on my mammogram as well. Ah, the joys of aging. 🙄
  • DanyellMcGinnis
    DanyellMcGinnis Posts: 315 Member
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    Diagnosed with fibroids at age 39, one was 15-16 cm, the other was small, opted for a hysterectomy about a week after I turned 40. (I had no specific symptoms at all, this was discovered on my first routine physical in years. In retrospect, some of my acid reflux, constipation, inability to empty bladder completely, etc. may have been caused by this mass in my abdomen.)

    Still have ovaries (am only 42 now) but cervix, fallopian tubes, and uterus are gone. I have had no issues whatsoever but I was quite fit at the time of my surgery. I did gain back about 15 pounds of the weight I had lost after joining this site from wanting to eat like before without being able to do much exercise.

    Looking back on my diary, I started treadmill walking 3 weeks out (slow pace), chair yoga (kundalini sets for upper body only) about 6 weeks out, light weights about 7 weeks out (we're talking 2-5 pounds), kickboxing for short periods of time about 2 months later, kettlebells (probably just 10 pounds) maybe 10 weeks later, and modified Focus T25 about 3 months later. I always took it much slower than I thought I was ready for and that served me well.

    I was told by the gynecologist that fibroids are not typically biopsied because the tissue in them varies so much by location, and also because only 1 in 400 are cancerous. (They did send mine to histology at the hospital before they sewed me up.) Unless, of course, some other issue is suspected.

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