Women over 40 and fibroids.

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kwardklinck
kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been on this weight loss journey for 5 months. I'm now wearing a size 6 pants. My problem is that I have fibroids the size of a 12 week pregnancy. I look so skinny in my arms, legs, and butt but I have a definite thickening in the middle that no amount of pilates or situps seem to take away. I am hoping that I'll look smaller and better after my hysterectomy in June but I'm worried that I'll still have a stomach. Has anyone been through hysterectomy for fibroids and did it make your stomach shrink?

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  • barbara6
    barbara6 Posts: 14
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    I did. It didn't help shrink my stomach. Have you considered other treatment besides the Hysterectomy? Do a search and discuss it with your doctor. If I had it to do over I would have went with other treatments first. The effects that a H. has on your life are forever. Menopause and hot flashes are immediate along with dryness and pain. Hope that's not too much indo.
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
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    They told me birth control pills would control the bleeding but I read they only make fibroids grow. My doc is leaving my ovaries so I hope that I won't go through menopause yet. I've developed some really bad digestion problems because I have a large one pressing on my colon. I have a lot of pain and heaviness. Sex with my husband is impossible right now. I dealt with the horrible bleeding and pain for a year and now I'm ready to just be done with it all.
  • shoequeen9
    shoequeen9 Posts: 4
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    I went through the same experience at age 43. I had reached my goal weight but had one large fibroid the size of a 20 week pregnancy. My stomach did definitely shrink after my hysterectomy, but realize that when your uterus is removed, there tends to be a slight shift of other internal organs - they want to fill the empty space. You will need to keep exercising your abs to strengthen the muscles. Also, your weight maintenance plan may change slightly due to a hormonal shift. It really depends on whether your ovaries will remain intact. It turned out that mine were also full of tumors and had to be removed, which put me into instant menopause in my early forties, and made keeping my weight off much more difficult. Hence, I am here on FitnessPal working off all of the weight I gained back and I am finally getting back on track. Good luck with your surgery; I hope things go well for you!
  • Rebecca__Lynn
    Rebecca__Lynn Posts: 114
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    Been there done that one!!!! Get the whole hysterectomy....my ob gyn talked me into leaving the ovaries...only to find myself back in in a year having those removed. It's very hard to detect ovarian cancer anyway...and cancer of the female organs is so prevalent....I was like "good ridance!!" Good Luck....
  • tralalara
    tralalara Posts: 149
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    ditto to what everyone else has said. I only had one ovary left and had ovarian cancer in family (sister) so I had them take everything. If you can leave the ovaries I'd do it. I didn't want any chance of cancer but if you are cancer free in the immediate family I'd leave them. I just wanted the bleeding to stop and it did but it definitely changed my life.
  • Rebecca__Lynn
    Rebecca__Lynn Posts: 114
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    They told me birth control pills would control the bleeding but I read they only make fibroids grow. My doc is leaving my ovaries so I hope that I won't go through menopause yet. I've developed some really bad digestion problems because I have a large one pressing on my colon. I have a lot of pain and heaviness. Sex with my husband is impossible right now. I dealt with the horrible bleeding and pain for a year and now I'm ready to just be done with it all.

    hmmm yep what my ob/gyn said....I started taking St Johns Wort and Black Cohosh...its a stringent 3 a day deal...but they work amazingly well!! I have absolutely NO affects of menopause...none!! The synthetic hormones are not good for you at all...do some research there if ever decide to take. I'm still a proponent...of remove it all!! Don't need the worry of cancer..or the problems that go with all the female organ crap. Just my situation...hopefully with everyone's advice you can come up with what works for you....Again, best of luck!!
  • Crickks
    Crickks Posts: 94
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    I am hoping that I'll look smaller and better after my hysterectomy in June but I'm worried that I'll still have a stomach. Has anyone been through hysterectomy for fibroids and did it make your stomach shrink?

    About 7 years ago, I had an abdominal myomectomy, they removed 21 fibroids and YES your stomach will shrink... think of it as after delivering a baby, no more baby bump....Thank God!!!

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