Uterine fibroids...

I don't really have a good answer as I don't know the limit of what is considered normal vs. abnormal. My wife has PCOS and gets uterine fibroids, and has had surgery twice to remove them. Once 7 years ago she had one removed that was almost the size of a football. Last month she had a smaller one (5cm) removed along with a ovarian cyst that was irregular so they did a biopsy on it. The fibroids affected her quality of life and caused significant pain, so it made sense to get them removed.

As far as your biopsy, I think no one can really decide that for you but you. How long is the recovery process? Will your insurance pay for it? I think if it will be a quick recovery and not a financial burden, it is probably better to be safe than sorry on that.

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.

Wow! I had none of this, but that's why I avoid elective surgery as much as possible, because stuff like this can happen.

kshama2001 wrote: »

Wow! I had none of this, but that's why I avoid elective surgery as much as possible, because stuff like this can happen.

I think if I had been even slightly prepared for it, it wouldn't have been so traumatizing. No mention at any point that it might be painful. I believe the phrase they used in the after care sheet was "slight discomfort may be possible". The Dr said afterwards that since I haven't had children my uterus might have reacted more strongly. Most of the forums I found online seemed to be split 50/50, either people had my experience or they didn't really have any pain at all. I would have rather known it was possible ahead of time and planned for the worst.

Cool! But I am weird like that! Loved gross anatomy labs, etc.

I have had fibroids for 15+ years. Heavy bleeding was most of my issue. When measured with a menstrual cup it was over 750mls/cycle. I think a “heavy” period is classified as 80mls or more. My cycles were regular, my pregnancy’s were normal, and I had only moderate cramping the first 12-18hrs of the first day of my cycle. I have been fighting bottomed out iron and ferritin levels for years! So tired, poor exercise recovery, balding, and the associated low thyroid levels to boot(ferritin and thyroid go hand in hand).

I had a uterine resection in March. The doc is suspicious of my initial ultrasound results. They showed fibroids the size of a 2-3momth pregnancy. What he removed was more the size of a 4-5minth pregnancy. My bleeding has reduced. It is about 200-250mls/cycle now. I have continued to take tranexamic acid to further reduce that. My cramps have basically stopped. I get maybe 2-3hrs of mild pain now. The resection was super easy. Epidural during the procedure, was prescribed 3 pain meds for the following week. I only took one dose then switched to Advil for about 3 days, used a heating pad when I was relaxing to relieve the mild cramping. Was back to work in 3 days and before that had been doing normal hobby farm stuff, we were lambing at the time so checking animals every 3hrs, some water and hay feeding, out and about checking my chickens, etc. I was tired out very easily and scheduled daily naps for about a month. But around that I was functioning normally. I started back to lifting heavy after 10days.

I never had a biopsy, we just went straight to resection and they tested the material after that. I had been wanting a hysterectomy, but Canadian health care dictates I try a “less invasive” procedure first. I refuse to get an iud, so this was my next best option. I like the outcome potential better than some other options given I am only 38yo. Hopefully this is all I will need until menopause.

My iron levels have raised drastically with every second day supplementation, some newer studies find that hepcidin levels were interfering with daily supplementation but dosing every other allowed more absorption, and my daily diet has not changed but does include red meat and other good iron sources. My thyroid levels are also super easy to balance now and I am feeling more human that I have in years! My gyn wrote scathing letters to all my providers locally. He claims I should have been given alternating iron infusions/whole blood transfusions at least every second month.

Anyway, there is my experience. Maybe it will help op with decision making. Hugs to you, it all sucks the life out of you for sure!!

cosmichvoyager wrote: »

I also wonder if a CT scan or MRI might be advisable? Ultrasound is not the most precise imaging and seems to miss things.

Once my fibroids got to a certain size we had to stop with the ultrasound and switch to MRI.

I also wasn't willing to have 32 oz of water sloshing around my bladder for an hour before the US. Less room in my bladder with the fibroids sitting on it.

kshama2001 wrote: »

youngmomtaz wrote: »

Cool! But I am weird like that! Loved gross anatomy labs, etc.

I have had fibroids for 15+ years. Heavy bleeding was most of my issue. When measured with a menstrual cup it was over 750mls/cycle. I think a “heavy” period is classified as 80mls or more. My cycles were regular, my pregnancy’s were normal, and I had only moderate cramping the first 12-18hrs of the first day of my cycle. I have been fighting bottomed out iron and ferritin levels for years! So tired, poor exercise recovery, balding, and the associated low thyroid levels to boot(ferritin and thyroid go hand in hand).

I had a uterine resection in March. The doc is suspicious of my initial ultrasound results. They showed fibroids the size of a 2-3momth pregnancy. What he removed was more the size of a 4-5minth pregnancy. My bleeding has reduced. It is about 200-250mls/cycle now. I have continued to take tranexamic acid to further reduce that. My cramps have basically stopped. I get maybe 2-3hrs of mild pain now. The resection was super easy. Epidural during the procedure, was prescribed 3 pain meds for the following week. I only took one dose then switched to Advil for about 3 days, used a heating pad when I was relaxing to relieve the mild cramping. Was back to work in 3 days and before that had been doing normal hobby farm stuff, we were lambing at the time so checking animals every 3hrs, some water and hay feeding, out and about checking my chickens, etc. I was tired out very easily and scheduled daily naps for about a month. But around that I was functioning normally. I started back to lifting heavy after 10days.

I never had a biopsy, we just went straight to resection and they tested the material after that. I had been wanting a hysterectomy, but Canadian health care dictates I try a “less invasive” procedure first. I refuse to get an iud, so this was my next best option. I like the outcome potential better than some other options given I am only 38yo. Hopefully this is all I will need until menopause.

My iron levels have raised drastically with every second day supplementation, some newer studies find that hepcidin levels were interfering with daily supplementation but dosing every other allowed more absorption, and my daily diet has not changed but does include red meat and other good iron sources. My thyroid levels are also super easy to balance now and I am feeling more human that I have in years! My gyn wrote scathing letters to all my providers locally. He claims I should have been given alternating iron infusions/whole blood transfusions at least every second month.

Anyway, there is my experience. Maybe it will help op with decision making. Hugs to you, it all sucks the life out of you for sure!!

I also found it useful to measure my flow with a menstrual cup so I could quantify my blood loss for my doctors. I'm with the VA, and tranexemic acid was not in their formulary for reducing bleeding, so it was a process to get it approved. "I lost 1500 ml last time " is a lot more meaningful than "really heavy."

My nights were really rough before the tranexemic acid - I'd be woken up every hour or two. Now I get 4-5 hours. But after that I can only get another two hours - probably because the dose wore off and I've just taken another one.)

For about 5 days I focus intensely on high iron foods - every meal has lentils, liverwurst, or red meat and snacks are dark chocolate.

Additionally, I get 258 % of the RDA every day from my supplements, and another 20% per day from blackstrap molasses (This is not the same as the Grandma's molasses I use for baking - it is less sweet and I do not use it for cooking.)

Iron counts in blackstrap molasses brands vary wildly - I use https://smile.amazon.com/Wholesome-Sweeteners-Organic-Molasses-Pack/dp/B001M0G2PO/

Warning - this brand can leak, especially in the summer, so I do not order it with items that will be ruined if it leaks. The 3 pack is shrink wrapped together, which can help, but it did leak on me once in the summer, so now I stock up before it gets hot.)

Thankyou! I will put that brand on my list. I am actually looking at cutting back my tablet supplementation(already down to once every 4days) and just keeping up the good food sources as my iron is above the median and my ferritin went from a 2 to a 130, which is awesome for a woman.