MY FIBROID

[jcroo65510]

I was diagnosed with a HUGE fibroid in March.  I went to see my gyno for the first appointment last week and it turns out I am the equivalent of being 7 months pregnant - so a whopper!!  The gyno said it was one of the largest he had seen and I'm now being referred to another senior gyno next week and he will discuss the options.  It will either be a mymo or full hysto. I am 35yrs of age and to be quite honest I am not planning a family, so I would prefer a hysto if there's any chance of the fibroid growing back - one op is bad enough!!  Which ever op, I will have to be cut vertically which means a longer recovery time and a more complicated procedure due to its size.  To be quite honest, its just got to the stage now where I want it sorted - Im sick of looking like a beached whale and get tired alot of the time. I'm also in alot of discomfort during my period and and quite often have 'dizzy' spells when I feel like passing out.  I will find out more next week what my treatment will be & how long a wait will it be on the NHS!!  Altough I got the impression it would be classed as more urgent due to its size.  I wish everyone good luck in there procedures and please drop me a line, this will be my first ever op of any kind and the thought of it is pretty daunting!

[nickibft]

Hi
My fibroids were of similar size in terms of uterus. I had a vertical cut for my myomectomy. I was discharged 3 days after my ops and was moving about within 2 weeks. I now have a flat tummy (I looked 6/7 month pregnant before). So don't be scared. If you want a definitive answer then go for hysterectomy but at the age of 35, are you really prepared for early menopause?. If you have a skillful surgeon then size was not an issue although a hysterectomy (so I was told) is a simpler ops and your blood loss is less by comparison. Think carefully. You cannot reverse a hysterectomy !!. In any case, you have to sign a consent for hysterectomy to be done in case myomectomy does not go according to plan!
Good luck whatever, you decide. Nicki

[rajesh]

Dear jcroo65510
First of all good luck with the op.
You are quite young to have such a large fibroid.
One option that may avoid a vertical abdominal incision and allow your surgeon to use a low transverse (bikini line) incision is to medically shrink the fibroid uterus size with 6 months of GnRHa therapy. I tend to use 3 month injection og  Decapeptyl or Prostap SR. If it achieves a 30-40% shrinkage this may allow the surgeon to use the cosmetically better bikini incision. It is important they achieve a good hit and harvest all the fibroids not just the obvious big ones as this will reduce the risk of fibroid recurrence and repeat treatment.  best of luck with op, rajesh

[jcroo65510]

Thank u for your messages.  Well, my 'treatment' has now changed since the last post.  I went to see the 'top' gyno in my area yesterday and he's referring me for this new hi-tech focus ultrasound treatment at St Mary's Hospital in London. I was amazed as I was expecting the usual op! He said because my fibroid is so large and my age (35) he doesnt want to operate because it will be risky. He has only ever sent 10 patients for this treatment before but they all swear by it - not painful and no long recovery times. My next step is that I'm now waiting for an MRI scan at my local hospital and that will be referred to St Mary's - he will then have to get the funding from the NHS!!

Apparently this type of treatment is a pioneering option for non-invasive treatment and hardly done in the UK - there's only a few countries that do it and is very up-to-date - they basically zap the fibroid with laser's and you are only admitted to hospital as a day patient - no op at all.  I'm pleased at the thought of not having an op but it does slightly concern me - will this work and will the fibroid return?   It's no guarantee yet that I will be accepted for this treatment although my gyno was pretty sure I would under the circumstances and get funding from the NHS for a VERY expensive option!  I will wait to see what happens.......

[nickibft]

Hi,
Just in case you have not realised, on the BFT website, we have an information page on this treatment www.britishfibroidtrust.org.uk/MRI_FUS.php
The treatment centre is called MR therapy centre at St Mary's in London Paddington.
I have a video for it but not yet available on the website.
There is a scientific paper [Image guided thermal therapy of uterine fibroids] on this treatment on http://www.britishfibroidtrust.org.uk/papers.php
Let see what the MRI scan reveals. Keep us posted.
Take care.
Nicki.