Uterine Fibroid Hysterectomy??

I don't have any input on the UFE, but every woman that I am blood related to on my mom's side over the age of 40 has had a hysterectomy because of fibroids on the uterus. No one has complained yet! :)

I am with the poster below. I agree that a hysterectomy is a good option, if you are done having kids. I was in a situation simular to yours, huge fibroids, pain, heavy periods, etc. UFE was offered to me as an option, but I'd had enough. So I had a hysterectomy when i was 34. I am now 42 and haven't regretted it one bit. I was told that with UFE that th4 fibroid could come back, and I didn't want to run the risk of th heavy periods coming back.

If you are done having kids, I'd consider having the surgery. Just my thought.

I had UFE done several years ago.. I had multiple fibroids.

What I was wanting was a temporary solution until I went through menopause.... which I am going through now... (I don't remember what year I had the UFE..... maybe 2006?)

Anyway, my periods were very scant for a while, then gradually came back. I don't know if any more fibroids grew, but I just wanted something to stop the extremely heavy and long periods until I went through menopause....

FYI, I am now 55..... and as far as I know, I am done having periods... YAY!! (My last one was in October.. I know I could still have another.....)

I didn't want to do something like a hysterectomy... much longer recovery! I just didn't want to remove something that really could be important.....

I was done having kids, but The recovery from the UFE was much easier.. I spent the night in the hospital, and rested for a few days. I think I do remember some cramping, but nothing as severe as trying to recover from major surgery.

If I had to make that choice again, I would still go with the UFE for my situation.

Yes, fibroids can and do come back...... but I was close enough to menopause that I felt the choice I made was the right one for me.

ETA: The procedure was really very simple.... yes, I was awake... they threaded a catheter through an artery from my groin up to the uterus, and injected something that blocked the different uterine arteries that were feeding the fibroids. I was sedated some, but still found the procedure really easy and somewhat fascinating!

histersisters has a lot of info on this.

I chickened out and they shrunk but I can't figure out how or why.

I had a myomectomy with the DaVinci Robot, 3 yrs ago. It helped a lot. I didn't want a hysterectomy only because I was afraid of weight gain and I was nervous about hormone medication.

My mom had fibroids very bad like many others are talking about here. She had a true hysterectomy at 36, and while she didn't like the idea that she could no longer have children, she was super happy to still have her ovaries and so she had the hormones until menopause. If you are done having kids, I would go this route. The UFE only shrinks them up to 50% so if yours are large, you can still look pregnant; and you can get more. Oh, and did you see the part about you have to be awake through the whole 1-3 hour procedure with just a sedative? That right there would make it a no for me, but I'm a chicken and a wimp.

I agree with TF from Plano. If you are done having kids it's the way to go. I had the heavy periods and then daily bleeding. Met with my OB/GYN and he explained what was going on and that I have several fibroids which should be removed. We opted to take everything out that was left. After my surgery he said I looked better after than before.

I did not gain weight and had a flat stomach. The bikini but is all that remains of the surgery.

No need to bleed when not necessary.

The other S.

I had a complete hysterectomy with abdominal incision (bikini line you can hardly see now), removed everything and went on the HRT patch.

It was the BEST thing I ever did. I did not have the scary side effects you read about. I went into surgery in good physical shape and came out in good shape as well. Attitude has a lot do to with the recovery time.

I agree that the site hystersisters.com has a LOT of information. It can be TMI for a lot of people but I found it very helpful.

Best wishes!

I had uterine fibroids several years ago - before I had my children and the doctors (had three look at it) all recommended a myomectomy where you go in a surgically remove them. Myomectomy is more invasive b/c there's an incision similar to c-section but this was the recommendation for women who still wanted to have children. I think they can also be removed laproscopically.
My myomectomy was successful in that they were all removed, have not come back and I had 3 children after it.