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And to top it all off.
My fibroids have nearly doubled in size over the last 3 years. This is not a particularly good thing, especially since apparently my uterus is presently mostly fibroid.
My options are:
- monitor every 6 months and hope I can hold out to menopause
- MRI and Mirena (IUD) - non surgical, but involves some 'scraping' of the fibroids so the IUD fits
- MRI and fibroid embolism - they put something in the veins leading to the fibroids to clog the blood flow so they starve and shrink, and then they basically scrape out the fibroids
- removal of uterus (and fallopian tubes) but not ovaries
All of this is apparently to tide me over to menopause, at which point More Stuff Will Happen (Perhaps).
None of it is urgent urgent - period pain is manageable, my crazy-heavy period days are dealt with thx to medication, my iron is down but my haemoglobin isn't and that can be done with iron supplements...
I'm thinking manage it for another six months and then re-evaluate. The time gives me a bit of breathing space, and I could do some saving in the meantime.
My fibroids have nearly doubled in size over the last 3 years. This is not a particularly good thing, especially since apparently my uterus is presently mostly fibroid.
My options are:
- monitor every 6 months and hope I can hold out to menopause
- MRI and Mirena (IUD) - non surgical, but involves some 'scraping' of the fibroids so the IUD fits
- MRI and fibroid embolism - they put something in the veins leading to the fibroids to clog the blood flow so they starve and shrink, and then they basically scrape out the fibroids
- removal of uterus (and fallopian tubes) but not ovaries
All of this is apparently to tide me over to menopause, at which point More Stuff Will Happen (Perhaps).
None of it is urgent urgent - period pain is manageable, my crazy-heavy period days are dealt with thx to medication, my iron is down but my haemoglobin isn't and that can be done with iron supplements...
I'm thinking manage it for another six months and then re-evaluate. The time gives me a bit of breathing space, and I could do some saving in the meantime.
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FWIW I have got on very well with Mirena, installed primarily for contraception, but it also usefully stopped my periods entirely. It also did not have the mood impact that I found with the progestogen-only contraceptive pill. (Oral oestrogen is contraindicated for migraine reasons, as it increases the risk of blood clots, so I had to stop the combined pill once it was clear I got migraines regularly.)
It is painful to fit and replace though. I think I'm now on my fifth (pre baby1, between babies, post baby2 x 3) and although the one immediately after my first baby didn't seem too painful all the others have been. And, as far as I know, I don't have fibroids complicating the situation.
Mirena is also often offered as a component of HRT to treat menopause symptoms, as oestrogen-only treatment leads to the uterus lining thickening without a break.
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Hearing about the stopped periods is good - also the 'HRT component for menopause'.
I do want to ask what kind of painkiller options the gyno will provide, though. Also I anticipate that the fibroid scraping will be messy and possibly painful, although also hopefully manageable with painkillers. (Most things are manageable for me with painkillers; I've been lucky on the pain management front so far.)
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I think it's only about a fifth of Mirena users have their periods stopped, but I'm glad to be in the lucky 20%.
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One of the long-term effects of refusing HRT was lichen sclerosus.
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I've heard that taking HRT before you need it - starting early, so to speak - is better for the body because it makes it a continuous flow of hormones instead of a stop-start.
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