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Save My Uterus, Take the Fibroids
Save My Uterus, Take the Fibroids A
few years ago, during a routine GYN exam, my doctor felt something abnormal and suggested I get an ultrasound. The ultrasound indicated that I had a few very large fibroids. This would explain the back pain, heavy periods and frequent getting up at night to empty my bladder. I started doing a lot of reading and research on the topic. Although I was at the end of my childless, childbearing years, I still wanted to keep my uterus. My doctor said I could have a myomectomy or a hysterectomy. I read that with a myomectomy (cut the fibroids out of my uterus), there is a great deal of bleeding, and half the time the fibroids grow back. This didn’t sound like a good choice. I also read about hysterectomy, which I also was not interested in as there are many bad side effects and the recovery takes at least six weeks. Many women experience a lot of bladder and bowel complications,
February | March 2006
not to mention surgical menopause (if the ovaries are removed) and sexual dysfunction. So, I began to investigate a procedure called uterine artery embolization and found a wonderful physician who is an interventional radiologist performing this procedure. Many women don’t even know about this procedure. He spent a great deal of time explaining the risks and complications. In this procedure, which is done under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation, an arteriogram is performed through the femoral artery, and dye is injected to outline the blood supply to the fibroids. Once this is done, small particles of polyvinyl alcohol, the size of sand particles, are injected into the blood vessels that supply the fibroids. This blocks the blood supply to the fibroids. Hence, without blood supply, the fibroids shrink and die. I had the procedure a few years ago, and I can’t tell you how
wonderful it was. There was some cramping during the first week, which is controlled with pain medications and anti-inflammatory medications. I was back to work in a week. My symptoms have almost completely resolved. I also have had follow-up ultrasounds at approximately 6 and 12 months, and the fibroids were approximately 50 percent smaller or gone completely. My doctor couldn’t even feel them on a pelvic exam, and two of the fibroids prior to the procedure were approximately six cm. Women need to be educated on all their options and about the fact that there are even more treatments available today. For so many years, women had had their uteri removed without knowing that there are alternatives. Judy Cohen, RNC, MS Labor and Delivery Staff Nurse Northwest Medical Center Margate, FL
© 2006, AWHONN, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and AWHONN NeonatalLifelines Nurses
11
few years ago, during a routine GYN exam, my doctor felt something abnormal and suggested I get an ultrasound. The ultrasound indicated that I had a few very large fibroids. This would explain the back pain, heavy periods and frequent getting up at night to empty my bladder. I started doing a lot of reading and research on the topic. Although I was at the end of my childless, childbearing years, I still wanted to keep my uterus. My doctor said I could have a myomectomy or a hysterectomy. I read that with a myomectomy (cut the fibroids out of my uterus), there is a great deal of bleeding, and half the time the fibroids grow back. This didn’t sound like a good choice. I also read about hysterectomy, which I also was not interested in as there are many bad side effects and the recovery takes at least six weeks. Many women experience a lot of bladder and bowel complications,
February | March 2006
not to mention surgical menopause (if the ovaries are removed) and sexual dysfunction. So, I began to investigate a procedure called uterine artery embolization and found a wonderful physician who is an interventional radiologist performing this procedure. Many women don’t even know about this procedure. He spent a great deal of time explaining the risks and complications. In this procedure, which is done under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation, an arteriogram is performed through the femoral artery, and dye is injected to outline the blood supply to the fibroids. Once this is done, small particles of polyvinyl alcohol, the size of sand particles, are injected into the blood vessels that supply the fibroids. This blocks the blood supply to the fibroids. Hence, without blood supply, the fibroids shrink and die. I had the procedure a few years ago, and I can’t tell you how
wonderful it was. There was some cramping during the first week, which is controlled with pain medications and anti-inflammatory medications. I was back to work in a week. My symptoms have almost completely resolved. I also have had follow-up ultrasounds at approximately 6 and 12 months, and the fibroids were approximately 50 percent smaller or gone completely. My doctor couldn’t even feel them on a pelvic exam, and two of the fibroids prior to the procedure were approximately six cm. Women need to be educated on all their options and about the fact that there are even more treatments available today. For so many years, women had had their uteri removed without knowing that there are alternatives. Judy Cohen, RNC, MS Labor and Delivery Staff Nurse Northwest Medical Center Margate, FL
© 2006, AWHONN, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and AWHONN NeonatalLifelines Nurses
11