[Beanie]

Hi,
I have a 7cm intramural fibroid. I never used to get any pain during my period, but this has all changed. Not every period is bad, but 3 of the last 8 have been very bad - making me sick. The last one made me very sick, and it felt like I imagine it feels going into labour. The only thing I could do was lie in the bath, or lie in bed (whimpering gently!)

I was wondering if using a TENS machine may help the pain.

Any advice?
Many thanks,
Liz

 

[Max1]

Hi Liz,

Sorry to hear you are suffering.  I am the same some months, today for example havent managed to get out of my pj's yet because I feel awful.  However, have you spoken to your GP about pains?  Mine prescribes me Mefenamic Acid ( Ponstan) which seems to help a bit.  Not tried TENS, be interested to see if anyone else has.

Good luck
Max
x

 

[Peaches]

I have the same problem, around af time sometimes the pain is so severe it spreads to my chest and i cant stand straight , i get shooting pains and feel sick, i feel bruised to walk is the only wat to describe it, and the only relief is paracetemol and going to bed for an hour, usually eases the pain...
I went to see the consultant at the hospital today and was sent for blood tests again, dh needs to do another sa, and we have to go back in 4 months, i will possibly need another lap, he mentioned laser for the endo and possibly removing the fibroid, and going for injections once a month for 6 months  We have been trying for 3.5 yrs...

Good luck everyone!

 

[Cybermintzzz]

Hi ya Peaches

I've suffered from very painfull periods since the age of eleven. I've had all the usual treatments (mefanamic acid, contraceptive pill, being patronized). I don't have fibroids, endometriosis, polyps, cysts or PID, so my experience is going to be different to yours, but I hope my advice will be useful.

I've just started using a TENS machine (after passing out in the middle of the job center because of overdosing and mixing painkillers) and I've used it for the last few periods. I'm using one that was designed for labour pains. I use it with painkillers so that I can stick to the recommended dose most of the time!

It does work, but it's like smudging out the pain with a prickling sensation which is much easier to handle. It's like getting rid of the noise of a dripping tap by putting on some music.

The sensation is like the static electricity off a TV screen, almost itchy. The type that I am using has conductive pads with some kind of goo on them and they are reusable as long as I don't get fluff on them. When I go to work I duct tape them in place because if you are moving around a lot they tend to slip off.

It's best to turn up the current gradually over several minutes. I find that if I do this I can build up tolerance to the sensation and get the full effect. Switching it to full mode straight away can be a shocking experience!

I've got a unit with pulse and continuous current. I prefer to use continuous as the pulse mode can be quite ticklish.

My unit is battery operated and I find that one battery can last a whole morning or afternoon. The unit itself is so small that it can clip to my belt. I find that I have to use the unit for about a quarter of an hour to feel the full benefit.

During my lighter days I find that I can use TENS alone, but for the worst part of my period I have to use painkillers as well.

Hope the above is useful. Hugs and kisses and lots of good wishes - Cybermintzzz

 

[Beanie]

Thank you Cybermintz,
your reply is really useful.  I have been finding it hard to find out what a TENS machine was actually like to use, and whether or not it could help with this kind of pain.

(Fortunately not every period is bad for me.  I have just had one that was OK.  I have tranexamic acid to take, which I believe is an anti-contraction drug.  It certainly HUGELY reduces the amount of pain and sickness I get, the amount blood that I loose, and the number of days for which I bleed.  It does help a lot, but I can't take it until I am sure that I am having a period as you shouldn't take it when pregnant...  and so the difficulty is the fine line of knowing wether or not to start taking it....   if I leave it too late to take it, I start being sick and then I can't take it!)

I think I will get a TENS machine to help reduce how much of the Tranexamic acid I need to take, and so that if I miss-judge things and start thowing up before I have taken any tablets, I can at least get the pain under control - even if I am only covering it up over the top with a kind of itchy feeling!

Many thanks again,
Beanie   

 

[crocodile]

Hi

Just joined this web site and am posting all over the place as I have (unfortunately) had a few problems over the last couple of years, but am starting first cycle of IVF tomorrow so joined the sept/oct buddies.  As my history was so long didn't put every detail on there, but you'd think I did if you see how long it is!!!!

Anyway to get to the point for this noticeboard, I had a myomectomy done in June after I was told that the fibroid, which was first detected in Jan 2000 when I had an ectopic had started to grow and my consultant felt it would impede implantation so said I needed to get it done before embarking on IVF (it was measuring over 7cm).  My periods were extremely heavy (couldn't go more than an hour away from the toilet for two to three days without flooding) and I suffered pain off and on and went to the toilet all the time, as this had got progressively worse over time I just got use to it.

I knew I had to have a laprotomy (similar to a casearian scar because I cannot have a laproscopy due to previous surgery scar tissue) and when I had the op it turned out I had something call adenomyosis which looks like a fibroid on a scan and cannot be detected until surgery, it was a tricky op but I cannot tell you I can't begin to tell you how much difference it has made to my periods, they are the same now as when I was fifteen, light and no pain.  going for surgery is a difficult decision and not without risk but for the sake of a little pain and a few weeks out of circulation it really is worth considering.

and for a lot of women with  fibroids it can be done telescopically or vaginally without too much discomfort

 

[Beanie]

Hi Crocodile!

Now fibroids and fertility - that's a whole other can of worms.

We have been trying for children for a while
now, but no luck yet.  I have been advised by one consultant that if
I can get pregnant with a fibroid, then I should go ahead and do it,
as although surgery can make some infertile people fertile, it can
also leave you infertile.

People without fibroids can take a while to get pregnant, so I don't
really know at this point whether or not the fibroid is stopping me
from conceiving.

Another consultant recommends that I should have surgery sooner
rather than later.

Whilst I consider my options I am trying to reduce stress in my life,
eating a diet that is supposed to help balance my hormones, take
heaps of vitamins recommended for people trying to conceive, plus
additional supplements as recommended by a nutritionist for trying to
balance my hormones.   I am taking Calcium d-glucarate.

I am not taking DIM as it is not recommended if you are trying to get
pregnant.  The Chinese herbalist I spoke to also said that I should
not take their remedies if I am trying to get pregnant.

I have also found out that if you do conceive, and the placenta
attaches to the part of the uterus where the fibroid is, the baby can
grow to 5 or 6 months, and then baby can get miscarried as it can't
get a large enough blood supply.

I stopped seeing my nutritionist when it became too stressful.  She
said I should stop trying to conceive, and take the supplements that
she recommended in order to shrink the fibroid to a `safe' size for
conception, although she couldn't give me any idea at all how long
this might take.

So my dilemmas…

How long should I try to conceive before deciding that the fibroid is
the problem?
If I do need to take action if the fibroid is causing infertility,
should I take the natural route, or the surgery route?   The disadvantage
of the natural route is that I don't know how long I might have to
wait to the effect to take place, the disadvantage of surgery is that
there is a risk that I might end up infertile, and a slim risk that
it goes wrong I could end up without a uterus at all.

Hmmmm


Liz

 

[starr]

Hello Ladies

I'm due to have a myomectomy next thursday to get rid of a fibriod which in the the wall of my womb.

we've been ttc for years now. Had a lap last year which showed quite serios endo so that was laserd off and the cyst's removed. We were told to try again for 6 months and if then no good look at assisted conception. We've had 2 goes at iui both -ve and are now waiting to do ivf in jan 05.
My clinic detected the fibriod a couple of month's ago.  I was advised that although it may not definatley be the cause of our if (dh is fine btw) it's not helping.
The consultant said that he really reccommed that is comes out before ivf as it could stop the embryo implanting. I was also advised that within 6 months my periods will worsen dramatically if i don't have it removed.

I am worried as i have read the stats and possibility of complications, however i think that if we are to do ivf i do not want to put obstacles in the way before we even start.

Sorry didn't mean to ramble on, just thought i'd pass on what i've been told. I think Liz you have to review the evidence and then decide what's best for you!

Hope this helped, feel free to ask anything else

Love Starr xxxxxxx

 

[crocodile]

Just popped over to this board...

Starr good luck with the op it'll be fine, I probably wouldn't have had it done if it wasn't for the fact we couldn't have IVF as I have had my fair share of ops this last eighteen months but as I said, boy what a difference it has made to my quality of life....

Beanie, as Starr has said its a personal decision regarding the op, but you don't say whether you have ever been pregnant, if you haven't and have tried for sometime it may not be the fibriod and you really ought to pursue getting other tests done, if you have and you miscarry it could have something to do with it and it might not, one thing for certain, fibriods dont help the situation, but it all depends where the fibriod is and how big it is and then there is the chance that it could start to grow. As I said mine ended up being an adenomyosis that was impeeding the wall of the womb so would definetley have caused probs with implantation.
In our helath authority they do a whole series of tests to establish the fertility of both partners, the tests were free on the NHS and included scans a HSG (to check for tube blockage blood tests on both of us to check hormone levels and a sperm test although because of my age (I was 42 sept 3) thats as far as they can take us, and we have to fund our own IVF treatment drugs etc.

The other thing is regarding the nutritionalist where I have no doubt diet can help I seriously doubt whether it can reduce fibriods!!
I did have accupuncture before I went for my op and it did help with my periods.

Hope this helps and good luck whatever you do

 

[Jaq]

Hi girls

I have posted a seperate query re myomectomies and scarring but thought I'd just pop on here to say hello. Crocodile - I had an adenomyoma too, which are more difficult to remove fully than fibroids, and it seems I have ended up with quite a bit of scarring including some which has blocked my tubes, but the difference in pain since the op is amazing. I wouldn't want to go back to the days of being awoken by the pain, the sitting on the loo straining and the throwing up! (sorry if tmi). Anyway, I wish you (and everyone else here) the best of luck with your treatments - may all your dreams come true.

Love Jaq

 

[jeanie42]

YOu can get a Tens machine from Lloyds chemists for a tenner. I think your post was hilarious and sooo brill. "I ve had the usual treatments...being patronised...  I hope you benefit. xx

 

[Sheilaweb]

I go awol for a few days and theres a plethora of new ladies - welcome one and all.... just a shame you have ended up on this board at all though !

Anyway, just to give you new ladies a bit of broid background.  The whole subject of getting pregnant with or without a fibroid is very largely dependent upon how big the fibroid is, and where it is situated within the body.

I can only go by my own personal fibroid journey, and those of the lovely ladies that I have met through this wonderful and very supportive site.

A fibroid can reduce the chances of conception by blocking the tubes which release the egg.  If you are fortunate enough to get pregent, the foetus may not be able to attach itself to the wall of the uterus if it is bunking up with a fibroid.

Please note ladies, that fibroids grow soo much quicker in ladies who are pregnant because of the extra blood flow which is supposed to be headed for baby.  When this happens (as was whay happened in my own case), the fibroid effectively stems the blood supply to the baby and this very sadly, in the vast majority of cases result in a miscarriage.  (in the 2+ years that I have been active on this particular board, I know of only 1 women who has gone on to give birth with the fibroid still intact).

I am amazed when some consultants advise ladies to either try to continue to get pregnant/continue with IVF with fibroids intact within the womb cavity itself.

Hand on heart, my advice would be to get the sod dealt with before it makes what is already an emotional roller coaster of baby making - a heartbreaking experience.

Just a warning...and something to bear in mind when you are thinking of progressing further in the infertility journey with a fibroid intact.

If you have any concerns or queries, please pass them onto the girls here - we have all been where you are now - and still have our hopes and dreams of our babies intact - and still have hope of realising our dreams of Mammyhood to look forward to.  best of luck in whatever you decide to do.

All the very best.
PS... I suffered with painful periods for years - best medicine, a good cry, hotwater bottle/electric blanket/warm bath, bed and Feminax.

Hope this helps.
Sheila x 

 

[JANADDER]

Hi there

I have recently come back to FF as I did join years ago but want to share my experience with you all. I had painful perioids from 11 and just thought it was normal. Tried for 7 years to get pregnant and then had laparoscopy and discovered one blocked tube and fibroid about 4cm. Had 3 cycles of IVF 1st one at Nurture, unsuccessful, they knew about fibroid but said it should not impact on implantation. 2nd IVF NHS at LGI again unsuccessful. Fibroid had now grown to around 6cm. 3rd IVF at Care, fibroid about 8cm, finally a BFP, Yipee, But with the pregnancy grew the fibroid till it was 13cm x 8 x 10 from memory, was monitored all way thru as was worried it would impact on baby, thankfully baby strong and fibroid stopped growing about 20 wks pregnant. After had baby perioids returned and were more heavy than ever before so went back to see about fibroid. Currently waiting a Myomectomy to remove. I def think the fibroid has been a factor in me not getting pregnant naturally and wish someone had offered to remove it years ago, I was lucky and managed to fall pregnant with a huge fibroid (so it is possible) it was a painful pregnancy I will admit the pressure of fibroid agsinst baby was very uncomfortable but thats it. I wish everyone on here the very best in their treatment and hope that my story is an inspiration to you in some way, Janine xx