A fibroid grew...what to do?

I was wondering if anyone has ever had a uterine fibroid removed (9x10x10 eeck!)

Looking for Dr. recommendations as well as overall advice on how this may or may not have affected your fertility.

I have never been pregnant but want to take care of this because it is now causing me some pain & discomfort.

Any information would be warmly welcome - here or FM -

thanks

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

my co-worker had one (or more) removed last spring and is now currently pregnant with her first child. I can get the name of doctor--it's in brooklyn though.

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

I have had numerous fibroids and numerous surgeries--more than 8. I went through fertility treatments, before during and after each surgery. I have never been pregnant. I am unable to have children because of my fibroids. I think I am an extreme case. Many people have fibroids and can get pregnant. I have met MANY!
One thing I learned...fibroids need a blood supply. When you remove a fibroid the blood supply will go find another fibroid. In my case I have many fibroids so each time I got one removed a new one just grew. I currently have many small ones and a very large one--size of a small orange.
I hope your case is different than mine. You might want to ask this on the Infertility or Pregnancy board. I am sure you will hear many success stories :) Good luck and feel free to ask me any questions you may have.

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

My cousin had one removed 2 years ago, she is pregnant with her first due in January.

Good luck

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

I had one removed and I have one now and I am 5 months PG. It didnt change my fertility. I had issues but they were not related to the fibroid.

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

And just to give you the flip side, I had a fibroid that I didn't even know I had- and my dr saw it on my first sono after I got preggo.
So it doesn't always have to affect fertility.
However, if it's getting larger and causing you pain, I'd have it removed.

I have to have mine checked yearly to see if it grew- I am hoping not...

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

I've never had a fibroid, but I know many ladies who have and who have gone on to become PG.

I really just wanted to respond to say hi - I haven't seen you on here in ages!

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

Had one removed about 6 months before TTC my first DC. No issues, and I have 2 DC now and 1 more on the way.

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

I have loads of them. One is gigantic. Multiple opinions have told me, as long as they are not within the uterine cavity, leave them alone. So you can have a water sonogram done to make sure they aren't growing into the uterine cavity. If they are not, every dr I have seen (I had about 6 opinions re them and they ALL agreed) says leave them alone. REMOVING them can harm the blood supply to your uterus (the surgery) and impair fertility. This is what they all told me and all highly recommended me to not touch them. So the consensus seemes to be (at least in my experience) to leave them alone if they are outside the uterine cavity and you have not had children yet.

I left mine alone and I have a child that grew right alongside a gigantic grapefruit sized fibroid (oh, it did prevent me from giving birth vaginally, and it did get in the way of the csec which was a must due to it, but they worked around it). It was like there was twins in there. LOL

Message edited 9/12/2011 8:54:02 PM.

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

My cousin had one removed about 4 years ago and it was about the same size as yours. She now has 2 healthy children!

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

I had it removed 10 years ago, 2 years before getting married. Got pregnant with outmost ease with both my kids after...

Had it performed by Dr. Laura Kuperman in LIJ.

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

i just had my 3rd child and OB said he saw a fibroid when I had my c/section...he didn't remove it

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

Message edited 9/12/2011 10:03:58 PM.

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

Message edited 9/12/2011 11:59:07 PM.

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

This a good question for your OB. I had fertility issues unlrelated to my fibrioids. My RE said that they were not in a position that should be affecting my fertility. That being said I did go on to get pregnant and have DS. I did however have complications. Fibroids tend to grow when you are pregnant. Also one of mine began breaking down which can cause pre-term labor (mine fortunately did not). I had horrible scary bleeding at 18 weeks and was put on bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy. After I had my son, I asked my OB if I should have it removed before TTC#2, he said no. The actual surgery can cause scar tissue and prevent pregnancy (there also is a recovery time involved).

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

Posted by Goobster

Posted by Erica

i just had my 3rd child and OB said he saw a fibroid when I had my c/section...he didn't remove it

Not sure...but if you are talking about during the csection,I was told they will never remove fibroids during a csection (due to the increased blood flow to the area, and the risk for hemorhage (sp).)

Hey, congrats btw!~!!!! I didnt realize you had your baby.

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

Thanks for the all the responses above.
I have an update.
It's actually 10x10x10 or something and is growing in the posterior wall of the uterus (intramural - in the uterine wall). It was quite the grapefruit and I experience heavy bleeding and bloating (it's actually causing stricture of my GI and getting in the way with normal GI movement).

It grew so much in 2 years!

I ruled out Embolization - could definitely prevent future pregnancies.

I am now trying to figure out if I should have a laparotomy myomectomy (C-section to deliver this thing) or I'm investigating the da vinci robotic surgery which is minimally invasive and decreases healing time and scaring...however I'm not sure because it is on the larger size.
sigh :(

Re: A fibroid grew...what to do?

Any feedback for the following Dr's:

Dr. Susan Scavo

Dr. Michael Nimeroff

Dr. Edward Jimenez

Dr. Jeannine Villella

Dr. Goldberg (Montefiore)


thanks!