Adenomyosis is a non cancerous disease of the uterine muscle, also known as “uterine endometriosis“.
Symptoms include heavy bleeding, clots, painful cycles, painful intercourse and abdominal bloating.
Signs include painful pelvic exams and an enlarged uterus. Not all these noted signs and symptoms need be present to have the disease. Adenomyosis can occasionally be visualized on MRI, but conclusive diagnosis requires a tissue biopsy. This disease, like fibroids, is hormone dependent, and requires estrogen to spread. As hormones peak with the menstrual cycle, adenomyosis is further invading the uterine muscle. Traditional medicine advocates birth control pills, ablation therapy and IUDs as treatment options, but these modalities only treat the symptoms, not the actual disease. Most common treatment is hysterectomy. We do not advocate hysterectomy but recommend treatment of the adenomyosis with a laser to preserve the uterus.
Fertility with Fibroids
Fibroid tumors are benign solid tumors of the uterus.
Many women can get pregnant and carry to term with these tumors. The outcome
is often dependent on 3 factors: the size of the fibroids, the number of the fibroids and the specific location of the tumors. The greater the size, and the greater the number, will decrease chances of fertility. Location is also vital for outcome. Tumors that are deep within the intramural area of the uterus or those impinging on the endometrial cavity can and often produce miscarriage. If you get a diagnosis of Fibroids, do not wait for treatment. Have them removed as soon as possible.
Holiday Stress and Fibroids
Stress can and does effect hormones and therefore fibroid tumor disease.
As we begin this holiday season, many women report increased stress levels and as a result problems with their cycles.
Make a conscious effort to continue an exercise regimen, eat responsibly, get plenty of sleep and find ways to reduce your stress… although this is good medicine year round, it’s an important reminder for the stressful holiday season!!
“The Silent Killer”
Just recently in the LA Times there was an article on the “silent killer” Ovarian Cancer, I thought I would comment on that topic today. Although my practice is limited to treating Benign disease only, many of the same symptoms can be seen in both malignant and non-malignant conditions.
All women should be concerned about Ovarian Cancer, but note that it is not common. Your risk of getting ovarian cancer is 1 in 70 women, and the disease does have a genetic factor, so examine your family history thoroughly. Currently, medicine has screening tests for several different types of cancer….. mammograms for breast cancer, PSA for prostate, Pap smears for cervical cancer but as of yet, nothing with any consistent effectiveness for ovarian cancer. The most widely used screening test, the CA 125 blood test, is grossly inefficient. Many patients with ovarian cancer show no elevation in the marker and yet many women with benign conditions like endometriosis show high elevations.
Since medicine has no definitive test for Ovarian cancer, monitoring symptoms can be critical in diagnosing this disease in its early stages. If caught at Stage 1 – chances of a cure are 95%!!!!! The symptoms tend to be very generic and could be associated with other conditions so don’t panic… however if you have more than two or three of the following, several times a month… call your doctor immediately.
Fertility and Surgery
After the blog last week, we had many emails regarding the treatments for fibroid tumors in relation to fertility options. There is no way to “guarantee” fertility with surgery. No doctor can do that. What your doctor can do is safely remove your tumors.
IF you have multiple or large fibroids your chances of fertility will become less over time or impossible, if you do nothing.
Removing the fibroids may also prevent fertility just by cutting the uterus to remove the tumors.
IF you have fibroids and are contemplating a pregnancy, check with a fertility specialist.
Sometimes the only option for treatment is a surgical removal of the tumors….but that does not always
ensure fertility after surgery.
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