MULTIPLE FIBROIDS AND TRAVELLING OVERSEAS

Hello Dr. DJ

I have just been diagnosed with multiple fibroids. I live in Canada and I’m 50 years old and not yet menopausal. But I am on medication for high blood pressure. I am booked for an overseas trip to china for three weeks and will be leaving in a few days. My last period lasted 16 days and there were many clots and heavy bleeding. It has just stopped now for 2 days but is there a risk for them to burst or rupture inside me? That’s my concern travelling to China and what may happen to me while I’m abroad. I wanted to tell you I spent all afternoon at your web site and feel much more aware now of what fibroids are. Thanks so much for developing this site..it’s incredibly informative. And yes, my doctor has taken a “wait and see” attitude but pointed out that a hysterectomy is probably next. Now that I’ve read your site, I’m quite concerned about this procedure they’re recommending. Thanks again.

Dear Barb-
It is always nice to hear that patients appreciate the website and find it helpful.
Fibroid tumors will not rupture. They are solid and encapsulated. We have operated on a patient with a uterus the size of a nine month pregnancy-although she was very uncomfortable, she had not ruptured. I would not recommend that women wait that long to have surgery-it is not healthy for the body. Enjoy your trip, but have something done when you come home.

Hi dr.D.J. In 1995 my doctor informed me that I had a benign fiboid he suggested a hysterctomy which I refused to have done at the time the tumor was small. Recently I went back to see him and my uterus is now at 28 weeks I still refuse to have a hysterectomy though my quality of life is diminishing he suggested embolism of the uterine arteries but told me there would be much more complications with this procedure than to having my uterus removed. I am 42 years old and because I don’t plan on having any more children he thinks the best thing to do is to have my uterus removed an there will be no side effects and as he says I don’t need it anymore. I would like your opinion on this embolism procedure. How safe is it? What are the side affects? will the tumors disappear considering the size. Hope to hear from you soon and thank you for this informative web site.
Wakingwords

Dear Wakingwords-
Please do some research before considering a hysterectomy.I am sorry your physician has indicated that you will have no complications from this procedure-many women do experience problems post op and 25% have sexual dysfunction of some type.(please refer to website section on hysterectomy complications)
As for UAE-although I am pleased to see some advances in women’s medicine I am not a proponent of this procedure, YET. It has had limited success for some smaller and limited numbers of tumors, but not for multiple and larger fibroids. Your uterus is far too large to consider this procedure. You need to have your tumors removed and have your uterus reconstructed. Complications associated with UAE can be the obstruction of blood flow to the uterine muscle itself, instead of just the tumors. This can cause part of the uterus to become necrotic and die. I have operated on a post UAE patient that had this happen-she required an emergency partial hysterectomy to remove the dead tissue.
Please call my office if you are interested in FAS-I know we can help you. Good Luck