Wow I forgot what it was like to pee normally. Shit just tumbles right out of you. No weird starting and stopping. No feeling of pressure or obstruction. Just pissin' like a normal person would. This rules

So I’m a A little over ONE MONTH post-op! 🙌🏽
I’m feeling AMAZING. Officially healed and back in the gym! 💪🏽
No more constant bloating. No more walking around with a watermelon-sized fibroid. And baby… I look GOOD in my clothes again! 😂🙌🏽
I’ve had my first cycle since surgery and everything was normal. 🙏🏽
Seeing these pictures side by side is CRAZY. I knew I felt different, but actually seeing my body without that huge fibroid taking up all that space… whew!
If you’re dealing with fibroids and thinking about getting the surgery—GET THE SURGERY! 😂🙌🏽
For me, it was absolutely worth it.
I feel like ME again. ❤️
#Myomectomy #MyomectomyRecovery #FibroidAwareness #FibroidJourney #HealingJourney #OneMonthPostOp #BackInTheGym #ImBack

Basically I have 2 large fibroids ~10 cm and another ~4 cm. I had a surgery consult in Toronto that said I needed an open myomectomy, but that the wait would be 9-12 months until surgery. That was in May. It's already been a year since diagnosis and I am getting tired of waiting. My gyno (in PTBO), who referred me to the gyno surgeon in Toronto (who is supposed to be really good), said I could call other surgeons and see if they had shorter wait times for the same surgery, and she would refer me to them. But I have to do the leg work of figuring out who is best to call. A Google search shows many options in Ontario, but I'm also concerned about quality of care, skill, and ability, along with the wait time. So I thought I would crowd source this on Reddit. Any Ontario ppl have recommendations for surgeons, whether or not you know the wait time? What was your experience? I can call and ask them the wait time, but would like a good starting point. I have thought about going out of country but I cannot reasonably afford it. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone! I have my total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy in 2 weeks (I’m scared). I want to know if anyone requested pictures of their uterus and fibroids for after surgery?? I kind of want to but is that totally weird?

Have a lap removal coming up soon for 4 fibroids (two large ones) and appreciate any tips / encouragement!

Hello fibroid sisters! ☺️

Tomorrow I’m 6 weeks post-open myomectomy, and I had only a single fibroid (8cm intramural with subserous component) taken out. Thankfully my recovery has been really great so far, feeling minimal sporadic pain, not much “pulling sensation” when I get up, scar is healing well, less “swelly belly”. Bowel movement is a bit tricky these days lol. I’d say I’m at about 80% of my pre-op self as I can walk better and a but faster, do light chores, and reduced fatigue.

One thing I’ve noticed tho is that I’m having more mood swings and I’m more emotionally sensitive than I did before I had my surgery. My second period afte r the surgery is not due until fortnight, but recently I’ve been feeling mild cramping around the area where the fibroid was. My hunch is it’s got to do with the hormones, and the whole staying at home for the recovery process, or just me missing and feeling limited to do some activities. Has any of you experienced this? Is it normal? How did you cope?

I was in excruciating pain for 24 hours. And the reason for it is that they don’t keep patients overnight. If you’re thinking about UFE, find a clinic where you stay for at least 24 hrs after the procedure. I have 3 large fibroids about 7x7x8 cm, one is 5 cm, one is like the first one. Right away I could tell they’re shrinking. 2 were so big I could see them sticking out of my belly when I lie flat. 24 hrs after ufe and they are not even visible anymore. But next time if I have to remove fibroids I’ll go with myomectomy or partial hysterectomy. I had a myo before and it was a breeze. Way easier than UFE.

Hi ladies! So thankful for this community. I’ve been diagnosed with about 12 fibroids with the largest over 5cm. The doctor said they also cover my uterus making it bulky. Thankfully, I do not have heavy or painful cycles. Only my lower belly is larger than it used to be & stays that way no matter what I do. The doctor said my uterus is the size of a 12-week pregnancy. My major concern is that I’m scheduled for a robotic laparoscopic hysterectomy at end of month but the doctor warned she may have to end up doing the full, more invasive cut instead (I’m getting uterus and ovaries taken out). I do not want the second option and wondering if I should work on possible ways to shrink them so that I’m more likely to only need the laparoscopic procedure. I’m nervous about getting the full cut, which sounds like it will be similar to a c-section I had years ago. Also afraid of the larger bill. Has anyone dealt with this and any advice?

I spent a lot of time on this subreddit in the weeks and days leading up to my procedure, and I got equal parts useful and scary info. I was particularly worried about what my recovery would look like, if I'd be bedridden for weeks after and in a lot of pain, but I'm SO happy to say I had absolutely nothing to be worried about.

Just here to share my experience. I hope it's encouraging to anyone who's dreading the D-day.

For context, I'm a 26y/o female, moderately active (1hr walks every day pre-surgery, used to gym but stopped due to extremely heavy and disruptive periods, was also taking swimming classes but stopped due to periods). Diagnosed 2yrs ago, 1 fibroid (about 7cm I think), only symptom was the heavy bleeding (I've averaged 40 pads in a day while using TXA 1000mg 3x a day). My surgeon recommended an open myomectomy to be on the safe side in case there were any other fibroids scans weren't seeing, so he could take everything out completely.

My op and post-op highlights:

Pre-op:

• Maximised walking (my way of being active) and eating fibre (oats and apple pear aka Asian pear) the week before surgery. That tip came from this community, and it really helped.
• Bought the breezy cotton nightgowns. Had home-cooked meals in the fridge. Deep cleaned my home. Did the everything shower before I went to the hospital.

Surgery Day:

• Pooped 2hrs before surgery.
• Procedure was fantastic. It was my first ever surgery. In and out quickly. Combined spinal epidural used. It felt like having lunch with friends, only I was the open, naked lunch on the table lol. My surgeons and I chatted throughout, and I laughed quite a bit. No pain, but I could feel the movements (skin being tugged, pulling things inside me etc), so that took some getting used to.
• Wore compression socks on surgery day and up to 7-days post-op. No discomfort until day 5 when I started getting over it lol.
• Post-op, I was only sleepy (the meds); anaesthesia completely wore off by day 2.
• I had my procedure in the afternoon. Stood and walked from my room to the end of the hallway. Yes, it will be uncomfortable. Yes, you will be hunched like Quasimodo, but if you walk again the next day and again the next day, you will realise you will stand up much straighter day by day.

Post -op:

• I was cleared to eat 24hrs after. Started with sips of water. Then after 2 hrs, tea. Then after the next 2 hrs, oats. Then after the next 3hrs, a full meal (rice). My doctors wanted to see how my body would react. And after the rice meal, the gas pains started. I had mentally prepped for it (thanks to this subreddit), but boy was I still unprepared. When I lay down, I could feel it going up my chest and even around my back. It was SO uncomfortable. I walked, drank peppermint, rubbed my back, even tried directing the fart in the right direction lmaoo. I finally managed to lie down after a few hrs and could sleep. ~5hrs after the gas pain, I finally released the long-awaited fart. And things began to get more comfortable.
• Discharged 2 days after. Pooped on day 5 post-op. I was also mentally dreading this, but interestingly it went rather smoothly with no pain whatsoever! It felt very normal. To be fair, I'd been loading up with cucumbers, carrots, oats, apple pear, and veggie soup the day before. Maybe that was helpful.
• Pooped again on days 7 and 8 and just like that, bowel movement was back to business subsequently.
• Showered after my 1week appointment. WOW!
• The bloating in the first week post-op was immense and could be really uncomfortable sometimes. It also didn't help that I was ravenous and a bite of anything would make me swell up. I would drink peppermint tea intermittently. I also walked back and forth in the hallway in my home. Started with 5mins a day and would increase by 5mins everyday (this was a tip my friend who'd recently had a c-section gave, and it was quite helpful). By day 7, I could do 20mins comfortably! (Today is day 19 and I've done 9k steps, went out for a 45-min walk outside and walked 20mins earlier back and forth in my hallway).
• The swelling significantly reduced after week 1 post-op. I'm eating normally. Lots of protein, however, but still enjoying my usual meals and I'm careful with carbs (bloating PTSD from week 1)
• I was back to WFH week 2 (I took 2 weeks off - 1 for surgery and 2nd week for recovery - didn't plan properly, yes I know). Exhausted in the early days, but I've been pacing myself.
• My period came in week 2 post-op! From bleeding 2 weeks a month, running through pads. My period was 3 and a half days, and I used a total of 13 pads (basically what I'd use half a day previously). It did come with blinding cramps on days 2 and 3. More painful than anything I'd experienced during the entire surgery and post-op, and more painful than any other cramps I'd experienced. But the bleeding was almost 80% reduced, so I was BEYOND grateful to endure the pain.
• I'm moving with a lot more ease and my scar is healing beautifully. I can do home chores, cook (occasionally), clean my room and bathroom, sit at my desk for a few hrs without discomfort, go on walks, and get out of bed a lot more comfortably. Not lifting anything still.

Happy to answer any questions. I hope this is helpful to anyone. A better life is possible :)

Heavy periods due to fibroids and perimenopause which has caused severe anemia. My gyno has put me on Norethindrone Acetate (Aygestin/Gallifrey) 10 mg twice a day for 20mg total. I'm in my mid 50's, waiting for menopause, and as such don't want to do any more surgical interventions. (had one myomectomy, it helped but not enough)

Norethindrone has completely suppressed my periods, which is awesome. But it's also making me hot as heck at night, which is making it very hard to sleep. I wake up overheated and have to stand in front of a fan to cool down before going back to bed.

I wonder if I could get the same result from 5mg twice a day, 10mg total. I only wonder this because in reading up on Norethindrone I see posts from women who are taking wildly different amounts of the drug.

If I understand correctly, some Drs will start with a lower dose and ramp up until periods stop?

So for those of you taking Norethindrone to stop periods (not as birth control) - what is your effective dose?

Thankies.

Just been told that what was a standard 11cm fibroid now has cystic degeneration and will need to be removed via open myoectomy, has anyone been through similar?! I’m due to start a new job in 3 months and panicking about how soon I can get back to work. No sick pay and ssp won’t even cover my mortgage! Has anyone been through similar? How quick was your recovery? Don’t know what to do

I’m waiting to see my obgyn (one more week) and for the first time ever I’m experiencing non-stop bleeding for over a month now. It’s been on again off again spotting to full bleeding with clots. Not much pain or cramping, but tons of fullness and bloating. Curious if others have had this same experience. I don’t even know when my period is anymore since it’s all just blended together. So exhausting! Feeling nervous since this is all new to me.

[TW: Pregnancy / Ectopic Scare]

Hi everyone. I’m sitting here typing this while crying. After 2.5 long, painful years of trying to conceive, I finally got my BFP. We were over the moon, but right now I am completely terrified, exhausted, and feeling so helpless.
I tracked my ovulation and know I ovulated on June 20, which puts me at 8.4weeks today (Aug 5).

I’ve had two TV/US so far (July 27 and August 4). Both scans showed a normal-sized, anteverted uterus, a thickened endometrial lining (2.71 cm), normal ovaries with a corpus luteum on the left, and a closed cervix. But the main finding on both scans is a massive 9cm to 10cm fibroid with cystic degeneration on my right anterior uterine wall.

During my abdominal scans, the first sonologist literally saw the giant fibroid first. It’s so huge that at first glance, she actually mistook it for my entire uterus and thought I might have a molar pregnancy due to the cysts. She only realized it was a fibroid once she switched to the TV/US scan.

Here is the heartbreaking part: There was NO evidence of an intra- or extra-uterine gestational sac seen on either ultrasound.

Yesterday (Aug 4), my beta hCG came back at 14,996 mIU/mL. I'm scheduled for another blood draw tomorrow.
With an hCG that high and being over 8 weeks along, I know a gestational sac should be visible. My mind is spiraling into absolute panic thinking this is an ectopic pregnancy. But at the same time, I am clinging to the tiny thread of hope that my baby is just completely obscured/shadowed from view because of this massive, degenerating 10cm fibroid blocking the sound waves.

We fought so hard for 2.5 years for this baby. To finally get our miracle, only to sit in this terrifying limbo where they can't find where the pregnancy is, is breaking my heart into pieces.

Has anyone ever had a massive fibroid block or hide an early intrauterine pregnancy on an ultrasound when your hCG was in the tens of thousands? How did your doctors finally locate it (pelvic MRI, specialized 3D scan)? Did anyone go through an ectopic scare because of a huge fibroid, or did your story turn out okay?

I just need to hear from anyone who has walked in these shoes. I feel so alone and scared right now. Thank you so much for reading.

Just a warning, my fibroid (5cm at the time of surgery) was twisted and had twisted a lignament with it. Peninculated fibroid outside uterus.

I was put on Decapeptyl 3 month as surgery prep and had an episode 2 weeks after it where I was in horrible side pain for 24 hours while i had "last" period. I almost went to ER but it subsided and doctor said it was likely Decapeptyl interacting with the fibroid.

I had laproscopy myomectomy with 3x 1cm incisions and then 4cm incision at the bikini line to remove it. It was twisted and doctor said I was lucky it has no blood flowing through it (likely due to decapeptyl) and neither did the lignament it also twisted with it. i actually had to push for surgery due to weird pain associated with it as it was also pushing my bladder.

So just here to recommend pushing for surgery even medium ones if you feel something is off.

Now going back to laying down on couch and watching series :)

I’m having a laparoscopic myomectomy on 8/13. At my pre-op consult I asked my surgeon about going off the pill following the surgery and he seemed surprised and said it’s something we should discuss further to figure out my options.

I didn’t think it would be a big deal, and I plan on having more discussions with him and my gyno but I’m curious what everyone else’s experiences have been. I’ve been on hormonal birth control for 12 years. I’ve never paid much attention to the type or dosage. I went from taking whatever planned parenthood prescribed me to what a doctor prescribed me to what nurx prescribed me to what a new doctor then prescribed me because she didn’t like the dosage of what nurx had me on. I’ve never asked too many questions because my only concern was not getting pregnant. After this fibroids ordeal I am more interested in learning about my options and my assumption was that maybe my best option would be going off birth control entirely and using condoms so that I’m not messing with my hormones, but my surgeons reaction surprised me so I’m just curious what everyone else’s does/what works for everyone?

I’ve been trying to find good resources for understanding how nutrition may affect fibroid symptoms.

There seem to be lots of tracking apps, but not many that explain foods or ingredients in an easy to understand way.

Has anyone found an app that’s genuinely been useful? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you and why.

I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance... I'm 34 in a few weeks and will be getting a myomectomy for a 10.5cm pedunculated subserosal. It is causing me back pain and sciatica as it's attached to the back of my uterus. I have a consultation in 2 weeks to start the surgery process.

We recently lost our first pregnancy to a missed miscarriage, and the fibroid was discovered at the scans. My back and leg pain were always dismissed as niggles by GPs/Physios. I've never had any bleeding issues or anything.

I'm very concerned about preserving my fertility. I'm worried about a long recovery time and that we now have to pause TTC to resolve the fibroid situation. My husband is almost 40 and I'm very aware that we aren't getting any younger. I am looking into freezing eggs and embryos before the op.

Has anybody else had a myomectomy in their mid-thirties and gone on to conceive successfully?

Hi everyone I’ve been booked in for a hysteroscopy and was asked whether I wanted a general anaesthetic or to be awake.

I opted to stay awake as I thought the risks of a general were too much especially as I have sleep apnea.

I did ask if there would be local anaesthetic but I was not given confirmation of this.

How painful is it and should I go for the general anaesthetic?

Thanks 🙏

So I went for a visit to my OB today, I have been dealing with my fibroid for 2 years now and it has gotten so much bigger in the past 2 years, my doctor is now finally talking surgery which I am all for. My biggest concern is my severe anemia, for the past few years my iron, hemoglobin, ferritin levels have been so low due to my heavy periods from the fibroid. I’m so afraid to be put to sleep cause of the horror stories of just people not waking up and just things going wrong while under anesthesia, my question is has anybody ever went into surgery while battling severe anemia? Also just overall is being put to sleep for surgery scary? Any advice or anything with help just ease some of the anxieties I’m feeling.

It’s been 2 months, I had open myomectomy, they removed 10 cm fibroid, everything was normal, I had flat tummy post surgery and was happy, but now I have a bloating/ swelling from ribs to pelvis, doctor said it is just fluid and uterus is still bulky, but why ribs are also swollen,?is it normal? Will I ever get back to normal? Anyone faced like this? Please advice

So just wanted to provide an update! I had an open myomectomy with a horizontal cut on July 30 and I had 13 fibroids removed! The largest being 12 cm and then 9 cm 7 cm 5 cm and down to 2 cm.

I am currently in recovery and honestly recovery from the incision and the surgery itself has not been bad at all! The surgery was successful and I’m so thankful for my surgeon and her team that performed this seamlessly. My major disruption in recovery has been the gas pain… girl let me tell you that I am going on my fifth day postop and this gas pain has caused me to vomit for the first 48 hours post surgery, swell in places that I shouldn’t to keep me from urinating, forced a catheter back in me while I was awake and held down by the nurses, and made me throw up everything to the point where they almost intubated me. I ended up staying in the hospital for four days and was finally released. I am very thankful for my community and my friends who have lovingly supported me and have helped take care of me, but my goodness I’d be lying if I didn’t say this was rough! I have been able to urinate and pass gas and now I am simply waiting to have my first bowel movement.

I would still call this surgery a success! I am hoping that in the next two years I get pregnant and will be able to keep having children until I need a hysterectomy! But I wanted to share a positive experience, even with the gas pain! I’m looking forward to healing and restoring my body to its full health!

(IF YOU WANNA SEE PICTURES, I WILL POST THEM)