So… TMI here, but after a ten week long period, it turns out that I have an enlarged uterus. The nurse has said that I have two options (IUD or ablation). Neither of those are choices I’d be okay with. Anyone have any experience with an enlarged uterus? (Yes, I have another drs appointment which is at the end of the month, which will mean a 14 week period by then.)
(This dr had thrown in a D&C as an option, before my ultrasound results came back, so I may be a wee distrustful at this moment.)
I don’t know about the enlarged uterus part but I had ablation about a year and a half ago and it was the best thing I ever did. I hurt more than I expected initially but settled in nicely. I would do it again.
I now have a very very light spotting type period every couple months or three. My hormones still cycle normally.
A ten week long period, and an enlarged uterus sure sound to me like it is time to get a second opinion to make certain that everything is fine.
I second what happymom said.
What is causing the enlarged uterus? Is it extensive endometriosis? What is causing the very long periods?
edited to add…I guess I’m asking if you have the below…causing the uterus to be enlarged.
I agree on the second opinion. I had my own different issues with heavy periods that turned out to be adenomyosis - which is endometriosis inside the uterus. My choice was iud or pill. I chose the pill. My doc won’t even do ablations.
Similar to eyemom’s situation, I chose the pill. Got the dosage adjusted recently because I got smaller.
Are you currently on the pill?
I also had long and heavy periods but none went several weeks. I would agree that a 2nd opinion is in order. I had laparotic surgery to check out my adhesions from endometriosis and then took Danocrine (hormone simulating menopause) for maybe 6 months to shrink them and the cyst on my ovary and then had endometrial surgery to clean up the adhesions.
THEN I was put on BC pills until we were ready to have our family and then back on BC pills until I was permitted to stop a decade later.
When I was having bleeding during perimenopause, I was offered ablation but declined and bleeding stopped.
Hope you and docs can figure things out and you’re checked for anemia due to so much blood loss.
I had an ablation done almost a year ago after having some very heavy bleeding although technically they weren’t really periods because my hormone levels that he tested showed I was past having periods. But my GYN insisted on doing the D&C also, and that was key (my endometrial lining had gone from 5mm six months earlier to 30+ mm) because they wanted to biopsy the tissue. So no option for me of just an ablation.
Actually the D&C/ablation surgery was a piece of cake. I was out running errands later that afternoon. I had no discomfort whatsoever.
I am not good with anesthesia and it turned out I was getting a cold at the time, so together I felt more punky than I expected for a day or two. Other than that is was a breeze and continues to be.
I had a D&C with ablation for fybroids a few years ago; have another one now but it hasn’t caused bleeding in over a year. The surgery was no big deal - except my daughter and I stopped at the grocery store on the way home, and while standing in line at the cash register I suddenly realized that I’d left my bra at the surgical center (should’ve stayed to wake up more fully, I guess).
I had an endometrial ablation 12 years ago. Best thing ever invented. What is your issue with this option?
@KKmama - your story speaks to me today. While I was working out with my trainer this afternoon (a guy about five years younger than me), doing rows, all of a sudden my front-zippered sports bra came unzipped as I had my hands and arms back in the row position; I felt it come undone. I said very quickly, “Excuse me, I have to run to the restroom,” and told him why. He started laughing, and as I headed toward the bathroom I said, “I’ll bet you don’t hear that excuse very often as a reason to take a break.” And he said, “No, not really.” He was still laughing when I came back out!
I’ve been extensively poked and prodded recently.
Not anemic (shocking, really!!)
Not pregnant (tested on my 46th birthday)
Biopsy was negative.
All I know is that my ultrasound showed an enlarged uterus, and my dr is no longer offering a D&C. And now I can’t get in to see him until mid-March to even talk about the two supposed options. Sigh. I’m mostly frustrated because I don’t know why my uterus is enlarged. If I could get a D&C I would!
(No current birth control, DH had a vasectomy many years ago)
I’m considering just going straight to a second opinion because it seems like that could be a faster way to get any answers.
What exactly did they biopsy?
The 2nd opinion sounds like a good idea. I first saw my primary care and she referred me to a Gyn who no longer does babies but specializes in peri-menopausal and menopausal issues and general non-pregnancy related female problems. I’m sure there are conditions that might cause bleeding where an ablation would be contraindicated, but if it is an option it is worth looking into more.
@teriwitt My uterus.
I guess after what I went through, when I experienced similar kinds of physical changes in the uterus that you did, I would seriously want a biopsy that is more inclusive than what they do in an office where they only sample a tiny area of the uterus/uterine wall… the kind of biopsy they can only do with a D&C that tests samples from throughout your uterus. I’d seriously go for that second opinion.
I have an almost dx of adenomyosis like a PP; the only way to know for sure is a hysterectomy. The dx came after a 4-week period. The Gyn I saw said I had the uterus size of a woman 4 months pregnant. If I hadn’t had breast cancer she could have inserted an IUD (Mirena). Ablation won’t work, at least not for very long. I was on Tamoxifen and periods gradually disappeared and I thought the worst was over. Unfortunately, 5 years later, I’m no longer on it and I had horrific bleeding for 4+ weeks in November/December. If it happens again, I’m setting up another appt to look into a hysterectomy.
Definitely get a second opinion, preferably with a gynecologist used to dealing with older pre/peri-menopausal women.