uterine ablation - anyone?

[scottmel]

A few years back my iron level was a 4 . Yikes! I was tested with a colonoscopy and given iron pills which I hated. I since found a natural all iron food pill called FerroFood that is my miracle!!! My iron is up and would be considered "normal" by any doctor but I must take it daily.

I visited my obgyn and talked myself into a uterine ablation. I rationalized that my periods WERE heavy but fairly regular. Once in a while they go haywire 3x a year and seem to either skip a month or come a week early. I do have a small fibroid as well. Because I am anemic (although controlled on my Ferro Food) this seemed like a great solution.

Well the surgery WAS scheduled yesterday and I chickened out. The anestheia was heavy duty (as in you are out vs. a twilight). I am thinking of maybe rescheduling but for those of you that had it done - did you have it done b/c you could not control your iron?? If you could control your iron like I have is it worth having? thanks

[krcit]

I had one done because of a thivk lining and a bit of spotting. My iron was ok. I love it!! I barely get a period now..never need more than a liner. It's awesome! I was put out under general. No problems. I had surgery at probably 7 or 8 am and was home by noon. Slept that day and was kickboxing 2 days later.

[wdwmom2]

Had cryoablation done a little over 5 years ago. Done in the office, no anesthesia except for a Valium. Only painful part was clamping my cervix.

I had it done because of heavy periods. I still get my period, but now it is very manageable.

Would I do it again, heck yeah!!!!

[scottmel]

op back...They would do a D & C on me along with the ablasion and whole procedure was 90 minutes. I just hated being SO OUT and it was explained to me that the reason for being so out is all muscles need to be relaxed. A friend of mine is an anesthesist and told me it was the anesthesia that had you between life and death. I hated how he phrased that and freaked out a little and thought I can live with heavy regular periods a few more years....I think

[MEK]

Originally Posted by wdwmom2

Had cryoablation done a little over 5 years ago. Done in the office, no anesthesia except for a Valium. Only painful part was clamping my cervix.

I had it done because of heavy periods. I still get my period, but now it is very manageable.

Would I do it again, heck yeah!!!!

I read this and I thought - how is this possible. Then I googled it and found this

http://www.heroption.com/Professiona...owItWorks.aspx

It seems like there are two different ways to do an ablation. The OP's GYN was suggesting general anesthesia and an operative procedure. Your procedure was minimally invasive.

To the OP - if your periods are very heavy and are causing you issues than an ablation is a good option. I can't believe your Hgb was 4.0 just from heavy menses. Wow! If you doctor feels like your anemia is the result from heavy menses then you should consider this procedure. Check around and see if there is someone in your community who offers this less invasive method of performing the same procedure.

[taylor3297]

Originally Posted by scottmel

A few years back my iron level was a 4 . Yikes! I was tested with a colonoscopy and given iron pills which I hated. I since found a natural all iron food pill called FerroFood that is my miracle!!! My iron is up and would be considered "normal" by any doctor but I must take it daily.

I visited my obgyn and talked myself into a uterine ablation. I rationalized that my periods WERE heavy but fairly regular. Once in a while they go haywire 3x a year and seem to either skip a month or come a week early. I do have a small fibroid as well. Because I am anemic (although controlled on my Ferro Food) this seemed like a great solution.

Well the surgery WAS scheduled yesterday and I chickened out. The anestheia was heavy duty (as in you are out vs. a twilight). I am thinking of maybe rescheduling but for those of you that had it done - did you have it done b/c you could not control your iron?? If you could control your iron like I have is it worth having? thanks

I chose to have uterine ablation done a year ago this December. It was one of my options due to having a period that started at the beginning of October and had not stopped up to the date of the procedure. The other options for me were trying birth control pills again and something else that I can't remember right now.

Once everything healed, I have not had a period at all since. I am so glad I had it done. Of course the only downside is that once you have it done, no more children.

Oh, the procedure for me only lasted about 30 minutes and yes I was totally out.

[scottmel]

Originally Posted by MEK

I read this and I thought - how is this possible. Then I googled it and found this

http://www.heroption.com/Professiona...owItWorks.aspx

It seems like there are two different ways to do an ablation. The OP's GYN was suggesting general anesthesia and an operative procedure. Your procedure was minimally invasive.

To the OP - if your periods are very heavy and are causing you issues than an ablation is a good option. I can't believe your Hgb was 4.0 just from heavy menses. Wow! If you doctor feels like your anemia is the result from heavy menses then you should consider this procedure. Check around and see if there is someone in your community who offers this less invasive method of performing the same procedure.

It was my ferrotin level that was 4 my hgb was always normal oddly enough...

[PrincessShanShan]

Had this done as an outpatient procedure (anesthesia used) in Sept. 2010 due to extremely heavy cycles and pain. I had good results for about 6months and then started with the same problems again. In Aug. 2011, I went back to my dr. and tried several other options (non requiring surgery). Nothing worked and I finally had a hysterectomy June 8 (7mths tomorrow). I wish I would have done the hysterectomy to begin with!

[MEK]

Originally Posted by scottmel

It was my ferrotin level that was 4 my hgb was always normal oddly enough...

That makes more sense.

Well, I had the traditional ablation and it was several years ago. Unfortunately, I had a big fibroid so they weren't able to complete. Bottom line was the anesthesia was nothing. I was ready to go out shopping as soon as they discharged me.

[Pooh Girl 71]

I had NovaSure done in early August. I had been told that it was a simple outpatient procedure. However, they completely knocked me out. The anesthesiologist said that the only "simple" op procedure is when someone else is getting it. Anyway, getting prepped for the procedure is what took the longest. I went home that day. It is the best thing ever. No more periods. I wish I had it done years ago and I really wish someone has said something about it when I had my tubes tied and my periods came back with a vengeance!

[MrsPete]

I had this procedure 18 months ago, and it has changed my life -- for the better, MUCH for the better.

My issues had nothing to do with iron; I don't know whether that makes a difference or not. In a nutshell, after age 40 my period had become so heavy and so constant that I literally had to schedule my life around it. It was one of those things that sort of snuck up on my slowly, and it took me a while to realize just how bad things had become.

Anyway, the procedure itself wasn't bad at all. I actually had three things done on the same day, so it's hard for me to say exactly how much the ablation affected me. I believe the tubal ligation was the one that hurt most (that included a small incision inside my belly button, plus an unplanned incision a few inches to the left -- the doctor found something out of place, a situation very unlikely to reoccur for you). Note on the tubal: My doctor wouldn't do the ablation with out the tubal. She explained that at my age and with an ablation, I would be very unlikely to become pregnant . . . but IF it happened, it would be life-threatening. I agreed with her that it was better to close the door on that possibility altogether, and to avoid any impossible decisions that I wouldn't want to face. I do not regret the tubal either.

The biggest problem I had was that I didn't "wake up well". I vomitted. Profusely and repeatedly in the recovery room. When I arrived home, I was tired but not really in pain -- I just wanted sleep. I tried to sit up to watch a movie, and I became too tired after only 20 minutes. However, I was "myself" again the next day. I had some mild pain meds, which I took for two days -- again, I think that was mainly for the cut that they made on my stomach. I did it during the summer (when I don't work), so I was able to take my time easing back into my life, and my teenagers helped tremendously doing the housework and so forth. I'd categorize my recovery as easy.

I would do it again in a heartbeat. In 18 months I haven't had even a hint of bleeding, and my check-ups have all been perfect. My life no longer revolves around my reproductive organs.

[Ennazus8810]

I had the Novasure done the first week of December. I was awake and it was done in the doctors office. The cramping during the 2 minute procedure was pretty bad, and lasted throughout the day. After about 6 hours I was feeling better, and by the time I woke up the next morning I was totally fine. I had a Christmas party at my house that night.

[MrsPete]

Originally Posted by Pooh Girl 71

I had NovaSure done in early August. I had been told that it was a simple outpatient procedure. However, they completely knocked me out. The anesthesiologist said that the only "simple" op procedure is when someone else is getting it. Anyway, getting prepped for the procedure is what took the longest. I went home that day. It is the best thing ever. No more periods. I wish I had it done years ago and I really wish someone has said something about it when I had my tubes tied and my periods came back with a vengeance!

Yes, mine was also Nova Sure. I had forgotten that name.

[Princess on the Run]

I had NovaSure in the hospital in August with twilight. He did a D&C first as well as some sort of scope for a biopsy which I guess is standard. It was very simple, over quickly and I went to my kids' open house at their school that night. I took one day off work because I wasn't sure how I would feel the next day but went back to work the next day feeling fine. It was the best thing ever!!! My periods were so heavy and so frequent that I couldn't keep up with my life because I felt like I was going to bleed out. Haven't had one since!

[wdwmom2]

Originally Posted by MEK

It seems like there are two different ways to do an ablation.

Actually, I was offered 3 or 4 different ablation procedures. Sorry, don't remember what my other options where, except I do remember the Novasure was one of them. I chose this one because it was the only one done in the office.