uterine ablation - anyone?

[Betsy82]

Do you still have the hormonal changes associated with a period if you've had these procedures done?

My hormonal shifts during a period are intense. I can feel how hateful, and miserable, ivebecome but I can't pull myself out. I've gotten better about just locking myself away and taking "me" time as to not bite their head off repeatedly, but it's frustrating.

Didn't mean to hijack th op but I'm terribly curious.

 

[Mermaid02]

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.

I had this same experience in December when I had a Novasure- I was in extreme pain- and it lasted the rest of the day. Hopefully it worked and was worth it.

Do you still have the hormonal changes associated with a period if you've had these procedures done?

My hormonal shifts during a period are intense. I can feel how hateful, and miserable, ivebecome but I can't pull myself out. I've gotten better about just locking myself away and taking "me" time as to not bite their head off repeatedly, but it's frustrating.

Didn't mean to hijack th op but I'm terribly curious.

It is my understanding that the hormonal changes are due to ovulation and yes, you would still have your ovaries so you would still ovulate.

 

[scottmel]

OP here. I guess I feel that since I am controlling my anemia naturally (I even showed my hemotologist the pills I got at the chiropractor and he is recommending them to his patients who can't tolerate iron) - my iron levels are pretty normal now. I think do I mess with the surgery/etc. to be able to have normal iron levels without taking pills? Is it worth it ? I am struggling wtih that answer. I think if it was twilight sleep I would be more open to it.

I guess it comes down to am I willing to live with really heavy periods for 72 hours a month (the remaining days are light during the cycle). My iron is controlled with my natural pills. So the only pain to me really is when I get the cycle and I am on vacation or an inconvenient time in life.

I thought this surgery would be the answer to all of this but I am concerned it won't work though I was told the mid 40's is best b/c the lining WILL grow back but by the time it does I should be in menopause then....

I decided I am going to keep a detailed journal the next 2 cycles to see what I can live with. How bad is bad???? Funny thing is I was slated to ahve it last Friday and I am a prayerful person. The week of the surgery I get a UTI then my tooth starts killing me for no random reason and they were concerned I had a tooth infectin and wanted additional round of antibiotics. I just felt it was a sign to pull the plug on the surgery date and I did...

 

[njcarita]

my ferritin was 7 rbc and hemglobin were norml.....2 years ago.....began pumping up on Fe rich foods and the only only only fe supplements my stomache could tolerate was flintstones chewable multi with Iron ( contains ferrus fumarate as its Fe)............i kid u not........ so took them every day and ferrtin got into normal levels.... right now I am in the middle of a 8 day heavy period........yuck .........going for blood work this week.......... and I am going to call gyno........ i am in the middle of peri...with cycles all over the place....... long heavy bleeding...... and Now spotting here and there too........... boy is this fun.............. just to someone who mentioned a d& c and general........ i had it under twilight about 10 years ago..........due to a misscarrige.......

 

[proud_canadian]

Hi there,

I had an ablation about 5 years ago and I had it with NO anethetia, not even twilight and it was the most painful thing I have ever been through in my entire life. The nurses were holding me down.

I would highly recommend being put completely under if you do go through with the procedure.

For me the procedure didin't work and while my periods were slightly lighter, I ended up with spotting and light bleeding EVERY day for over a year. I still had "heavyish" periods, and then in between still needed a pad because there was still bleeding every single day.

I ended up with a hysterectomy a year later and it was the best thing I ever did. I feel 800% better!!!!

Good luck!

 

[scottmel]

Hi there,

I had an ablation about 5 years ago and I had it with NO anethetia, not even twilight and it was the most painful thing I have ever been through in my entire life. The nurses were holding me down.

I would highly recommend being put completely under if you do go through with the procedure.

For me the procedure didin't work and while my periods were slightly lighter, I ended up with spotting and light bleeding EVERY day for over a year. I still had "heavyish" periods, and then in between still needed a pad because there was still bleeding every single day.

I ended up with a hysterectomy a year later and it was the best thing I ever did. I feel 800% better!!!!

Good luck!

WHY No anesthesia??????

 

[scottmel]

my ferritin was 7 rbc and hemglobin were norml.....2 years ago.....began pumping up on Fe rich foods and the only only only fe supplements my stomache could tolerate was flintstones chewable multi with Iron ( contains ferrus fumarate as its Fe)............i kid u not........ so took them every day and ferrtin got into normal levels.... right now I am in the middle of a 8 day heavy period........yuck .........going for blood work this week.......... and I am going to call gyno........ i am in the middle of peri...with cycles all over the place....... long heavy bleeding...... and Now spotting here and there too........... boy is this fun.............. just to someone who mentioned a d& c and general........ i had it under twilight about 10 years ago..........due to a misscarrige.......

Yep this is exactly me....

 

[bellanotte10]

Having this done tomorrow in fact. I'm terrified. I had severe anemia this past year, but they thought the polyp/fibroid thing was what caused it so tomorrow I get to go under general anesthesia and have the procedure along with a d and c... I think... They keep telling me different things. But overall I know this stupid growth is going bye bye and hopefully my periods will lighten up

 

[scottmel]

Having this done tomorrow in fact. I'm terrified. I had severe anemia this past year, but they thought the polyp/fibroid thing was what caused it so tomorrow I get to go under general anesthesia and have the procedure along with a d and c... I think... They keep telling me different things. But overall I know this stupid growth is going bye bye and hopefully my periods will lighten up

I hope you will post your results....Once your anemia was diagonosed did you start taking iron? Did that work and bring your levels up?

 

[bellanotte10]

I hope you will post your results....Once your anemia was diagonosed did you start taking iron? Did that work and bring your levels up?

Yup! The pills worked wonders and I feel better, but I'm off them now and feel terrible. But I have a follow up with both my gyn and primary care within the next month or two so hopefully tomorrow will solve everything like they said! Fingers crossed and hoping for pixie dust!

 

[CaFeeney]

I had Novasure ablation done about 1.5 years ago. Best thing ever. I was having very heavy cycles and it was making me anemic and was highly inconvenient as I am sure many of you can relate!

I had the procedure done in the office under twilight sedation and the actual procedure takes 90 seconds. It was uncomfortable but not as bad as a histopingiogram that I had done while trying to get pregnant - that really was terrible.

I was out of commission for the rest of the day but really by the next day I was feeling much better. OP - I can understand your reluctance but for me the long term benefit was terrific. I literally have no more periods.

Why put up with 72 hours each month in which you can't function normally if there is a procedure that could really help?

 

[Katy Belle]

I had the uterine Ablation done in November. They did a D&C first. It was out patient, but I wasn't under very long. Less than an hour. I had to wait a long time, was scheduled for 11:30, but they had some emergencies, so they took me back to surgery at 2:30. I left the hospital by 5:30. I had it because I had 3 18 day long, HEAVY periods in a four months time. I got tired of that in a hurry.

I have had no period and no issue since. I had the surgery on a Friday. I took it easy Saturday, back to normal Sunday. Had some minor cramping for a few days, but easily handled with Advil. I'm thrilled with the results.

 

[SandrA9810]

You seem more terrified of going under than the procedure getting done. My aunt was and still is to an extent terrified of going under. Since this summer, she's had four procedures done for pain control. All of them she was fully put out. It was only took her a couple of hours to come out of it and to leave te hospital. The one thing that helped put her mind at ease was the wall of thank you letters lining the hallway of his office. It helped assure her that she was in good hands.

What your friend told about being out is a line between life and death sounds strange. You're hooked up to all the monitors to make sure you're doing well through the whole thing. I'm sure if you asked if any one has gone under, you'd get a 100 more responses.

 

[Tooblessed]

I had this done outpatient at the hospital and yes I was put under in September 2005 due to heavy periods that kept getting worse. I had one spot on Thanksgiving day that year and have had nothing since. Over 7 years and I love it.
I was home early afternoon and slept the rest of that day and most of the next and then was fine. I did have some mild cramping but nothing unbearable.

I do still crave chocolate and caffeine the same time of month and even still break out like always, I just don't have the yuck anymore.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

I did this a couple of years ago. I was put under with a general and I had the Novasure. I had no pain afterwards, but it didn't work for me. My biopsy came back as pre-cancerous, so I ended up having a hysterectomy anyway. My period came right on schedule and just as heavy as ever while I was waiting for the second surgery.

Ablations do work for a lot of people. I recommend checking out the hystersisters website. It helped me a lot and there is a lot of very specific information on there.

 

[jsmith]

i had Novasure, under full anthesethisia in conjunction with a D and C and removal of 7 benign urtine polyps in March of 2012. Was in the hospital for about 6 hours mostly due to a known allergy to certain medications used to put you under. Had it on Friday-back to work on Monday-Best thing EVER. i went from 10 days of flooding to 2 of spotting-which is a blessing-im coming up on 52 and not in menopause yet.

 

[minkydog]

i had Novasure, under full anthesethisia in conjunction with a D and C and removal of 7 benign urtine polyps in March of 2012. Was in the hospital for about 6 hours mostly due to a known allergy to certain medications used to put you under. Had it on Friday-back to work on Monday-Best thing EVER. i went from 10 days of flooding to 2 of spotting-which is a blessing-im coming up on 52 and not in menopause yet.

I had Novasure also and was very pleased with it. I had mine done as outpatient surgery with gen anesthesia. Went home and slept the rest of the day. Packed the car the next morning and took 5 kids in a week long campout in the mountains.

 

[scottmel]

What your friend told about being out is a line between life and death sounds strange. You're hooked up to all the monitors to make sure you're doing well through the whole thing. I'm sure if you asked if any one has gone under, you'd get a 100 more responses.

The friend was the anesthesologist and that is what sort of freaked me out. I thought he would be very "oh no big deal, etc etc" but he told me personally unless it was a life threatening issue he would never undergo surgery at a hospital. Very reassuring....

 

[scottmel]

i had Novasure, under full anthesethisia in conjunction with a D and C and removal of 7 benign urtine polyps in March of 2012. Was in the hospital for about 6 hours mostly due to a known allergy to certain medications used to put you under. Had it on Friday-back to work on Monday-Best thing EVER. i went from 10 days of flooding to 2 of spotting-which is a blessing-im coming up on 52 and not in menopause yet.

I know I hear you. I really do. How moronic of me but I feel like if I can get away with NOT having it at disney or during another vacation why hassle with it? I don't work outside the home so when it comes I am not at work, etc. or somewhere that it could be a big hassle. I am committed to detailing it completely the next 2 months to see how bad it is. That will be my sign.

your responses have all been so wonderful and so helpful.

 

[scottmel]

I
I had the procedure done in the office under twilight sedation and the actual procedure takes 90 seconds. I
Why put up with 72 hours each month in which you can't function normally if there is a procedure that could really help?

The twilight I could handle...I wonder why you ddidn't have a D and C? I was having 3 things done - the third I don't remember...eblasion, d and c and some uterine something....It was all heavy duty sounding once the hospital made me watch the video on it! I was better off in the dark!!!!