Praying so hard

Don't do what they want NJ, hunt around till you find a doctor who's willing to do what you want - they're public servants and they sometimes forget that - tell them what you want and their job is to find a way to make that happen. Women with fibroids have healthy babys all the time.

But for god's sake girl, get pregnant, if you wait for the right time you're going to miss the boat!!!!!!!

I agree (mostly) with SP.

The fibroids aren't going to kill you so you do have time to try other treatments, like the one you have scheduled in November.

I add the 'mostly' in there because you know (I'm sure) that you are at increased risk of miscarriage with the fibroids and I would hate so much for that to happen to you - to anyone - but particularly to someone who wants it so much and is trying so hard to do it all right. But SP does have a point - and sometimes 'right' is just not possible. Not when time is a factor.

Life appears to be forcing to you make a decision. So make it.

Feel better, nj!

thinking about you and praying for you ... hope you get some peace with this and can make a decision you feel good about

Your in my thoughts and prayers. I hope everything goes well for you.

Jason honey - a woman having her eggs frozen isn't be much help if she doesn't have a uterus to grow the baby in.

NJ - I forgot to say Good Luck. And be direct. Tell the doctor that a hysterectomy is the last resort, the very last resort. I tend to just nod and say 'OK' a lot to doctors when I'm trying to take stuff in. Please try not to do that.

Thinking 'bout you!

Jason, eggs being frozen is an option but MB is correct without a uterus/womb I would need a suurogate to carry my baby. :frown1: Also they have only been able to successfully freeze unfertilized human eggs about 7 years now. For best results they prefer to freeze fertilized eggs.

It's time Jason dahlink, you need to pony up some of your best swimmers and send them to me in one of those thermos/freezers. :wink:

hey NJ: I heard something on the radio recently about there being non-surgical treatment options for fibroids...here's a link to some info in case you haven't seen it: Fibroids

Whatever you do, don't chop off your uterus! For cancer, yes. For fibroids, no. They're not life threatening.

Three friends of mine, after they were done having kids, had hysterectomies to alleviate fibroids and heavy periods. They also had major weight problems afterwards, which makes me wonder if we know everything about the function of the uterus. Or maybe it was psychological. I don't know.

- - - -

In any case, with my first kid, I ended up having an emergency C-section. They said afterwards that I had some fibroids, but I carried the kid to full term without anyone even noticing I had fibroids.

Then, I guess, they went away. I had two more kids, no problem, and no more C-sections. And I still don't have any fibroids to this day.

The one thing that was different was that I started taking Essential Fatty Acids (omega oils) after my first kid. Apparently, EFAs can make a difference for some women. I eat Udo's Choice 3-6-9 oil, which you can buy at many health food stores and vitamin shops.

I do think gynecologists are too quick to offer hysterectomy as the "only option" so I was glad to see that you went for a second opinion today. I do hope the news was good. Even if the second opinion says have the op, think long and hard before doing anything. I have a friend here who is a similar age and who was in the same boat as you. She had the prominent stomach too (and this woman coaches the British Junior Netball Team (you can usually catch her on SkySport2) so she is FIT!). She had two opinions and both said she should have the operation. They weren't just talking womb removal. They wanted to smash and grab the lot and very much gave her the impression that she had missed the boat as far as having a baby was concerned. She did her own research and then got a third opinion. She said she had to argue like hell but in the end she was given the UFE/UAE. She also said something about microwaves being used to break up a bunch of smaller fibroids that she had throughout her womb then she was given a D&C (she had dozens of fibroids all together but had the big ones treated via UFE/UAE). Anyway, the procedure was performed earlier this year and her stomach has already flattened. She also had bad skin before the procedure (because her hormones were imbalanced). Now her skin is gorgeous. The only side effect she mentioned after the procedure was heavy bleeding.

After the op, she told me that doctors hate performing the procedure because it is more expensive and time consuming than performing a hysterectomy. To me, that is too bad! Like you she wants a baby. She has just turned 43 and hasn't given up yet and she won't give up until she starts going through her change.

Stay hopeful and let us know how you get on, won't you?

Keep looking for a doctor that will listen and not just push what THEY want. Don't give up on your dreams.

I know you're scared and nervous, nj, but you can handle this. I'm praying for you constantly just like I said I would. I just don't want you to fold. Don't let something "hard" make you fold. We all struggle and everyone's struggle is different. I believe that there is a blessing on the line for you. You've just gotta get to it. Keep your ground about yourself. Don't let them talk you into doing something that you don't wanna do. I've seen your 'will' around here and You'll make it!

HUG HUG HUG...HUGE HUG!

Hysterectomies are avoidable according to the smartest doctor I've had the pleasure of knowing. Talk to a good Naturopath Doctor. He or she will get you on the right track to maintaining fertility and most likely increasing it a lot with natural medicines.
Everyone that has said they will pray for you are great people and a blessing to be surrounded by. The power of prayer is real. I will pray for you as well.
You're a smart woman; based on your posts. Don't let this get you down. You can rise above anything. I'm telling you what you know at this point, but I've found sometimes that is all someone needs.
God Bless You.

My girlfriend had a large number of fibroids removed last year when she was 42. She was offered the option of a hysterectomy. For her it was more that the surgeon talked of the risk that it might be necessary after she'd been opened up. After the operation he told us that he'd never had to switch to a hysterectomy mid operation. It would have been nice to have known this beforehand but I can understand why he didn't.