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“WHAT IS
THE ANSWER TO MY UTERINE FIBROID QUESTION?” A
PATIENT ASKS HER INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGIST AND GYNECOLOGIST
Section
# 1
Page #1
Introduction to Just the FAQs
What is the difference
between a Nabothian Cyst and a uterine fibroid?
(To photos)
Will polyps
interfere with a UAE procedure?
I am 30 years old
and have a polyp in my uterus. The doc wants to inject me with Lupron for
3 months prior to the operation to stop my period all together due to my
anemia. Are polyps cancerous?
My doctor
wants to remove a polyp that is approximately 7mm (it is located at the
top of my uterus and the doctor feels it may be preventing me from getting
pregnant). What procedure could be used to remove the polyp (less
invasive)?
Do polyps (cervix)
always need to be removed by forceps or do they sometimes twist/die, tear,
and fall off?
While taking a pap
smear my GP observed a 2mm polyp on my cervix. The gynecologist is
recommending a D&C to make sure it is not hanging on a string from the
womb. Is it necessary for me to have a D&C?
I am menopausal,
and I have been diagnosed with endometrial polyps. How are polyps
taken care of - surgery, recovery time, and will changing my diet help?
I have been
menopausal for 10 years. I started to have pain and my doctor
scheduled a pelvic ultrasound. The doctor said I have polyps in my
uterus. Can polyps cause pain?
What is the size of a
normal uterus and how much does it weigh?
I have at least one
large fibroid, which will result in a full hysterectomy. What is the
weight of an 11cm fibroid?
What are the risk factors
that can influence fibroid growth?
What percentage of women
have uterine fibroid tumors?
What are cervical
fibroids and what symptoms do they cause? Are they
cancerous,
can they cause infertility, and what treatments work for cervical fibroids
(does UAE)?
Is UAE one of the
treatments for cervical fibroids? Do the cervical
fibroids have a better chance
of being sloughed because they are so close to the cervix opening?
Is there an age
restriction to having the UAE performed? I have heard women say they
were diagnosed with uterine fibroids in their early to mid 20's.
Have any of your patients
been in this age group? What is the age of the oldest woman you have
performed the UAE procedure on?
What size does the uterus
and uterine fibroids have to be for a woman to start having symptoms of
severe pain?
How should a doctor
handle a patient who decides not to have a uterine fibroid treatment
performed even though the uterine fibroids are growing?
Did you ever hear of a
procedure to get rid of uterine fibroids that requires the woman to fast
and change her diet?
Some women are being told
that if they eliminate all dairy products from their diets from puberty to
age 30 they will not get fibroids. They are being told to use
calcium supplements. Is this true?
Will therapy from a
naturopath who gives the woman supplements and getting acupuncture (along
with some Chinese herbs) shrink the fibroids? (Fresh vegetable juice
with spinach and beets in it is for the iron.)
Page #2
Is
it true the birth control pill can cause uterine fibroids to grow and if
so why?
Has
UAE ever been performed to help a woman have painful periods or heavy
bleeding? Will a woman with
heavy periods have lighter periods after the procedure?
Is
it true that some Gyns first use anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) to
reduce the bleeding and pain associated with uterine fibroids? Wouldn't it be better to
tell the patient she has uterine fibroids and get the UAE procedure done
while the uterine fibroids and uterus are at a smaller size?
Are there any side
effects with the prescription Naproxen that is sometimes prescribed to
uterine fibroid patients?
What
is the success rate for UAE procedures?
What
percentage of UAEs require a subsequent hysterectomy or myomectomy?
My
Gynecologist has FACOG as his medical title. What is FACOG?
What is the reason that
some gynecologists ask for a pelvic ultrasound and a vaginal ultrasound to
diagnose uterine fibroids?
Can you explain what the numbers on an ultrasound report represent?
How often should
ultrasounds be performed for uterine fibroids? I’ve read that you
should have checkups/exams every 6 months, but was wondering how often
ultrasounds were done?
Why are so many women
being diagnosed with fibroids (reason for them)? It seems like a lot
of my friends are being diagnosed with them recently.
Page #3
Is
green tea good for its antioxidant qualities to combat tumors? Do you recommend your patients
drink green tea before or after UAE or use other alternative medicines
(vitamin/herbal treatments)?
If a
woman has a problem with being anemic does she have to get this problem
corrected before having a UAE procedure done? Have you ever had to do a blood
transfusion on any of your patients and if so why?
Will
uterine fibroids go away by themselves?
Can
you live with uterine fibroids or must you always have them removed?
My physician has
adopted a "wait and watch" attitude. My question is, “How long is
the waiting period and what would the doctor be watching for?”
I am looking for info
on how to get rid of a large calcified fibroid? I had a UFE for 3 tumors
- two disappeared and one calcified. It seems like there should be some
kind of laparoscopic means to make it disintegrate.
How
long has Uterine Artery Embolization been performed in the United States?
Do you recommend not
taking certain herbs or vitamins before having the UAE procedure done? If so, when should a woman stop
using these supplements?
Page #4
What is an Interventional
Radiologist?
What should a
patient expect when getting the Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE - i.e.
UFE) procedure?
Dr. Kirsch - what MRI or
Ultrasound tests should a woman have for Uterine Artery Embolization?
Page #5
Is
the UAE procedure covered by most health insurance companies?
If
my gynecologist seems opposed to my considering UAE, what can I do about
it? Why would my gynecologist
be against the UAE procedure when the success rate is 90%?
Will
my stomach go back to being flat after the UAE procedure? Is it possible I will lose weight
after having the UAE procedure done?
Does
gaining weight cause uterine fibroids to grow or do the uterine fibroids
cause a woman to gain weight?
What
is the recovery period of a UAE patient versus the other uterine fibroid
procedures (hysterectomy, myomectomy, and endometrial ablation)?
What are the restrictions
during the recovery process between the different uterine fibroid
procedures? What are the risks and/or side effects?
Page #6
Will
there be any hormonal changes after the UAE, hysterectomy, myomectomy, or
endometrial ablation? If so,
what kind of hormonal changes?
I
understand you were part of a committee that drafted a standard for the
training which physicians should have before they attempt to provide UAE?
Is
there anyone who is not a candidate for UAE and if so why?
Will
UAE work on multiple uterine fibroids that are inside and outside the
uterus or in the walls? What
is the success rate of patients who have this situation?
What
is the largest size uterine fibroids can grow? What is the highest number of
uterine fibroids in one of your patients that you performed the UAE
procedure on?
Page #7 (Cancer
questions)
After UAE how much do the uterine fibroids decrease?
What
happens with part of the uterine fibroids that don’t decrease?
If a
fibroid wasn’t sufficiently embolized do you repeat UAE? If so, how soon after the first
UAE?
What questions
should I ask an Interventional Radiologist concerning the Uterine Artery
Embolization procedure?
One of the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer and Uterine Fibroids is bloating.
Can you explain ‘bloating’ and ovarian cancer tests?
A woman’s mother had
cervical or ovarian cancer. Should the daughter have a
hysterectomy performed because she has bleeding and fibroids OR does she
still have an option for UAE if she wants it?
If a
woman has uterine fibroids and cancer of the uterus what is the best
procedure for that patient?
What is an Abdominal
Radical Trachelectomy?
What
is considered a "fast growing fibroid"?
Legal Note: The material presented on Hope For Fibroids,
Inc. web site is for informational purposes only. It is not
meant to be a substitute for physician care.
If you need medical advice on uterine fibroid
disease or other medical conditions you should discuss them with a
physician.
Last modified:
Sunday January 28, 2007 |
Copyright 2005-2007
Hope For Fibroids Inc.
(web site designed & developed by
Hope)
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