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Hope For Fibroids Poster (PDF)

To download Adobe Reader
 

Uterine Artery Embolization
 A Local Woman’s Success Story

By Hope Waltman

On July 9, 2001, just before my 45th birthday, I learned that "something was growing inside of me".  My OB/Gyn was quite surprised, since my uterus and fibroids had grown significantly in only one year’s time.  I was emotionally taken aback when the doctor briefly mentioned the option of Myomectomy while I was still on the examination table, and if the tumors were small enough “cutting the fibroids out and pulling them through the vagina”. 

The OB/Gyn immediately setup an ultrasound . The results indicated that my uterus was about the size of a 14- week pregnant woman’s, and that  I had one fibroid the size of a Clementine orange and another the size of a  regular orange.  

Thinking back over the year, I considered the increase of spasms and cramps as a normal progression in a woman’s life cycle.  I was embarrassed to let my friends know I was having pain, and kept my fears  a secret.  At night, I spent hours walking the floor, because my  pain control prescription wasn’t working anymore.  I had gained quite a bit of weight and my mid-section was looking more like a pregnant woman’s. This mentally disturbed me, because 25 years ago I had a stillborn child.  Every time I looked in the mirror, my shape reminded me how much I missed my daughter, Joy Marie.  (We were never blessed with another child.)  I became more depressed every time I had to change the size and style of my clothing.  I felt I was losing the person inside of me and that a stranger was taking her place. 

At my OB/Gyn consultation, my doctor presented all of the standard surgical options, and casually mentioned Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE)- an alternative some of his patients had utilized.  I (and my health care provider) wanted a second opinion, and luckily a dear friend gave me a pamphlet describing UAE.  The pamphlet included the name of another OB/Gyn with whom I immediately made an appointment. 

After an examination, this OB/Gyn sat down with me and explained  every available option. I mentioned my interest in the UAE, and he  agreed it would be a good choice for me.  After some research, I  decided on Uterine Artery Embolization and on Dr. Robert Worthington-Kirsch. 

Over the next three weeks, I was fearful and angry, and had a hard time accepting that my body was letting me down.  I felt I had two aliens growing inside of me, detached from my mid-section and as though I couldn’t talk to anyone but my husband about my problem. 

I set up a consultation with Dr. Worthington-Kirsch in August 2001 and immediately felt comfortable talking with him about my fears and concerns.  I was thrilled when he said he felt UAE was right for me, and that he would perform the procedure. 

As I left his office, a huge mental burden was lifted. I now accepted that   I was a “fibroid disease sufferer,” and could open up to others about my problem.  To my surprise, I found that there are many of us who hide-afraid to talk about fibroids and the effect they have on our lives.   Shame and fear hold us back from getting help. 

Dr. Worthington-Kirsch, a subspecialty board-certified Interventional Radiologist, works out of Roxborough Memorial Hospital in  Philadelphia. A pioneer in Uterine Artery Embolization, he was the second physician in the USA to perform the procedure.  As of January 1, 2002, he has treated more than 1,150 women with UAE, is dedicated to the research and advancement of treatments for fibroid disease, and is one of the designers of the CIRREF FIBROID Registry, which is obtaining data on many women having the procedure.  I volunteered to be part of this study. 

On September 6, 2001, the day of the UAE procedure, an ultrasound showed that my uterus had grown to about the size of a 16-18 week pregnancy in just two months.   

The UAE was done in an angiography suite.  The doctor sterilized the skin on top of the large artery in the groin area and numbed it with a   local anesthetic.  He then inserted a needle into the artery and exchanged it for a plastic catheter about the thickness of a piece of spaghetti.  While watching under X-ray, he maneuvered the catheter into the main arteries leading to the uterus and injected small plastic particles to plug up the blood vessels supplying the fibroid.  Injected dye helped to show the vessels. 

Because immediately after the procedure the fibroids no longer have blood supply, I experienced some cramping, but medication kept it under control.  I had the procedure done on Thursday and went home Friday.  Dr. Kirsch called me on Saturday to see how I was feeling and to answer any questions, and I went back to work on Monday. 

At one month, Dr. Kirsch called to see how I was doing and to inquire about my symptoms at this stage of recovery.  There were sizeable improvements:  no bulk feeling, no night urination and urine spotting, fewer cramps, I had started to lose weight, the shape of mid-section changed, my clothes were looser, I was in a happier mood, I had less sexual pain, and I was using less pain medicine. 

At my two-month check-up, my ultrasound results were impressive!    My uterus volume was reduced by 31%, the volume of the fibroid  located at top of my uterus was reduced by 68%, and the volume of the fibroid at the neck of the uterus was down 46%. 

I’m very pleased with how good I feel physically and the mental relief of knowing that the fibroids are reducing.  I have more energy and can do things I couldn’t before.  My husband (my biggest supporter throughout this experience) can see my great physical and mental improvement, and is very pleased to have his healthy, happy wife back. 

Perhaps even more impressive than the results of the UAE procedure is the fact that Dr. Worthington-Kirsch personally answered every phone call and email to allay my fears and concerns throughout my recovery process-even from a medical seminar in Sweden.   I’ve never met a doctor so in touch with how a women feels and her concerns.

At my six-month checkup I’ll get another ultrasound, as it’s normal for reduction to continue for up to one year.  I’ll also continue completing questionnaires from The Registry, hoping my responses will help other women with fibroid problems.  If you have any questions check out www.fibroidcorner.com or write Dr. Robert L. Worthington-Kirsch, MD, e-mail kirsch@igsapc.com.

It’s comforting to know someone understands what you’re going through…

Copyright:  Today's Woman February 2002 Issue, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.