Can I pass a uterine fibroid?

From a question on passing uterine fibroids:

Luisa: Does that mean your fibroids came out by themselves? Can this spotting actually be the fibroids coming out?

Any “liver-looking” large masses you pass are clots. Fibroids affect the ability of your uterus to contract so the blood pools there and clots before it leaves your body. Fibroid tumors are composed of smooth uterine muscle and would appear grayish white, firm and round. You may pass fibroids if they detach due to a lack of blood supply. Although rare, this is a possible risk with the embolization (UFE) procedure.

Read the rest of this entry »

Starting a new feature to assist with answering fibroid questions

In keeping with the image in my header, this is one of my light bulb moments. I get a number of questions as comments. I respond but sometimes the person posting needs a personal experience or some regional information. I’ve decided to pull the questions and place them in separate posts (probably 20 or so).

My vision is a post with an excerpt from the visitor’s comment, a link to the original post where you can find the comment, and my response. I’ll then open the floor for feedback from you. Post an answer, response, another similar question, etc. These posts will be categorized according to the topic but I’ll also create a couple of new categories. Something like “Questions” and “Experiences”.

I’m still working on gathering information to create new pages but I think this will be a good added feature. It’s a way to focus on the question and have plenty of room for the answers. I’ll go through the comments and start posting these in the next day or two.

Let me know if this is a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” idea and of any other way I can assist.

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Related Posts:
What’s on your mind? Tell me on the Feedback page.
You have questions and (with help) I have answers
Just changed the name of the FAQ page to Forum
New: Index Page and Related (Fibroid) Posts… Doh!

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UPDATES:
(August 28, 2006) Couple of changes. Posted my email address in a few of my comments but I had to go back and remove them. Getting a bunch of spam. I will leave the address in the sidebar. So, if you need to contact me, look to the right and scroll down a bit. I’m also editing the links in my comments. Instead of just the URL (address), there will be descriptive phrase to click. I think this will make it easier for readers to get the information quickly (especially if there are lots of comments). Will post the first fibroid question today.

(August 29, 2006) Why does stuff tend to take a little longer than originally planned? I made it through the comments. YAY! I did add two categories – “Questions” and “Experiences”. Will add another as soon as I pick a name (something like “General” or “General Info”). Ended up with about 20 questions. I want them up by the end of the week so I better get cracking. :-)

(September 9, 2006) I’m STILL working on this. Hit a bit of a snag. Made posts with links to visitor comments only to discover that the links do not work. Arg! Found this out last night as I wandered around the WordPress forum. Someone else had the problem and pointed it out. Checked my links and sure enough, there’s a problem. They take you to the right post just not the specific comment. I sent a message using the WP feedback form so there is hope.

(September 11, 2006) The comment link problem is resolved. Yay! Links take you to the specific comment. Those question posts finally make sense. Sorry if this caused any confusion. Off now to write more.

OR-Live brings fibroid surgery video to your computer via medical webcasts

Thinking about a procedure but you want to learn a little more? Well, welcome to the world of almost too much information. OR-Live allows you to view a myriad of moderated surgical videos. Archived broadcasts are categorized by specialty (in case you want to see non-fibroid stuff). Plan ahead and you can even catch a video live.

OR-Live medical webcasts

I used this site as part of my medical decision process. After seeing the Uterine Fibroid Embolization broadcast several months ago, I knew I had to have it. Glad I viewed the UFE previously since I remember nothing from my actual procedure. :-)

Here’s the list:

Uterine Fibroid Embolization

Robotic Myomectomy Enables Treatment of Uterine Fibroids While Preserving Fertility

[Abdominal Myomectomy - A Treatment for the Removal of Fibroids]

da Vinci® Minimally Invasive Robotic Hysterectomy (view live on September 20, 2006; visit the site and sign up for an email reminder)

Advanced Technique for Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy

Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy

OK. Grab some popcorn and enjoy.

[Edited to add Abdominal Myomectomy video link. Thanks Val!]

Get your fibroids on the dance floor and do the robot

Glanced over some news feeds yesterday and noticed this headline under Yahoo! News | Uterine Fibroids:

Robot-assisted surgery removes fibroids but preserves women’s fertility

You know I love robots and other gizmos (because I’m a geek) so I had to click the link. The story revolves around Anna Crowder who needed a fibroid removed but still wanted to have a child. Read the rest of this entry »

New treatment uses sound waves to shrink uterine fibroid tumors

Stumbled upon a TIME magazine article as I wandered around the Internet looking for all sorts of fibroid information. It discusses the benefits of MRgFUS (Magnetic Resonance guided Focused Ultrasound). This non-invasive procedure simultaneously images, treats, and ablates targeted areas. Approved by the FDA in 2004, it is available at approximately a dozen US locations and is also performed worldwide.

Read the TIME magazine article: Giving Fibroids the Heat

Other informational links:
MRgFUS – Non-invasive treatment for uterine fibroid tumors
ExAblate 2000 MRgFUS system
ExAblate 2000 treatment centers in the US and abroad

[Edited to add the ExAblate toll-free number (US): 1 866 EXABLATE (1 866 392 2528). Thanks Randee!]

Can’t believe the small number of facilities offering this treatment. I hope it continues to steadily increase. We’ve got to spread the word on ALL options.

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Related Posts:
Does anyone have an experience with ExAblate (MRgFUS)?
ExAblate 2000 (MRgFUS) non-invasive fibroid treatment receives two new associated approvals by the FDA

Gosh… My period turned out to be a question mark!

Giddy but confused. Should I even categorize this bleeding event as a period? Compared to the 7-day gushing, liver-sized clot passing, monster cramping monthly situations I usually endure, this is nothing! Is it possible that a Uterine Fibroid Embolization improves my symptoms so dramatically and so quickly? I am almost speechless. Here is the timeline:

Monday, August 14, 2006: Light cramping and spotting starting about the middle of the day. Cramps were so slight that I didn’t take any medication.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006: Cramps were more painful and the bleeding slightly heavier. Bleeding was just about a notch above spotting with some tiny clots. I mean tiny. Ended up taking a total of four 200mg over-the-counter Motrin during the whole day.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006: Cramps were not as painful. Bleeding heavier than the day before but I would still label it as light. Only needed three 200mg Motrin on this day.

Thursday, August 17, 2006: Very light cramps and spotting for the first half of the day. No medication.

Friday, August 18, 2006: Woke up about 2:00AM this morning with cramps but no bleeding/spotting. Took two 200mg Motrin and returned to sleep. No cramps since then.

So, what’s that? Approximately a three-day period? I’ve NEVER had that. Light bleeding the whole time? I’ve NEVER had that. I keep waiting and waiting for the other shoe to drop. It does not appear that it will. This is now reality. My “new” new normal. I am happy/goofy/loopy but confused. It is so different. It cannot be a period. I will have to call it a question mark.

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Related Posts:
How are you feeling after your Uterine Fibroid Embolization?
Memories directly after my Uterine Fibroid Embolization
I’m really starting to think my wiring is kind of screwed
Two weeks after my Uterine Fibroid Embolization
My condition one month post-Uterine Fibroid Embolization
UPDATE: My condition two months post-Uterine Fibroid Embolization
UPDATE: My condition three months post-Uterine Fibroid Embolization
UPDATE: My condition four months post-Uterine Fibroid Embolization

Conscious Sedation Public Service Announcement

Because of my post on amnesia from anesthesia, I feel as though I should make some sort of PSA. Really didn’t try to cause any unnecessary concern. Just pointed out the unusual nature of this type of sedation and how it made me feel. Others commented on similar experiences. Yes, it’s definitely a weird feeling.

DON’T allow a fear of conscious sedation to stop you from seeking treatment or having a procedure. Remember how I was all spastic during my MRI? Or how I was freaking out before my myomectomy because of the general anesthesia? EVERY fear of mine is recorded here for the world to see. After I decided to seek treatment for the fibroids, I didn’t allow any fear to block my path.

Check out the post on my memories right before the Uterine Fibroid Embolization. I was giggly and goofy at first. Didn’t feel apprehension or stress about anything. Realized later that I had no memory of the procedure but:

  1. I also have no memory of my hysteroscopic myomectomy performed under general anesthesia.
  2. I had a panic attack in the MRI scanner.
  3. I was terrified when I decided to go skydiving and had to jump from a plane at 10,000 feet. There’s a post about that here, too.

So, I completely understand the hesitation but, at times, you must gather and process all the information and then walk on faith. My whole point of being here is to help you make informed decisions and encourage discussion using a bit of humor. I do not wish to create more fear.

My condition one month post-Uterine Fibroid Embolization

Thought I would post about what I am observing approximately one month after my Uterine Fibroid Embolization on July 18th. Some things might not be related but I’ll list them anyway.

  1. Swelling of the calf, ankle, and foot on my right side. Off and on. I’m pretty sure this isn’t related. It started the end of last week a couple of days after I began exercising again. Should have eased back into it but I didn’t.
  2. Really hungry. Two days ago. Once again, probably not related. I would eat something every couple of hours but it seemed to evaporate not long after consumption. My stomach was growling like crazy.
  3. Headaches. Yesterday and the day before. Not serious enough for me to take anything but significant enough to notice. I feel this is related to the next two on the list.
  4. Backache. Past couple of days. OK. See where I’m going? Starting to sound like the start of a…period. Yep.
  5. Light cramping and spotting. This started yesterday. Pain was slight so I skipped any medication. Bleeding was also slight.

Today, the cramps were more painful but still a far cry from my previous “monster cramps”. Checking one of those pain assessment scales, I rated the cramps just a little above a 3. Ended up taking two 200mg Motrin about 7 hours ago and the pain is still gone. Bleeding is light (a notch above spotting). Reasonable so far. Will keep you updated.

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Related Posts:
Two weeks after my Uterine Fibroid Embolization
UPDATE: My condition two months post-Uterine Fibroid Embolization
UPDATE: My condition three months post-Uterine Fibroid Embolization
UPDATE: My condition four months post-Uterine Fibroid Embolization
UPDATE: My condition five months post-Uterine Fibroid Embolization

Little WordPress blog world of The Geek

Throwing all my miscellaneous WordPress news into one post before I get back to discussing things more “fibroidy”.

“Geek with Fibroids” – Over 5000 page views
Reached that mark a couple of days ago. I am pleased that people are finding the site and clicking on a few pages while they are here. Really do appreciate every visit and every comment. Surprised by the number of hits from all over the world. It’s incredible how common a medical problem this is and yet, we are still far from definitive answers. I’ll present what I can and work on spreading the word.

Where’s that domain mapping?
About a month ago, I purchased a domain name and decided to move this WordPress.com blog. Managed to set up everything and get the posts transferred but not the comments. Arg! Scrapped the idea because the comments are important. I love posting my ramblings but reading the experiences of others is proving to be quite helpful.

So, for now, my domain simply redirects to this blog. Twiddling my thumbs waiting breathlessly for WordPress.com to implement domain mapping. It’s in the beta test phase right now but will hopefully be a full-fledged feature soon. One day, my “.wordpress.com” will be just “.com”. (Sigh)

[Edited to add an update: Domain mapping has been implemented - geekwithfibroids.wordpress.com is now blog.geekwithfibroids.com!]

Check out my new header
Been tweaking the look of the site. I have wanted to change that header for at least a month now and just could not wait one day longer. Found a site with nice free images perfect for web page headers and downloaded a few. The “light bulb” image was the first and only one I edited. Liked the idea of being inquisitive and shedding light on the issue. Used GIMP to crop the photo and add the lettering because it’s good and free. Post a comment if you want details on how to do this.

That’s all for now.

But I AM just a geeky girl

Yes, I know I listen to U2 and Bob Marley. I’m even considering a navel piercing before I turn 41. These things in no way negate the fact that I label myself a geek.

Talked to someone recently who thought I should perhaps (Gasp!) change the name of the site. They just did not understand the “geek thing”. Was I a computer geek? My response:

I am a computer geek. A science geek. I am just a geeky girl!

Wandered over to TheFreeDictionary.com and looked up geek. Okay, I’m not foolish, inept, or clumsy (just odd and slightly crazy). Also, not a bizarre circus performer biting off the head of a chicken. I will shorten the definition that I think is the closest and pick “one who is single-minded” especially in the context of this site. I feel everyone has some topic or interest that they wish to know more about. Something that freely occupies the mind. Not quite an obsession but more of a focus.

So, nope. Not changing the name of the site. I have uterine fibroids. I want to know why. Genetic? Environmental? What about treatment options? Had the UFE procedure but I still want to know about everything available. Downright inquisitive. I am just a geeky girl.

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Related (Odd) Posts:
Top 10 reasons why an MRI is not like skydiving
Can’t we figure out a better way to do a Pap Test?
I just call it The Gator
Just look at all of that toilet paper

Looking for a feed that specifically searches for uterine fibroid news?

Mentioned previously how I am attempting to assemble a uterine fibroid reference site with specialized feeds and search tools. So far, the only medical/health news site that will allow me to tailor a feed is Google News. I’m still looking.

I’ve decided to go ahead and add that specific feed to this site. So, along the right side (probably have to scroll down a bit) there is a “Google News | Uterine Fibroids” section. Use the orange icon to get this news feed for yourself. Click on the individual title to view that particular story. Click on Google News | Uterine Fibroids to view the results of the Google News search using the words “uterine fibroids”. Results can be sorted by relevance or date. Of course, you can also change the search terms.

Hope you find this useful.

Now, if I can just track down 5 or 6 others…

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UPDATES: (August 12, 2006) Found another one. Under Google News, you will see Yahoo! News | Uterine Fibroids. Works the same way. Must thank Jeremy Zawodny for this. I stumbled upon his blog post on Yahoo! News Search via RSS. There’s even a Yahoo! News Search RSS URL Generator to make creating a specialized feed quick and painless.

(August 13, 2006) Just found out that I can set up customized PubMed RSS feeds. An updated listing of actual research articles. I’m excited. Look in the RSS feed section for PubMed | Uterine Fibroid. This feed is courtesy of AJ Cann who was kind enough to visit and leave the information in a comment. Thanks for your help. Want the latest news about microbiology (bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses) and have a bit of a sense of humor? Visit his blog.

Amnesia from anesthesia? My experience with conscious sedation

Remember when I talked about how strange the sedation from my Uterine Fibroid Embolization made me feel? Like I had experienced some weird time/location shift. One moment, I was in the Interventional Radiology Suite before the start of the UFE. In a twisted Twilight Zone moment, I blinked my eyes and was then back in my room.

So, I looked again at the information on the sedative Versed® and discovered that it caused amnesia. Didn’t pick up that little tidbit the first time. Guess I was more concerned with side effects and if I would live through it. ;-)

Found this section from the above Wikipedia link most interesting:

One benefit of Midazolam (Versed) as it’s used in a clinical setting, is its ability to sedate a patient without causing unconsciousness. For this reason it is often used in a number of invasive, but relatively less painful procedures such as colonoscopy. Midazolam also induces temporary amnesia following administration (and sometimes very minor retrograde amnesiac symptoms are reported), which is beneficial for the person to whom it has been administered prior to what would otherwise be traumatic emergency procedures, but has led to its abuse as a (very rare) “date rape” drug, sometimes in combination with alcohol. Importantly, in memory studies, participants under the influence of midazolam are unaware that their memory is impaired (Merritt, Hirshman, Hsu & Berrigan, 2005).

Anyway, this definitely explains the fact that I remember nothing from the procedure. Had it not caused such pain, I would have asked my Interventional Radiologist if he actually performed the UFE.

Not recalling a thing was a disappointment to the inquisitive geek. I do take comfort that the memory loss was drug-induced and not a part of my normal baseline craziness.

Related Posts:
Conscious Sedation Public Service Announcement
Memories right before my Uterine Fibroid Embolization
Memories directly after my Uterine Fibroid Embolization