Sex and fibroids just don’t go together, now do they?

Had some recent comments here about fibroids and sex so I created a separate post.

My personal experience on this? Hmmm. That’s an interesting thought. My husband was previously ill. We actually postponed our wedding about a year because of it. Not long after we married in 2004, I got really sick (from the fibroids, not him). Yeah, we have that “in sickness and in health” vow pretty much covered. This is the first time in our relationship that we both are relatively healthy at the same time. I feel we have been given a “do over”. It’s like we’re dating again. Actually comical (considering all we’ve been through) to sometimes be nervous and giddy around each other. Ah, yes. The Gunsmoke showdowns. Fingers hovering over six-shooters, we wait to see who will draw first and shoot in Dodge City! :-D

Problems, solutions, workarounds, questions, thoughts? Let’s hear what you have to say about sex and these dang fibroids.

——————–

Related Posts:
Uterine fibroid symptoms (not my idea of fun)
How are you managing your heavy menstrual bleeding?

45 Responses to “Sex and fibroids just don’t go together, now do they?”

  1. aly fibroids Says:

    Sex? I’m thinkin’ that my hymen may have grown back.

  2. divageek Says:

    I can sum that up in one word: OWWIEEEE! :(

  3. fibroid free Says:

    Aly fibroids….you are silly…I just fell off my chair laughing when I read that…ok wait I had to stop typing becuase the tears were rolln down my face from laughing….ohhhh Lord KNOWS I feel the same way….TOO FUNNY :) ok couple that with EG’s “in sickness and in health” (ahhh can I please enjoy the health part some day LOL after 6 years of marriage its been one issue after another for me…????) oh gee I tried to hang in there with sex during the fibroid era…ya know….be a trooper….. but it got to be hard. I had to get an outlook calendar schedule and date book for my fibroids and period…had to chart the “Open days” …well…with 10-15 day periods, oh then there was the pre and post period days and then the blahh days and back ache days…..oh that left …. hummm like 3 days and then I was too tired LOL…oh and my big ole belly?? please…wait is that a bus?? good let me throw myself under it now….I would think….

    so I though great have the surgery and have sex again. YEAH!!!!…well….scardy cat (that owuld be hubby) was terrified…he thought he would hurt me…”I want to make sure you are healed -what did the doctor say” as sweet as that is and as much as I appreciate it..as Aly Fibroids said (my hymen was growing back)…meanwhile….I got out the victoria secrets catelogue (oh heck I had to move to the fredricks of hollywood catelogue) becaue maybe he would get the hint….I could order from there now (sort of LOL) becuase I didnt need elastic waist pants anymore LOL seriously…emotionally it was very hard not being intimate/close becuase of the fibroids….I feel his fear is more from dealing with the issues with me during this past year because of all the fibroids RELATED issues. Even now its emotionally/physically difficult becuase I am still recovering …I communicate (not overly or I get teh “BLANK MAN STARE” ) what is going on with me….ahh yeah hun I just had another 12 day period and yup Mr Red (the towel) is back….$100,000 to take the broids away and the symtpoms are the same….NO I dont say that…LOL..but I do have to tell him this is part of the process… he is supportative so I am glad and lucky (thank GOD for 18 years of friendship with him)..meanwhile…I wait for the UPS man to make that Fredicks of HOllywood delivery!!!! maybe I will get to use the stuff!!!

  4. EclecticGeek Says:

    Maybe we can use this as a rallying cry for more research funding –
    FEWER FIBROIDS = MORE SEX!

    Just a thought… :-)

  5. Cordelia Says:

    I have to hand it to the girl who had UFE at the same time as me at the hospital. She seemed to have a very ‘loving and intimate’ relationship with her husband. Plus she got preganant (yes, with massive fibroids) a year and a half ago.

    Personally, I am pretty convinced my hymen has grown back by now (i.e more painful sex ahead, oh noooo! )

  6. Sophia Says:

    All I can say that sex after hysterectomy to remove the fibroids is INCREDIBLE, it may have turned me into a nymphomaniac….. ;)

    • Sheila Says:

      Hey,
      I’m 44 and have been contemplating hyst., but am hesitant because I’m afraid sex won’t be good. Yes, the fibroids are preventing it from being good also.

      So, you are saying hyst helped? Did you keep your cervix?
      Sorry to be so nosy.

  7. Emma Says:

    I had my surgery about a week ago & am feeling sore but happy! i was wondering – how long did you wait til you resumed your sex life?
    i know i JUST got out of hospital… so i will wait…

    thanks!

  8. Sophia Says:

    I waited seven weeks, even though I was released for sex at 5 1/2 weeks. I was very scared and my doctor and I discussed it at length, and he said that waiting for the seven week mark would really make sure that I was all healed up. My cervix was removed, so I have a vaginal cuff. I had no pain, or problems at week number seven, although we were very careful the very first time.

    Good luck, sex after hysterectomy is WONDERFUL!

  9. Dee Says:

    I discovered that there was something wrong in march after my gyn said that I didn’t have fibroids after a pap smear. Sex was painful, periods heavy, and I was sent to the radiologist for an ultra sound. The Radiology tech kept looking at the monitor as if she saw testicles or something, but she would not say what it is she saw. She told me that i would have to talk it over with my doctor when the results were back. i went home to my husband and announced that I could not have children. We had sad, painful unprotected sex. A month later I was pregnant and my gyn tells me that I have fibroids. I am due in a few weeks (yeah! not to many complications) but still sex is painful (more so than before). Is a hysterectomy the only way to go? I would like more kids (or at the least the option of). Have any of you undergone a less drastic procedure that seems to have remedied the fibroids?

  10. Real Says:

    I am concerned about this pain I am having. I was having sex with my husband one night and all of a sudden I had a sharp pain that hit me in the pelvic area and I couldn’t move. Then it moved to my back. I was crying like a newborn baby. I couldn’t even go to the bathroom. It hurt to even Pee. Finally 2 days later I was able to go to the doctor. I was told that I had a fibroid tumor on my uterus, but if it wasn’t bothering me anymore then there was nothing to worry about, but since then, I have been having pain off and on when I walk, have sex, or even if I am just sitting down. Is this normal or do I have some kind of huge fibroid? They never told me the size. Please Advise….

  11. tk08 Says:

    Hey Real…only once since I have been diagnosed with having a fibroid have I experienced pain during sex. My doctor was surprised that I wasn’t having more symptoms. My fibroid is 8×6x10 cm….about the size of a softball I believe. Anyway, it was a sharp excruciating pain that brought tears to my eyes. Had never experienced it and haven’t experienced it since. Painful intercourse, I am told is a side effect of having fibroid(s). Not entirely sure about the correlation between the size and the pain. Hopefully someone else can chime in with more info.

  12. Mia Says:

    I just found out yesterday about the fibroids I have and have had really good comfortable sex and also painful sex, not sure of the size, but the Dr. didn’t tell me much. Do I have to stop having sex until surgery? Do I need to be less active at the gym? I just met a great guy in June and we’ve become intimate (best sex of my life) and I started bleeding during sex twice (soo embarrasing) if that didn’t happen we’d still be having good sex, I just want to know, if I should stop having sex, until the procedure is taken care of…

  13. rosocki Says:

    hi i was told by my dr. in 1999 that i had a very enlarged fibriod but it would be best not to have surgery to have it removed, i always had pain in my left side but lately it has been so bad that i cant have sex, its to painfull , i also have the same symtoms of the others and if i have a couple of glasses of wine i vomit for the full day , ( i dont know if having the fibriod has anything to do with the wine ) i have never complained to my dr. since 1999 about the fibriod but the pain is so unbareable.thanyou .izy

    • Sheila Says:

      Your doc must be recommending against removal of the fibroid or myomectomy. There are other treatments including a hyst. Find another doc. Ask lots of questions. This website has great info.

  14. Amy Says:

    rosocki — really sounds like it’s time to find another doctor!! read more about women’s experiences here on the different threads, & find someone who can help you! No one should have to live with this these days!

  15. Laura Says:

    I went a year through numerous tests trying to figure out what was wrong with me b/c I was experiencing severe abdominal pain, increased urination, PAIN during sex, and pretty much every other red flag. My ob/gyn told me there was nothing wrong that she could see. The next day I went to my primary care doctor and he sent me to get a xray and was then sent to get an ultrasound b/c they couldnt get enough info from the xray..sure enough I had one massive fibroid and 20 others varying in size. My ob/gyn heard from me that day, i was furious. I ended up having a myomectomy to remove the fibroids. so there went a another 2 month w/o sex post op. So basically ever since I started w/ my pain from my fibroids I havent been having sex, bc the pain was unbearable. Thats a total of 3 years now. Hopefully the lupron will help. If not I might end up turning to a hysterectomy.

  16. Amy Says:

    Laura, just amazing an ob/gyn didn’t know better! Thank goodness your primary had it together. How long ago was your myomectomy? Did it bring any relief from the pain, or areyou still recovering from the surgery?

  17. Laura Says:

    my myomectomy was almost 2 yrs ago…and now I am on lupron. the myomectomy helped for like a yr and now I have 15 more fibroids and im in alot of pain yet again. BUT my doctor doesnt want to do another surgery b/c I am still trying to keep my options open for pregnancy considering im only 23. So were giving the lupron a whirl. so far no changes still in pain…but its only been a week or so now

  18. Renee Says:

    I had a myomectomy 2 weeks ago, 8 fibroids removed. My doctor explained that this will increase my chances at becoming pregnant. My fibroids were discovered as I was going through IVF process for damaged fallopian tubes. When I started Lupron injections for IVF it cut off blood supply of the fibroids thats when my symptoms started. IVF process was quickly halted when the fibroids started causing extreme pain. I’ll be able to start IVF process again in 3 mos. I’ll keep praying for a pregnancy**********

  19. reagan Says:

    I learnt i had fibroids by chance. I went to the doctor for a sore throat and when she wanted to recommend medication she asked me about my cycle and one thing led to the next. I had been having problems for a while. Heavy bleeding, clotting, rapid weight gain, sharp abdominal pains but it all seemed normal. Part of the pain of womanhood. But in my mind i knew something was wrong. I was relieved and yet disturbed to learn of the fibroids. My boyfriend is supportive but it has caused some problems in our relationship particularly with my increasing size and the lack of sex due to pain and bleeding. I want to be better but i am afraid of surgery. I am hoping that natural ways would work for me. Please give me some adivce.

  20. Aja Says:

    Hi Reagan,
    My advice is to take your courage in hand and get treated as quickly as possible. I soooooooo understand wanting to cure them naturally. I was scared of the various unpleasant alternatives too, but in retrospect, I wish I had gotten treated more quickly. The first thing you need to do is to find out the extent of the problem: how many fibroids, how big. You need to stabilize the problem: if they are growing, try to avoid things that help them grow (like estrogens) and try to help your body metabolize the estrogens you do get (fiber fiber fiber). Also, get tested to make sure that you are not anemic — the anemia makes thinking about all of this things so much harder. Eat your greens (lots of ‘em, they will help with the bleeding), and if you are a meat eater, eat your liver (loaded with iron and B vitamins).

    There are less invasive (MRgFUS, UFE/UAE, endometrial ablation) and more invasive procedures (myomectomy, partial hysterectomy) and a lot will depend upon whether you want to be able to bear children in the future. I know how overwhelming and lonely it feels to be dealing with this (as does everyone else haunting this site) but the more you know and the more you take the time to research your treatment options, the better you will feel about making the choices you need to make.

    Maintenance with watchful waiting can work for a time, but it is generally better for older women who are closing in upon menopause soon. Once the symptoms you describe are already in place, it is hard to fix things without doing something about the tumor itself.

    Good luck! And it really will be OK!

  21. sabrina Says:

    hi i have just had my AM surgey two weeks ago and not sure when i can start to have intercourse again, any advice?

    thank you

  22. Becca Says:

    Just found out I have a single fibroid the size of a softball and it hurts like the dickens. Sex is very soothing when I am on top, just a suggestion.

  23. Kim Says:

    Hi,
    I had a large fibroid removed about 6 or 7 years ago via a myomectomy. It was attached to my uterus( Predunculated). Since then( about 3 weeks ago found during a pelvic exam) my doctor states I have two that has grown back( but she stated they are in a position that is not harmful, I have a ultrasound done and she wants me to follow-up with a MRI just to make sure what you suspects is true). I want to have kids. I have not had any pain from this one or the previous one that was removed ( did I mention weigh 10 pounds). I am trying to get pregnant and my doctor is giving me 6 months. But I am in to Natural Remedies and what I have found is a herb called Vitex it works wonders in some cases it has help shrink fibroids and uterine cysts. It also is use to assist in getting pregnant. What it does is balance your hormones so that you are not over producing Estrogen which causes fibroids to grow. I have done tons of research on fibroids. Fill free to ask me any questions. I am a nursing student I graduate in Jan.09 plus I have a lot of resources because I have been in the medical field for many years. But I do have one question has anyone ever had more than one myomectomy?

    I will keep everyone in my prays.
    God Bless…

    Kim

    • liza Says:

      hi kim i had my first myectomy back in 2005 and the fibroids were so huge that they were crushing my uterus to my loin area .They had to remove it because i had hydronephrosis and i was anaemic .Now a week ago i had another myectomy cause my obs/gyn told me i was anaemic again and i was trying to get pregnant for a whole year.I had to agree for him to operate .He found that my fallopian tubes had been abnomal in their position due to the scar tissue from the previous operation and he removed a total of 12 fibroids 4 large ones and 8 small ones a party was going on in my womb.He said if i had waited and not operated it would have been difficult to save my uterus in a couple of years plus i would have never known what was halting the pregnancy ie the abnormal position of the tubes .Anyway he now says there are stronger chances of getting pregnant and that i shouldnt even wait for healing cause the uterus has a way of adapting .this is my experience with my myectomies they are painful procedures but they are the only guarantee if you still wanna have kids all the other procedures can affect your chances so goodluck

  24. mary borg Says:

    im 30 just married n childless. i ve got an 8 cm fibroid. can i still get pregnant? im scared! i ve got most symptoms. swelled abdomen, backpain and need to urinate every 15mins. please help

  25. Amy Says:

    Hi Mary, welcome! Since no one’s answered, go ask your question on some of the more active threads on this board:
    http://blog.geekwithfibroids.com/2007/02/15/trying-for-pregnancy-ttc-after-your-fibroid-procedure-abdominal-myomectomy/
    (I understand you haven’t had a procedure done yet, but these women can tell you how long they ttc before resorting to surgery)

    and then there’s:
    http://blog.geekwithfibroids.com/2006/11/30/is-anyone-having-problems-with-uterine-fibroid-pain-during-pregnancy/

    This one isn’t too scare you, but just to give you more info. Clearly there are women out there who have conceived with fibroids, sometimes they knew about them, others they discovered when they went for a babu ultrasound or when they had pain.

    and read up here (although there aren’t a lot of posts)
    http://blog.geekwithfibroids.com/2006/10/26/is-anyone-having-fertility-issues-because-of-uterine-fibroid-tumors/

    It seems that if you’re having so many symptoms, it might be a good idea to just have it removed! But that’s a decision you’ll have to make after reading up on all the options. Best!

  26. Yenor Says:

    Well ever since I got engaged I started experiencing a lot of pain during sex. My husband became very frustrated. I began to see my ob/gyn trying to find out what could be wrong & the only response I received on more than one occasion was that I just needed more foreplay. I informed my husband, but it didn’t seem to help at all. Subsequently now its eight yearls later, now my ob/gyn tells me that I have fibroids that are about 6cm, and after doing reearch myself have found out that this is most likely the reason sex was so PAINFUL. But my husband has already said that he wants a divorce. If someone has any help or info about asupport group please let me know. Because not only am I in pain physically often, but emotionally I’m dying inside.

  27. Amy Says:

    Yenor, I don’t know of a support but have you considered getting them treated or removed? Can you get your doctor to talk to your husband – maybe letting him know just how common fibroids are, that you shouldn’t have to be living in pain and that your husband shouldn’t blame you for this! Finally, I don’t know what your situation is regarding health insurance, but if you get it through your husband, get the fibroids out before you get divorced! I hope you get the help you need.

  28. Cassie Says:

    I went to the gyn yesterday for a checkup (long overdue) since I have polycystic ovarian syndrome. They decided to do a transvaginal ultrasound to check my ovaries and in doing so, not only found many cysts that have been giving me pain, but found 2 good sized fibroids, one larger than a golf ball. I’m only 28 so wasn’t expecting the doctor to tell me that the only things to do to take care of them was to have a shot that puts me into temporary menopause, have a hysterectomy or have a myomectomy. I have been having pain, especially during sex, and was still told to just go onto the pill and do a “wait and see”. Being the age that I am, I’m reluctant to first of all, take the chance that they will continue to grow, and second of all, keep having the pain. My husband has been very supportive but I’m not one for patience and want to figure out a solution as soon as possible. (He is also going through his own cancer problems that haven’t recurred since his childhood so we have a lot on our plate right know) If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I’m pretty upset and need some guidance. Please help!

  29. Amy Says:

    Hi Cassie, there have been more of this type of discussion on some of the other threads – so make sure you check them out. e.g “How are you feeling after your Hysteroscopic Myomectomy” and “How are you feeling after your Abdominal Myomectomy” etc. I personally think the “wait and see” approach is for the birds! Unless of course, you need some time for other reasons, like caring for your husband, etc. But you’ll see my rants on some of the other threads. I’ll also say, go see a fertility doc, not a reg. OBG! You should have an entirely different approach. Good luck!

  30. Amy Says:

    Cassie, – correction, you’ll find they have an entirely different approach, i.e. the last thing they want to even mention is a hysterectomy, especially to a 29 yr. old!

  31. Nay Says:

    Hi, I’m having concerns that I may have fibroids, but due to my age being 19, doctors have been very reluctant to test me for it as it’s supposedly uncommen for women of my age. Howeve, I have had periods which run on a 14 day cycle (less of a cycle, more of a constant bleeding!!) sometimes my ‘cycle’ will be just 10 days, with 7 of those days bleeding. I was in and out of the doctors for over a year, being given all sorts of contraceptive to try and stop it, all of which i’ve suffered breakthrough bleeding. I’m currently spotting and have been for the past 13 days, whilst on a progestrone only pill (i cant take oestrogen as i suffer from migraines). Sex is very painful, but luckily I have a supportive boyfriend who lets me take it slow. It’s getting depressing, and having doctors who just seem to try and stop the bleeding as opposed to finding out whats causing it is very frustrating.

    :(

  32. sam Says:

    THANK EVERYONE I FEEL SO AT PEACE KNOWING I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE GOING THROUGH THIS ,FOR 8 YRS NOW I HAVE THIS PAIN IN MY SIDE I WENT TO 4 DIFFERENT DOC AND KNOW ONE CAN TELL ME WHAT WRONG DID ULTRA SOUND THE WHOLE 9 YARD ,GOT PREG IN 07 WITH TWIN AND I HAD A MISCAR STILL NO ONE KNOW WHY WE BEEN TRYING TO GET PREG SINCE THEN AND KNOW LUCK ,FINALLY I WENT TO A NEW GYN AND HE FOUND I HAD FIBROID AND HE TOLD ME THAT WAS THE CAUSE OF MY MISCAR BECAUSE IT WAS PRESSING ON MY ULTRA SOUND THE BODY IS TAKING THE PREG AS A FOREIN OBJECT ,SO I DID THE SURGERY 4WKS AGO,STILL AIN A LITTLE PAIN BUT MY DOC TOLD ME MY FIBROID WAS NOT A SOLID MASS IT WAS MORE LIKE A JELLY AND HE FOUND LIVE CELL IN SIDE SO HE WANT ME TOO GO TO A SPEC OBGYN HE SAY IT NOT CANCER BUT HE WANT ME TO HAVE A SECOND OPOIN DID ANYONE HAVE THE SAME KIND OF FIBROID?I AM SCARED NOW I WANT TO TRY ON GETTING PREG FIRST BEFORE I GO TO THE NEW DOC DO U THINK IT A GOOD IDEA ?MY NEXT OPPOINTMENT IN 3 MONTHS ,

  33. Skye Says:

    Kim,
    My gynae says my uterus cavity is enlarged because of the 2 subserous fibroids & they are trying to get everything to shrink by changing my contraception. Why is a large uterus cavity a problem?

  34. Just_had_AM Says:

    Hello Everyone,

    So, HOW LONG to have sex after a Abdominal Myomectomy?

    I am 10 days post op and feeling soooo much better. My fibroid was the size of a baseball and pushing on my bladder. I have much relief…..

    I’m reading different chat rooms and blogs about this topic and am seeing the “no sex for 5 weeks suggestion”. Is this serious? Please tell me this is not serious.

    I can walk around just fine and am feeling little to no pain after 10 ten days.

    I’m also seeing a “no orgasm for 5 weeks” suggestion because it can hurt you? Please share your details girls… I’m a newlywed and 10 days is already long!

    thanks :-)

  35. Kim 25 june 09 Says:

    Hi Just had AM, 3 weeks ago I had a total abdom hysterectomy. I was told no sex until the surgeon had given the OK which I hope will be next week when I visit for a checkup. Since the cervix was removed there are stitches closing up the vagina. I understand there is a risk of infection through the vagina. So no sex yet, but I wasnt told no orgasms. I too was a bit nervous about an orgasm since I couldnt laugh, cough or sneeze without pain so at the 2 week point when things got going that way, I just went with the flow. It was somewhat of a relief to find that my orgasm was not painful at all and it was just as pleasurable as before. Orgasm without a uterus is definitely different but is still wonderful, and I dont regret the op.

  36. Kim 25 june 09 Says:

    I should probably clarify what sex and orgasm was like for me before the operation. In the couple of months leading up to the op, the fibroid went thru a growth spurt, growing at the same rate as a pregnancy (16 wk pregnancy size by the op). During this time, I noticed that it gradually became uncomfortable to have sex. I thought that sex on our sides would be better, like it was during pregnancy. However it was just as uncomfortable – a bit painful. And orgasm felt strange I guess – rather like it did when I was pregnant. The uterus does contractions during orgasm (and I think also at other times – I’m no expert on this) and it felt like it did when I was heavily pregnant (braxton hicks contractions).

  37. Amy Says:

    Hi Everybody! YAY!!!

    FYI — I contacted WordPress and they were able to fix the blog!!! Still no sign of Eclectic Geek herself, but at least most things seem to work.

    I’ve asked if it was an actual malfunction or the domain mapping wasn’t paid up or whatever…. and will continue to follow through on this is just in case.

    I really hope the whole thing is working again and all the regulars come back!

    (for those who get ALL the comments emailed to them, sorry for all the repeat posts, but I want the message to get through to everyone!)

  38. Robotic Myo Fan Says:

    Thanks Amy for the blog update. This site has been a godsend for helping me decide what path to take in dealing with my fibroid. It was diagnosed 2 years ago as being 5cm… and grew to 9 cm four months ago. I had a robotic myomectomy 4 days ago. I feel great, each day has been exponentially better and I’m almost feeling back to normal.

    I’m having orgasm urges and wonder when it is “ok” to do so (w/o penetration) considering how large the mass was (I think it had surpassed 10cm by surgery time). But maybe it’s too soon? I guess I’ll let things run their course for a bit longer tho it’s getting a bit hard :)

  39. Sheri Says:

    Hello Everyone,

    I was diagnosed with 2 mass pelvic fibroids and 1 endomitryoma. It’s been almost 3 weeks since my myomectomy and I feel great. I’m 32 years old and without a child. However I am very optimistic in the possibility of me becoming a mom. I cried for a few days after my diagnosis but after a while it got better. My doctor told me that he wanted me to get a second opinion before desiding on the type of surgery. The left side of my pelvis is still a little sore and bruised, but i’m healing well. I’m scheduled to see my doctor on October 21, 2009 and i’m so ready for this to be over so i can return to work. Thank god for the Paid family medical leave act (meaning I recieve my normal pay while i’m out for the 6 weeks post op). I wish you all the best and I just know that everything will turn out just fine. Have faith :)

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