Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: anderina on September 25, 2013, 06:29:40 PM
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help looking for advice!!
anyone with experience of fibroids?
had ultrasound yesterday told i have quite big one - but everything i have read since says fibroids shrink post menopause
anderina xx
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I had a big fibroid and opted for a sub total hysterectomy. I suppose it depends how old you are, I was early 40s and never wanted kids anyway. But - it does hasten the meno, well it did in my case and I was totally unprepared. Other than that, a straightforward op and after recovery, I never looked back.
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I had fibroids & cysts. Pain from these resulted in partial hysterectomy in my mid 30's. Ovaries were removed 10 years later because of adhesions.
Discuss fully with your doctor about all the possibilities.
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Thank you I am 54 and post menopausal (also have prolapse) going in hospital 11 oct for hysteroscopy etc - the nurse advised me to go for hysterectomy as i am fit and healthy as i will ever be?? (for recovery etc)
The more i think about it i agree rather than wait years down the line and general health declines. Obviously feel nervous, plus don't know what results will show yet ? might not have any option
xx
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anderina fibroids don't always shrink with menopause, I was told mine would not and I had a second opinion who said the same, I was 53 when I had a subtotal hysterectomy, they took my uterus and fallopian tubes, the surgeon said my ovaries were healthy and I kept my cervix.
Never had any trouble since, it took a while to recover, I was prescribed a very low dose estrogen patch after op and have never had many symptoms of menopause.
I have never regretted it.
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Hi
Fibroids are very common.
I'm sure you will be given the correct advice once you have had a full assessment.
I think your decision also depends on how bad your symptoms are.
My fibroids cause no problems now the heavy peroids have stopped.
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hello everyone!
just been reading about vagifem and that it can cause fibroids to enlarge and play up!
Because my fibroid is so large probably had it a long time, and it seems like too much of a coincident that since using vagifem i now have this problem!
consultant didn't say any of this, but while having my pre assessment for my op the nurse was very helpful (seemed to know more than doc) and agreed.
Anyone else heard of this?
Have stopped vagifem cos i don't want to cause more probs - feel like im going backwards with more things wrong every day
any advice ??? xxx
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Definitely not a coincidence anderina.
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I developed fibroids in my late 40s. Extremely painful :(
My Dr told me that they would ease off as I approached meno which they have so no further action needed so far. Will have to bear in mind flare ups with vagifem use though, as I fully intend to use that when the need arises
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Hi Anderina
I'm not sure whether Vagifem has been shown to increase the size of uterine fibroids has it?
What I've read just lists this as an effect of estrogens - of which vagifem is one - but I think the studies refer to systemic HRT rather than topical/local estrogens ie as a precautionary suggestion.
The dose is so low I can't imagine it could have an appreciable effect but would be very interested to see studies which have shown this, if you known of them?
However if you are worried, rather than stop local estrogen completely, why not change to Orthogynest pessaries as these contain estriol - a very weak oestrogen which will have even less effect ( 7-8 times weaker) on the endometrium than the estradiol in Vagifem. It still has all the same benefits of Vagifem.
Hurdity x
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Lots of evidence that vagifem can increase the size of fibroids
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/hrt-topical
Having had a fibroid I would have been very cautious about using Vagifem before it was removed, even progesterone can increase fibroids.
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thankyou for all your replies
I have stopped vagifem until i've been for my biopsy etc
The side effects I read did say vagifem could cause problems with fibroids - but I
didn't know I had one before I had a scan or I wouldn't have used it!
Will have to look into using something else tho because my other problems are no better!
I really thought I was having such a straightforward menopause (is there such a thing?) and then one problem after another in 6 months!!!
I will keep you posted about how i get on
xxx
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Can anyone tell me if Balance Active menopause gel is any good?
xx
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anderina - I really do not think you need to stop the vagifem because of fibroids.
What the leaflets/patient information about vagifem say is that there are certain effects from taking all oestrogens. The information that relates to fibroids is quoting the standard cautionary words that all oestorgen taken in any form will say. I looked closer at the detailed information and it says that (as expected) enlargement in fibroids is an effect of oestorgen - this is well known and is stated on this web site under health conditions.
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/atoz.php#GlossF
Fibroids
Fibroids are benign smooth muscle tumours of the uterine (womb) wall and are dependant on estrogen. They tend to shrink after the menopause but shrinkage may not occur, or they may even increase in size with HRT use. Increase is thought to occur in 25% of HRT users and mainly occurs in the first six months of therapy. There is some evidence that transdermal (patch or gel) but not tablet HRT nor tibolone may promote fibroid growth. [ref 24] Fibroid size can be monitored by regular examinations and sometimes by ultrasound scans. There is some evidence that the use of the progestogen releasing intra-uterine system, Mirena may cause fibroids to reduce in size. Mirena is often used in the perimenopause by women who have heavy periods and/or require contraception and can provide the progestogen part of their HRT.
The information in the leaflets is applying the results from systemic HRT to advise caution with any oestrogen, and states that there is no information about the effect of local oestrogen on fibroids.
All effects of oestrogen are dose dependent - which means that the higher the dose the greater the effect. Even allowing for the fact that we are all different, any effect of vagifem on fibroids is likely to be negligible, because the oestrogen dose is so small.
As above some progestogens have been shown to have the opposite effect ie shrink fibroids, especially if introduced directly as in the Mirena.
As I said please do use Orthogynest 0.5 mg pessaries instead if you really don't want to use Vagifem - they are a very weak oestrogen and will prevent your VA getting worse, without affecting your fibroid.
I understand that hysterectomy is now a last resort for treating fibroids so don't be pushed into it if you don't have to have one - and see what else is recommended when you've had the results of tests and hysteroscopy etc
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uterine_fibroid
Good luck!
Hurdity x
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Thanks Hurdity that sounds a bit more hopeful, will see what happens next week and go from there
I have had loads of people telling me that their hysterectomy was the best thing they ever did!!?
I'm starting to think ' oh lets get rid of it all' and sort out my prolapse at the same time but it might not even get to that - I think i'm trying to convince myself that this is the way to go!
Will keep you up to date thank you again
xx
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I have been using Balance Active menopause Anderina, only because I have some sensitivity issues with a lot of other preps. It is better than nothing. But anything you have been prescribed is bound to be better :)
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Sorry to disagree on this Vagifem can increase the size of existing fibroids and should be used with care if you do have them.
All you have to do is google this or ask your Doctor. It is stated on the leaflet. Use with caution.
If your fibroid is very small then it probably won't cause so much of a problem but if large then could make uncomfortable symptoms worse.
When you a have a little "alien" fibroid benign as they almost always are, (they also can calcify and dissolve naturally but I think this is rare, and some can be cancerous)) you don't want to fuel it, well I didn't, I was taking Red clover herb before mine was diagnosed ( it was diagnosed by accident) and my GP said that could have made it bigger.
Some fibroids cause no symptoms others do, there are different types and can grow inside and outside of the womb.
If you are diagnosed with fibroids its best to find out as much as you can about them and the make your choices.
Just be aware that any kind of estrogen your own, natural, oral or topical including Vagifem can fuel them.
They don't really know what causes fibrroids but the do know what makes them grow.
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This is what the official Vagifem leaflet says:
Other adverse reactions have been reported in association with oestrogen treatment. Risk estimates have been drawn from systemic exposure and it is not known how these apply to local treatments:
• Myocardial infarction, congestive heart disease
• Stroke
• Gall bladder disease
• Skin and subcutaneous disorders: chloasma, erythema multiforme, erythema nodosum, vascular purpura
• Increase in size of fibroids
• Epilepsy
• Libido disorder
• Deterioration of asthma
• Probable dementia over the age of 65 (see section 4.4).
The point I was trying to make was based on this - that adverse reactions have been reported from oestrogen treatment not from Vagifem itself and by implication Vagifem could be a risk because it is an oestrogen - this is standard. Elsewhere in the leaflet - and it is generally known - that the amount of oestrogen absorbed from vagifem is minute.
I accept what it states, that information on risk comes from systemic exposure to oestrogens ie full HRT not local treatments such as vagifem.
All other patient information will take their information from the SPC or product monograph for Vagifem which says no more than this.
Therefore as I understand there is no evidence that Vagifem can increase the size of fibroids and I would suggest as I said before that the dose is so small as to be negligible.
I do not disagree that oestrogen can increase the size of fibroids, just that because it is dose dependent, then a little perspective is needed especially in the case of severe VA.
I have a small fibroid and I am on systemic HRT and Vagifem (the latter sometimes) and the gynae who did my investigations was quite happy about this.
Hurdity x
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Lots of evidence that vagifem can increase the size of fibroids
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/hrt-topical
Having had a fibroid I would have been very cautious about using Vagifem before it was removed, even progesterone can increase fibroids.
Information about topical estrogen eg Vagifem
Any woman who has been diagnosed with fibroids must make her own choice especially if the fibroid is large and is causing symptoms.
The title of thread thread is "Fibroids" not severe VA, and the question was can Vagifem cause fibroids to grow, and the simple answer is that it can.
For some women with fibroids using Vagifem will be acceptable for others it should be used with caution, if Vagifem can cause breast to grow or be tender, and cause headaches and increase in tummy size in women sensitive to it, then it can have an effect on fibroids.
It is a woman's individual choice. Hurdity if your GP says its alright for you to use vagifem with your small fibroid then that is right for you, for another woman it might be different.
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my va is really starting to bother me again and was really tempted to re start vagifem but after reading all your comments i don't think i will until i've been to the hospital
I don't want to make things worse and i definitely don't want any more bleeding!
Been using E45 anti itch cream has anyone any other suggestions ?
I do think vagifem helped my prolapse though :(
Cannot wait to get sorted one way or the other xx
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Sorry to hear what you are going through..it sounds like you've just about had enough. I had fibroids 5 of them that pushed on my bladder making things very uncomfortable for many years, then the never ending bleeding,etc., finally i asked my doctor for a hysterectomy at that time i was very anemic and ill. It was a two day stay at the hospital and a fairly long recovery at home with hubby and older daughters picking up most of the housework,etc., Every day that went by i could feel myself getting better and better..the pain and feeling of wanting to run to the loo all the time had gone along with the never ending bleeding. For me it was fantastic and two years later I just got a clean bill of health from my yearly checkup, no prolapses, no need for hormones and i feel great. I hope you find a solution for your problems and wanted to give you my story should you ever decide to go through the same procedure. Sending you big hugs