Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: Musicandstars on October 13, 2019, 10:01:26 PM
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Hi all,
Recent scans have shown multiple fibroids in my womb. I would be very grateful for any info. or experiences anyone has had in this area or just to hear from anyone else who is trying to deal with fibroids and the menopause whilst taking HRT.
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Hi Musicandstars
Sorry to see you have left after only just joining? Sometimes posts get missed. We all have busy lives and sometimes don't get round to all the forum boards. Many of us head for the All Things Menopause mostly or for those who like the general chat - to This and That - but dip into new members now and again.
There is information about fibroids and HRT here on this website:
"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. "
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/atoz.php#GlossF
Have you started taking HRT yet and what are you periods doing? I have just one (as far as I know) small fibroid and have been taking HRT for more than 12 years. This fibroid has not grown and last time it was measured has actually shrunk. I think it probably depends how big yours are and whether you've had problems with them. Also what docs have said?
Sorry I can't be of more help. Maybe come back? We don't bite ( often!)... All the best anyway - hoping you see this.
Hurdity x
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Hi Hurdity,
Sorry for (very) late reply, and thanks for the information which I have taken on board. :) Since posting about the fibroids problem, I have been trying to address issues with inflamed and very sore breasts which has eclipsed the fibroids for the time being. I have posted details on a post entitled 'Switching to Tibolone', the drug I finally started yesterday. A breast consultant advised me to stop taking Utrogestan as after 8 years of using Estradot and Utrogestan my left breast is very dense, (ultrasound and mammogram,) and apparently more likely to develop cancer. I think the consultant would have liked me to stop HRT altogether, but that is unthinkable as whenever I have experimented with less or no HRT, all symptoms have returned. Therefore, I researched Tibolone and it does not seem to affect breast tissue as much, if at all. Hopefully the fibroid problem will ease as I will not be bleeding (I hope) on Tibolone. Apparently I have multiple fibroids (which were probably causing the monstrously heavy bleeding every month) and led to a very low ferritin count.
Music and Stars