Archive for the ‘ Patient Questions ’ Category

Patient Questions

Fibroid Symptoms

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I seem to be having some of the symptoms of fibroids, but I’m not sure if they are really fibroids. How can I know for sure?

If you feel that you may have symptoms related to the presence of fibroids, visit your gynecologist (see Fibroid Symptoms). A fibroid is usually discovered during a pelvic examination. Many times, however, fibroids are only discovered while a physician is looking for something else—or simply are not discovered at all. If you feel that your symptoms may be due to the fibroids, it would be a good idea to see your gynecologist and notify him or her of your concerns.

Ultrasound scanning enables physicians to distinguish these tumors. This diagnostic procedure can confirm the presence of fibroids when a woman has symptoms that raise suspicion of the tumors. However, because certain types of fibroids look similar to ovarian tumors, and the fibrous tissue can interfere with the sound waves, the ultrasound reading can be inaccurate.  In this case, physicians may sometimes suggest a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).  An MRI is a standard imaging technique for evaluating fibroids because it provides a clearer image than ultrasound and can detect other causes of pelvic pain and/or bleeding you may be experiencing.

If you feel that you are experiencing fibroid-related symptoms and would like to learn about what steps you can take to find out if the fibroid actually exists, please feel free to contact the Fibroid Treatment Collective at 866-362-6463 or request a free phone consultation.  We are always more than happy to provide you with useful resources and help you make positive choices for your health!

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Treatment After Menopause

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Don’t let fibroids cramp your style! Read on to find out how UAE may be able to help even after menopause.

Do I need to treat my fibroids if I already started menopause?

The answer to this question is often based on your personal decision. In most situations, fibroids shrink after menopause, so many women find no need to have a procedure done. However, if you are experiencing bothersome symptoms, then it might be a good idea to consult your OB-GYN. Sometimes, women experience symptoms even after menopause, leading them to look into treatment options.

Talk with your doctor about these options.  Have him/her explain why one or the other is best for you based on your body, age and health.  Then strongly consider having it treated if you feel that it is impeding on your quality of life. If your doctor doesn’t explain these options or what they think is best, it might be helpful to get a second opinion.

Many women see Uterine Fibroid Embolization as an optimal treatment procedure due to the fact that it is less-invasive than surgical treatment methods and it allows patients to return to their daily activities within a week! The procedure is safe, effective, and quick and women often feel symptoms relief almost immediately after the procedure.

If you would like to find out more about UAE or you would like to get some questions answered, please call us at 866-362-6463.  You may also Contact Us Online or Chat LIVE, 7 days a week, with one of the our health professionals at the Fibroid Treatment Collective!

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Treatment After Menopause

Uterine Artery Embolization & Imaging at a Glance

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Look inside to find a quick synopsis of the UAE procedure and the imaging used during the process.

Is an ultrasound used to find the uterine artery during the procedure? Have there been any cases where the PVA particles went to the wrong place?

An ultrasound is not used during fibroid embolization.  The ultrasound that you are referring to is done before the embolization procedure. The patient undergoes complete pelvic imaging, either ultrasound or MRI, to measure the size of the uterus and to look for any other conditions that might be affecting their health.

During the procedure, however, the first step in embolization requires a very small incision, about the size of a freckle, which is made in your upper thigh. This is done so that a tiny catheter can be inserted through this incision and into the femoral artery. Using x-ray guidance, a trained physician locates the feeder vessels which supply blood to each fibroid. Microscopic inert particles are injected into the vessels, blocking blood supply that nourishes the fibroid. Without a steady blood supply, the fibroids begin to dwindle and shrink. You can see the procedure performed live on our site at The Embolization Solution: See It Work.

Because physicians are able to use x-ray guidance to locate the exact vessels which supply the fibroids,  PVA particles are kept from going to the wrong place. Thus far we are unaware of particles escaping into the bloodstream and creating embolisms elsewhere.

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Uterine Artery Embolization & Imaging at a Glance

African American Women and Fibroids

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African American women are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with fibroids than other races. Read on to find out what is being said and how to find out if you have fibroids too.

I heard that black women have a higher chance of getting fibroids, is that true?  If so, how can I find out if I have fibroids?

For black women, uterine fibroids can pose as quite a burden. They occur more often than in their white counterparts, develop sooner and grow larger. Estimates show that fibroids will bring on numerous complications in half of all black women by age 50, compared to 30% of white women. Although rare in most women under the age of 20, some women do experience symptoms.  Fibroids, however, are most common in women in their 30s and 40s, and tend to shrink after the menopause.  The reason as to why black women are more at risk for fibroids is unknown; additional research must be carried out to find this answer.

Uterine fibroids are growths that commonly develop in the uterus, many times without causing any symptoms that would make a woman aware that they are present. But for some, fibroids can cause discomfort and heavy vaginal bleeding. Further, some fibroids attached to the uterus by a stalk which can get twisted, causing pain and fever.

There are a number of symptoms that can point a woman in the direction of knowing that she has uterine fibroids.  If you notice any of these symptoms, be sure to bring them to the attention of your OB-GYN:

• Heavy periods—bleeding that lasts longer and is more frequent than what you’re used to seeing
• Bleeding between periods
• Pain in your back or abdomen
• Difficulty eliminating, either during urination or bowel movements
• Pain during sex—Fibroids that press on the cervix or hang through the cervix into the vagina can make penetrative sex painful and cause bleeding during sex

If you believe that you are experiencing any of these symptoms, we advise that you consult your OB-GYN.  You can also give the Fibroid Treatment Collective a call at 866-362-6463 or Contact Us Online.  We will be more than happy to answer any of your questions and/or help you find medical alternatives if you have been diagnosed with fibroids.

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African American Women and Fibroids

Mentrual Cycles and Fibroid Embolization

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Still want to keep your fertility options open and want to continue having your period? The UFE procedure strives to rid symptoms associated with fibroids, while allowing women to maintain their cycles.

Will I still have menstrual periods after I have the embolization procedure?

Generally speaking, approximately 95% of women will continue to have menstrual periods after Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE). Roughly 5% of women in one published study did enter menopause after UFE, but the reason for this is not clear. It may have been coincidental, but there is also a small possibility that some of the injected particles caused a reduction of blood flow to the ovaries. Additionally, if you are reaching the typical age range in which most women experience menopause, there is a possibility that you may enter menopause, but often times this is not caused by the procedure itself, but rather a natural phenomenon that is unavoidable.

At any rate, most women continue to have their periods and are often happy to find that they no longer experience the burdensome symptoms that they experienced prior to UFE.  After UFE periods are often much lighter, less painful, and quite manageable.  UFE patients are usually very satisfied and come out of the procedure with the advantage of having normal menstrual cycles, leaving their fertility options open.

To learn more about fibroids and the embolization procedure, please feel free to contact the Fibroid Treatment Collective at 866-362-6463 or request a free phone consultation.  We would love to help you answer any additional questions that you might have or help you find out of UFE is an option you would like to explore!

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Uterine Fibroid Embolization and Your Uterus

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Worried that UFE will harm your uterus? Worry no more! In this section we explain how UFE leaves your uterus virtually untouched.

What happens to the uterus after the procedure? Does embolization cause any injury to the uterus?

The uterus tolerates Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) very well. In most research studies conducted, analysis of the uteri showed no UFE-related injury to the normal uterine muscle or the lining of the uterine cavity. Only the fibroids were affected. Proving that injury to the normal uterus is extremely rare.

There are two main ideas to explain these findings. First, the arterial branches that go to normal uterine tissues are tiny, while the arteries that go to the fibroid are very large. Injected polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles are too big to enter vessels leading to the normal uterus, so they flow right past these vessels and go directly to where the blood flow and vessel diameter are greatest. The fibroids, which feed off of this blood flow, absorb the blood-borne PVA. Further embolizing the blood flow to the uterus and eventually shrinking the tissue.

Second, the uterus is able to “recruit” blood supply from adjacent organs, primarily the cervix, vagina, and pelvic floor. By using this “secondary source” as a means to receive blood supply, the uterus still maintains the blood necessary to remain healthy, further ensuring that no damage can be done.

To learn more about fibroids and the embolization procedure, please feel free to contact the Fibroid Treatment Collective at 866-362-6463 or request a free phone consultation.  We are always more than happy to provide you with useful resources and help you make positive choices for your health!

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Are Fibroids Preventable?

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Fibroids aren’t preventable, but they are quickly and easily treatable, thanks to UFE! Read on to find out more about treatment options.

Research has yet to find the cause for fibroids; therefore, giving you ways as to how you can prevent the occurrence of fibroids is not possible at this time. Uterine fibroids or uterine myomas affect more than 30% of women. Most fibroids do not cause symptoms, and do not require treatment. However, at times fibroids may require treatment. The following are a few circumstances in which one might consider medical treatment of fibroids:

1. Fibroids are growing large enough to cause pressure on other organs
2. Fibroids are growing rapidly
3. Fibroids are causing abnormal bleeding
4. Fibroids are causing problems with fertility.

In the event that one feels as though the presence of the fibroid is bearing a weight on their quality of life, it is suggested that they look into treatment alternatives.

Many women that despise surgical methods and would rather treat their fibroid with a less invasive approach opt to undergo Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE). This procedure, considering one wants to keep their fertility options open, can be seen as a method of preventing recurrence of fibroids. After UFE, the femoral artery is blocked, or embolized, furthermore blocking the “food supply” to the fibroids. As a result, the existing fibroids shrink in size, eradicating those bothersome symptoms associated with fibroids.

Although there is no way to necessarily prevent the occurrence of fibroids, the UAE procedure has the ability to treat fibroids quickly, effectively, and without the common issues associated with the more traditional surgical approaches. Only 5 to 7 days after the UFE procedure, women can go back to their daily routines and live life as they did before their fibroids.

If you would like to learn more about fibroids or the UAE procedure, you may give the Fibroid Treatment Collective a call at 866-362-6463 and a qualified health professional will be available to answer all of your standing questions.

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Period After Uterine Artery Embolization

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Experiencing abnormally heavy periods? Feeling bloated? Find out how UAE can help eradicate these symptoms and help you get back to feeling great in no time!

What will my period be like after UAE?

In most cases, women that under UAE will have significantly lighter periods.  Embolization does a wonderful job of ensuring that the symptoms prior to having the procedure are pacified quite markedly after the procedure. Therefore, women that have the procedure can feel secure in knowing that those painful and abnormally heavy periods will no longer be the case after the procedure.

In some cases, however, some women may experience irregular periods from anywhere between 3 to 6 months.  The chance of this is below 1% for women under 40 and about 10% for women over 45. Hormonal changes that may lead to period irregularity after a hysterectomy appear to be a bit more common than after UAE. Additionally, there are a few rare cases in which women have experienced early onset of menopause.  However, early menopause is quite unlikely  and in most cases has only occurred in women approaching the typical years of menopause onset.

Overall, UAE is often the procedure of choice for most women due to a quick recovery period of only 5 to 7 days and its ability to completely eradicate irregular period symptoms. The procedure is less invasive than other traditional procedures and has the ability to get you back on your feet and back to your daily activities in a short period of time.

To learn more about fibroids and the embolization procedure, please feel free to contact the Fibroid Treatment Collective at 866-362-6463 or request a free phone consultation.  We are always more than happy to provide you with useful resources and help you make positive choices for your help!

 

Where Do the Particles Go After UFE?

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Learn what happens to the particles used during uterine fibroid embolization, specifically once the fibroids shrink.

What happens to the plastic particles once the fibroids shrink? Do they dissolve? If so, where does the plastic go once dissolved?

The particles used to perform the embolization do not move once injected into the artery. The body does not absorb them, nor do they migrate to other parts of the body. As the particles are injected during the embolization they “dam” up and block the flow of blood to the fibroids. With the blood supply to the fibroids being shut off they start to shrink and die, but the particles themselves do not move.

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Radiation During Uterine Fibroid Embolization

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Learn whether radiation is involved in uterine fibroid embolization and if there are any side effects.

Is there any radiation involved in Uterine Fibroid Embolization? If so, how much?

There is a very small amount of radiation involved in the embolization procedure. It is well below the amount normally taken in during an x-ray, and there are little or no side effects from the exposure during the procedure.

If you would like to learn more about fibroids and UFE or have any additional questions, please give the Fibroid Treatment Collective a call at 866-362-6463 and they will be more than happy to schedule you for a consultation.

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