Treatment
What options are available to me?
If have fibroids but they do not cause symptoms, there is no need to treat them.
However, "For some women who are having a lot of problems, they just want to get it over," says Linda Bernhard, R.N., Ph.D., associate professor of nursing and women's studies at Ohio State University in Columbus. "It's like 'I just want to be done with it, I don't want to deal with this anymore, I'm so sick of it.' That puts women in a very vulnerable position to have some nice physician say, 'Well, we can fix you all up. We'll just take it all out, and then everything will be better."
But that may not be accurate in your case. "Women should get informed, take control and make the decision that's right for them."
If you have fibroids with symptoms as described here, you should know and explore all of the treatment options available. There are benefits, risks and side effects regardless of the treatment and as a medical consumer, learn the facts, otherwise you cannot make a sound and informed decision.
The 3 treatment options for symptomatic fibroids are:
- medications
- surgery
- uterine fibroid embolization.
Second Opinion Prior to Hysterectomy
For true informed consent before surgery, patients should be aware of all of their treatment options. Patients considering surgical treatment should also get a second opinion from an interventional radiologist, who is most qualified to interpret the MRI and determine if they are candidates for a minimally invasive and very effective alternative, uterine fibroid embolization. You can ask for a referral from your doctor or call the radiology department of any hospital and ask for interventional radiology.
Copyright © 2008, Joel Garris MD, FACR. All rights reserved.
Uterine Fibroids
INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY
Minimally Invasive Alternatives to Surgery
