[Stillness]

My wife just found out she has (a) polyp(s) on her uterine lining. Her doctor wants to remove them. Has anybody dealt with this? Any advice? Can they just go away? Is there any natural remedy (diet, exercise)? Is the procedure intense? Worth it?

She doesn't have much in the way of symptoms that I know of. She gets cramps, but not extraordinarily severe ones. A few years ago she had some odd cycles and bleeding. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

I don't envy the price you ladies pay for your reproductive abilities.

[Stillness]

Help me, please

Please help me if you ladies and gentlemen have any experience with yourselves, your mothers, daughters, girlfriends, wives. I think we're going to reject the doctor's advice.

[ItsASecret]

The only "natural" remedy for a polyp is time and hoping that it will disappear, which they can as there is no real way to figure them out. They are quite often just a benign mass of cells that decided to grow much like a skin tag can grow on your skin for no reason. Realistically though you cannot ignore the possibility that it could be something. Personally I would say either have it quickly removed or at the very least have a biopsy done.

[Stillness]

Thank you so much, IAS. I appreciate your response.

Your advice and reasoning is the same as the doctor's. I wasn't with her on this appointment, but I will be next time. She has to be put under general anesthesia, which is a big deal to me. I just want to know why she should go through that for something that is almost never cancerous when she has no symptoms (or very minor ones) and there is no indication that anything is wrong. If you don't mind me asking, have you dealt with this, or do you know of anyone who has? If so, what was the experience - either of having the polyps or the procedure? Thanks.

[ItsASecret]

Polyps are extremely common especially once women hit their 40's and 50's. I have never dealt with one but I know I likely have a few simply because they do pop up in the body. It is just something that many women have and it can cause issues in the future if they are left alone. Or they could remain there unnoticed by tests and exams not causing any issues whatsoever. If you want to know why she should go through a procedure such as a polyp removal you could explore uterine cancer on the internet and see how silent the cancer can really be. There is no need for off the chart results, no need for sickness, no need for an obvious unhealthy symptom to pop up in order for cancer to show it's ugly head. This risk is increased further if there has ever been a history of uterine or other female cancers in the family.

Basically removal is a simple precautionary measure that can prevent such a silent attack. Sure a polyp could remain benign for the next 40 years and do absolutely nothing in the body but there is also the chance of endometrial cancers to pop up. It is also possible no matter if it is surgically removed or regressed on it's own for it to regrow after. That is all based on the body and aging and so forth.

As for general anesthesia there really is nothing to worry about. This method is also used if you are put under to have your wisdom teeth out. The anesthesiologist is there 100% of the time monitoring absolutely everything. The procedure itself I believe is only a few minutes as well depending on which surgical method they use-the doctor can just cut out the affected area or scrap the whole uterus to get everything that could be there. And after they almost always send it off to the lab to just check things incase there are any cancerous cells living in the mass.

[Stillness]

Update: My wife decided to hold off for a bit on this. She cancelled her pre-procedure appointment. Part of me didn't want her to. I wanted to be present and ask questions since I wasn't there on the last appointment. I was also more open to the procedure after your last post and some research as you suggested. I don't think this is a bad decision though, so I'm just being supportive. Thanks again, IAS.