[bluegrassy]

Posted this on another board but just found this great forum. I'm sure this has discussed before but wondering others with any experience with this. Have been have low pelvic/vaginal pain, frequent urination, back pain, looking pregnant, gained 15 pounds in 3 months, tenderness in stomach, bloat, heavy clotting periods. Had an ultrasound this morning. She said my uterus was the size of a 8-9 month pregnant woman with many small and large fibroids. Waiting to here back from primary dr for what's next. Is this considered a hysterectomy type size or has anyone had success with meds. Thanks for any replies.

[BabyGirl]

There are several factors that bring about the enlargement fo the uterine. Diseases are a prime consideration of enlarged uterus causes. It is nothing to get alarmed about, a since some are actually benign. But there are serious cases the require medical attention. One of the important aspect of enlarged uterus cases is that patients are completely oblivious about it. Woman cannot notice the abnormal growth unless they are pregnant. And this is only diagnosed during an internal examination performed by a physician.

Fibroids comprise a significant area of enlarged uterus causes. The muscle wall of the uterus sometimes develop growths, which are known as Fibroids or myometrium. Most of the time these growths are considered benign which means it it does not cause cancer. Its verry common among twenty to forty per cent of women ages thirty-five and above. It is more common in women from Africa. About fifty percent of African women have fibroids. As the size increases these could be fe felt like a hard lump in the abdomen. It usually grows as women approach menopause. It causes cramps, back pain,constipation, heavy bleeding and because it puts pressure in the different organs. When the endometrium of the uterus lining grows in the muscular wall an adenomyosis may occur.

This may cause the uterus to double or triple its size. It usually occurs in women after having children, but it can slowly disappear later on in life, towards menopause. It may also bring about heavy bleeding, potting or severe cramps. Another cause of enlarge is uterine cancer. This is primarily caused by heavy bleeding after menopause. This is common among big , heavy weight women, those with diabetes and those who never had children. Also women with a history of breast and ovarian cancer, another cause of enlarged uterus is pregnancy. This can be felt on the 12th week of pregnancy. Normally there are several signs that a woman is pregnant, there's morning sickness, mood swings and craving for a specific type of food. But the most obviously is the pain in the uterine area.

The stomach grows bigger and the pain transfers to the lower part below the ribs. This takes place because the uterus is a muscle organ. It is located at the pelvis between the bladder and rectum. It holds the endometrium, this is released in blood form during menstruation. However if the egg is fertilized then it keeps the growing fetus healthy.
As women age, they may become susceptible to a large number of reproductive problems. Women who are menopausal are definitely at a greater risk of developing reproductive problems owing to hormonal imbalance. Medical help must be sought when women develop an enlarged uterus after the childbearing age. While sudden weight gain or an expanding waistline are some of the visible signs that may be attributed to the enlargement of the uterus, a host of distressing symptoms may be exhibited by women suffering from this condition.

Uterine Fibroids

Presence of uterine fibroid's is one of the most common causes of enlarged uterus. Studies have revealed that around 40-45% of female population suffer from fibroid s in the uterus at some point in life. Fibroid s are described as non-cancerous growths of a woman's uterus. They mostly occur during the childbearing age. They may occur anywhere on the inside, outside or even within the uterus wall. Fibroids may develop as a single tumor or in groups. The size of the fibroid s could be as small as a pea to as large as a melon.

Symptoms:
Pain in the pelvis
Heavy menstrual bleeding
Pain during sexual intercourse
Frequent urge to urinate
Constipation
Abdominal pain or pressure
Lower backache
Treatment:
When uterine fibroid s are small and cause no discomfort, surgical intervention may not be required. If fibroids cause pain and discomfort, a surgical procedure called myomectomy may be used to remove such growths. In severe cases, hysterectomy (surgical removal of uterus) may be required to alleviate the symptoms.

Ovarian Cysts

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled pockets or sacs that may develop either on the surface of an ovary or within an ovary. More often than not, ovarian cysts are benign or functional. However, in some unfortunate cases, the ovarian cysts rupture and cause serious complications. Ovarian cysts are of several types. Functional cysts refer to the cysts that develop during menstruation and include corpus luteum cysts, follicular cysts and hemorrhagic cysts. Endometriomas are cysts which develop in females suffering from endometriosis. A dermoid cyst is an abnormal cyst that may contain growths of body tissues. These are benign but can enlarge and become painful. Cystadenomas are benign growths that develop from ovarian tissue. These may enlarge thereby causing weight gain. Sometimes women may even develop polycystic-appearing ovaries. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a condition that is characterized by development of cysts on the ovary. This condition could also be responsible for causing an enlarged uterus.

Symptoms:
Pressure and pain in the abdomen
Backache
Difficulty in passing urine
Painful menstruation
Abnormal bleeding
Breast tenderness
Treatment:
Most of the ovary cysts are not cancerous, hence they can be cured with the help of medications. To relieve pain one can have pain relievers or anti-inflammatory drugs. Hormonal contraception method can be used in which oral contraceptive pills are given to regulate the menstrual cycle. This further prevent the formation of any new cysts and shrinks the existing cyst.

Cancer of the Endometrium

Endometrium, which is commonly referred to as the uterine lining, is the mucous membrane that lines the uterus. Endometrial cancer or the cancer of the endometrium also figures in the list of causes for enlarged uterus. This is a type of cancer that starts in the layer of cells that form the uterine lining. An abnormal and uncontrolled cell division in the cells forming the glandular tissue in the uterine lining leads to endometrioid adenocarcinomas. This condition usually affects women who are over 50 years of age. Obesity, early onset of menstruation and late onset of menopause are believed to be risk factors for endometrial cancer. Hormonal imbalance, especially estrogen dominance, may also make women susceptible. Menopausal women who are on hormone replacement therapy or women undergoing treatment for breast cancer are also at an increased risk of developing endometrial cancer.

Symptoms:
Pain during intercourse
Difficulty in urination
Vaginal bleeding between periods or after menopause
Treatment:
Under such circumstances, enlarged uterus treatment would involve surgical removal of the uterus. This approach may also help in treating endometrial cancer.

Adenomyosis

The thickening of the uterus that takes place when the tissue that normally lines the uterus starts growing within the uterine muscular wall is medically referred to as adenomyosis. Adenomyosis is one of the most common enlarged uterus causes. This condition mostly occurs in young women who have had children. Women in their 30s, especially those who have undergone a cesarean section during childbirth or those who have had a uterine surgery are more likely to develop adenomyosis. Though this condition is generally benign, it is quite painful.

Symptoms
Menstrual cramps
Heavy bleeding during periods
Passage of blood clots during menstruation
Vaginal bleeding between periods
Treatment:
It can be treated quite effectively with anti-inflammatory medicines and hormone therapy. In some serious cases of adenomyosis, hysterectomy may be required.

Other Causes

Menopause in some cases may lead to the enlargement of liver. This may be a result of hormonal fluctuation in which uterus mimcs pregnancy. Some contraceptive methods like birth control pills and intrauterine devices (IUDs) can result in the thickening of the uterus wall which may further result in enlarged uterus. Sexual activities may also result in the enlargement of the uterus, but this condition lasts for sometime and the uterus comes back to its original size. Besides the aforementioned causes of enlarged uterus, conditions such as molar pregnancy and cancer of the cervix can also cause enlargement of uterus. Cervical fibrosis, Asherman's syndrome and congenital abnormalities involving the cervix, vagina or the uterus also figure in the list of swollen uterus causes.

The development of malignant uterine growths must be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Women must therefore seek medical help on experiencing enlarged uterus symptoms. Hormonal therapy, medication, total/partial hysterectomy, surgical procedures or alternative treatments can help in treating enlarged womb problems. Correct and timely diagnosis and treatment will certainly pave the way for quick recovery.

You are doing it Correctly. you went to the DR. That's the first step. Your Primary should send you to a Specialist , OBGYN. Try not to stress, it could be simple, then again it could be something more.

Read through the Above ^ a few times, take notes , make a Check list and Check anything that applies to what you are having.. This can help you try to understand things when and if the DR. says " Fibroid s or Ovarian Cysts ". Your Symptoms do not always mean " Cancer ". but if it is so, it's best to be prepared and understand just what Treatment(s) is/ are involved.
I have a Cousin a few years younger tham I and ( I'm almost 60 ) she had the Ovarian Cysts and Fibroids, she just got tired of all the problems and Treatments and did have a Hysterectomy. Of course she was mid/ late Child bearing age, had her kids and that was her Choice. That was about 13 years ago.

She is on HRT, Hormone Replacement Therapy, but she says taking a few pills is much better than all the Pain and worry and Fears of if it got worse or a New "problem " occurred in the future.

Welcome to WH
I'm known as Baby Girl, but most just call me BG .

[Claret]

The treatment of choice may be linked to your age and other factors such as had you completed your family. The doctors need to determine how the fibroids are attached to the uterus. For instance some fibroids may wrap around and envelop the colon, the fallopian tubes and/or the ovaries. Some can be peeled back leaving little scarring others are embedded too deeply to remove. Some are internal others can be external to the uterus. I doubt that drugs will help. They may remove some of the pain associated with fibroids but cannot get rid of them alone. This requires surgical intervention. Cauterization can be used in many cases and as well laser surgery.