Fibroids are smooth muscle growths that occur inside the uterus. They can cause bleeding, pain, and “compression symptoms” due to pushing on other organs. These symptoms include frequency or urination or urinary retention (can’t pee), bloating and distension, pelvic pressure and back pain, leg pain or swelling, diarrhea or constipation.
OBGYN Management Options
- The “watch and wait” approach. This allows fibroids to grow in size and number, with the OBGYN guidance to the patient: “we will remove the fibroids just before you are interested in becoming pregnant.” The result of this – the fibroids grow to a very large size and high numbers, and removal often leads to scarring and damage to the tubes and uterine cavity that results in infertility or the need for IVF.
- Emoblization, Accessa, Sonata, or inadequate surgical care does not remove all the fibroids, can increase the risk of miscarriage or hurt the ovaries, and patients often require surgical procedures due to ineffective management.
- Medical management with very expensive medications called GnRH antagonists or agonists decrease the size of the fibroids but do not remove them, resulting in a time delay and ultimately the need for surgery. Most patients cannot tolerate the menopausal symptoms these medications cause, and often discontinue the medications early.
Result: Delay in Care leads to progressive pain, bleeding, ER visits and blood transfusions, open surgery, and infertility with very expensive IVF procedures required that are often out of pocket expenses for the patient – cash required.
