Endometrial Ablation - after 10 weeks still bleeding every day

My goodness :( well I'm terribly sorry this has happened to you. First, you're not crazy. Second, do not trust this man. You have put your Faith in him way too many times when your body, soul, mind, and gut told you not to. You need to start listening to yourself and your body, and nobody else. It can be difficult but you really need to tune into your body. If you think you were just feeling anxiety, you were wrong. Try not to beat yourself up too badly about not doing your homework about the procedure. What's done is done. Maybe you avoided the topic because of the anxiety it was causing you and just blindly put your Faith into this doctor hoping to better your own life. Just take away the lessons you learned and use them in the future. If I could recommend one thing in proceeding forward- find 3 minutes every morning and literally call upon archangel Michael and archangel Raphael (Angel of healing) and ask them to please heal whatever needs to be healed to raise you to a hogher frequency and make it clear to you what needs to be done and let you clearly understand any task or situation that day to help you reach this goal of health, healing and insight. Then, just listen to your own intuition and any insight you may receive. You may wake up one morning with an epiphany! It happened to me!! God bless you and please learn to trust your instincts :)

Thank you "Guest". You have no idea how fitting and timely your recommendation is!

You are so very welcome!

I had the Thermachoice procedure done four weeks ago - March 1, 2013. I am forty-nine, married for twenty-nine years, and have two sons (twenty and seventeen).  I had the procedure done to ease very heavy periods that lasted for weeks. I have been anemic for many years, and was deferred by the Red Cross from donating blood for the past three years. I started to take a daily iron supplement when I first started to get deferred, but it still was not enough to boost my iron levels past the accepted level for donation. Truthfully, since I felt fine and didn’t have insurance, I ignored it, and I simply quit trying to donate.

I never got my period from September to December of 2012; just maybe a day of spotting here and there as kind of a tease. I thought many times my regular period was on its way, but it never materialized, and so I thought, given my age, I was starting on the downward slope of menopause, and thinking about what kind of red convertible I would need to buy for my mid-life crisis consumed by spare time.

I felt pretty good, albeit tired, which I quickly excused for many reasons - none of which I related to how anemic I was (who knew? who cared?). I thought I was sailing through this menopause thing; that is until January of this year.

In January of 2013 my period began as normal (which, for me, was heavy from the get-go with a lot of large clots). I bled for almost the entire month. I had an eighteen-day reprieve and the bleeding started again, just as heavy. I estimated that I was losing about a tablespoon an hour around the clock, and for the month of February, this type of bleeding continued for eleven days straight. I tried every product on the market, from tampons that would rival the Hoover Dam in effectiveness, to a menstrual cup - all with a pad - and all to no avail. When the effects of severe anemia were present and quickly becoming incapacitating, I was finally forced to go to a doctor. I was unable to walk up the staircase without becoming breathless, I experienced horrible chest palpitations that kept me awake at night, and I had a headache that resounded in my ears constantly making it difficult to hear anything. I knew I finally had to do something when I drove to Walgreens for a box of sanitary napkins and didn’t remember ever going. Yes, that was downright scary. At that point, I knew something had to give. I started to take the iron supplement three times a day, and I researched, and I made some phone calls.

Like you, flikwrtr, I had a c-section with my first child, but I did go ahead and have a v-back with my second, and I too have always been in excellent health. Haven’t seen a doctor in 17 years, and, as a matter of fact, and I might just as well admit, that I didn’t go for any yearly check-ups either. I am not a real-trusting-medical-profession kind of gal, after finding that my c-section was not actually necessary. This has been proven, and although I didn’t sue the id**t who did it, the insurance company refused payment to him and all the others involved after reviewing my medical records.  The insurance company urged me to file a lawsuit, but I was so mentally distraught I didn’t think I could handle all that goes on with a lawsuit. The depression and stress was so great at the time, I went from weighing 216 lbs. to 108 lbs. within a year - without trying.

Anyway, with the serious signs of anemia rearing their ugly head, I made an appointment with a midwife for February 27. The bleeding was so heavy, when I undressed to sit on the exam table, I left a trail of blood on the floor, which I couldn’t wipe up because the bleeding was incessant and impossible to clean without making a mess somewhere else, all this was happening and I had an ultra tampon in at the time - that I put in just before I was called to her office - 20 minutes or so before! If it weren’t so gross, it would have been a pretty funny Laurel and Hardy skit. I think she was at a loss when she looked at me and that was probably the point that she decided that I was out of her league medically. She tried to do an internal exam, but it was pretty pointless. My hemoglobin was taken and revealed a level of 6 (bear in mind that an acceptable low hemoglobin level is an 11 for a woman). She told me that I really needed a transfusion and to see a doctor - I needed more help than she could render. Two hours later, I left her office with an appointment to see an associated doctor the next morning, who would perform a transvaginal ultrasound, and if that turned up no answers for the heavy bleeding, an endometrial biopsy. When the ultrasound failed to show any fibroids, which was expected, the doctor clearly became concerned and sat me down and we talked about cancer. He did the biopsy as best as he could - I was still bleeding quite heavy at this time as well. After the biopsy, I dressed and he called my husband into the room for a consultation.

When my hubby sat down, the doctor told him that I was “critically ill,” which sounded funny to me because aside from the annoying bleeding and the damn headache, I felt pretty good. My hemoglobin level was now a 5.2. According to the doctor, I didn’t have too much choice. I needed a blood transfusion - quickly, a D&C (to clean everything out and a larger sample to send off to pathology), a hysteroscopy (for further analysis since there seemingly was no reason for the bleeding), and either a hysterectomy or uterine ablation (if there were no outward signs of cancer). He performs Thermachoice. I needed to do something and it needed to be quick, because he felt that I was at serious risk for a heart attack or a stroke. I wasn’t allowed to drive or walk up and down stairs alone. I am currently an online, stay-at-home student, so he knew I didn’t have to venture out and risk hurting myself or perhaps someone else.

I asked if the doctor would consider just allowing me the transfusion to see if the bleeding would stop on its own, hoping I was that close to menopause, and, truthfully, I didn’t really trust his judgment being duped by a previous ob/gyn. He felt that only having a transfusion wasn’t going to solve the issue because I was bleeding out more than my body could keep up with and I would only lose what they gave me. We needed to find a way to stop the bleeding ASAP, and he felt that drugs would take more time then he felt I safely had.

So, the next day I was scheduled for the surgeries.  First and foremost, I received two units of blood, which brought my hemoglobin level to a 9, still low, but stable enough for surgery. The procedures took about two hours in total. I don’t normally take any drugs, so between the Benadryl they gave me before the transfusion (to ward off any small reactions) and the anesthesia, I was pretty out of it.  Never slept better in my life - note to self: next husband is an anesthesiologist.

Anyway, I remember very little of the hospital (except for the transfusion) and returned home later in the evening, whereas I snuggled in my bed and sleep another dreamy sleep. I woke up Saturday and took my time, showering, and mostly lounged around reading, eating minimally, and nodding off when I felt like it. My 17-year old was home to make sure I had everything I needed, since the staircase was still off limits. My husband had to work. The bleeding was light; I switched between a panty liner to a large pad which was all I had at the time. I could have easily gotten away with a smaller day-time pad. At first the discharge was kind of pink, watery, and clot-free.

I had no pain and never needed any kind of medication for follow-up, just continued the iron supplement three times daily. The following Tuesday, my husband and I decided to do some shopping for blinds, we were in and out of the car, but nothing strenuous - and I am an active, physical labor-enjoying kind of girl. On Tuesday evening, the pink discharge turned to a bright red, thicker blood, and I worried. I think those of us who have bled so much for so long can suffer from PTPS (Post-Traumatic Period Syndrome), not a real diagnosis, but it should be. I see blood and I start to convulse now! Kidding, kidding.

I called the doctor’s office Wednesday morning mostly because my husband wouldn’t leave me alone until I did, nor would he leave for work until he was satisfied that I actually did call. The doctor told me that I should expect discharges to range from watery water, to watery light pink, to normal blood, to that brown mucousy stuff you spoke of, and even small clots, and that I should not worry unless the bleeding is heavy or large clots are present. He also reiterated that some cramping would be possible as the uterus contracts and that pain could go from constant to off and on. I was lucky; I don’t have any pain or cramping. He told me these conditions could be experienced from a few weeks to a few months.

I have found that Always Radiant makes a very small liner (Incredibly Thin) that works well, and it feels like I have nothing on, which is a godsend since  I ended up with a rash from wearing pads for almost three months straight. It is a pain, I’ll grant you that, to always have to use something, but after what I went through, it is the least of my worries. I have not had the need to wear anything much more than that - once in a while I need a normal day-type of pad, and again that doesn’t fill completely, I just change it because I simply hate to be wet. I haven’t had the need or desire to use a tampon yet.

I guess I felt compelled to tell my story to a fellow “novelist” :) because we share the same mindset - I get the impression that you feel as if you may have been taken advantage of (both with your second c-section and this ablation) and I understand full well how you feel. Although I am not sure I had a choice this time, I still feel that this may well be a money-making scheme. I hope we are both wrong and that our doctors were truly looking out for us - and not their bank accounts.

You have probably read that ablation surgery works well (or should) for the first year or two just as have I. It is the when the “romance” period ends that I worry. My doctor did tell me that in certain cases adverse effects do happen, but he also felt that given my “grave” condition at the time and my current age, that this would solve my bleeding problems (even if I still get a period - but lighter) until I actually reach menopause. Basically he is hoping that he bought me some time.

I am worried about what the future will bring since I opted for this surgery, but my husband felt it would have been worse if I didn’t do anything and his assurance gives me the confidence that I made the right decision. I am not a drama queen or the panicky type, but with so many conflicting stories and outcomes from the surgery, I am concerned for the future.

I wish you the best, and I hope the discharge you have experienced is less today and that mentally you can wrestle the demons we share. Whilst I am not a medical professional, it sounds to me like the discharge you spoke of is exactly what my doctor said could and would happen. It does, however, seem like either there is not enough information available to the doctors post-op or that results and side effects vary so greatly that no answer exists as to what to expect, and that, my dear, is the worst part. Seems to me that ablation surgery is very similar to all of us as women getting a period; sure we all get one, but that is where the similarities end - the variables are so far between that there really is no “normal.”  

Gives new meaning to being a mysterious woman!

Wishing you the best. Carolyn

Hi Carolyn. Thanks so much for your post in response. Your perspective is very helpful - it's so easy to get mired in my own frustrations and forget that, despite what I WASN'T told going into this, there's a reason they call it a healing PROCESS. Thank you for sharing what your doc told you about the length of time this might take to heal. It makes sense and It helps to adjust my expectations. It does sound like you had little choice and I'm so glad you're benefiting from the procedure. For me, it was all such a surprise - since I had only stopped in to my regular gyn for a somewhat overdue annual. I figured heavy bleeding a few days a month was my lot in life - since I'm at least a 4th generation heavy bleeder. I wouldn't have done anything about it. But, she decided to do a workup, found the fibroid, sent me to hot-shot to remove it and 10 days later - all was done - including the ablation. Never really had a chance to let it digest (especially since all this fell over the holidays with a couple of huge deadlines hanging over me - my mind was definitely elsewhere. I followed blindly). But maybe it will end up being the best thing I ever did. I hope so! I agree wholeheartedly that it's clear the doctors seem not to be privy to much followup information. In fact, hot-shot was genuinely stunned when I let him know how many horrible failure stories there were out there. He said so - and I could see it on his face. Not that this made me feel that much better - because frankly, I'd want him to know EVERYthing that's out there on this and have a response about it. Alas. Here's to both of us coming through this with the intended results! And for the record, what I've heard is that it's more likely the younger women (not that we're old, here at the end of our 40s :) will have their endometrium grow back. If you're good now, I anticipate you will be good til that hallelujah day when the hormones finally roll over and accept that we no longer need them. Wishing you the best, too.

oops - forgot to include my info to the above reply so it posted as "Guest".....

The way your doctor went about introducing you to uterine ablation was a shot between the eyes. To find out it was decided FOR you when you were asked to sign the consent form? Holy cow! Makes you wonder how many women blindly signed over their bodies and never asked a question; that hot-shot needs to be knocked down a few pegs.

My only question is what procedure did you actually have? Her Option (is the method you mentioned that hot-shot usually performs) is done by cryoablation (freezing), NovaSure (which you mentioned was done but with a thermal balloon?) is actually done with radio frequency, Thermachoice is the procedure done with a thermal balloon (a balloon filled with hot liquid) which I had, and hysteroscopic ablation is the “roller ball” technique that uses kind of a microwave-type energy. Please make sure you are certain what method he used before the office loses your chart or something. It may be important to know in the future, since no one seems to know of any long-time effects of this surgery.

Seems to me that if he really had that crystal ball, he should have checked it while he was in college, surely it would have told him to head into politics since he is a master of double talk, and not the medical profession - especially a strictly women’s medical arena. Did he think he was never going to come across a female (dare I say this) that would question his male, demigod “doctorness”?? Seriously???!!!

In his defense, (and I won’t tread lightly on his defense by any means), ablation can take an undetermined amount of time to “settle.” I was told this by my own doctor - who actually never did give me any reason not to trust him; my trust issues rest in my past experience with a completely different doctor. Unfortunately, I associate all male doctors with the first jerk - it is the one bad apple theory. The only reason I was unable to see the female ob/gyn of the practice was because she was out on maternity leave, and my sorry self needed medical attention quickly.

This coming Friday will be four weeks post-op for me, and I still have a gooey discharge. If I “over do it,” it is more bloody than pink-yellowish. I still haven’t returned to daily running for fear I will only prolong the healing, but I am at least walking a few miles in the morning, and then walking my dog in the evenings.

From reading your post, I am glad that you didn’t wait too long to seek professional help, especially given your history and family history of heavy bleeding. I waited way, way too long, and there were no other options. I really could have done some serious damage to other organs and muscles by waiting. I still have to have liver tests done - apparently your liver likes to be deprived of blood as much as your heart does, but your heart is willing to give you the heads up before it gets really bad; the liver doesn’t. Anemia can be very scary, and I am glad that you have seemingly been spared that horror.

Our next challenge is going to be trying to find out when exactly we start the menopause phase, specifically the absence of a period entirely. If the ablation renders us “period-free,” when do we know we actually have reached that brass ring of naturally never having a period and can rest assured that we are past that sudden, no warning, painful, all-out bleeding nightmare I have read that several other women have experienced years after ablation surgery? True, our advanced age leaves us on the lucky side for uterine ablation success and to purchase liquor, but I now ponder other health questions.

I already drive a red convertible. I, quite frankly, had my mid-life crisis when we traded-in my “mommy car” for my youngest son’s Celica. Now I am back to driving my own beloved 1987 Celica - the non-mommy car. You and I could throw down the top and the two of us, somewhat-leaky, middle-aged (not quite!!), novelist women, can go stalk the beach and whistle at men half our ages!! Heck, there is a whole lot a of life left in both of us!!! Our poor husbands - surely this perimenopause/menopause thing cannot be easy on them either!!! :)

Please keep me posted on your next chapter. I do hope you are back on that horse again very soon, and I do mean that in the most literal of ways!! Wishing you Godspeed in your recovery. Carolyn

Oh, Carolyn, I was worried about that - yet another dump of misinformation! At this point, I'm seriously questioning how many times hot-shot has actually done this procedure... Another question I should have asked.

When I went back for that 5 week follow-up and he let me know he hadn't ended up doing the rollerball ablation after all - he clearly said he did the "Novasure thermal balloon." I was so stunned that the game had changed and I hadn't been informed (at least sooner than 5 weeks later!), that I didn't question why he was calling the thermal balloon a Novasure procedure. I figured it was me, I'd missed something. That maybe Novasure had several different ablation procedures/tools and I just hadn't come across their thermal balloon in my post-op Google searches. Perhaps it was an "innocent mistake" and he simply got his words twisted around - and meant to say Thermachoice (I think by that time, I'd made him pretty nervous with my letter and criticism of the lack of information given to me)... but at this point, I'm not really all that willing to give him any benefit of the doubt. It's paramount to be clear when discussing medical procedures with your patients!

I've just called the office and asked them to mail me a copy of the full surgery report. I meant to ask for it last time I was in there and promptly forgot. This has become pretty outrageous.

And sorry, I wasn't clear - hot-shot is not actually my regular gyn doc. My long-time gyn doc referred me to him - she said: "We're incredibly fortunate to be able to work with him. I wouldn't send my patients to anyone else. He's very, very good at what he does - though fibroid removal isn't his focus"... I suppose I should've asked the question then: how many of these has he done, then? In any case, she went on to tell me I was going to the best of the best for something that would be a piece of cake for him since what he normally does is much more complex. I'd be taking the Ferrari to the corner store. Apparently, he's a nationally-recognized gynecological oncologist, Harvard and all that, and has been part of all sorts of new cancer treatment methods, etc., having worked with Dr. Oz and yadda yadda yadda. He's been featured several times in Seattle Top Docs (including the very month I went in for my procedure) - and I guess I got all starstruck because my doc was. And I figured all those colleague supporters couldn't be wrong. Right? Hmmmm.... Sometimes, it's better to WALK to the corner store.

And the hysteroscope part of it - he had to go in and shave away that fibroid first and used the hysteroscope camera to take pictures along the way. Even proudly presented me with my own copy of the before (with fibroid), during and after photos (fibroid gone and ablation completed) of the inside of my uterus. He was so thrilled with what a clean and easy job it had been, crooning over the final, "beautiful" detail of what I honestly saw as the ravaged aftermath of the battlefield my once-pink happy uterus had become. I wanted to cry. Again, you should have seen his face - stunned that I didn't see this chawed-up, colorless cavern as the glorious thing he saw.

I certainly understand the fear of not wanting to overdo it and laying low - every time I ride now, I know I'll be confronted with a gush at some point mid-stride. It sounds like you've found a good balance of still getting your physical activity by toning it down a bit. I will celebrate with you when you're able to return to your running routine. Not feeding those physical activity endorphins can bring out a whole 'nother beast. Certainly, we don't need to be dealing with depression on top of everything else!

I think, with menopause - if we're lucky enough to ever stop bleeding - won't we know when the hormonal symptoms cease? I know for me, my incredibly sore breasts and the feeling of fullness in the nether region and the oppressive cloud of clamminess and hot-flashes always indicate a period is on its way. Menopause will mean the end of those symptoms. If you have PMS symptoms, you're still going - right?

I would imagine, after the terrifying ordeal you went through right before having had to have the procedure done, you're going to have some of that PTPS (I really think that should be a recognized syndrome!) But I wouldn't worry too much about the bleeding coming back full-force and then some with only a few years to go - especially if they've ruled out cancer in the pathology.

And it's that impediment to the cancer-alert process that does worry me now. Yet another thing that was not mentioned to me - that after you have this done, they can't as easily detect uterine cancer (the ultrasound can't easily see its way through all the scarring and if you can't bleed, your uterus can't warn you that something's wrong) - so what should be a relatively easily-remedied situation by hysterectomy, can become fatal - because they can't catch it in time. While I don't have a family history of uterine cancer, the very thought of this grips me with fear.

On a road-to-recovery note: here at 11 weeks post-procedure today, the last few days have been significantly lighter on the bleeding/spotting front. It's a new record - I haven't had a gush for 3 days! Just a tiny bit of tan on the tissue a couple times a day. My 3rd post-ablation period is still a week away. I hate to hope because hopes get dashed so suddenly - but.... could it be petering out? Finally? I will definitely keep you posted.

And so - for both of us - I think the best medicine is being in the moment. Letting those "what if" fears go as best we can and play it day by day. Always easier said than done - and something I've never been very good at - but worth aiming for, I think.

I'll see you out on that beach, Carolyn - our husbands can drink margaritas in the shade together and swap stories.

Sarah

One interesting thing I forgot to mention....

When confronted by my displeasure at the lack of information I was given and the fact that he hadn't made it clear the ablation part of the procedure was entirely my choice, hot-shot said (and I kid you not): "You know - I took a paternal approach to your care. I made the decision for you. I shouldn't have done that."

I only wish I'd had a witness - because it goes without saying that this is all shades of wrong.

So I was compelled to look hot-shot up in more depth - I don't know why, maybe because it helps me justify the fact that I completely rolled over and put him in charge of making decisions on my medical behalf - and I found he's not only currently ranked in the highest category of medical specialists in Seattle, but nationally - by U.S. News and World Report - among the top 1 percent of oncological gynecologists in the nation, determined by a field of his peers.

So - doesn't that make all this that much more confusing????

So much about your story bothers me, Sarah. I went back and re-read all of your posts, and you were clear that it was the referring physician who performs Her Option. I guess I dismissed her involvement in this mess once hot-shot took over.

While I know that ablation surgery is best performed on a “clean” uterus; I am unclear as to why she sent you to another doctor to have the rather small fibroid removed. Does she not do surgery anymore? Did she not discuss with you a myomectomy and just a relatively routine D & C to resolve the heavy bleeding? I mean your bleeding wasn’t that severe or lengthy. Comparing ablation to D & C is like comparing apples and oranges, and I would think that perhaps the less damaging procedure should have at least be explored. My doctor explained that a D & C kind of “resets” things, and I know of several women who have undergone this procedure successfully and had no abnormal aftermath. While it didn’t remove their monthly cycles completely, it did lessen their flow allowing them to regain their lives, plus unlike ablation, (unless the doctor really screws up), a D & C leaves no permanent damage. And you wouldn’t have that fear about uterine cancer being undetected in the future since there is no damage to the uterus to mask those early signs.

I asked my physician why he wouldn’t consider just doing a D & C, and he felt that given my family history of anemia and the fact that a D & C is truly only a temporary fix, that I needed to try something more evasive. He felt that I could not safely endure another heavy bleeding episode. We do not have answers as to why some of the members of my family are anemic, but I can tell you this, it is not the women who are as one might expect - it is the men. Both my grandfather and my father (father and son) suffered from anemia. My grandfather died from a transfusion back in the 70’s (hepatitis), my father recently broke his hip (September of 2012) and the surgery was halted due to his anemia rendering him unstable for immediate surgery. So I am confident ablation might have been the lesser of the two evils - hysterectomy and ablation - for me anyway, but I still question the procedure and its lasting effects and side effects overall.

Why did doctor number one even send you to another doctor, especially one she knew full well had specialties that lie in other areas - and on top of that knowledge - she gave this information up to you readily? "We're incredibly fortunate to be able to work with him. I wouldn't send my patients to anyone else. He's very, very good at what he does - though fibroid removal isn't his focus." Why does she send her patients anywhere? Is she semi-retired? No longer affiliated with a hospital? No longer able to bill insurance companies for surgeries?

A referral to a nationally-recognized gynecological oncologist? Really? With no family history of cancer? With the knowledge that most fibroids are non-cancerous? Was he having a slow office week and looking for something to do? Usually removing the fibroid is enough to halt excessive bleeding, and sometimes no other procedure is necessary. Although it is not unheard of to do a resection of fibroids and ablation, from my research I have found that those combined procedures are usually reserved for women who bled much more severely than you had. A simple myomectomy could have resolved your bleeding without any other procedure, AND ablation does not guarantee that that fibroid will not grow back, so his comment about having you back in two years because of fibroid regrowth is completely false. In addition, he must know that ablation is a c**p shoot as far as its success rate. Even my doctor admitted that. Like I said previously, my physician clearly stated that he “THINKS ablation will buy me enough time” until menopause is final, and he admitted in the same breath, that no one can be 100% sure, but my chances were, if he had to put a percentage on it, 90 to 95% of never having anything else done - ever.

I know that you have seen doctor number one for several years. While you didn’t state how old your kids were, it is evident that she delivered both. I find it interesting that she talked you out of going for a vbac - were there serious complications with your first delivery? How was your first section done? And I find it equally interesting that she was quick to scare you into a second c-section, but “farmed” you out for fibroid removal - to a physician “too qualified” **eye rolling** for such a trifle problem. Certainly fibroid removal is much less risky than a section. I am not so sure that going to someone who is overly qualified is any better than going to someone who is under qualified.

Bear in mind that the decision to perform a myomectomy very much depends on the location of the fibroid. So maybe that is your answer; was it in an area that caused her to question her own competence? Thus sending you to hot-shot? Her scare tactic of a prolapsed fibroid was a cheap shot - less that 4% of women who experience fibroids have a problem with prolapse - and although the bleeding with a prolapsed fibroid is heavy - very few, especially women in this day in age and in our country - bleed to death due to uterine issues including those associated with childbirth. Unheard of? No. Unlikely? Yes. I really despise doctors who use scare tactics and not just the plain truths. Nor does death by “bleeding out” happen really quickly - unless you’ve suffered a sudden, traumatic occurrence - like a gunshot or having your throat slit. Believe me when I tell you, you will be smart enough to get help long before you died solely from blood loss. Take it from me, Ms. Hemoglobin 5.2, (I may have a sash made). Geeze, even I knew better. Plus there is an untold number of women who have fibroids that never have a problem and never sought medical attention, so in my mathematically-challenged brain, that would suggest that that 4% figure would be even less.

I cannot even touch the comment about the office assistant telling you about the sutures that weren’t. I don’t know what she is thinking. I worked in the medical field for YEARS and we never gave out information to anyone over the phone that would suggest a cause - unless that person offering the information was a nurse or PA. Was the person you spoke to the same girl that answered the phone? I would think she would be a simple (I don’t mean to insult anyone here) receptionist and surely not qualified or authorized to give ANY reasons or advice to ANY patient.

Not all women have menopausal symptoms, so I am not sure if a person who has undergone ablation ever has a definitive answer about when menopause is reached. Hormonal blood testing is not that accurate. The age of 51 is the average, but like everything else in women’s reproductive health, the variables between us can be enormous. It is not unheard of to go through menopause in your early 40’s nor is it unheard of to finally come to a resting point in your 60’s. Oh, the horror of that thought! I don’t think that I had any premenopausal symptoms - beyond the bleeding - and there is no authoritative diagnosis as to why all the blood - we are just assuming perimenopause. I think most of my issues were due to anemia and the two conditions can have very much the same signs, hot flashes, coldness, sweats, depression, sleeplessness, etc. Maybe once my hemoglobin is normal, and the adverse effects of low iron are ruled out, (I am told this could take quite a long time), I will be able to more clearly define what is menopausal. Remember my anemia started slowly and allowed my body to acclimate to the loss, only worsening the last few months to “critical” as the bleeding reach unstoppable proportions.

Let’s ponder the hot-shot’s quizzical reaction to the failed ablations and problems presented by the surgery that are clearly circulating on the Internet that you divulged to him. Realizing that the Internet is not a tell-tale sign of authority, surely this guy has heard of miserable outcomes? Failures, excessive bleeding, pain, Post Ablation Syndrome? There are professional reports that exist. Post Ablation Syndrome is a viable diagnosis. Has he not read any information regarding this? He has never, ever been questioned by his patients post-op? Every single patient he performed ablation on had not one single solitary question?? EVER?? Wow. This guy IS good, no wonder his peers think so highly of him.

I live in rural North Carolina. So rural, in fact, that my nearest Wal-Mart is 45 minutes away. Now I am a Long Islander by birth and didn’t move here until I was 39 - almost ten years ago. So, I was a bit concerned about receiving medical care here. I am not trying to be ugly (as Southerners say), but I am a little more used to healthcare in NY. My husband even suggested that I go home and seek medical attention, which I pooh-poohed. The doctor I went to is not famous for anything - he did have a rather nice smile and soothing demeanor - but he did take the time to answer my (and Larry’s) questions, and he was even willing to do whatever course of treatment I wanted or at least entertain my thoughts, and give me medically-backed, understandable reasons why my ideas would prove ineffective. I find it difficult to believe that a doctor as educated as yours appeared stumped about ill effects and seemingly tangling up the ablations procedures - NovaSure and thermal balloon as the same thing? No, not even close. The differences in them are vast. Yes, you put something through the cervix into the uterus; yes, you obliterate the endometrial lining; yes, you hope for a successful outcome of lessened or no bleeding, but that is where the similarities end. Being unclear in his wording worries me. He should have had much more concise, clear ways to explain it to you. I can picture him tripping over his tongue when he talked to you. Very, very strange behavior for such a celebrated professional. Dr. Oz? Pisshhh. There is only one Great and Powerful Oz - and nobody gets in to see him, NOT NOBODY. Unless you are accompanied by a tin man, a scarecrow, a mangy, flea-bitten lion, a pesky, barky dog, oh, and wear red sparkly shoes, if not, you are sh*t out of luck.

My biggest, BIGGEST, concern for you, me, and all of the others like us who have undergone ablation surgery regardless of the research before; the reason for; or the necessity of; is this: Uterine ablation is not guaranteed to work at all; to work indefinitely; or to solve the original problems for seeking such treatment, and what scares me to death about that is that doctors are so quick to simply dismiss it (well, we tried) and then nonchalantly tell you that you need a hysterectomy anyway. That mindset frightens me. It is akin to your mechanic draining out a quart or two of your car engine’s oil to reduce weight and drag; if you are lucky you’ll get to your destination unscathed, great; if not, we’ll just pull out the engine and throw it away. Is that what is next? Hysterectomy? Couldn’t we just take the cement blocks out of the trunk to start with? I just cannot shake the fact that women are the Guinea pigs of the medical field. Call me paranoid. I wonder if we will see commercials on the television, “Do you have a loved one that died from the complications of uterine ablation? If so, call this number…” Okay, lots of drama there, but is it not implausible. I only hope we hear the commercials should they come to fruition and not be the unlucky ones who inadvertently purchased second homes for our remaining family members.

I dislike the phrase, “I can’t wrap my head around that.” I cringe when people say it, but you know something, I cannot, no matter how hard I try, I cannot possibly wrap my head around this… "You know - I took a paternal approach to your care. I made the decision for you. I shouldn't have done that." I am too dumfounded to even comment.

Seems to me this guy is really good at rendering a former mouthy Long Islander speechless. Wow. THAT doesn’t happen all too often.

I am not happy, at all, that you went through this; I can only hope that you too have been “bought” time to sail through menopause without issue. There are many, many success stories of women who have. Most of what we read on the Internet is negative and most posts point out the dangers and horrors - which makes sense. If things were perfect would you “waste” your time on forums like this? We, as people, tend to comment and complain about the bad stuff.

I have a friend that recently told me that she knows several women who opted to have ablation done simply because they were tired of dealing with a monthly period. They weren’t experiencing anything out of the ordinary, no excessive bleeding or crazy long length of bleeding just quite fed up with the whole business and chose to undergo ablation. Stupid to do in my opinion.

I am not even so sure that going back to either doctor to have questions answered would behoove you. There is no going back after ablation. The damage is final; hysterectomy is the next step, and that to me is really only slightly more drastic. I hope with all my heart that you get back to your life - happily and healthy - your horses, your sex life, the full Monty, as it were. And I wouldn’t frame those pictures; a charred uterus is a very gloomy reminder. Try to put it out of your mind. You are still pink and beautiful - remember that.

I also hope that you don’t continue to beat yourself up for making a poor decision - I get the impression that you feel that way and that you regret doing anything at this point. But you know what? You did nothing wrong. You did everything right - now we just need to support each other, as women and friends, as we mentally heal from unanswered questions and continued fears. You are going to be okay, Sarah, and you can always find me here to listen. Promise.

**sorry, invasive not evasive - that made me chuckle!!! :)

Carolyn, I just have to say - I hope you weren't kidding about our little "novelist" tag.... you are a gifted, insightful, compassionate, humorous and very wise writer. I can't help but believe that, like me, you do in fact do it professionally. I hope so! Because the world out there ought'a be privy to the gorgeous way you string words together - and actually SAY something with them. I just love your voice.

Much to respond to/empathize with here. I have a looming deadline for Monday, so when I can resurface, I will. I'm getting so much out of our dialog here.

And quickly - I announce with cautious optimism: I just may have turned a corner here in my healing. Haven't bled for 4 days. It's a new record. Even while riding - which hasn't happened before. I don't want to get my hopes up only to have them dashed - but maybe, just maybe, I'm finally on the mend?

I hope your slow leak is easing, too.

Will meet you here again soon!

Sorry to hear you've been through so much. My story is sort of kind of similar in that I've had every procedure known to man for fibroids. The one that worked for me for 10 years was the uterine artery embolization. You should really look into getting that done. I went back to get it again when my fibroids re-appeared but my arteries were too clogged from the first procedure for it to work. I've had so many invasive and non-invasive procedures on my uterus that I'm surprise it just doesn't fall on out!! I now have the mirena which I have slight bleeding with almost every day of my life. My sister just had the ablation two days ago so I'm going to wait and see before I try that out. After hearing your story I guess I'll just stick to my daily trials.