Severe menstrual cramps after endometrial ablation

I had the nova sure ablation done 4 weeks ago and I already wish I wouldn't have. I was extremely anemic going through iron infusions every week after getting a blood transfusion in the ER. My hematologist told me I had to eliminate my period so i went to the doctor. He scheduled me for the surgery. Here I am 4 weeks later bleeding worse than I did pre-op. I have called my doctors office several times, they warn me to watch out for certain things but then when it happens they say it's normal. I have large blood clots and chunks of tissue coming out of me along with the constant heavy bleeding. Hot flashes keep me up most of the night. I have large bumps that pop up on my skin in the lower abdomin area that are extremely itchy. I'm only 32 this is all pretty scary!

I had the same symptoms a year ago for about 2 months, my homeopath started treating me for Candida and a week later I got a period, the pain was ther but not as bad for a few months then it stopped. Last month it started again, light spotting every few days and now a full blown period, with heating pad and fetal position. I just called my OBGYn and they said to goto ER.

I had the surgery a couple of years ago due to severe (I cannot emphasize that enough) bleeding.  I was having to go home from work at least once per cycle because I was bleeding through a heavy tampon and a pad in less than an hour. It was horrible.  After internal ultrasounds, and numerous other tests, they said I had cysts in the lining of the uterus so they did a d&c and the ablation.  I was not lucky enough to have no period at all, but it was probably 90 % better than before the surgery.  I am now back to what I would consider a normal flow to slightly heavy flow, but there can be large chunks (sorry so graphic).  In July, I experiencd my first severe cramping since the surgery, and now it does this every month.  It literally takes my breath away and brings me to tears.  I figured that the pain was likely attributed to something that was preexisting (like the cysts coming back) but now I am wondering if it isn't some kind of side effect.    I guess I need to get in to be seen soon. I have a geening a hystorectomy is in my near future.... I am 39.

Hi I had my amblation done 7wks ago and I've been bleeding ever since with bad cramp pains lower down in mty stomach and bad back ache labour back ache I've been back to see my surgeon today he.s give me another 2weeks course of tablets to take that's the 4th lot aff tablets I've had to take since op I've got to phone him Monday to let them nw iff I'm still getting pains then take the next week course of tablets then ring him the following Monday to say how I'm feeling if no better he wants me in to go in keyhole surgery to see whats going on he said he might need to remove my tubes or might need a hysterectomy just wish they can stop the pains in my stumache and back pain I've had enough nw wish I didn't have the amblation done in the first place cus it hasn't helped me at all wouldn't recommend it to anyone Jane

I have been having the same kind of pain. When my bladder is full it is extremely painful.. Also when emptying my bladder it hurts.

Omg what have I done to myself. I am 29 had tubular procedure in sep 2013 I bleed continually 8 months. Just had the nuvo procedure on Friday today is tuesday may 27 ive been up all night with horribl pains and what I find odd is by Sunday I thought I was recovering well. I wish I had done research. Bt instead trusted my dr also was given provera pills to stop bleeding and after 3 days of taking it was having extreme depression paranoia hair loss acne anyone else relate

SAME with me! And I don't care how many articles I read that tell me this procedure does not affect you hormonally...I'm calling b.s. I know none of my "lady" parts were removed, but there is such an intricate connection between what the brain tells the body to release hormonally and how the body, in turn, responds to these instructions that it is ENTIRELY possible for the body to be getting mixed signals. That's how hormones become imbalanced for different reasons. I've been a depressed, aching mess since this procedure! I'm sorry you're going through these things. :(

Hi, I've had the same problems the other women hve had on here. Ablation was good to begin with but the cramps came back and are different than the "usual" cramps. Constant pain which almost feels like gas pain but I know it's not! It's been getting worse month to month and I'm having a hysterectomy in 2 months and i can't wait! I will update after my surgery but I have this feeling this will be the end I my extreme monthly problems!

I just posted but thought I would reply to u too. I had the same thing, I had my tubes tues cuz I knew I didn't want kids. Went if birth control and crps and bleeding awful!! Ablation did work for about a year or so but I started getting those "takes your breath way" staving pains slowly and now they hit me every month and I have had to go home from work too! But really no bleeding, so I don't know what causes so much pain! Anyways I'm getting a hysterectomy in September and I hope tht solves the problem. I would recommend to anyone if they know that they don't want kids, just get the hysterectomy!

I am testament that it does! My GYN would not do a endometrial ablation on me as he knew it was not a permanent solution, he would only do a hysterectomy, left my ovaries in so that no hormone replacement AND now no horrendous cramps or bleeding every month! I can live a normal life. Yeah! Don't let anyone tell you that sex will suck after, it doesn't, it's just lovely. Enjoy and good luck.

Wow! Can't believe how many of us are suffering from this! Sad I even had the Nova Sure procedure done!!! Going in for a partial hysto this month! I believe over time more and more women will have problems with this procedure. Hope everyone out there finds relief

My story sounds just like each one of you. I am currently 44 years old. In July of 2011 I saw a doctor for heavy bleeding. I was already on birth control pills with no days off to keep me from having a period at all. That worked for years but then the break thru bleeding started. I was bleeding heavy for about 3 weeks out of each month and having cramping. My GYN at the time suggested ablation surgery. She had ordered an ultra sound that showed an extra thick uterine lining and an unknown growth.She suggested a DNC and ablation surgery together. They were to biopsy the growth and perform the NOVASURE ABLATION. I had the surgery in November 2011, by a different GYN because my original GYN moved away. The surgery went well. I recovered pretty quickly. I don’t remember having much pain. I had some pinkish looking bleeding for a few weeks. Hardly any pain post surgery.  I had a light pinkish looking period for a few months then the bleeding stopped. It was then that I have documented emails to my GYN about the pain. I was trying to find anything that would be the cause. I was referred to a GI specialist who thought it was IBS but ordered a colonoscopy to rule out any colon diseases as the reason for my pain. Oh and to jump back I asked the new GYN about the growth that was removed and there is no record of it. Which is strange. I started noticing the pain and bowel issues were occurring when my period would have came. I kept emailing any doctor that would listen about these cramps I was getting. Well last year they were getting so bad I felt like I was in labor. If my belly even touches up against, say, a kitchen counter lightly, anything I am doubled over in pain. My belly feels full and so much pressure like I want to push a baby out. I have a high tolerance for pain like a lot of you women have. I ended up in the ER in pain with my blood pressure sky high. They felt I had a kidney infection. They did an ultra sound also and found a cyst on my right ovary. They suggested I follow up with a GYN. In the mean time my “ghost period” started and the pain was so bad. So I saw a new GYN. I had by then researched post ablation syndrome and told him that it sounds just like what you woman all are describing. He told me he never heard of it. Send me for another ultra sound. There they found a cyst on my right ovary and multiple fibroids. Since I also have a history of endometriosis he told me a hysterectomy would be too dangerous as he felt the endometriosis had attached to many organs and that was what my pain was from. He handed me a script for pain pills and pretty much told me I would have to deal with it until menopause. Well this brings me to now, a year after that visit. The pain pills did nothing for the pain and although it gets so bad I want to just die I just didn’t know what to do anymore. So I emailed my GYN and told him my husband is insisting-and he was-that I do something even if it means going back on hormones-which I went off of because of family history of blood clots. Well, when I went to my appointment last week the GYN TOLD ME he thought I may have post ablation syndrome. The same doctor who a year before told me he never heard of it. Anyway. The appointment was hell. He said I can run a catheter into your cervix and we can drain the blood and fluid right here in my office today and you will immediately feel some relief. So, I let him try. 3 tools later and me almost breaking the nurses hand from the pain, he had to stop. My cervix is so scarred shut that he couldn’t get my cervix open to run a catheter. So, Monday I went for an ultra sound. I am still waiting for the results. Is there any other treatment anyone knows of aside from hysterectomy? And if I did go for hysterectomy with the cyst on at least one ovary-from last years ultra sound. I am trying to find info on whether I should go with the full or partial. I feel I need to be well educated before I see my GYN again next week. All could change depending on what the new ultra sound reveals. Last year no fluid pockets were found and I am not sure how this can be. We woman need to be advocates for our own health. And I would also like to know why we are not told of this “side effect” there was nothing in the novasure pamphlet about post ablation syndrome. I thought I researched it thoroughly. Even asked friends about it. As far as I know my friends have had a successful ablation. I am wondering why all of us are having the same exact symptoms? I didn’t find all of these posts until after my surgery when I started with the horrid pain. I want to add one more thing. If you are being told by your doctor you won’t have a period-you will still get the PMS symptoms. Even when I had the few months of relief from bleeding before the severe cramps started I still got the headaches, mood swings, bloating. All that good stuff.

 

 

It's shocking and relieving how many stories sound like mine! At least I don't feel crazy anymore!  I'm 43 yrs old and only had the Nova Sure ablation 7 months ago. Yep- 7 whole months! I had a tubal lig at same time- dr burned the tubes. I bled a long time after surgery- almost 6 weeks until dr gave me progesterone to "stop" bleeding. She said my uterus was large so didn't get all of it, so I do bleed at my cycles- dramatically less than before which has been good. I had about 2 months of much lighter cycles then, these last 4 months have been horrific cramping. Cramps so bad I'm panting like I'm in labor, pain in back feels like kidney stone pain (my sister says probably back labor pains- don't know, didn't have back labor), and terrible GI issues during my cycle, mostly terrible gas pains on top of the cramps. Feels like my uterus is trying to shake off a non-existent lining. I went to dr and she doesn't know what it could be. Did ultrasound and said everything looked great and commented that my uterus was smaller than before. I asked why that would be and she said maybe just healing? During these horrible cramping cycles my bleeding basically stopped for 3 cycles until this month which was almost as heavy as before the ablation. My dr gave me 600mg ibuprofen & hydrocodon- neither touch the pain. I'm literally bedridden for 3 days (always wakes me up in the middle of the night as I start my period), on pain meds and heating pads. Dr. suggested last visit if pain continues I should consider hysterectomy. I'm concerned that it won't "fix" the problems. I can't take the pain anymore- it's insane!  Oh, another weird thing is before my ablation, I was showing all the signs of early menopause including breasts losing fullness, etc. In the last 4 months, my breasts are huge! That's a nice plus, but all I can think is that my hormones are freaking out. My husband thinks my uterus is smaller than before ablation because of all the violent contractions I'm having each month, kind of like after a baby it shrinks. I just don't know what to do and wish all of this information was provided before we had the surgery.

I hear ya sister.. I had the procedure done this March and it was not successful.. I have better periods thank God and shorter ones, but the cramping like 10 days before is hard to cope with... I am 50 years old and had my only child at 44 1/2 years of age w/my tubes tied of course.. I am praying I will not need a hysterectomy soon... We are all in this together and let us just hope we can make the right decisions what to do...

Hi, I had my EA on June 30th this year. I just turned 50 last month. I had the same problem. The cramps were so bad this past five days. I called my GYNO this morning and she saw me today. She did a ultrasound and found a 4cm cyst on my left over ovary that was causing the severe pain. She said that I needed to wait three weeks and come back to see if the cyst went away and then go from there. The pain was bad it made me sick to my stomach and I am spotting. I still have not had a period since the EA. The PMS is about the same. The heavy bleeding I don't miss. My doctor told me that it will take three months to find out how my periods will be, so far so good. I was hoping that the pain was not from the EA. We will see in three weeks if I need to get it removed. If I do that I will go ahead and have the hysterectomy. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!