BCPs and Heavy Periods: A 45-Year-Old's Experience & Concerns

Question
I'm 45yrs.old and on Aviane right now. I have a benign fibroid tumor aprox. 1cm. and have very heavy and painful periods when not on bcp's.  I tried going off the pill because of all of the side effects i've read about. But had a period from hell that lasted 25 days! and was so heavy i was changing overnight pads practically every hour! I'm also anemic-go figure and have a family history of diabetes with poor circulation.  I'm not concerned with pregnancy anymore, just would like an alternative to not bleeding to death. Any suggestions? thanks, Lisa

Answer
Hi Lisa,

It makes sense that you are anemic, since this is very common in women who bleed heavily. If Aviane is giving you side effects you can try another brand of pill. But it sounds like you would prefer no hormones at all? Have you discussed options with your doctor involving removal of the fibroid? In the past, the most common treatment was a hysterectomy to remove the entire uterus. However, today there are several less invasive procedures that can remove or shrink the fibroid without having to remove the uterus. Depending on your medical history and your fibroid (size and location) these may be options. Two options are myomectomy, which is removal of the fibroid and uterine fibroid embolization, which will stop the blood flow to the fibroid, causing it to shrink. It is performed by an intervential radiologist. Here is a link that explains this procedure:

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/601....

I recommend that you discuss these options with your doctor and see if any of them are right for you.

I hope this has helped, if you have further questions let me know.

-Mia