All of my tests from the gastro. dr. have been done...all normal. So, the next step was an appt. with the gyn. My gyn. dr. said that my uterus appears larger than normally (whatever that means!) and that I may have a fibroid. I have to go back next week for an ultrasound, and then after that, I have to have some cells taken from my uterus to make sure there's nothing wrong there.

Have any of you been diagnosed with anemia caused by a fibroid or other gyn. problem other than heavy periods? The dr. says not to worry, but I am scared.

------------------

I think this is a common diagnosis. But, with fibroids that cuase blood loss, I would think the blood would come out at some point. I'm not positive, but usually, it would be heavier periods or bleeding in between periods. Other fibroids cause pain and some women have fibroids that are entirely asymptomatic.

This is what they thought was wrong with me, btu I had the ultrasound - two in fact - and they saw a few tiny fibroids, but not enough to really cause big problems like mine. So, I had a D&C and hysteroscopy on Wednesday. I think there are other ways to do tissue samples. Did your doc say what kind of procedure you will have to have?

I just re-read a few of your other posts. Are you still not having any symptoms of anemia? How long have you been on the iron? I read your other posts and this seems pretty recent. Maybe going through surgery isn't the best bet if your body starts to absorb the iron pills. We always want a diagnosis, but it isn't always necessary.

My doctor gave me some good pills that have vitamin C in them. They are an extended release pill which may not absorb as well, but they have never made me sick or constipated and my levels started climbing within a few weeks of being on them. They are called Bronson Iron with C.

It should take months to get back to normal, but if your levels start to improve and your periods don't bother you and you don't have any other symptoms, maybe you can wait on having your uterus biopsied. Of course, your gyn will have to decide, but it seems a little aggressive.

PaNik, thank you so much for your comments/suggestions regarding my postings.

I think that my gyn. is being aggressive regarding his testing because, he thinks he did feel a fibroid during my yearly exam the other day, and my periods, which I don't seem to think are really heavy overall, are actually heavy for 1 day. He wants to do the ultrasound to confirm the fibroid or others, of course. Because he said my uterus appeared larger than normal, he does want to do the cell scraping biopsy of my uterus the next day. He said not to worry, but he just wants to make sure there's no problem with my uterus...just being cautious. Also, because we've ruled out any gastrointestinal bleeding, the gyn. area is the last to check out.

My dr. said let's wait to see what these two tests show...I could possibly just need a D&C to alleviate my anemia problem, or that new outpatient surgery to lessen periods (I'm not sure what it's called), and/or the fibroid removal (if that's what it really is). He also suggested possibly putting me on a very, very low dosage of birth control pill for just a few months to see if that helps. So, it sounds as if there are different options without anything drastic.

Because my ferritin level is so low (2), that indicates iron-deficiency anemia, and all the drs. major concern is internal bleeding...so that's what the drs. are trying to rule out or find.

You are correct,I may not have any internal bleeding problem that is visible, but I believe that fibroids do deplete the blood supply as I understand it, so that could solve the mystery as to what actually is causing my anemia.

In the meantime, yes, I am taking iron supplements twice a day, my family dr. wants me to have my bloodworkup done again in about 5 weeks to see if my iron binding capacity, ferritin, hemoglobin and other levels have gone up.



------------------

By cell scraping biopsy, do you mean a D&C or something else? I had a D&C earlier this week and it wasn't bad, but I wouldn't do it if I didn't have to. You may have read, I have had daily bleeding since April and it isn't due to fibroids - they would show in an ultrasound.

Have they checked your youngest blood cell count? I think it is leukocytes.

I'll have to check my bloodworkup report that I have to see if they tested my "youngest blood cells"...I'm not sure.

The cell scraping biopsy that I had done today is just that...the dr. scraped some cells from my uterus in order to have a biopsy done at the lab. It was sort of like a pap smear, but of my uterus, and I just felt a little cramping for a few minutes. No, this is not a D&C, just a biopsy.

I did have an ultrasound done yesterday...the dr. found 4 fibroids, but he said they are small. This could very well be the cause of my iron deficiency anemia.

I have to go back in 1 week to find out the biopsy results and to discuss my options for getting rid of the fibroids.

------------------

Wow, how did they get into the uterus without dilating it? Were there incisions? I didn't know there was such a non-invasive way to do it. I always thought it had to be a hysteroscopy or a laparascopy.

I get my biopsy results next week. I can't wait to get this all over with so the anemia can go away. I'll let you know what mine say - probably nothing - and I'll look for your results, too.

I actually re-thought it and I think the baby blood cells are reticulocytes, not leukocytes. (Each day my levels drop just a little more and I become less and less lucid.) If they are there, then they know that your production of blood is fine and it probably is a case of blood loss or destruction.

If your fibroids cause blood loss, where does the blood go? That part still confuses me. It seems like thr first symptom is heavy bleeding - more than before. Could your fibroids bleed and the blood reabsorb instead of coming out? Hmmm. Well, there are tons of ways to remove them these days, but it looks like the odds are pretty good that they will keep coming back.

I don't know if my doc took mine out last week. I didn't see her after I woke up. I'll find out next week. I am so bummed that my D&C didn't help and the looney nurse called yesterday and said it sounds like I am having a period - after my uterus was scraped clean and while I am on active birth control pills. Ugh!

PanNik you mentioned Bronson Iron w/ C....is this by prescription or over the counter??

I don't think it is prescription since it is just a vitamin combo. My doctor actually gave them to me, but his clinic sells them with the prenatal vitamins. Too bad I changed docs. I guess I will have to buy them now. But, maybe this new doc will fix me and I won't need them anymore. There is a phone number on the package, but I know that we aren't allowed to post contact info here. You may be able to search for Bronson labs and see if you can figure out who sells them.

(Ooh, I just did a search and got a link back to one of my previous posts here.)


[This message has been edited by PaNik5717 (edited 10-16-2003).]

I'm beginning to feel like I live at the gyn.'s office, lol. My uterine biopsy was normal (thank goodness). The ultrasound I had done found 4 fibroids. I'd been doing a lot of reading on different ways to get rid of or remove them. However, when I went to my dr. today, he said that since there are 4 of them and they are all in different locations, that any type of removal of the fibroids would be very difficult and risky. He is putting me on a very low dose birth control pill, because he thinks that my periods are probably heavier than I think they are, and that should hopefully help my anemia problem. If that works, he wants me to take them for a few years. He said that the closer I get to menopause, the fibroids should start to shrink. However, I'm only 44, and I really don't want to be on bc pills until I'm fifty or so. He said that hopefully the pills will work and I should also feel more energy. Other than removing my uterus, right now, there are no other options to remove the fibroids. I've agreed to go on the bc pills for now, and I'll see what happens when I go for a follow up visit in two months.

------------------

My anemia is out of hand. I just had surgery and they kept warning me about it. I had bowel surgery, so I could not afford to take my iron because of the constipation issue. Now that I am better, I need to get a grip on my anemia. I have Restless Leg Syndrome, heavy periods (45 and refuse to have a hysterectomy, I want to keep my uterus!) fibroids and fatigue. Any ideas, suggestions, comments would be appreciated. I use "liquid iron" it is like the consistency of cough syrup. To me, it is milder than the tablets. Thank you!

------------------
Deezy

Has your doctor talked to you at all about the possibility of taking any kind of hormones. I know they tried all kinds of birth control on me to slow my bleeding. Now, they are trying me on Provera pills (I refuse to get the shot). They think Provera may block estrogen which would be wonderful for someone with fibroids, I would think. But I really don't know. And I am not sure if any of it would be wise at your age. I have read that women over 35 should be cautious about taking the pill.

I am so jealous. I would give my uterus to science or just to a graveyard if I could. I am 26 and apparently too young for anything that could save my life - like a transfusion or a hysterectomy.

Oh, do you take vitamin C with your liquid iron? It will help it to absorb. It also helps if you keep calcium out of your stomach when you take it because calcium blocks iron absorption.

In regards to taking birth control pills if you're over 35...according to my gyn., it's safe to take bc pills (low dose), if you're over 35, as long as you don't smoke or have a history of heart conditions. I'm 44 years old, and my dr. just gave me bc pills (low dose)to start taking to try to lighten and shorten my periods, because I have iron-deficiency anemia and fibroids. I was concerned about taking them, because there's a history of breast cancer in my family (mom), but my dr. says that the low dose pills do not increase any risk for that disease. He's telling me that if I don't have any problems with the bc pills, that I can take them well up until menopause!

About taking iron supplements...yes, you should always take the supplement with some vitamin C. I just always take mine with a small glass of orange juice. If the supplements make you nauceous (like they sometimes do to me), my dr. said to eat a meal first, wait 1-2 hours, then take your iron supplement with the o.j. It seems to help.

Anyway, I hope the birth control pills work for me in lessening or getting rid of my anemia...I wanted to just have my (4) fibroids removed, but my dr. says it's too risky. And, at this point, I don't want to have my uterus removed if I don't have to.

------------------