Hello, and welcome. I was also diagnosed with several fibroids, which were the most likely culprits for my heavy bleeding. I had bloating and cramping so bad during my periods that it used to feel like a ten pound bowling ball sitting on my uterus. I had wicked cramps that had me doubled over in pain, and the heavy bleeding left me so tired I would fall asleep at the dinner table.

My doctor referred me to a gynecologist when I started soaking through a super tampon and an overnight pad in 45 minutes. I was given the option of the Mirena IUD, but when I found out that some women reported it caused severe mood swings I said no thanks, since I already had horrible mood swings. The gynecologist then recommended the thermal balloon ablation. He told me I could expect about a 50% reduction in bleeding, but I ended up with about 70 to 80 percent less. My periods went from fifteen days, all heavy, to five or six days with very light bleeding. I only need a regular pad which I can change every three hours or so.

The procedure itself was done in hospital under general anasthetic. Some women seem to have ablations in the doctor's office, but it wasn't an option for me. They gave me some very good painkillers after, since I started getting some wicked cramps when I woke up in the recovery room, and sent me home with some additional painkillers. From this site, I gleaned some useful tips about drinking lots of fluids and getting lots of rest. I was also prepared for the six weeks of discharge, and was glad I hadn't got rid of my stash of overnight pads. Not everyone has the same experience with discharge so you may not have much. This site is wonderful for giving information on what you may experience after ablation, so please do read all the tips.

You may want to watch your fibroids for another few months to see if they grow significantly, that is an option as well. If they do get much bigger though, the ablation may not work as well. Given that they are fairly small, you should have good results. I certainly did.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Jeri, Age 47
Ablation Oct 27, 2008