Tired of Living with Fibroids? Why More Women Are Choosing UFE Over Surgery

Painful periods, pain during sex, bloating and discomfort, and heavy blood loss coupled with anemia every month can be a sign of several women’s health issues. If your gynecologist has been ruling out common problems one by one, or has recommended treatments that don't help, it might be time to see a vascular specialist.

At Apex Endovascular, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, Dr. Shawn Ahmed can help treat and even eliminate fibroids using a procedure called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). Here’s what he wants you to know about uterine fibroids and how UFE works.

What fibroids are

Uterine fibroids are growths that can occur inside or outside the uterus or within the uterine wall. Most fibroids are noncancerous uterine growths called leiomyomas. Around 80% of women develop uterine fibroids during their lives, usually in their childbearing years.  

Many women who have uterine fibroids never even know it. They might have uterine growths, but only find out because they have a scan of their reproductive system. Other women have debilitating symptoms that demand action to reduce the severe side effects of fibroids.  

Fibroid symptoms

Symptoms of fibroids can look like a lot of other “female complaints,” so it’s important to keep pushing for a diagnosis if you have symptoms like: 

• Anemia
• Constipation
• Heavy, painful periods that make you stay in bed or on the couch
• Intermittent pelvic pain
• Pain during or after sex
• Urinary issues that can become chronic

Some women have so many fibroids or fibroids so big that their abdomen swells and can feel as if it’s full of rocks. There are even cases when a woman with a uterus swollen with fibroids looks as if she’s pregnant.  

What to do about fibroids  

A lot of women find their fibroids start to diminish and shrink when they hit menopause. This happens because fibroids are fed by estrogen, and menopause cuts off their lifeline. However, if you’re years from menopause, or if you’re having symptoms that are disrupting your life, you may want to explore treatment. 

Fibroid treatment with UFE

The first step in fibroid treatment is a confirmed diagnosis, which usually only requires a basic ultrasound. Your doctor can see if your fibroids are crowding the void of your uterus, growing from the outside wall, or bulging between muscles inside the uterine walls. 

Some women can get relief from fibroid symptoms with medication. Others need surgery or even a complete hysterectomy to get relief from fibroid pain. However, there’s a less-invasive option that more and more women are choosing.

A uterine fibroid embolization cuts off the fibroid’s blood supply, leaving it to wither and die. Dr. Ahmed uses a targeted injection that fills the artery supplying blood to the fibroid with tiny beads. The choked-off blood flow diverts the blood away from the fibroid.  

Recovery after UFE

You’ll be able to go home the same day as the procedure, but expect to feel tired for a couple of weeks after UFE. 

Your fibroid symptoms should abate almost immediately, with many women noticing improvement as soon as their first menstrual period after the surgery.

After three months, almost all women can report a positive lessening of fibroid symptoms, and recovery is considered fully complete in six to nine months. Your daily life will improve, as will your “time of the month.”  

To learn more about uterine fibroid embolization, schedule a consultation with the team at Apex Endovascular by calling 970-508-8439 or by booking an appointment online.