End Your Heavy Periods Without a Hysterectomy

By Lisa Kroulik © June 4, 2011

In the not-so-distant past, the only option a woman had to control excessive menstrual bleeding was to have a hysterectomy, a major invasive surgery which involves removal of the uterus and at least six weeks of recovery time. In addition, women lose their fertility and are sent into menopause, some much earlier than would have occurred without the surgery. Thankfully, there are less invasive options today, including a procedure that I have had known as Endometrial Ablation. I will be discussing this procedure as well as other options to hysterectomy.

The "heavy bleeding" that I referred to above is a medical condition known as Menorrhagia, the symptoms of which are:

Menstrual flow that soaks through one or more sanitary pads or tampons every hour for several consecutive hour.

The need to use double sanitary protection to control your menstrual flow

The need to change sanitary protection during the night.

Menstrual periods lasting longer than seven days.

Menstrual flow that includes large blood clots.

Heavy menstrual flow that interferes with your regular lifestyle.

Tiredness, fatigue or shortness of breath (symptoms of anemia)

I have experienced all of the above, including menstrual periods lasting for more than 30 days. The one that made me wave the white flag of surrender and finally go to a doctor was the last one. The excessive blood loss made me chronically fatigued and nauseous and it took a heavy toll on my day to day life. It should be noted that there are often more serious reasons for hysterectomy other than Menorrhagia; however, that is the condition I am discussing in this article.

Hysterectomy Alternatives

Hormonal Birth Control: This is the option that my doctor first presented to me when I developed Menorrhagia at the age of 40. Birth control pills help to regulate the menstrual cycle and produce a lighter flow. The pill did stop my month-long period the first time I used it, but it also made me irritable and nauseous, so I discontinued use. I did not have any more episodes of Menorrhagia for the next year.

Intrauterine Device (IUD) The IUD, used primarily for prevention of pregnancy, can also reduce menstrual bleeding due to the releasing of the hormone, progestin, into the uterus.

Implant Also used for prevention of pregnancy, the implant acts as a deterrent to heavy flow by releasing progestin into your blood stream.

Endometrial Ablation This is a procedure where the lining of the uterus is destroyed, using a variety of methods. This option is only appropriate for women who have no longer desire to have children, as pregnancy is both unlikely and unsafe with no uterine lining present. However, premenopausal women do still ovulate, so it is recommended to continue using a form of birth control.

My Endometrial Ablation Surgery

After trying the hormonal birth control pill and deciding against its continued use, my doctor presented me with the options above to deal with my Menorrhagia. I elected the ablation, since at age 42 I did not want any more children or the continued disruption of my daily life brought on by this condition.

My ablation surgery was scheduled for last November 1 at 9 am. I was required to be at the hospital by 7 am to check in, obtain vital signs and go over the details of the procedure. At 9 am, I was brought to the operating room and given a general anesthesia. That was the last thing I remember, until 45 minutes later when I was told that the ablation was completed.

From the operating room, I went to the recovery room to be monitored. I did have severe nausea for a while from the anesthesia, but they were able to get that under control with anti-nausea medication. My husband was able to be with me at this point, which was a great comfort. After two hours of observation in the recovery room, I was able to go home. I did have cramping for the rest of the day and slept until 7 pm that evening.I took the next day off work, though in retrospect, I would have taken at least two days off. I still felt a bit out of it and could have used the rest. However, I felt perfectly fine within a few days. And the best part? I have been one of the lucky percentage of women who have no period at all. It has been over seven months since my Endometrial Ablation, and I feel it has literally given me my life back.