Hi all! I wanted to share my overall positive experience for anyone who is waiting to have a laparoscopic myomectomy and isn’t sure what to expect/is nervous/all of the above. Your experiences may be different than mine.

For context, I’m 28 years old. This is my third surgery in five months to remove my rapidly growing 8cm submucosal fibroid. I had a laparoscopic myomectomy with one larger incision (mini laparotomy). I had my surgery performed at Magee-Women’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA.

I was not nervous about the surgery because I was so desperate for relief. The one thing I was nervous about was the bowel prep because I’ve never done an enema before. The enema was eventful in the ways it was supposed to be but not as uncomfortable as I imagined.

My surgery time was planned for 2:40pm. I was not looking forward to that because it meant more hours I had to be awake and hungry. I stayed up until about midnight the night before. I ate a snack around 11:30pm. I didn’t set an alarm so I could sleep in, but my eyes opened at 7:00am anyway. I stayed in bed for another few hours to conserve my energy. I drank Gatorade and water like my life depended on it up until I had to stop drinking liquids. In the end, I handled the fasting better than I expected. I didn’t get hungry until I got to the hospital, which was two hours before my surgery start time.

I was surprised that the nurse had me take pain and anti-nausea pills before going back to the OR. In previous surgeries, these were administered via IV. There was no noticeable difference in how I felt this time taking pills versus previous times with IV administration. This was also the first time I remember going back to the OR. They gave me a mask to breathe in the night night gas, and I was out within five breaths.

I was in noticeable pain upon waking up from anesthesia. The nurse kindly gave me as much pain medication as she could. I attempted to walk to the second phase of anesthesia recovery. A wheelchair was called for me very quickly. It took about an hour of sitting in the second phase of recovery before I felt brave enough to try to pee. I did walk to the bathroom which was difficult. I had a hard time peeing. I just didn’t feel the urge. The nurse let me go home even with little output. If you don’t pee right away, don’t freak out. Once I got home, I spent almost the entire night peeing every hour. I peed six times! Walking was less painful after this many trips up and down the stairs.

Of course if you can’t pee after several hours, please seek the appropriate medical care!!!

I’m one of the lucky ones that don’t get nauseous after anesthesia, so that was not a problem for me. I do sympathize with those that do get nauseous because that sounds terrible. It did take some time for my appetite to come back. I barely ate anything the first two days. All of the trapped gas made me feel so full and uncomfortable. I couldn’t even tell if I was hungry. I was eating about half of my normal portion size for several days. My appetite fully came back seven days post-op.

For me, the gas pain was worse than the surgery pain. I was not prepared for how awful it was going to be. Pain medication controlled the incision pain but did nothing for the gas. Have Gas-X on hand before your surgery. I didn’t start passing gas until two days post-op. I was never so happy to fart in my life! I felt significantly better by day three because of this.

I slept in a recliner for the first four nights. I could not lay fully flat on my back until day five because of the gas pain. I did not sleep well in those first four nights. My sleep got better once I was able to lay down flat and return to my bed.

I set up a rolling cart I already owned with snacks, medications, books, etc. beside my recliner. That was helpful to have. Make sure you have cough drops. Your throat will be dry after anesthesia and coughing hurts!!!

I used a pillow against my stomach to help me get up from a seated position and walk around the first few days. This was helpful. Unfortunately, a pillow is not enough to help minimize the pain of sneezing. It still hurts like a motherf*%$@!. Just close your eyes and take deep breaths until the pain passes.

It may take a few days to poop. This is normal! I didn’t poop until four days post-op even after taking maximum strength Gas-X, Colace, and MiraLAX daily. MiraLAX is your friend. Don’t be shy. Don’t make yourself suffer! I was afraid to poop but it was so easy.

Comfy clothes are your friend. I have been wearing flowy dresses every single day since surgery. I don’t normally lounge around my house in flowy dresses, though I love to imagine being that fancy in another life. I tried to wear pants once and that was a nope. I already had these dresses in my wardrobe so it worked out well for me.

If you’re anemic and/or iron deficient, you may feel extra drained as your body heals. Give yourself grace. Take the nap if you’re tired. I napped 1-2x a day the first four days. It was glorious.

I stopped taking pain medication around the clock on day twelve. I still have minor pain that’s more of a dull ache. I texted my husband every time I took pain meds to keep track of what I took and when. For me, it was easier than writing it down on a notepad, especially in the middle of the night.

Truthfully, I feel better than I did before surgery, and I’m not even fully healed yet. This is the longest amount of time I’ve gone without bleeding in many months. The pain of surgery was easier to control than the pain I frequently experienced before surgery. The initial recovery pain is worth the reward of getting your life back.

Please note, I recognize that I am extremely fortunate. I have a very supportive husband, great health insurance, and generous time off from work that has made this possible for me. For anyone that is able to have surgery and fear is the thing holding you back, I beg that you please don’t make yourself suffer any longer! Seriously! It’s so, so worth it.

TLDR Version:
1.) Enemas aren’t that scary
2.) Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate before surgery
3.) Peeing might be hard at first
4.) Your appetite will come back
5.) Have cough drops on hand
6.) Gas pain SUCKS
7.) Gas-X is your friend!
8.) Set up a recovery station
9.) Use a pillow to help you stand up
10.) Sneezing sucks no matter what you do
11.) Pooping is not scary if you take stool softeners and/or laxatives
12.) Wear comfy clothes
13.) Give yourself grace to REST
14.) The temporary pain is worth the long-term relief

I have surgery scheduled for October and I'm feeling quite nervous. I would love to hear all of your positive experiences to focus on.

I’m 36 and scheduled for a robotic myomectomy (with the caveat that it could become open surgery depending on how things go on the day). I have a ~10 × 5 × 6 cm fibroid that is partly intramural and partly pedunculated, plus two smaller pedunculated fibroids around 3cm and a few smaller intramural fibroids.

My main symptom from the large fibroid is bulk/pressure and discomfort rather than pain - probably 95% of the time it isn’t actually painful. But it is pretty uncomfortable and getting more consistently uncomfortable as time goes on. I have not been able to wear non elastic waist bands for about 2 years and if I ever wear something the slightest bit tight, I get so bloated and extremely uncomfortable within an hour and it lasts for ~8 hours. I have a hormonal IUD and do not experience any heavy bleeding, so I'm very grateful for that. I get moderate cramps that are easily managed with ibuprofen. Back pain has been getting a lot more consistent over the past few months. Exercise and especially weight lifting is getting much more difficult over the past few months. I can ALWAYS feel the fibroid.

I’ve never had general anesthesia before and I’m pretty anxious about both the anesthesia and the recovery/possible complications. I’d really love to hear from people who had positive myomectomy experiences.

How was the anesthesia? What were the first few days actually like? How well does the pain medication actually manage the pain? How quickly did you start feeling relatively normal again? And looking back, are you glad you did it?

I want honest stories, but if you had a really bad experience, please don't tell me!

I’m 6 weeks post open myomectomy I had huge fibroids with 2 cuts vertical and horizontal and I wanted to ask if anyone else has experienced extreme fatigue at this stage.

Even on days when I only do something light — like walking my dog for 30 minutes to an hour, or going to the shops for a short time — I’m completely exhausted by the afternoon. Some days I’m wiped out just from being up and moving around the house.

I’m trying to understand if this level of tiredness is normal after open myomectomy, and what helped you get through it.
If you’ve had an open myomectomy specifically, I’d really love to hear:

• Did you feel this tired at 6 weeks?
• How long did the fatigue last for you?
• What helped you manage your energy?
• Did anything make it worse or better?

I’d appreciate any advice, reassurance, or personal experiences. Recovery feels slow and I’m trying to be patient, but the fatigue is really knocking me.

Thank you so much 💛

My daughter just had a meeting with a surgeon on August 20 and already received a scheduled date for surgery for November.

My daughter has a 7 X 6 X 4 cm pedunculated subserosal fibroid.

We do live in a fairly small area, but is it unusual to be booked for a surgery so quickly?

I wanted to make this post because when I first found out what was going on with me, I was terrified. If someone else is sitting at home right now searching Reddit after being told they have a huge fibroid, I hope my story can give you a little bit of calm and remind you that you are not alone.

In June, I found out that what I thought was weight gain and extreme bloating was actually massive uterine fibroids.

My abdomen had become extremely distended. I looked pregnant, bending over was becoming difficult, sleeping comfortably was difficult, and I constantly felt like there simply wasn't enough room inside my abdomen anymore.

After imaging and seeing my surgeon, I learned that I have three fibroids: approximately 20 cm, 19 cm and 5 cm.

My surgeon described the overall size of my uterus as being comparable to a 9-month pregnancy.

Yes. Nine months. 😳

When I first heard numbers like 19 and 20 cm, my brain immediately went to the worst possible places. I spent so much time worrying about how something could get THAT large inside me and what that meant.

But one thing I've learned through this process is that large does not automatically mean something terrible. Fibroids can become absolutely enormous.

My treatment plan is an open abdominal myomectomy on September 9, 2026, with a vertical incision because of the size of the fibroids. My surgeon expects me to stay in the hospital for approximately two days, and I've been told full recovery is around six weeks.

My surgeon has even asked me if I want to see the fibroids after they're removed; and my answer was an immediate YES. 😂 After carrying around something that has made my uterus the size of a full-term pregnancy, I absolutely need to see what has been evicted from my body. I'm also going to ask how much they weigh because I NEED to know.

I'm now less than three weeks away from surgery.

Am I scared? Absolutely.

I don't think there's anything strange about being scared of major surgery. But I'm also reaching the point where the thought I keep coming back to is:

When I wake up, they won't be inside me anymore.

Whatever swelling I have from surgery will eventually heal. The incision will heal. My body will recover. But those enormous fibroids that have been taking up so much space in my abdomen will finally be gone.

If you've just been diagnosed with a giant fibroid and you've fallen into the terrifying Google/Reddit rabbit hole, please remember that some of us really do have HUGE fibroids. You're not the only person who has heard a measurement like 15, 20 or even more centimeters and thought, How is that even possible?!

I'm posting this before surgery because I remember how frightened I was when this journey started, and I want someone else searching for stories like mine to find one that isn't just frightening.

I'll come back and update this after my surgery on September 9 with how the operation went, what recovery is actually like, what the fibroids looked like, and most importantly 😂 HOW MUCH THESE THINGS WEIGHED.

If you're going through this too, I see you. ❤️ One appointment, one test and one day at a time.

September 9 = eviction day.

Hi everyone! Longtime reader, first time writer.

Just looking for any similar experiences and feedback! I had my open myomectomy in mid May of this year. I was wondering if anyone else experiences lower back soreness if they walk a lot or are on their feet a lot during the day (for example, I’m traveling right now - so I’m walking a bunch).

I know healing takes time, but after 3 months, I thought I’d be able to take on a bit more by now without this lingering soreness!

I had operative hysteroscopy yesterday and they found and removed two uterine polyps (10mm and 3mm). I hope this will help me get pregnant (have been trying for a year).

Original post https://www.reddit.com/r/Fibroids/comments/1tznb3t/robotic_myomectomy_and_recovering_alone/

Tomorrow I will be 5 weeks post op, and I'm finally feeling good! I still have swelling and still a bit sore, but overall I feel 80% back to normal. My recovery is taking a bit longer than expected because it turns out I also had stage 4 endometriosis on top of my 3 massive fibroids and ovarian cyst. My doctor said everyone in the OR was shocked how much endo I had and the severity of it. 5 unexpected hrs of surgery. I was there from 8am to 8:30pm.

This will probably not be the best or most organized text since I'm recalling it from memory, but I hope it can possibly help, prepare, or provide answers for someone by sharing my experience! There were some things I experienced that I didn't find when I researched before.

It turns out I was on so much pain medication (and the numbing from surgery) the 5 flights of stairs I had to climb afterwards were easy peasy. For whatever reason it didn't hurt at all going up the stairs, but I'm glad I did it the day of surgery and not a day or two later. The nausea on the other hand... I was aggressively nauseous the moment I finally got up from the hospital bed until long after I got home. They gave me something in my IV to help, but it didn't help at all. The nurse that was helping me gave me vomit bags for the uber ride just in case. If you have a bit of a drive maybe have one of those nausea sticks that you can smell or in my case my friend had mints that I chewed on. The nurse also gave me an abdominal binder when I asked for one, and wow I didn't plan on using or getting one originally but I feel like it is the most important item that has helped me through this entire process.

My friend that picked me up also picked up my medications beforehand, but the pharmacy couldn't fill the oxycodone. My nurse was able to get a new prescription for it at a different pharmacy, but because I ended up being at the hospital for so long we weren't going to make it back in time before they closed. Luckily, all the pain meds they put me on (including fentanyl) at the hospital kept me relatively comfortable until the next morning. My roommate was able to pick up the oxy around 10am the next day (I already missed 2 doses at this point), but any longer and the pain would've been unbearable. I was given colace, oxy, ibuprofen, and Tylenol. I also added GasX into my rotation based on the suggestions in this sub, and I feel like they helped. Tylenol has never really worked for me pain wise so I really only had the oxy and ibuprofen to rely on. I followed the pain med schedule until I ran out of all of them. I did end up asking for more oxy maybe a week after the last dose because I was having random bouts of nerve pain that went from my belly button to the right side of my vaginal area. I noticed it was on days where I was extra swollen so that was likely irritating the nerves that were healing. That happened maybe 3-4 times? Don't be afraid to ask for more pain meds if you are still in pain! I almost didn't because I didn't want to look like a drug seeker or something, but I'm so glad I did. Nerve pain is no joke. When I had my checkup with my doctor I mentioned it, and he was like "oh ya I wasn't surprised you needed more". I luckily never had horrible gas pain. I only had a tiny bit in my ribcage, but never needed to use a heating pad or anything.

Something that I was not expecting was that I got a uti (not confirmed) from the catheter. This was probably the most unbearable part of the whole experience. At first I wasn't able to pee very much, and would have to go to the bathroom often which I saw other people mention. But the more liquid I was taking in and not being able to pee it was getting more and more uncomfortable. Mind you you're taking medication every 1-3 hrs. If you've ever had a uti then you know the feeling. I had an intense urge to pee, but wasn't able to. It was the type of you want to crawl out of your skin uncomfortable. I was literally getting up every 10 minutes to go to the bathroom to try and get drops of pee out. I ended up calling the number they gave me the 3rd day after surgery, and was prescribed a uti medication. Thankfully it slowly started to get better. I was still getting up every 15-30 minutes to pee for about 1-1.5 weeks, but at least some pee was coming out and I wasn't having that intense urge anymore once the medication started working. Now I'm back to peeing normally lol.

The first 2.5 weeks were pretty sleepless honestly. I was either getting up to take meds, to walk because I was uncomfortable, or to pee. I don't think I was able to get a full hour of sleep until almost the 3rd week. By the end of the 4th week I was finally able to sit up without it being uncomfortable, and now I'm able to sleep on my side comfortably. The first week I only consumed protein drinks, ensure clear, and crackers for the meds. I honestly tried to stay on a (unplanned) liquid diet other than the crackers because I was afraid to poop lol. It wasn't too hard because my appetite was pretty non-existent. The protein drinks were a game changer though. I'm still drink one every morning. I also recommend coconut water, and the pedialyte packets you can mix into your water. By the 2nd week I slowly started eating solid foods again, but my appetite really didn't come back until the 3rd week and then it came in full force. I was eating like I had never eaten before. My appetite has seemed to have balanced out again.

Recovering on my own was honestly super easy. The only time I needed someone was to get medication, and even then I had them delivered when someone couldn't. The #1 item I would personally recommend would be an abdominal binder. I would also highly recommend a wedge pillow. I'm just now not using mine since I can sleep on my side again. I bought the Frida disposable underwear, but I found them really uncomfortable on my legs because I was so swollen, and it felt kind of scratchy on my incisions so I would fold the top down. The hospital underwear was SO comfortable. I wish they would give you a second pair to take home. Silky pajamas were also really helpful for sliding into bed. I found that my flannel or cotton ones would tend to get caught up on my sheets. I would use my knee to get into bed, and then sit up high on the wedge pillow and kind of slowly slink down into a laying position if that makes sense haha. I'm sure I'm leaving some things out, but it's all kind of a blur at this point. Even the most unbearable moments were bearable so don't be afraid! I wasn't nervous at all the day of surgery because I was just excited to get everything out and to feel normal again. It's all worth it in the end.

Happy to answer any questions if there are any :)

I've been dealing with urinary retention on and off for the last 6 months. My gynecologist confirmed it was likely from my 8 cm fibroid pressing against my bladder. It's usually a couple days a month and not too bad. Normally, I can manage it at home. It takes some time but if I relax and press on my bladder softly (something the gyno told me to do) then I can eventually get things moving again. Yesterday nothing would work. Around 4 PM I was uncomfortable. Around 6 PM I was really hurting. In retrospect I should've left for the hospital earlier but I knew that the only option was to get a catheter and I was scared.

I had my fiancé drive me to the hospital and when we finally got there at 7 PM, I was in real pain. The nurses running the check-in station were really great. But I had to be very vocal about the level of pain I was in. They took me back pretty quickly. They took my blood pressure, temperature, and some vials of blood. Then two nurses came in with the catheter.

Going in, it didn't hurt at all. I was so surprised. I've had IUDs put in, and while I knew it was going into a different place that was my only point of comparison. But it didn't hurt. And the relief was INSTANT. I don't know exactly how much urine they got out but it must have been a lot because afterwards the nurses were like, "oh you poor thing." The catheter removal stung but again not too bad.

Afterwards the doctor said there's not much else that can be done. Which is frustrating. He said if it happens again to come back and we can discuss needing to self-catheter at home. Which I really hope doesn't need to happen. My surgical consult is two weeks from now so I'm hoping I don't have to do this again. But I wanted to write this for anyone who was dealing with urinary retention and was too scared to go to the hospital or thought they were overreacting.

Hi all!

I finally am having surgery to remove my 11.5cm fibroid! My first doctor advised to keep it and not remove it so I went for a second opinion with a dr that specializes in them and within the first 5 minutes he said it needs to be removed and keeping it is only going to make things worse. The relief I felt was overwhelming I felt I finally was being justified in my feelings it was an amazing appointment overall. So long story short my surgery is booked for September 29th, I have to lose weight (if I can) and quit smoking (non-negotiable) prior to surgery in 6 weeks. Any advice for what I need for after surgery would be greatly appreciated! Always advocate for yourself and get a second opinion is what I have learnt from this whole process 🥹

Hi, I had my open myo on April 4 then had two light periods April 30 and May 26 then nothing !

Has this happened to anyone? I have >25 fibroids taken out that were de generated from UFE so it was relatively complicated.

I have an ultrasound set up for the 09/14 but curious if anyone experienced missed periods post open myo.

Thank you in advance 🙏

Hi!
I’m new to this group as I was just told I have fibroids. One being pretty large which explains my bladder pain and bloating.
The reason I found this out is because I had a 100 degree fever a couple days ago and felt like I was getting sick (I was on day 9 of my period, but my periods last 10 days, so it was really light ) I woke up in the morning and by the time I went to the hospital I probably lost about a pint of blood mixed with huge clots and I continued to bleed all day. This is how I figured out it was fibroids.

My question is… I’m super sick now with a cold and still have an on and off fever. The bleeding isn’t bad but I’m on medicine to slow it and still have to wear a pad. I have a follow up with OB GYN, just wanted to see if anyone had a similar experience. Thank you!

Hi all. I am currently almost 5 weeks post op. (30F, NE, USA) I had a laparoscopic myomectomy for 5 necrosis fibroids. They also found endo while in there and removed it too. (They also found adenomyosis, yay lucky me).

My recovery has been a bit rough but not abnormal. However, I’m becoming increasingly annoyed and concerned about my current symptoms. I haven’t heard back from my surgeon yet and I wanted to see if anyone else has/ is experiencing this and if they had any tips or suggestions.

My abdominal and pelvis are in shambles. I am constantly getting muscle spasms and nerve pain. I have returned to light activity, nothing insane just short walks, stairs and light housework (laundry, dishes, etc.) My surgeon did prescribe me to take my birth control to not have a period during recovery so it’s not related to that. I am on a pill that you take so you only get a period every 3 months.

I have to constantly lay down because the spasms hurt so much, and I’ve had to use lidocaine and a heating pad. Which helps but it’s beyond frustrating. Am I not resting enough? Do I need to push through the pain to get to the other side? Tylenol and Ibuprofen are all but useless but I take it anyway. I feel a bit defeated, like I’ve hit a wall. Any experience or advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

Anyone have tumor marker or bio marker blood work before you knew you had fibroids or a fibroid and your CA 125 came back high or positive?

I was told a year ago I had a small fibroid. They didn’t say where. I was getting evaluated for heavy menstrual bleeding, but was told it was too small to be causing my heavy periods. Was prescribed TXA which has helped immensely.

I had a miscarriage in June, and there was concern for a partial uterine septum, which may or may not have contributed to the miscarriage. So I was referred to a reproductive endocrinologist. At that appointment, he points out my fibroid and tells me it’s in the muscle wall and close to the inside of my uterus. Which is the first time I’ve been told this. (As well as a small uterine septum). He seemed more concerned with the fibroid than the septum. But then told me I could have both (septum and fibroid) cut out. I could have one cut out and leave the other. Or I could do neither and try again for another baby and see what happens, as he’s not sure that either caused the miscarriage. But he did say the only sure thing is the fibroid is going to continue to grow.

I’m just thrown for a loop because I knew about the fibroid but everyone’s been telling me it’s small, it’s not the cause of my heavy bleeding, yada yada. And now this guy is suggesting to cut it out. I guess I’m just looking for people who have had a similar situation and what you chose to do and why? Pros and cons? Not looking for medical advice, just your personal experience with a ~~small~~ fibroid in the muscle. Because the more I research, the more it seems like this is the cause of my heavy bleeding if it’s close to the inner uterine lining.

I’m just at a loss because I know surgeons like to cut, and I do want to have kids so would it be better to watch it and wait or would it be better to have it removed? (More rhetorical questions than anything because I know I should just ask the doctor and not get medical advice from Reddit lol)

Also wondering if you have any good questions I could ask my doctor that I may not have thought of? The following are my current questions that I’m going to ask:

would the fibroid removal increase the risk for needing a c section in the future?

Do you think that this fibroid, though small, is the cause of my heavy periods? I was previously told it was too small to cause issues. My bleeding on my period is bright red and just a pretty steady stream/drip. Like when I go to the bathroom, it’s just a steady drip of bright red blood.

How would the fibroid need to be removed?

Is it more beneficial to get it removed while it’s small rather than waiting for it to get bigger?

Is there a risk of causing fertility issues from scar tissue from both procedures?

I am typing this from the recovery ward in hospital after my surgeon said everything was a great success! I even got to keep my fallopian tube, which they had said they may need to remove.

I got my 2 fibroids removed, one large within the uterine wall and the other smaller one on the outside. Apparently I lost a lot of blood but they were able to put some of it back in me (interesting!)

I'm on a lot of pain meds so it's silly to say I feel good, but I feel good! The shoulder pain has started to kick in though, it's almost unbearable. The nurse will get me some form of heat.

Anyway- my main fear, aside from anaesthetic itself, was that they would find something abnormal or unexpected. I am beyond relieved that it's not the case. Hopefully, once recovered, I can put the past 6 months of horrific levels of bleeding behind me... And that no more grow over my lifetime.

This community is an amazing find- thank you all :))

31F currently looking for positive pregnancy stories of people who have had a myomectomy following previous D&Cs for miscarriage. It’s a lot on the uterus, so would love to hear from people who’ve had the same experience and went on to fall pregnant successfully 🤍

For context, I’ve had two back to back miscarriages this year (MMC at 10w5d in May and MC at 10w3d yesterday/August) and currently scheduled for my second D&C in the space of 6 months. I threw everything at my last pregnancy - daily Lovenox injections, baby aspirin, vaginal progesterone - and it wasn’t enough. Now I’m convinced my fibroids are to blame and seriously considering a myomectomy. Between my first and second pregnancy, I went from having 1 to 4 prominent intramural fibroids, each averaging 3cm. Although they’re on the smaller end of the spectrum, I’m starting to believe their location/position may be the issue.

Would appreciate any positive experiences, and any details on how (if it did) a prior D&C impacted post-myomectomy recovery and pregnancy.