What is the success rate of fibroid surgery?

Fibroid surgery success rates are high for symptom relief, with procedures like Myomectomy (removing fibroids, preserving uterus) seeing around 90% satisfaction/improvement, though recurrence is possible (up to 25%). Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE), a minimally invasive option, also boasts high success (around 90%) for symptom relief, with many remaining symptom-free for years, but recurrence is still a factor. Hysterectomy (uterus removal) offers permanent cure but ends fertility.

Is it worth getting fibroids removed?

You might want to choose surgery if fibroids are making it hard for you to get pregnant or if you have other symptoms that affect your quality of life, and other treatments have not worked for you.

Can fibroids cause leg swelling?

Yes, large uterine fibroids can definitely cause leg swelling by pressing on major veins (like the inferior vena cava or iliac veins) and nerves (like the sciatic nerve) that lead to the legs, obstructing blood flow, causing fluid buildup (edema), pain, and sometimes sciatica. This pressure can lead to tired, achy legs, cramps, and visible swelling in the legs and feet, often accompanied by pelvic pressure or lower back pain.
 

How risky is a fibroid operation?

These risks include excessive blood loss, infection, adhesion formation, damage to surrounding organs, uterine rupture in future pregnancies, recurrence of fibroids, blood clots, fertility considerations, anesthesia-related complications, and prolonged recovery time.

Can fibroids cause headaches?

Yes, fibroids can cause headaches, primarily by leading to iron-deficiency anemia from heavy bleeding, hormonal fluctuations, and the general stress and fatigue associated with managing fibroid symptoms. Anemia (low blood count) from excessive blood loss is a major factor, causing fatigue, weakness, and headaches, while hormonal changes and increased stress also trigger them.
 

Myomectomy for Fibroids Surgery PreOp® Patient Education

How sick can fibroids make you feel?

If you have small fibroids, you may feel nothing at all and not even notice they're there. For larger fibroids, however, you can experience discomfort and pain. Fibroids can cause you to feel back pain, stabbing pains in your abdomen and even pain during sex.

What age do most people get fibroids?

They most often occur in women aged 30 to 50.

How many hours is fibroid surgery?

Laparoscopic myomectomy can take two to four hours, based on the number of fibroids and their size. You can go home the same day or spend a night in the hospital, depending on how you feel after the procedure. Overall recovery is about two to four weeks.

Can fibroid surgery go wrong?

According to this study, about 5% of women experience complications following fibroid surgery. These range from the severe concerns we've mentioned in this post, to lesser effects including pain, heavy bleeding, scarring and even damage to nearby organs.

Can I avoid fibroid surgery?

Fibroid treatment without surgery is possible for many women through modern, effective, and targeted therapies. If you are experiencing heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, bloating, or fertility concerns, timely medical attention can protect your health and prevent complications.

Do fibroids make it hard to walk?

Yes, large uterine fibroids can absolutely cause difficulty walking by pressing on nerves (like the sciatic nerve) or organs, leading to leg pain, numbness, weakness, or spasms that impede movement, sometimes making it hard to stand straight or walk without pain. This often results from subserosal fibroids growing on the outside of the uterus, putting pressure on the lower back and pelvic nerves, causing pain to radiate down the hips and legs, or even causing muscle cramps and limited mobility.
 

Can fibroids cause heart problems?

Yes, recent studies show a strong link, with women having uterine fibroids facing an 81% higher long-term risk of cardiovascular disease (like heart attack, stroke) compared to women without them, suggesting fibroids act as a marker for increased heart health risk, potentially due to shared hormonal/inflammatory pathways, and severe symptoms like anemia can also stress the heart.
 

Can fibroids cause sciatica?

Yes, large uterine fibroids, especially those growing on the back of the uterus (posterior fibroids) or growing outward, can press on the sciatic nerve, causing sciatica-like symptoms such as shooting pain, numbness, or tingling from the lower back down the legs, mimicking typical sciatica from a herniated disc. This nerve compression can lead to back, hip, and leg pain, often resolving with fibroid treatment.
 

Are fibroids hereditary?

Yes, uterine fibroids have a strong hereditary link, meaning they tend to run in families, significantly increasing your risk if you have a mother, sister, or other close relative with them, though genetics aren't the only factor, with hormones, diet, obesity, and race also playing roles.
 

What happens if you ignore fibroids?

In most cases, untreated fibroids are not life-threatening. However, they can lead to complications such as: Anemia – Excessive blood loss from heavy periods can cause fatigue, dizziness, and other health concerns. Infertility – Large or multiple fibroids can interfere with conception or pregnancy.

What is the new procedure for fibroids?

Transcervical fibroid ablation, often performed using the Sonata System, is one of the newest tools in fibroid treatment. Transcervical fibroid ablation uses radiofrequency energy to destroy fibroid tissue, while preserving the uterus.

How risky is fibroid surgery?

Uterine fibroid surgery may present a range of issues, starting with a longer recovery time and an increased risk for heart disease, uterine cancer, infertility, and regrowth of fibroids. Before scheduling fibroid surgery, you should speak with your doctor about these potential complications.

What questions should I ask before fibroid surgery?

Know the common questions to ask about fibroid surgery. How invasive is the procedure? How long will I need to recover before I can go back to work? After fibroid surgery when can I get pregnant?

How do you know if fibroids are serious?

For most women, fibroids are not serious and will shrink and disappear over time. However, for one in three women with fibroids, they can cause pain and discomfort that affects their quality of life. In rare cases, fibroids can make it difficult to become pregnant or cause infertility.

What is the best age to have fibroid surgery?

Myomectomy is the recommended treatment of uterine fibroids in women aged 40 years and above with infertility and those that wish to become pregnant. If there is no need for further fertility preservation, hysterectomy should be offered.

How long will I be out of work after fibroid surgery?

Here are some general timelines you can expect after a myomectomy: Hysteroscopic myomectomy has the shortest recovery time, with most folks able to get back to their normal activities within a few days. Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted myomectomies can take 2 to 4 weeks to recover from.

How painful is fibroid surgery?

Fibroid surgery pain varies greatly by type, with minimally invasive (laparoscopic/hysteroscopic) causing less pain, faster recovery (days/weeks), and mild-to-moderate discomfort, while open abdominal surgery involves more significant, sometimes "excruciating," pain, longer recovery (weeks/months), and soreness from larger incisions and trapped gas, though modern pain management helps with both. Expect soreness, cramping, and gas pain (especially with laparoscopy) that's manageable with prescribed meds, but significant pain often occurs with larger procedures or complications, with recovery lasting weeks to months.
 

What is the main cause of fibroids?

Fibroids form from a single uterine cell that multiplies abnormally, driven mainly by the hormones estrogen and progesterone, though the exact trigger isn't known. Key factors include genetics (family history), age (reproductive years), ethnicity (higher in Black women), and lifestyle factors like obesity, with substances like insulin-like growth factor and increased extracellular matrix also playing roles in their growth.
 

How long does it take vitamin D to shrink fibroids?

Vitamin D can take months to years to show effects on fibroid size, with some studies showing significant reduction in size within 3 to 6 months of supplementation for deficient women, while longer-term use (over several years) shows promise in preventing growth and potentially shrinking them, though individual results vary greatly. Consistency and correcting a deficiency are key, with some research pointing to effects occurring after about 8 weeks or more, though it's not a guaranteed rapid fix. 

Can stress cause fibroids to grow?

Yes, stress can contribute to fibroid growth and worsen symptoms by disrupting hormones (like increasing cortisol, which can boost estrogen) and potentially influencing gene expression related to tumor formation, with studies showing a link between high stress levels, certain biological markers (microRNAs) in uterine tissue, and increased fibroid risk, especially in Black women. While stress isn't the sole cause, it acts as a significant contributing factor, exacerbating the hormonal environment that promotes fibroid development and causing symptom flares.