I had my first surgery in August of 1993 - and it was major surgery - and the fibroids had grown back by November. All they could offer in my small town was hysterectomy and that's why I went to a large hospital in Boston that offered more options. I did a lot of reading and was determined to avoid hysterectomy. My periods were debilitating, but fibroids were the only cause. Hysterectomy used to be the only option. My aunt had a hysterectomy because she had fibroids, but I was only 41 and was determined to find a better option.
I was so fortunate to find this doctor - a whole team, actually. I was their first uterine embolization and I had to check in with them by phone everyday, both before and after surgery, so they could track my symptoms.
I wish that I had known about this from the beginning, since major surgery is never easy. And I had a great many fibroids, of all types, but they kept growing back. Since I had the uterine embolization, I've recovered. The pain and the heavy bleeding never did come back.
Obviously, your doctor can tell you more than I can. All I can do is share my experience. Though I was warned I could have more pain, that didn't happen. The team I dealt with was great, very supportive, and I recovered much more quickly than I did from major surgery. I was really scared, so I can understand your feelings, but I'm fine now, after being miserable for all that time.
I don't know what makes someone a good candidate for uterine embolization, but I had to be an extreme case. I wish you all the luck in the world with this. I've been where you are, so I know what it's like. I truly hope that this can work for you, too.
Rhiannon