Tara* admits she felt overwhelmed when her doctor confirmed that she had uterine fibroids. It is true that these non-cancerous tumors in the uterus were not life-threatening and could be removed. But friends who had been down this road before made it sound like the only option for such a diagnosis was to have a hysterectomy and go through a lengthy healing process post-surgery. Her doctor also told her the same thing. Being a former nurse, Tara could not help but wonder if that was true for all women. As much as technology has advanced, certainly there must be more options, she thought. Furthermore, is fibroid treatment recovery equally as lengthy in every case?
From myomectomies to uterine fibroid embolization, medications, ablation, and more, many women today are realizing they could be candidates for alternative procedures to remove or treat fibroids. Indeed, it is true that a hysterectomy is not always the only option to help you reclaim the life you deserve. Additionally, overall healing time may be significantly increased or reduced depending on which fibroid treatment is best for your unique situation.
To address this common concern for many of our patients who are busy with jobs and lifestyle demands, our team of fibroid specialists created a list of fibroid treatment procedures. This will help demystify how they work, what makes one different from the other, the pros and cons, and what your healing time for treatment recovery might look like.
Get Back on Your Feet: Comparing Recovery Times for Fibroid Treatment
Before we go further, it is important to note that the only way to physically “remove” fibroids is with surgery. These surgical procedures inherently have lengthier recovery times due to their invasive nature. However, innovative non-surgical treatment options such as uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) are equally as effective at providing relief—without the need for surgery and a lengthy recovery.
Hysterectomy: Laparoscopic 4-6 weeks, Open 6-8 weeks
Approximately 600,000 hysterectomies are performed annually in the United States today. In fact, one in every three women will have one by the time they reach 60. Why? They are highly effective. A hysterectomy removes all or part of a woman’s uterus. In some cases, her fallopian tubes and ovaries are removed, too. As a result, everywhere fibroids could grow and cause discomfort has now been removed.
While there is almost no chance of fibroids returning after having a hysterectomy, there are several factors women need to know before making such a big health decision.
For starters, fibroid treatment recovery can be four to eight weeks or longer, depending on the type of hysterectomy you undergo (abdominal, open, vaginal, or laparoscopically), your unique health situation, and any possible complications that arise from the surgery. For example, an open hysterectomy typically takes six to eight weeks for fibroid treatment recovery while a laparoscopic hysterectomy takes four to six weeks.
This is a major surgical procedure that involves cutting of tissue and muscles and requires time to regain strength and function. As a result, you will likely be under strict bed rest for the first few weeks and should not lift anything heavy throughout recovery. Since there is no uterus, having children in the future is also no longer an option.
Besides the lengthy healing time and reproductive limitations, a woman’s body may never be the same again. A hysterectomy could disrupt your life in any of the following ways post-surgery and should be strongly considered.
- Changes in sexual feelings or sensations
- Menopausal symptoms
- Hormonal changes
- Depression over loss of fertility and body changes
Myomectomy: Laparoscopic 4-6 weeks, Open 6-8 weeks
A myomectomy is like a hysterectomy, except that the goal is to remove the symptom-causing fibroids and preserve the uterus. Approximately 30,000 of these invasive surgical procedures are performed annually. Depending on how many fibroids need to be removed, your doctor will surgically reconstruct the uterus to ensure its viability long term. This is good news to women who are not ready to have their entire uterus and, in some cases, fallopian tubes and ovaries, removed by way of a hysterectomy, as doing so eliminates their ability to have children in the future.
As for recovery time, it is roughly the same as a hysterectomy but can be slightly shorter. The typical recovery time is two to eight weeks, depending on the type of myomectomy needed. For example, an open myomectomy typically takes six to eight weeks while a laparoscopic hysterectomy takes four to six weeks for fibroid treatment recovery.
The biggest difference is that myomectomy only removes the fibroids rather than the host structures and is significantly less complex. There are also less invasive options for the surgery itself in comparison with a hysterectomy.
There are three ways to perform a myomectomy:
- A hysteroscopic myomectomy relies on a thin, telescopic tube to access the uterine cavity before lifting the walls of the uterus to shave off the fibroids. The recovery time is between one and two weeks.
- A laparoscopic myomectomy only requires four tiny incisions in the abdominal area, and recovery time is roughly four weeks with minimal scarring.
- Abdominal myomectomies are the most common, though, and require long incisions in the lower abdominal region and in the area of the uterus where the fibroids are located. Many of the fibroids in these situations are deeply embedded, which increases fibroid treatment recovery time.
It is important to note that many gynecologists consider myomectomy a more difficult and complex fibroid surgery than hysterectomy because the uterus must be put back together again. Due to this complexity, some gynecologists will not offer myomectomy. Some only offer it for women trying to get pregnant, and even then, they refer patients to gynecologists who specialize in fibroid surgery. And recovering from a myomectomy is at least as tough as recovering from a hysterectomy.
Acessa: 5-7 days up to 1-2 weeks
With this fibroid treatment procedure, a small probe is placed into a fibroid and heated. By heating the fibroid, it is ultimately destroyed. Acessa works even if you have several uterine fibroids, but there are limitations. For example, if you have multiple large fibroids or fibroids that are hard to get to, Acessa is not a good choice.
Acessa is one of minimally invasive fibroid treatment procedures that does not require major surgery such as hysterectomy or myomectomy. As a result, fibroid treatment recovery takes five to seven days with this procedure, with full recovery taking one to two weeks. There are reasons for the shorter recovery:
- Smaller and more targeted incisions to access the fibroids
- No need to cut into the uterine tissue or remove organs
- Less post-operative pain because of fewer incisions
Endometrial Ablation: 2-5 days up to 2 weeks
Many women experience heavy bleeding with their fibroid diagnosis. This heavy bleeding typically comes from the inside lining of the uterus. Endometrial ablation removes this lining by placing a thin instrument into the uterus through the cervix and using heat, laser, electricity, microwaves, or freezing.
There are no incisions or major organ disruption or removal with endometrial ablation. Therefore, the immediate benefit of ablation is the recovery time. Full recovery may take about two weeks, but many women return to normal activities within two to five days after the procedure.
There are a few downsides to endometrial ablation including:
- Not safe to get pregnant after having it
- Limited by location and size of fibroids
- No symptom relief related to fibroid bulk
- Does not address pain
Sonata System: 1-2 days up to 5-7 days
This is another incision-less fibroid treatment option that works well for patients with one or several fibroids. Your doctor will use an intrauterine ultrasound device to shrink troublesome fibroids rather than focusing on removing them. Surrounding healthy uterine tissue is unaffected by this procedure, leading to less inflammation and faster recovery. However, it is not recommended for all fibroids. Studies show Sonata works with non-pedunculated submucosal fibroids, but fibroids larger than 5.0 cm may require the application of multiple ablations.
If the Sonata System is the right option for you, the good news is initial recovery can be within one or two days after the procedure. Women who undergo this procedure can expect to be fully recovered in five to seven days.
Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE): 7-10 days
UFE is a minimally invasive procedure that, rather than removing fibroids with numerous incisions, cuts off blood flow to all fibroids—causing them to shrink and die. UFE has low risks, has no incision, is a faster procedure than fibroid surgery, and is a reliable way to treat fibroids.
During a UFE procedure, a tiny tube is fed through the blood vessels right to the uterus, and the blood flow to all the fibroids is blocked from the inside. With blood flow having been cut off, the fibroid will shrink and die. Thus, the patient will experience a fast reduction in painful symptoms. The woman can go home the same day, and the recovery time is usually seven to 10 days.
UFE is a unique procedure in comparison to those mentioned above because of its ability to treat all uterine fibroids—regardless of location or size—and without having to go through painful surgery, lengthy recovery time, and multiple procedures. As a result, you have a greater chance of avoiding additional complications.
Advantages of UFE at Fibroid Institute include:
- No hospital stay and shorter recovery period (one week in some cases)
- Over 90% of patients see dramatic improvement in symptoms
- Minimal chance of a miscarriage
- Covered by most major medical insurance plans
- Fibroid doctors are board-certified interventional radiologists
- In-office procedure instead of hospital stay
- Procedure typically takes less than an hour
- Patients get direct access to their doctor’s mobile number
- Avoid side effects of pharmaceutical hormone therapies
- Tiny wrist puncture, no need for vaginal access
The Best Fibroid Treatment Starts With Highly Experienced Specialists
It used to be that hysterectomy was the only option for women seeking relief from their uterine fibroids. And in some cases today, it may still be the only option for some women. That said, more women than ever before are standing up and exploring their options. They are asking for second opinions to ensure that they have the right information and can make the best decisions for their own healing journey.
With the advancement of new technology, minimally invasive procedures such as Acessa, the Sonata System, and UFE have been thrust into the spotlight for their effectiveness and shorter fibroid treatment recovery times. The bottom line is that you do not have to worry about missing work and life events with every fibroid treatment procedure.
Whether UFE is the right option for you or not, our team of fibroid doctors is always on hand to partner with you and your doctor to determine the best course of action. At Fibroid Institute, we do not believe you need to decide between suffering in silence and having invasive surgery.
With multiple locations, our Dallas and Houston fibroid centers help thousands of women avoid fibroid surgery and find relief from their fibroid symptoms. Meet some of these women here:
Most major medical insurance providers cover the cost of UFE. Get started now by calling our Dallas fibroid clinics at 214-838-6440, our Houston fibroid clinics at 713-903-3733, or by completing complete the form below.
Fibroid Institute Texas serves the Dallas and Houston areas including Garland, Mesquite, Richardson, Dallas, Sherman, Houston, Sugar Land, Katy, Webster, Clear Lake, The Woodlands, Universal City, Spring, Kingwood, Stafford, Conroe, Texas City, Cypress, League City, Bellaire, Addison, Carrollton, Plano, Frisco, Craig Ranch, McKinney, Allen, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Arlington, Hutchins, Irving, Duncanville, DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Cockrell Hill, Highland Park, University Park, Park Cities, and more.
Before starting any new treatment or if you have questions regarding a medical condition, always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
*Patient names and/or photos may be changed to protect patient confidentiality.