‘A Wuss With Pain’: Robbie Says Recovery Key To Fibroid Removal

Robbie* and her doctor knew that at some point her fibroids would be too uncomfortable and require a form of intervention. While she had options for fibroid removal—namely a hysterectomy or myomectomy—and access to alternative treatments such as uterine fibroid embolization, her main concern was that she did not want to deal with a lot of pain or go through a long recovery. Her request was not too much to ask. After all, most women would prefer procedures to be as pain-free as possible. Even if they are willing to put up with pain for a short while, Robbie readily admitted she was not one of those patients. In her words, she was a ‘wuss with pain’.

Knowing Robbie’s feelings on the matter and that UFE would likely be her best path forward when the time came, her doctor insisted Fibroid Institute Texas was the best place with a fibroid doctor team she should see.

“My doctor said that oftentimes there were doctors with patients who, even after choosing UFE, were in the hospital for three days on PCA pumps [for pain management],” Robbie said. “She told me that because of that, she only recommended Dr. [Suzanne] Slonim. As my fibroids grew, I knew I was going to her when the time came.”

That is precisely what she did, adding that the pain management practices were out of this world.

Fibroid Removal: ‘Pain Was My Greatest Concern Coming In’

Robbie admits that even after choosing fibroid treatment through UFE versus surgery, she could not shake the thought that she would still deal with some form of post-op pain. And she’s not alone with those concerns. Researchers estimate that 70-80 percent of all women between the ages of 35 and 54 develop fibroids. However, fibroids can occur in women younger than 35 and until menopause. Of these women, many experience fear and anxiety—even when it comes to choosing UFE—over everything from the amount of pain they will be in afterward and the potential length of recovery time to the invasiveness of the procedure itself and possible complications.

As a result, women may put a fibroid procedure off for years. A uterine fibroid research study conducted by experts from the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, and the University of North Carolina in 2013 found that women delayed seeking fibroid treatment for an average of 3.6 years, with nearly a third waiting more than five years. Another study confirmed that due to the benign nature of uterine fibroids and their treatability, fibroid-associated fears are generally unfounded. But that has not stopped many women from remaining fearful—even with the opportunity to eliminate fibroid pain.

In Robbie’s case, she had a doctor willing to educate her, have back-and-forth dialogue, set expectations, and honor her wishes to explore a minimally invasive option such as UFE.

Not every woman with fibroids needs fibroid removal via surgery. That is where UFE comes in. Rather than remove fibroids, UFE shrinks them by inserting a small catheter by way of a small needle prick into the radial artery on the patient’s wrist. Specialized fibroid doctors known as interventional radiologists then advance it to the location of the targeted area and inject small particles to block blood flow to the fibroid tumors. This causes the fibroids to shrink and die.

Patients can expect an easy procedure performed under local anesthesia or moderate sedation. The procedure will last about one hour, and once you wake up, you will notice only a small bandage over the nick on your wrist.

A Symptom-Free Life in Less Than a Week

Barely a week after her UFE procedure, Robbie says her life has completely changed for the better. She is not experiencing the same fibroid symptoms she once did. More importantly, she felt like her usual self again within a matter of a day or two. There were no blood transfusions or incisions, which meant no additional pain from surgical wounds and scarring. She also did not have to stay in the hospital, adding that it was an in-and-out procedure.

She particularly marveled at Fibroid Institute’s specific algorithm for pain management.

“I felt like my pain was managed really well,” she said. “The first day, I slept practically the entire day. Like I said, I am a wuss when it comes to pain, and that was my greatest concern coming in. But their pain management regimen was top-notch. They did an amazing job—I was in and out.”

How is this possible? For starters, UFE causes fibroids to shrink and die rather than going through the painful process of fibroid removal. Also, the UFE procedure has been found to decrease patient pain when done through the radial nerve versus advancing the catheter through the groin area. Once the procedure is complete (usually in roughly an hour), the fibroid doctors at Fibroid Institute Texas follow a highly specific pain management protocol. As a result, patients report little to no pain when they follow the post-op recommendations.

Read more about Fibroid Institute’s formula that helps patients experience little to no pain after UFE.

Practitioners who refer patients to UFE and Fibroid Institute Texas are very happy, too.

• Over 90% of patients experience successful results and a dramatic reduction in symptoms.
• Fibroid Institute does all patient prep. We know how to prepare and what is expected.
• We manage all patients’ pain levels after UFE and conduct 1-week, 1-month, and 4-month follow-ups.
• The fibroid doctors provide their cell phone numbers to every patient and are available 24/7 during treatment.
• Referring doctors can expect to hear from Fibroid Institute about their patients regarding anything critical.

When asked if she would ever choose Fibroid Institute again, Robbie said, “Yes, I would do it all over again.”

Fibroid Removal Is not Your Only Choice. Fibroid Institute Has a Better Solution!

As Robbie’s case proves, women with painful fibroids have more options than ever to reclaim a symptom-free life. For some, that might mean fibroid removal via surgery. For others, it could be a less invasive option. There are plenty of minimally invasive strategies to take control of your fibroid pain, and that includes UFE. We specialize in UFE because it delivers results in the least amount of time and with limited pain. That is also why Robbie chose UFE.

With multiple locations, our Dallas and Houston fibroid clinics help thousands of women avoid fibroid surgery and find relief from their fibroid symptoms. Because experience matters, our physicians have completed more than 40,000 interventional radiology cases over the course of a combined 55 years of experience. Our fibroid doctors are board-certified interventional radiologists and experts and passionate about helping women become #FibroidFree.

Request a free 10-15-minute phone screening to determine if you are eligible. If you qualify for UFE after the screening, you can schedule your on-site or telehealth consultation. Most major medical insurance providers cover the cost of UFE. Get started now with Fibroid Institute by calling Dallas fibroid clinics at 214-838-6440, Houston fibroid clinics at 713-903-3733, or complete the form below.

This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Prior to 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.

Fibroid Institute Texas serves the Houston and Dallas metro areas including Irving, Duncanville, DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Cockrell Hill, Highland Park, University Park, Park Cities, 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, and more.

*Patient names and/or photos may be changed to protect patient confidentiality.