In July 2001 (at least my perimenopausal brain thinks it was then LOL) I had a Nova Sure ablation performed here in Toronto, Canada. The following is what I know about the procedure and my experience with it:
I had extremely heavy bleeding that was worsening and could not be controlled by any meds I tried. It was so bad (sorry for the graphics here) that I wore adult diapers instead of sanitary napkins, and some months I bled as many as 21 days. My blood ferritin had dropped to a level that was very concerning, and although I took supplements and was healthy overall, it just kept dropping. This went on for many months with different clotting agents tried to slow down the flow, until I finally told my gyn he had to do something, and fast. The Nova Sure was being tried at the hospital here as a pilot test, and I was scheduled for a rush ablation.
Ablation is a treatment for extremely heavy bleeding that can not be controlled by the bc pill, or as a second choice by clotting agents. I couldn't take the pill as I'd had a DVT, and although the clotting agents (yes, I do know how dangerous this was!) did help to a very small degree for about an hour at a time, there was no way they'd let me take a high enough dose to make a difference.
The Nova Sure is a triangular probe that is inserted into the uterus, and then a very high electrical current is discharged, burning virtually all of the endometrium away. It only takes a couple of minutes, and mine was done as a day surgery. The goal of any ablation is to reduce bleeding to a tolerable level.
Technically, my ablation was a wonderful success. I have only spotted lightly twice since!! But that's the good news.
What were the pitfalls? Well, later that evening I had such pain you would not believe. My hubby wanted to take me to the ER, but I wouldn't (couldn't) go. It did subside after about 7 hours or so, but man it was a bad few hours. My Dr had given me Naprosyn, and of course the med couldn't help the pain I was in. Within a day or two I was fine, though. I was not put on the IUD (or any birth control), but I know it can be quite dangerous if one was to get pregnant. About two weeks after the procedure, I noticed that the adhesion-type pain was a bit worse, and it has stayed that way to now.
So, my thoughts? There ae two very important things that any woman contemplating an ablation should know. 1) if you are over 35 yrs old, you MUST have an endometrial biopsy done prior to the ablation to rule out cancer as a cause of the abnormal bleeding 2) once the endometrium has been ablated, it is very difficult for cancer to be detected, even if it develops after the ablation, so you take your chances as to what may happen after having the procedure.
Ablation is a new procedure, with no indepth long term studies completed. It is usually only effective for an average of two years, and there are mixed opinions on repeating them. The Nova Sure is one of the newest tools, and it appears to be one of the most successful. BUT, it is so new that no one really knows the true complication rate.
I had to have either the ablation or a hyst, as there was no way I could continue the way I was. I couldn't think; I'd fall asleep at a stop light; I couldn't climb the stairs without a couple of rests part way up. The ablation was the least invasive measure, so that is what I chose. Would I do it again? Yes,... if I had to. If I just had heavy type bleeding would I do it again? No.
I've had more pain since the procedure, but I had to stop the bleeding somehow! I couldn't have it both ways, and I knew I was taking some chances, but I felt it was best for me. With both adhesion pain and the extreme fatigue, it was almost impossible for me to deal with it all. I know this may sound strange to many of you, but the extra pain is just that - more of the same that I was already dealing with.
Boy, I'm sorry to be so long winded, but I wanted to give you all the info I could think of, so that you were prepared! Tonya, if you are not sure about Friday, then explain that to your gyn, and they will understand that you may want to schedule it later. As Helen said, it really is best to get all the info you can beforehand.
Wishing you pain free moments, hours and days.
Clare
At Tue, 21 Jan 2003, Tonya Fleming wrote:
>
>OH, DEAR GOD, HELEN, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS. THANK YOU FOR POINTING THIS OUT TO
>ME. HERE I THOUGHT THAT I WAS DOING WHAT WAS BEST FOR MY SITUATION AND NOT
>DOING "SURGERY" TO REMOVE THE UTERUS AND THINKING THAT THIS WAS SAFE. I
>HAVE FOUND OUT FROM THE WEB THAT DR. TOM LYONS IS THE INVENTER OF THIS
>PROCEDURE AND I THINK THAT HE IS A SPONSOR ON THIS SITE? PLEASE, PLEASE IF
>YOU HAVE ANY MORE INFO ON THIS .....LET ME KNOW...URGENT...I AM SUPPOSED TO
>DO IT FRIDAY AND I AM GOING TO BE DIGGING INTO THE WEB RIGHT NOW FOR AS MUCH
>INFO AS POSSIBLE. I'VE ONLY READ A LITTLE ON IT. IT'S SO NEW OUT. WE ONLY
>HAVE TWO DOCTORS IN BOISE, IDAHO THAT ARE EVEN QUALIFIED TO DO IT AND ONE OF
>THEM IS MY GYNO, DR. HODGES. I APPRECIATE YOUR POST TO ME. THANK YOU SO
>MUCH...I'LL BE RESEARCHING EVERYTHING I CAN GET MY HANDS ON...
>
>--
>TONYA FLEMING
>
>>From: "Helen Dynda" <olddad66@runestone.net>
>>Reply-To: adhesions@adhesions.org
>>To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
>><adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
>>Subject: NovaSure...Is the NovaSure procedure entirely safe???.......for
>>Tonya
>>Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2003 13:57:36 -0600
>>
>>Dear Tonya,
>>
>>I have read that "D&C" (scraping of the womb) procedures - frequently done
>>in the past - are NO longer suggested!! WHY? Because too many women, who
>>had D&C's, had problems with the walls of their uterus becoming adhesed
>>together!!
>>
>>Has your Dr. told you that the walls of your uterus might become adhesed
>>together following the NovaSure procedure? I have not read any information
>>about NovaSure; but I suggest that you READ, READ, READ as much as
>>possible about NovaSure!!
>>
>>I have the best luck doing research at: http://www.google.com/ . Don't
>>count on your Dr. being totally honest about the possiblity that the walls
>>of your uterus may become adhesed together!!
>>
>>Tonya, you said: "I am going in for a procedure called NovaSure to
>>"cotterize" the inside of my uterus."
>>
>>1.) "cotterize" = cauterize. Mosby's Medical Dictionary gives the
>>following definition for cautery..."1. a device or agent that scars and
>>burns the skin, as in the coagulation of tissue by heat or caustic
>>substances. 2.) a destructive effect produced by a cauterizing agent."
>>
>>2.) Based on the definition of cauterize: When the surgeon uses the
>>NovaSure technique, he/she "burns" the uterine walls. "Burning" will
>>produce "scarring"....and the scarring may cause the walls of the uterus to
>>stick together!
>>
>>The cauterizing will weaken the walls of the uterus!! That's why your Dr.
>>wants to put in an IUD - to make sure you won't become pregnant!! If you
>>were to become pregnant, the walls of your uterus will not nourish an
>>unexpected fetus...and since the walls of the uterus have been weakened by
>>NovaSure, your uterine walls could rupture.
>>
>>DO NOT PROCEED WITH THIS PROCEDURE UNLESS YOU CAN FIND EVIDENCE THAT
>>NOVASURE IS ENTIRELY SAFE!!
>>
>>Helen D.
>>
>>~ ~ ~ ~
>>
>>From: Tonya Fleming (rainchild_35@hotmail.com) ; Tue Jan 21 09:22:10 2003
>>
>>Mary Lou,
>>Are all IUDs bad now? I am going in for a procedure called NovaSure to
>>cotterize the inside of my uterus and then my doctor wants to put in an IUD
>>to make sure I don't get pregnant. (The chances of getting pregnant are
>>very slim with the NovaSure procedure, but if you do for some reason, it
>>can be very complicated and will always end in miscarriage or necessary
>>abortion. The baby wouldn't live anyways and could cause major problems for
>>the woman.) I am concerned about IUDs because my mom had one at age 45 and
>>she had horrible cramps and pain from it. But that was over 20 years ago.
>>Are they any better? Just wondering...
>>
>>Tonya
>>
>