Chronic Pelvic Pain? Make The Most of Your FSA Balance

Start off 2016 pain-free by using your remaining 2015 FSA savings to schedule that chronic pelvic pain treatment you’ve been putting off.

The new year is just around the corner. If you have a health Flexible Spending Account (FSA), it’s time to check your balance and start thinking about how you can use, not lose, the money you’ve put into your account.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) is a non-surgical, minimally invasive treatment performed by an Interventional Radiologist that shrinks the fibroids to provide relief. UFE is 90 percent effective in reducing symptoms caused by fibroids. The Interventional Radiologists at IPI perform this procedure at Community Hospitals North and East.

Medical facilities typically experience a heavy demand for procedures toward the end of the year as patients try to maximize their benefits, so the sooner you schedule your appointment, the better.

The fact that your procedure may be of little or no cost to you could be just the motivation you need to take care of those nagging aches and pains.

Take action now. Make the most of your benefits and make the most of the funds that are just waiting to relieve your pelvic pain this year. Start off 2016 without pelvic pain.

Steps to Take to Treat Your Fibroids

Most uterine fibroids are harmless and do not cause symptoms; however, some may be painful, press on internal organs, cause heavy bleeding and possible anemia, or cause infertility problems.

If you have a fibroid problem, there are several treatments to consider, including uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). Doing your research and talking with specialists will help inform and educate you so that you can make the right decision for your treatment.

Below are five steps to get you on the path to treatment:

1. Get Informed

Do your homework. Conduct research on which uterine fibroid treatment options are appropriate for you. Visit websites for such organizations as the National Uterine Fibroid Foundation (www.nuff.org), the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (www.acog.org), and the Society of Interventional Radiology (www.sirweb.org). Also, check out your hospital’s website for information on treatment options.

Seek a second (or third or fourth) opinion. Obtain a copy of your medical records from your OB-GYN, and don’t hesitate to discuss treatment options with other doctors. Make sure you are comfortable and satisfied with the information you hear and the treatment plan you and your doctor decide on. Talking with an Interventional Radiologist (IR), who is familiar with UFE, will help determine if you are a candidate for that treatment option. If you are not, your OB-GYN can provide you with alternative options.

Talk to other women with uterine fibroids. Many hospitals have women’s health seminars that feature fibroids discussions. Hearing about others’ individual experiences, especially those who have undergone UFE, can help you determine if it is a possibility for you.

2. Talk to Your OB-GYN

Make an appointment with your OB-GYN to discuss whether you might be a candidate for UFE.

3. Get Referred to a Specialist

Your OB-GYN is accustomed to referring patients to different types of medical specialists, so he or she will be a great resource for where to go to seek further treatment options. Ask your OB-GYN about UFE and if a specialist, such as those at Indiana Fibroid Center, would be appropriate for treating your symptomatic uterine fibroids and managing your post-procedure care.

4. Find a Specialist

The physicians at Indiana Fibroid Center are some of the most experienced in the Midwest at performing UFE. We are happy to speak with you about your specific symptoms and options for treatment.

5. Talk to a Specialist

Prepare for consultation. If your OB-GYN has diagnosed you with uterine fibroids, you should take a copy of your medical records and any imaging that has confirmed your fibroid tumors, to the consultation with the specialist you have been referred to. A copy of your most recent gynecologic evaluation is also helpful, as an OB-GYN exam is recommended to rule out non-fibroid causes of symptoms.

You don’t have to continue suffering from the discomfort of uterine fibroids. The physicians at Indiana Fibroid Center are dedicated to creating treatment plans that will improve our patients’ comfort and lifestyle. We offer state-of-the-art, minimally invasive, nonsurgical procedures to treat your fibroids, and our experienced staff is committed to providing you with the best care available.

Uterine Fibroids – The Facts

Uterine fibroids, which are also known as leiomyomas, are non-cancerous tumors, or growths that can grow on the outer wall of the uterus, within the muscle wall of the uterus, or on the inside wall of the uterus. They can change the shape of the uterus as they grow. If not taken care of, the size, shape, location, and symptoms of fibroids can change.

Fibroids do not grow before the start of menstrual periods (puberty). As women age, they are more likely to have uterine fibroids, especially from their 30s and 40s through menopause (typically around age 50). Uterine fibroids can stay the same for years with few or no symptoms, or you can have a sudden, rapid growth of fibroids.

During pregnancy fibroids sometimes grow larger in the first trimester, and they usually shrink for the rest of a pregnancy. After menopause, when a woman’s hormone levels drop, fibroids usually shrink and don’t come back.

Complications of uterine fibroids aren’t common. They can include:

  • Anemia from heavy bleeding.
  • Blockage of the urinary tract or bowels, if a fibroid presses on them.
  • Ongoing low back pain or a feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen (pelvic pressure).
  • Infection or a breakdown of uterine fibroid tissue.

How Do I Know If I Have Fibroids?

Two thirds of women with fibroid tumors do not have symptoms, but the third of women who do have some common indicators. Uterine fibroid symptoms can develop slowly over several years or rapidly over several months. In some cases, there may be no symptoms or indicators at all. The type of symptoms you have can depend on where the fibroid is located in the uterus, the size of it and the number of tumors present. For some women, uterine fibroid symptoms become a problem and affect the ability to maintain daily activities. Pain and heavy menstrual bleeding are the most common symptoms, but there are others you need to be aware of.

Do you have…

✻ Heavy, prolonged periods?  Excessively heavy and/or prolonged (7 days or more) menstrual bleeding is a common symptom. Women describe passing blood clots, soaking through sanitary protection in less than an hour and being unable to leave the house during the heaviest day of flow.  As a result of this loss of blood, some women develop anemia, also known as a low blood count. Anemia can cause fatigue, headaches and lightheadedness.

✻ Bleeding between cycles?  Spotting before or after periods may be an indicator of fibroids.  Abnormal uterine bleeding is the most common symptom of a fibroid. If the tumors are near the uterine lining or interfere with the blood flow to the lining they can cause spotting between menses.

✻ Frequent urination?    This is caused by fibroids pressing against the bladder, reducing its capacity for holding urine or blocking the outflow of urine.  The most common bladder symptom is needing to urinate frequently.  You may run to the bathroom many times in a day to empty your bladder.

✻ Difficulty emptying bladder?  Occasionally, women are unable to urinate despite a full bladder due to the pressure and possible block in flow.

✻ Enlarged uterus?  An enlarged uterus makes it difficult to lie face down, bend over or exercise without discomfort.  It is often this is described as a vague discomfort rather than a sharp pain.

✻ Pelvic pressure or pain?  Usually, the pain is localized to a specific spot and improves on its own within two to four weeks. Using a pain reliever, such as ibuprofen, can decrease the pain significantly but only temporarily.

✻ Back aches?  Depending on the size and location of the fibroid, you may experience back pain as they press against the muscles and nerves of the lower back. Because back pain is so common, it is important to look for other causes of the pain before attributing it to fibroids.

✻ Constipation?  Fibroids can cause pressure on the rectum with painful or difficult defecation.

✻ Discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse?  Fibroids can make sexual intercourse painful or uncomfortable. The pain may occur only in specific positions or during certain times of the menstrual cycle. Discomfort during intercourse is a significant issue.

✻ Miscarriage or Infertility? While fibroids do not interfere with ovulation, some studies suggest that they may impair fertility and lead to poorer pregnancy outcomes. Occasionally, fibroids are the cause of recurrent miscarriages. If they are not removed in these cases, the woman may not be able to sustain a pregnancy.

If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of uterine fibroid tumors, and are finding it difficult to perform your daily activities and maintain your way of life, you should let the doctors at Interventional Physicians of Indiana help.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization Procedure

All patients participate in a detailed pre-procedure consultation with our physicians and nurse practitioner. Following the consultation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is performed to accurately determine the location and size of the fibroids. The MRI will also determine how much blood flow is getting to the fibroids and check the surrounding areas of the pelvis. After the consultation, we can schedule the UFE procedure if the patient is an appropriate candidate.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization involves blocking off the blood supply to the fibroid(s) through this minimally invasive procedure. UFE treats all fibroids in the uterus.

  1. After numbing a small area in the groin, the Interventional Radiologist makes a small puncture in the femoral artery (blood vessel in the groin) and places a small catheter, about the size of a piece of spaghetti, into the artery.
  2. The physician then guides the catheter through the arteries. After the tip of the catheter is in the uterine artery, tiny particles are injected, blocking off the abnormal blood vessels that supply blood to the fibroid(s). The fibroids then shrink and die due to lack of sufficient blood flow.
  3. The catheter is then removed and pressure is applied to the femoral artery puncture site for approximately 20 minutes to stop any bleeding. A bandage is then applied. No stitches are required.
  4. The entire procedure usually takes about one hour. Patients are observed overnight in the hospital and discharged the next morning with specific instructions for home recovery.

Following UFE, patients typically can return to usual activities in approximately 7 to 10 days. The treated fibroids shrink approximately 50%-60% over the course of a year. Patients who present mainly with symptoms of abnormal uterine bleeding notice improvement within a few days. Other patients notice improvement within a few weeks.

Benefits of Uterine Fibroid Embolization Procedure

  • 90% of patients are satisfied with the outcomes of the UFE procedure.
  • Growth of new fibroids or re-growth of embolized fibroids is rare.
  • There is minimal blood loss and therefore no need for blood transfusions.
  • All the fibroids may be treated during a single embolization procedure.
  • All major insurance companies cover this procedure as a provided benefit.
  • We encourage you to contact your insurance company about:
    • Coverage for the UFE consultation with an Interventional Radiologist. Specifically, is a referral required for consultation and is the Interventional Radiologist of choice in your network?
    • Is pre-certification required for the pre-procedure pelvic MRI?
    • Is pre-certification required for the UFE procedure? Typically, our patients have an overnight stay in the hospital, but are released the next morning. UFE is considered a 23-hour overnight outpatient procedure.

Facts About UFE From The Society of Interventional Radiology

 

  • About 20 to 40 percent of women age 35 and older have uterine fibroids of significant size.
  • About 15,000-20,000 UFE procedures have been performed worldwide, at least half of them in the United States.
  • Using embolization to treat uterine fibroids has been performed since 1995.
  • Interventional radiologists also perform uterine artery embolizations to treat heavy bleeding after childbirth or injury to the pelvis / uterus.
  • Most women with symptomatic fibroids are candidates for UFE and should obtain a consult with an Interventional Radiologist to determine whether UFE is a treatment possibility for them.
  • It is reassuring to know that the particles used for UFE have been available with FDA approval for over 20 years. During that time, they have been used in thousands of patients without any long-term complications. Recently, the FDA approved Embospheres for use in the treatment of uterine fibroids. Embospheres are tiny particles injected into the uterine arteries during uterine fibroid embolization to block the blood flow to the fibroids.

Uterine fibroid embolization may be a good treatment option for women who choose not to receive blood transfusions or who have other serious health conditions which increase the risk of surgical procedures (hysterectomies and myomectomies).

Uterine Fibroid Embolization vs. Hysterectomy Infographic

Noninvasive Fibroid Procedure: UFE

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UTERINE FIBROID EMBOLIZATIONS

Surgery is not the only option to treat your fibroids. Before you decide on a treatment, be sure to ask your doctor about Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE). This nonsurgical, outpatient procedure has successfully treated 30,000 women in the US.

Once you and your doctors(s) have determined that Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) is the right fibroid treatment option for you, here are some of the things you’ll need to know before, during and after treatment.

UFE is a nonsurgical, minimally invasive treatment performed by an Interventional Radiologist that shrinks the fibroids to provide relief. UFE is 98.5% effective in treating symptoms caused by fibroids. The Interventional Radiologists at Interventional Physicians of Indiana (IPI) perform this procedure at Community Hospitals North and East.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE), also known as uterine artery embolization (UAE), is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed by an Interventional Radiologist, a medical doctor with extensive experience in radiology. During this procedure, the doctor cuts off the blood supply by using embolic material (small spheres) as blockage depriving the fibroid of the blood and oxygen it needs to grow that causes them to shrink; this eases the pain and other symptoms. Such treatment usually takes 1 to 2 hours and requires an overnight stay in the hospital. The procedure does not require general anesthesia, and recovery time is significantly reduced compared to surgical alternative. Currently, this kind of treatment is FDA approved for women with symptomatic uterine fibroids who have no desire to get pregnant in the future.

Following UFE, patients typically can return to normal activities in approximately 7 to 10 days. The treated fibroids shrink approximately 50%-60% over the course of a year. Patients who present mainly with symptoms of abnormal uterine bleeding notice improvement within a few days. Other patients notice improvement within a few weeks.

Modern technologies and a professional doctor’s consultation will help you choose a treatment method that is just for you. Allowing you to feel happier and in more control of your Fibroid Treatment.

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ABOUT FIBROIDS

What are fibroids? Fibroids are noncancerous growths of muscle fibers inside the uterus, which can range from a quarter-inch (like a walnut) to the size of a cantaloupe.  The cause of fibroid tumors is still unknown, but experts believe that estrogen stimulates their growth.

Uterine fibroids are common among women of childbearing age. Nearly 40% of women develop fibroid growths and often don’t have any symptoms.  Usually, fibroids are harmless, but they can press painfully on other organs causing frequent urination, pelvic soreness and excessive menstrual bleeding.

8 Ways to Reduce Uterine Fibroid Risk Factors

 

There is no known way to prevent uterine fibroids. However, by educating yourself and taking a few simple steps, you may be able to reduce your risk factors, symptoms and minimize suffering.

#1 Know The Risk Factors of Developing Uterine Fibroids
– Age. Fibroids become more common as women age, especially during their 30s and 40s through menopause. After menopause, fibroids usually shrink.
– Family history. Having a family member with fibroids increases one’s risk. If a woman’s mother had fibroids, her risk of having them is about three times higher than average.
– Ethnic origin. African-American women are more likely to develop fibroids than white women.
– Obesity. Women who are overweight are also a high-risk group for developing fibroids. For women with extra weight, the risk is two to three times greater than average.
– Eating habits. Eating a lot of red meat (e.g., beef and ham) is associated with a higher risk for fibroids. Eating plenty of green vegetables seems to protect women from developing fibroids.

#2 Exercise Regularly: Studies show that the more a woman exercises, the less likely she will develop uterine fibroids.

#3 Control Your Weight: It’s very important to keep your weight at the recommended level based upon your height and body type. You can calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) by dividing your weight in kilograms by height in meters squared, or your weight in pounds divided by height in inches squared, then multiplied by 703. A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 25. If your BMI is above 25, take steps to reduce your weight.

#4 Understand How Pregnancy Effects Fibroids: Pregnancy and childbirth may have protective effects against developing uterine fibroids.

#5 Understand the Role of Oral Contraceptives: Research also indicates that taking oral contraceptives lowers the risk of uterine fibroids.

#6 Reduce Red Meat Consumption: Medical studies show that eating large amounts of beef and pork may increase the risk of developing fibroids; whereas, salmon, mackerel and tuna consumption may reduce the inflamed tissues of uterine fibroids.

#7 Eat More Green Vegetables: Diet high in green vegetables may protect a woman from developing fibroids.

#8 Recognize Fibroid Complications: They may include painful and heavy menstrual periods, anemia from loss of blood, pressure on the bladder or rectum, and swelling of the abdomen.

Importantly, call to make an appointment with your medical professional if you have uterine fibroid symptoms including:
– Heavy menstrual bleeding.
– Periods that have changed from relatively pain-free to painful over the past 3 to 6 months.
– Frequent painful urination, or an inability to control the flow of urine.
– A change in the length of your menstrual cycle over 3 to 6 menstrual cycles.
– New persistent pain or heaviness in the lower abdomen or pelvis.