Treatment Options for Menorrhagia
August 5, 2009 by Peggy Rowland
Filed under Women's Health
The National Women’s Health Resource Center reports that 10 million women in the US suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia). The condition often interferes with daily life, including work and leisure activities. But there are treatments to help restore freedom from heavy menstrual bleeding.
Treatment options for menorrhagia:
- Hysterectomy, a major surgery with an average recovery period of six weeks
- Hormone therapy, a good option for women who aren’t finished with childbearing, but those with certain health conditions like cardiovascular disease and breast cancer can’t take advantage of the therapy
- Endometrial ablation, an outpatient procedure that permanently removes the uterine lining that causes menstrual bleeding
Most of us know about hysterectomies and birth control pills, but endometrial ablation may be a term many don’t understand.
Premenopausal women with heavy menstrual bleeding who are finished with childbearing may decide to select treatment with the next-generation endometrial ablation device called NovaSure System, which uses precisely measured radio frequency energy. It’s the most widely used endometrial ablation technique in the US.
The total treatment time with NovaSure is 90 seconds, and the average procedure takes just under five minutes to complete. It’s typically done in your own OB/GYN’s office with local anesthesia. The procedure can be performed at any time of a woman’s cycle.
According to a 2007 study in The Journal of Reproductive Medicine, five years after the NovaSure procedure, 75% of patients achieved complete cessation of periods with 97% experiencing a reduction in bleeding significant enough to avoid hysterectomy.
Up next, an interview with Dr. Scott Shade, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Rockwood Clinic in Spokane, Washington. He recently performed the one-millionth NovaSure ablation.
(Image via stock.xchng)
Another Endometrial Ablation option is HTA:
http://www.bostonscientific.com/procedure/ProcedureLanding.bsci/,,/navRelId/1000.1002/method/Procedure/id/10000871/attributeTypeId/2/seo.serve
Hi Ellen,
I checked with my GYN about HTA she said that she has had several vaginal burns and will not use HTA due to its lack of safety. She did a NovaSure in the office last week and it was great no pain at all. And no bleeding.
What does this paragraph actually mean?
“According to a 2007 study in The Journal of Reproductive Medicine, five years after the NovaSure procedure, 75% of patients achieved complete cessation of periods with 97% experiencing a reduction in bleeding significant enough to avoid hysterectomy.”
More detailed information would be apprechiated. It has been 5 years since I had the Nova sure procedure, A blessing it was. It stopped my bleeding, pain and I had more energy and was able to live a normal poductive life instead of the no energy laying in bed life. But now just last week I started spotting and two days later the cramping pain came back. What can I do about this? I do not want my periods and cramping back, it was a horrible way to live and to go back to that life scares me to death. Please help me. Thank you for your time and I hope you can help me with this.
Hi Karen, that quote you pulled means that in one study women who had the NovaSure procedure performed still had good results after five years. 75 percent had no periods at all and 97 percent had a reduction in bleeding, enough to avoid a hysterectomy.
Your doctor is really the only one who can help you. Your bleeding could be a new symptom that needs to be checked. Hope you feel better!
Hi Peggy, Thank you for responding so quickly. I have been to a doctor but not the same one who had done the procedure. And she said that everything looks ok to her, although she knew basically nothing about the procedure. As far as she could tell I was looking good so there is no problem. Well I will have to find out where the Dr. that did my procedure has moved to, and then go talk to him. I was hoping someone could at least give me a couple of thoughts of what could be going on and if they heard of this happening to anyone else. Thank you again for your help.
Karen
Karen,
Did you read the interview with the doctor about NovaSure? Here’s the link:
http://www.blisstree.com/articles/q-a-on-novasure-for-heavy-bleeding/
He mentions that around 90% are happy with results. Hopefully you aren’t in the minority. I agree with you that finding a doctor who’s performed the procedure might be more helpful to you. Second opinions are always good too! Hope it goes well.
Hi Peggy, Yes I did read it and I am part of that 90% but it has been 5 1/4 years of being blessfully happy and now this. I still recomend having the procedure done. It was the best thing I ever did. Well Thank you anyways for all your help and your time.
Karen