S/O Uterine ablation; Can I request one?

You should be able to discuss your options with your doctor!

I asked for it and Dr. Scheduled it. No problem.

Yes, I would request one. Of course, be aware of all the risks and that it has a high success rate but there is the chance it won't work. You will have to have an internal ultrasound (this was quite a shock for me and something I was not aware they did - it wasn't an option when I was pregnant) beforehand to rule out other reasons for heavy periods before they operate.

You are done with child bearing and your periods are now interfering with your quality of life. This should be enough for a doctor to want to help. I too had crime scene periods and could not leave the house for 1-2 days during my cycle. I had a rollerball procedure 4 years ago. My surgeon wasn't sure it was going to work on me because I had a spongy uterus (!!) but it did and I am so happy I had it done.

Good Luck

melissa is always my go-to person for things of this nature. Maybe she will see this thread and chime in!

I am glad you posted this. I don't have room to complain it is only heavy for two days then completely stops. But I travel with teens all summer, sometimes on s bus between 4-8!hours. (Travel overnight) can't be having a crime scene just anywhere. And why should we have to take a pill to reduce? I asked about ablation, I have too see an GYN. Ok. Why is it that is a pain, but tubes tied is just an ok let's do it?

I requested mine, and thankfully my doctor agreed. It's been the best thing I've ever done for myself.

My period used to rule my life and my schedule. Now it's barely a blip on my radar. I get mild spotting every few months now, not like the heavy bleeding I had every 26 days before.

I have the same issue. I Am 40. I discussed ablation at my physical last year and the dr seemed to be leaning more towards hysterectomy. I am not wanting to go that route at this time due to his comments after my last c-section about the difficulty my scar tissue would cause if I ever needed a hysterectomy. I brought it up again last month and he was more for ablation. Wants to do an ultrasound first. I go back and forth between wanting to do it, to being scared and thinking that it is normal and I should just deal with it, to going back to not wanting to deal with this and worse for another 10 or more years.

I had an ablation and Fibroid removal December 5th. January 1st I got a period. February came. Another period. Here it is March and another period. They are only *slightly* less of a crime scene than they were before. I really wish I would have had a hysterectomy and gotten it over with.  

If your GYN won't listen, find a new one. I think sometimes male GYNs don't believe period pain/bleeding is as bad as we say because they've never dealt with it. 

I didn't have flooding--my blood clot disorder caused my periods to be huge clots. If you've never had a normal period, you don't know yours isn't. Then my ovaries started failing in my 20s and endometriosis made periods unbearable. The final two years before my hysterectomy my PCP gave me vicodin to take during my periods because the cramping was so painful. I had to stop the BC hormones after my stroke.

My medical problems make me higher risk for surgeries, but I found a great surgeon at a university center after my local Catholic hospital blocked my hysterectomy on religious grounds.   Took my PCP a month to find a GYN surgeon who'd take my case, and then two of them lobbied the hospital for 3 months but were denied even though precancerous cells were found in my uterus and uterine cancer killed my biological mother at 42. I also had my remaining ovary removed because of recurring cysts.

I didn't have an easy recovery--an intern gave me a med my hematologist said I shouldn't have (he was severely disciplined according to the nurses), and I hemorrhaged about 2 pints and had to have an infusion. The loss of blood set off my heart tachycardia and almost caused a heart attack/cardiac arrest--they kept two crash carts in my room that night. Poor mom and dh. 

Even with all I went through--including having serious hot flashes, I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I feel so much better and no longer have to worry about uterine cancer, endometriosis, or an accidental pregnancy (my heart is too weak--my GYN gave me crap about not having a kid first, but she realized that my other doctors weren't overreacting when my heart rate went up to 180bpm for 24 hours and wouldn't come down no matter what they did.)

Yes and I would if I were you. 

I had one 18 months ago. Best thing ever. I didn't even consider myself a candidate. I was at my well woman check up and my doctor (who is amazing) was asking me some questions and after my answers he said you don't need to live like that. I looked at him in a moment of being unsure...I wasn't sure what he was going to say. He said you are a perfect candidate for an ablation. I scheduled it and seriously it was one day recovery. The day of I had to have someone drive me home and I had bad cramping that day. Like really bad. I had pain pills and I was still in tears. Day 2 I was a tad tender and went about life as normal. Probably for about 6 months I had a cycle that was about 5% of what they had been prior. Than after that it got lighter and lighter each month. I have enough now for a light day pad and no need for my diva cup anymore. 

So glad I did it. Before I was anemic, 5-10 days a month bleeding and at least 2 of those super heavy and now all of that is gone. No more anemia and heavy cycles. I too thought it was just part of going through the change. I was 44 when I had it and my cycles had gotten much worse in my 40's. They weren't like that prior so I thought it was aunt flo's one last storm to make like miserable. 

Oh definitely! (as everyone else has said).

I tried that ablation and it didn't really work (couldn't take birth control because of breast cancer). I know it comes before a hysterectomy usually, but seriously the hysterectomy was the best thing that ever happened to me. Okay, second to the birth of my children. 

Talk to your doctor. Find a new doctor if he/she doesn't take you seriously. Your life will be CHANGED. omg... it's freedom! 

Can you tell that I never regretted that hysterectomy?? 

It's not really a big deal, unless you totally weren't expecting it. They use a large ultrasound wand inserted vaginally. It's unpleasant and uncomfortable but nothing to be worried about. It's not painful but it definitely helps if you relax and not tense up. What did Queen Victoria say? Lie back and think of England.

I had an ablation in May 2014 because of crime scene periods. I had a bit less heavy one in June, same in July and August then a light one in September and october and I haven't had one since October. It is heaven. FTR I will be 50 in November.