Uterine Balloon Therapy - Hope For Women With Excessive Menstrual Bleeding - My Personal Journey Part 7 - 5 months In.

While it was my intention to update everyone on how the Uterine Balloon Therapy (also called Nova Sure or Uterine Ablation Therapy) procedure has been for me thus far at a 6 month period, in answer to a readers request, I decided to push the date forward.

Here's what reader Heidi had to say:

Heidi says:
4 hours ago

"Hi Veronica,

Thanks for sharing, my mom has been experiencing excess menstrual bleeding for a year now. I call it her "perma-period" up to 6 weeks at a time. I'm gathering some info for her to give her some options because her doctors are no help.

How are you feeling? Any side effects?"

First of all, thank you Heidi for reading about my arduous, yet necessary journey.

From personal experience, I can truly say that excessive menstrual bleeding is not a small matter. It literally takes days out of your life, and many times you are stuck at home afraid of going anywhere due to the pain and the excessive blood flow. So Heidi, I truly feel for your mother.

To give you a detailed update on my status, it has been 5 months now and my very last post-op doctors appointment was December 29th, 2009. My ob-gyn had requested in October 2009, that I keep a detailed journal that included how heavy I flowed, as well as how many days my menstrual cycle lasted.

Here's how things developed:

October 2009 - one month after the surgery - my menstrual cycle lasted for eleven days (from the 9th to the 20th) , that was four extra days than may "normal" seven. The flow was about half of what it used to be for three days. By day four through day six, the flow was extremely light until it's completion on day eleven. The pain was excruciating. I felt as if I had just had the procedure all over again!

November 2009 - two months after the surgery - my menstrual cycle lasted for seven days (from the 12th to the 19th). I had no signs that it was coming on. There were no headaches, no backaches, no stomach cramps, no bloating, no emotional backlash, - nothing. The flow was similar to the month before, it would start off a little heavy (half of what it used to be) for several days, and then by the third day would lighten up. The flow stayed that way until it finalized on the 19th.

December 2009 - three months after the surgery - my menstrual cycle lasted for seven days (from the 10th to the 17th). Once again, I had no signs that it was coming on. In addition, the flow was very light the entire time. At the end of December 2009, I visited my gynecologist. After a full vaginal exam, a pap smear, and urine test, my ob-gyn and I discussed how everything was going. Needless to say, he andI were both happy about the results thus far. But wait! There's more.

January 2010- four months after the surgery - my menstrual cycle lasted for seven days (from the 6th - 13th). Now you may wonder why the dates didn't coincide with the previous dates. I've found that when the new year arrives, my cycle dates alter somewhat so this was normal for me. Much like the previous months, I had no signs that it was coming on and the flow was very light the entire time.

February 2010 - five months after the surgery - my menstrual cycle lasted for only five days (from 2nd to the 7th). Once again, there were no signs that is was coming on, and the flow was so light that I wore pantyliners the entire time!

In answer to Heidi's request, the only side-effect - if you consider this as a side-effect - is that I have no signs at all that my menstrual cycle is coming on. Therefore, if I don't pay attention to my calendar, I could be caught unawares and without protection.

I have learned to counteract this however. I simply keep a sanitary napkin with me at all times in my purse.

Otherwise, transitioning from having two seven day cycles in one month, with a flow so heavy that even when wearing overnight sanitary napkins at all times I'd still soil my clothing; to having a seven day cycle, with an extremely light flow that only requires a medium/light sanitary napkin or pantyliner, is not bad at all!

In conclusion, deciding to have the Uterine Balloon Therapy (also known as Nova Sure or Uterine Ablation) has worked wonders for me.

Thanks to my wonderful doctor and his great staff, I was able to find a solution that worked for me.

Dr. Ilan D. Bornstein, M.D., FACOG

Obstetrical &Gynecological Care

Provident Professional Building

4750 Waters Ave., Suite 210

Savannah, GA. 31404

Office: (912) 356-9600

Fax: (912) 356-5434

To you Heidi and your dear mother, I do hope this information helps her make an informed decision. Heidi, I hope your mother is able to find a doctor that will give her the information and support needed to combat this problem. Whatever you do, stay strong and don't give up.

Thank you again for taking the time out to read my personal story. I will keep you and your mother in my prayers and thoughts.

copyright © 2010