I had a uterine ablation in 2008 and fast forward 7 years and I just had a total hysterectomy. I too was diagnosed with Hematometra which my ob/gyn says is probably a result of the my ablation 7 years ago. I went through a lot of pain, intermittent bleeding, not uncommon to bleed for 2 weeks. Often times I had severe pain and this was years after my uterine ablation. Never was I told that Hematometra could be a potential outcome of having a uterine ablation procedure. It was promoted as it was to many of you women, a miracle cure for excessive bleeding.
I am 3 weeks post total hysterectomy and other than the normal recovery time requirement, I do feel well. I've read about the risk factors including 7 times more at risk for cardiovascular disease, essentially having the same risk as a male, with not having the estrogen protection. My goal is to use this as an opportunity to continue to keep active, make sure that my lifestyle is balanced in that I watch what I eat, exercise and keep a positive attitude.

Just wanted to add....the key on a hysterectomy is laprascopic procedure. Make sure you find someone who can do that.

Op, if it comes down to a hysterectomy, don't avoid it just b /c it sounds big and scary. I had similar problems with lots of bleeding. They didn't recommend ablations b/c a fibroid may have kept the ablation thing from opening properly and even if it worked, I didn't want to use birth control any more.

I was first told by a regular ob/gyn that she would do an open hysterectomy with a big slice down my abdomin and 6 weeks recovery....that sounded so extreme for solving my issue. I went to Pelvic Surgery Associates. Met with two different surgeons. Thought about it. Ended up going with Dr. Garg to have a laproscopic single incision (through the belly button) hysterdctomy....and I'm very happy that I no longer have any bleeding! Glad to be done with that mess. I had it done 3.5 yrs ago. It wasn't a breeze, but it wasn't as bad as I had feared. Very happy with my decision.

I had an ablation in February 2015 and it has been heaven not having heavy periods but the pain I am experiencing is horrendous, for the past 3 months I still have the cycle of a period but without bleeding, the pain reminds me of the starting of labour. It lasts 10 days and is so bad
What happened to the original poster of the Message?

I am sitting here in excruciating pain, after a visit w my gyn that has left me disappointed. I had a uterine ablation in 10/14, after 3 straight months if heavy bleeding that caused me to need 4 units of blood. No hormones helped, so the ablation seemed the best option (it probably was!). Now it's 3/15 and I have spent the past 6 days in pain. It started as sharp pain in the ovaries, and since we knew I had a small ovarian cysy, I figured this was the culprit. But over the course of days my entire uterus felt like it was a lead balloon....and it was really painful to even stand or walk. Also, the pressure from the heavy uterus feels like its partially blocking my rectum. It is painful to go to the bathroom. I went to the ER, and a pelvic ultrasound revealed my ovarian cyst, a thick endometrium, and an enlarged uterus. I saw my ob today, and he said the thick endometrium is from the scar tissue, and I likely have small fibroids, but nothing is concerning. He will do another pelvic ultrasound in 6 months to look for change. He said the blood from this past week was likely due to ovulating, not menstruating....(???). I didn't get any other answers. I am 49.....is hysterectomy the only solution? Will these symptoms go away when I hit menopause? Any insight is appreciated. Kim.sprague@cox.net

I had an ablation in April 2011. Thought it would be the answer to the 3 week/a month bleeding I lived with for so long. For one year I was good, but I did have a normal period, which was fine with me. After about a year, I started having a lot of cramps, which led to horrible low back pain and then into eventually now where I'm in pain at least 3 weeks a month. I have 1-3 days of a period, but it stops for a day in between and I will have STABBING pain in my crotch where it hurts to stand or do anything but lay in a tub. I use a hot water bottle a lot like most of the women on here, it helps more than any pills. I was told by my doctor that performed my ablation last year - that I have a hematometrium because of scar tissue from my C-sections (15 & 18 years ago??) he wanted to put an IUD in me. It would not help with the pain, so I got another opinion after suffering another year. She feels that I had a failed ablation and my only option is a hysterectomy. She will take everything except my ovaries (if they are ok), since I am only 43. I am looking forward to getting rid of the pain, I can't live with it anymore. I asked this doctor if the scar tissue is from my C-sections, she said no, it's from the ablation. I'm glad I am getting this taken care of for good! Good luck!

OP, thanks for posting this. Ablation was recommended to me, and I dismissed it offhand, but the risks were never made known and I easily could have decided otherwise. I appreciate your sharing this experience.

Is there another type of ablation procedure that does not carry this side effect? My periods have been getting increasingly heavy with large clots and it's getting to the point that I can predict that around day 2-3 I will past a few large clots and need to stay home to deal with it.

What are these clots and what does it mean about what is going on with my body? I've had 2 children. Never used to happen prior to pregnancies. I am inclined to tough it out until menopause.

Holy crap, I feel so sorry for you women. I was considering this procedure as my GYN recommended it for me to stop my periods since I don't want more kids. I thought it was great since like most women, HATE my period and birth control is not an option since it kills my sex drive. I'm only 36. I would be devastated if I had this happen to me in my 30s.

I know this thread is old, the the earlier nasty poster is really just a horrible human being.Doctors absolutely do NOT explain these very horrible risks.

Is there anyone out there that has developed scar tissue in the uterus so the Dr is unable to see how that lining is? Also who has had surgery to repair this and how were the results? Anyone able to develop a normal pregnancy after the surgery to repair the scar tissue? I had a novasure done about 7 years ago.

Have any of you checked out Dr. James Robinson at Sibley and Georgetown? He did some Asherman's surgery for me. If there is an alternative to hysterectomy, it's probably him. He does "minimally invasive" uterine surgery via hysteroscopy.

I would stop seeing a general GYN, if that is who you have seen, and see a specialist like him.

Dawn and others I had the Novasure procedure done 2011 and the first year was great as well. Not sure exactly when the uncomfortable stuff started but I sure noticed when the severe pain started. Like many of you my Ob/Gyn never said anything about this side effect. I went several times telling her I thought this was the problem and she said "there is no way after 2 years it could be." In Jan (2014) I went back to the ER and demanded an ultrasound (after my own research) and they diagnosed me with Cervical Stenosis with Hemotometra. I went to a different Ob/Gyn and he did an emergency surgery to open the cervix, but said it usually is only a short term fix and the outcome is usually a hysterectomy. When I woke up I felt amazing. No pressure, no pain, so normal. It is now August and those "odd" symptoms seem to be returning. Not the severe pain yet but I do not want to have a hysterectomy. I'm 44 and they would only be removing my uterus, but I'm not ready for that either, like many of you. Has anyone found something that works rather than this alternative? Opening the cervix in Jan. was over $10,000 so that is not a yearly option. I'm going to do more research but if anyone has found anything out I would appreciate the help. I guess we are in this together. Thanks, Missy

I had a Nova Sure Ablation done about 4 years ago. Had a wonderful first year after and recovery from ablation was quick and very little pain. Then the horrible pains started whole abdominal area, pelvis, legs, back and felt like labor. I even had the pressure that makes you feel like you have to push a baby out. The pain is quite severe-and scary! I reported my symptoms to my primary care physician because I no longer had a "period" to track I did not realize for awhile pain was cyclic. I had to go thru many tests including a colonoscopy- (I am 44 years old) Then I started keeping track along with my daughters cycle I realized around the time she had her cycle was the time I was getting this pain. I have the pain anywhere from 3-14 days. Some months are worse than others. No pain meds given to me have helped. I pretty much curl up in a ball with my heating pad when it occurs. I told my GYN last year I had been reading about post ablation syndrome and he told me he had never heard of it. I suffered thru for another year which brings me to present. The pain is just so bad every month I feel like I could go INSANE from it. I went back to the same GYN and he said it sounds like side effect from the ablation-he says it worked too well...not buying that. That is created so much scar tissue that I now have cervical stenosis with hemotometra. I read someone's quite rude response on here about knowing the risks-well we are not always informed of the risks because even the doctors claim to not know about this. This was never something that was explained to me as a risk. It is not a risk listed on that little NOVASURE pamphlet they hand out at the doctor's office that sounds like it's the answer to all menstrual problems with little or no risk! My doctor feels a hysterectomy could be very risky on me. He was unable to open my cervix in office- it was very painful, so we are going to attempt a hysteroscopy along with DNC. But, he is doubtful he will even be able to get my cervix open then. I am currently waiting for my surgery to be scheduled for this. I asked what do we do if this doesn't work? His answer well do you think you could live with the pain until you go into menopause????? WTH??? I am not sure how to rlate exactly how painful this is to HIM! I am pretty upset that I am even in this situation! I would love to have some support. I just happened on this site. I don't know if we are allowed to include email addresses but I shall try stormiskye@comcast.net I have my info on so many forums now I can't tell one from another but this is the first time I found someone that is going thru EXACTLY what I am going thru! ~Dawn

I had an ablation in Nov 2010, and I had cramping/pain starting in late 2012. Because my insurance changed at the beginning of 2013, I continued to suffer it and assume it was cysts like I'd had before (it was somewhat cyclical pain). I tried to exercise more since that seemed to help with most cycle-related problems before, but exercise made it much worse. It got so bad over the summer that I couldn't take it anymore. I had an ultrasound that revealed hematometra and closed cervix, and I had the draining procedure (D&C) around Labor Day 2013. It seemed to help, but the pain and cramps have started coming back again less than a year later. I'm going to go back to my gyn to get an ultrasound order, but I'm NOT going to keep doing a D&C every time this happens - that's about a $3K procedure by the time you consider facility, anesthesia, and gyn surgeon. With a $1500 deductible and 20% coinsurance, that's a pricey annual procedure! I'm going to have to do a partial hysterectomy to make it stop. I have two kids (14 and 10) and don't plan to have anymore, but the side effects of hysterectomy freak me out too!

Yes, apparently this is a known risk from ablation (34% I think I read), but it is lumped in with all those general risks of surgery and anesthesia (and dr perforating uterus) so I didn't really think it would happen to me. Or I thought the benefits outweighed the risks. I had been on depo-provera but needed to get off the hormones that were helping control the bleeding before.

This happened to my best friend. She had terrible pain for several months and then started bleeding again. She had a partial hysterectomy about 18 months after the ablation.