Oral contraceptives that are low in estrogen may help control heavy menstrual bleeding. They don't, however, control fibroid growth. This form of drug therapy is not a long-term solution, but may be used as a preparation for surgery. Unfortunately, Gn-RH agonists cause all the symptoms of real menopause including hot flashes, mood swings, headaches, vaginal dryness and bone loss. If you need prolonged treatment, your doctor can add other medications to reduce your menopausal symptoms.
Fibroids often return after drug therapy is discontinued.
Sometimes you may need surgery to remove a fibroid. One option is myomectomy, a surgical procedure in which only the fibroids are removed and your uterus is left intact. This is an important option if you're considering having children. The other surgical option is hysterectomy to remove your uterus. Although hysterectomy was once recommended for most women with fibroids, this is no longer the case because there are other good treatment options.