Upcoming hysterectomy to remove fibroid?

Is there any alternative to removing fibroids? I have large fibroids and some small ones. They do hurt during menstruation, painful heavy bleeding, prolonged periods, small clots sometimes, I am anemic. Sometimes I get hot out of no where then cool down, get hot again cool down. Could this be menapause? I am only 42 years old! I also get frustrated very easily and sometimes emotional and my thinking and concentration could be off, can these fiborids also make you feel a certain way? My OBGYN told me right from the beginning I needed a hysterectomy. Should I get a second opinion? I also would like to know if they have shrinked so maybe another ultrasound? But yet I want the fibroids completly gone! I have dealt with pain and heavy periods lasting for quite some time and I do not have a normal life, meaning!!! It can be frustrating and I am so tired at time, really tired! I can not continue to keep looking to see if I bleed through my panties and sometimes not knowing when my period will even end!! What is a normal period cyle, it's been so long since I had a normal period I forgot! Please help with any info to shine some light on this! Thanks. I only want to hear from those of you who have gone through this situation, it be great to hear from a doctor or two also.

well the changing in body temperature and mood swings are definitely signs of menopause. At your age it is normal to have fluctuating hormones. Usually with fibroid the doctor would monitor to see if they would shrink are give medicine to shrink but if they are overgrown are too big they would suggest the hysterectomy just be sure to talk to your doctor about not removing your ovaries during the surgery because this is the part that regulates your hormones and if they do take them out you would have to do hormone replacement therapy which is another problem.

My mom had a hysterectomy because of her fibroids. She had the same kind of periods as you. The thing about fibroids is they will probably grow back if the doctor were to cut them out. I'm sure their thinking is - why open up your uterus to remove fibroids when you can just take out the whole thing since you aren't using it anymore? I think you will be happier once it's out. And in my mom's case, they did a biopsy on the fibroids and found just a few tiny cells of uterine cancer. Imagine if she had waited and it had developed beyond that or spread to somewhere else in her body. Our family is very thankful that she had this surgery.

Not that that really effects you. What I'm saying is, get a second opinion if you wish, but I really think they'll tell you the same thing.