Health: What is fibroids?

In January 2015, a visit to my GP confirmed that I had multiple fibroids. It is not a life-death findings but it is annoying enough knowing that there’s something growing in my body that wasn’t supposed to be there.  Before I tell you about what happened after January 2015, that has changed my life all together, let’s talk about fibroids.  Apa itu fibroids? Apa menyebabkan fibroids? Cara merawat fibroids – sebelum, semasa dan selepas.

Fibroids are considered the most common pelvic tumor affect one in five women usually over the age of 30.  Up to 70 percent of all women are likely to get them in their life.  You may also have an increased risk of fibroids if you have never been pregnant, are severely overweight, or have a family member who has fibroids. Fibroids can be very tiny that you need a microscope to see them but they are also known to have grown larger than a grapefruit. Fibroid can grow in single form or multiple forms.  

However, scientists still don’t know what causes them. Current research leans towards the impact of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, since tumors rarely appear before a women’s first period and decrease after menopause. Stress, diet, and environmental factors may also play a role in fibroid development. Good news is that fibroids are benign and non-cancerous tumors.  If a woman with fibroids has no related symptoms, it may be unnecessary to recommend treatment beyond clinical observation over time, says Dr Antonio Pizarro. 

According to Fibroidrelief.org, the most common symptoms listed for fibroids are:

Menstrual discomfort – Periods may be abnormally heavy and last more than a week. Some women are concerned about socially embarrassing bleeding and hesitate to engage in their normal activities. Bleeding may be severe enough to cause anemia.

Bleeding between periods – Submucosal fibroids are most likely to cause abnormal bleeding, but any bleeding between periods should be checked by a physician.

Leg, back, or pelvic pain or pressure – A fibroid increases the size of the uterus, sometimes to the size of a 4 or 5 month pregnancy. The enlarged uterus is often “lumpy” and presses on nearby structures such as the bladder and lower intestine, causing constipation or frequent urination.

Difficulty conceiving or miscarriage – Most women with fibroids do not have fertility problems, but sometimes fibroids make it more difficult to become pregnant by natural methods. Fibroids large enough to significantly change the shape of the uterine cavity can be associated with miscarriage, premature labor, and complications of labor.

Treatments for fibroids are depending on the seriousness of the problem. Your GP may refer you for an ultrasound scan of your uterus to determine this. Small fibroids can often be removed using a telescope passed through the cervix. This is called a hysteroscopy. If your fibroids are numerous and you still want to have children, your doctor may opt for a myomectomy, where the fibroids are removed leaving the uterus intact. If it is a severe case and you have completed your family, you may consider a hysterectomy.  Anti-estrogen hormone treatments can shrink fibroids but can only be given for short periods because of their side effects.  According to Dr Peter Kelley of NYU, the medical treatments readily available for fibroids can range from mild to severe, leaving women of childbearing age unable to have children.  The effects of fibroids have been known to cause infertility and miscarriages in women, resulting in both physical and emotional distress (Kelley, 2011).  Specifically, fibroids are rare before puberty, enlarge during pregnancy, stop growing at menopause, and shrink with administration of medications that decrease estrogen levels (Evans, 2008).

Fibroids may require treatment in the following circumstances:

1.    Fibroids are growing large enough to cause pressure on other organs such as bladder

2.    Fibroids are growing rapidly

3.    Fibroids are causing abnormal bleeding

4.    Fibroids are causing problems with fertility

However, a hysterectomy isn’t the only option anymore.  There are now a number of medical therapies that can be used to shrink or slow the growth of fibroids, including hormone treatments, ultrasound therapy, or a myomectomy, which removes the fibroids while leaving the uterus in tact. If the fibroids don’t require removal, there are other treatments that can help you deal with symptoms such as ibuprofen, birth control pills, or ablation (a procedure using radiofrequency energy to destroy tissue).

I think that’s enough basic information in laymen terms about fibroids.  There are many sources you may get more information from.  In my next post, I’ll tell you my own experience dealing with fibroids and endometriosis at the age of 38, while doing my MBA and raising 3 kids. It’s absolutely not the end of the world.  Instead, it was the beginning of a better life!