Part 2: My Uterine Fibroids
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| Borrowed from Tommy's.org. This is the relative size of a 14-week gestational uterus...it's huge, right!. |
At the time of my surgery, the benign masses had increased the size of my uterus to the equivalent of a 14-week pregnancy! I could press on my belly and feel the bulk of my uterus. This organ is normally the size of your fist (or rather one's own fist). For me, the three large fibroids meant:
- longer more frequent periods, with cramps--something I had not before experienced in my adult life
- they also pressed on my bladder (I peed like a old guy with prostate problems)
- they made intercourse painful, and
- were
linked to a few bouts of anemia in recent years. I opted against the prescribed hemoglobin infusions or iron tablets, and made dietary changes (regular red meat, iron-rich veggies, dried fruit, and eating a daily moringa seed)
- My mother and the older women in my family all experienced perimenopause late in their 50s. Resisting surgery would mean a decade plus of progressively worsening symptoms, and I was not having that!
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| State Delegate Regina Boyce (D-43rd), pics taken before and after here 2021 surgery. |
Instrumental in my surgery decision was the candor of my state delegate, Regina Boyce. She's in my age range, had surgery in 2021, and shared her story on social media. Her example helped me make my decision not to postpone surgery and also to blog about the experience. Women don't talk about this stuff much. Not as much as we should.
Each personal narrative may be instructive to someone else. Hers helped me immensely.
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| It's so good to be feeling better...more on that in part 3 of this saga! |
When I posted part one of my experience, twenty or so comments followed, but then 10 of my personal friends direct-messaged me with their own version of gynecological challenges. Three of my sisters-in-law were in that number. I had no idea!
One in four Western women has fibroids, They are most common in childless women over age 35, before menopause. The specific cause of them is unknown (Note:I believe they are linked to inflammation...actual scientists point to the body's abnormal response to Estrogen). If I find any good articles, I'll share them.
A fibroid is a benign tumor of the uterus,that consists of muscle and fibrous tissue that grows slowly in the uterine wall. Fibroids may be a small as a pea or a big as a grapefruit. They may occur singly or several may develop.These growths pose few serious risks to health and usually produce no symptoms until they are quite large or numerous.
From Everyday Ailments (2000): Fibroids may be discovered only when you have a physical examination and if they produce no symptoms, they need no treatment. If a fibroid grows, it may erode the uterine lining and cause prolonged or heavy menstrual periods or bleeding between periods. If you loose a lot of blood each month, you may become anemic, and experience symptoms like fatigue and shortness or breath. Other symptoms include:
- severe cramps and a dull ache or feeling of pressure in the lower back and/or thighs during menstruation
- constipation or a need to urinate more often than usual (fibroids may press on the intestines or bladder)
- very light menstrual flow (a large fibroid near the cervix may partially block that opening).
- pain during sexual intercourse
Coming up: Parts 3 and 4, an unexpected side-effect and three-week follow up
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