Questions to ask when you have Fibroids during a Doctor’s Visit

Hey Friends!

It’s been a hot minute since I sat down to write.

I can’t believe it’s been 9 months!

So much has happened since I last posted an article on here.

I am now a mum to 15 months old and it’s the most exciting and surreal experience ever!

Something that once seemed so far fetched and close to impossible but thanks to the grace of God that ensued a successful open myomectomy surgery to remove my then fibroids that was the last treatment, I received following my son’s conception in April 2020.

Speaking of fibroids, I have been receiving so many DMs from women who were like me and have fibroids following a diagnosis that they couldn’t pretty much interpret.

I was once just like you, don’t fret.

Being told you have fibroids and not understanding a thing is one of the many reasons why I started this initiative, ‘My Red Is Beautiful’.

So, I would like to tackle this topic and shed light on what it means to have a fibroid diagnosis and the right follow-up questions you should pose to your gynae obstetrician once presented with one.

A] First off you need to understand what fibroids are.

Fibroids are benign tumors’ that grow in a woman’s uterus/ womb.

B] What are the type of fibroids you have?

Here are the four types of fibroids:

• Pedunculated Fibroids - Subserosal tumors can develop a stem, a slender base that supports the tumor. When they do, they’re known as pedunculated fibroids.

• Intramural Fibroids - Found in the walls of the uterus

• Subserosal Fibroids-Outside the uterus

• Submucosal Fibroids- type of uterine fibroid that grow in the uterine cavity, just under the surface of the endometrium (uterine lining)

C]How many fibroids do you have?

It could be a single fibroid or multiple fibroids this could impact how much hemorrhaging you experience that could lead to anemia.

D]What is the size of the fibroids?

They could measure from as small as 1 cm to 45kgs which is the largest fibroid to ever be removed.

The size dictates the pressure put on your back(pain), bladder (need to frequently urinate) and even your intestines (bloat and triggers gas)

The size could also dictate whether a pregnancy survives or not, a fibroid taking up too much space in your womb would cause a miscarriage as there isn’t enough room for the embryo to grow.

They can cause heavy bleeding that would lead to anemia.

E] Are they symptomatic or asymptomatic?

Symptomatic ones like submucosal that are found in the uterine cavity can cause miscarriages, heavy bleeding followed by heavy clots, anemia, cold chills and frequent exhaustion. You could have fibroids as well and never know as they could be asymptomatic, posing no symptoms at all.

F] What are the viable treatment options available?

Open myomectomy, laparoscopic myomectomy, uterine artery embolization, endometrial ablation and hysteroscopic myomectomy. Different treatment options treat specific type of fibroids.

G] If treatment isn’t required and the doctor recommends ‘Management or Monitoring of the growth and symptoms of the fibroids, what does this mean?

If fibroids don’t pose symptoms or don’t require treatment the doctor would ask you to come in every now and then for evaluation just to ensure that all is well...they are not growing and posing symptoms etc.

H] What are other conditions that could be triggered by the fibroids?

Anemia is one among many that is triggered by symptomatic fibroids because of hemorrhaging.

I] How will the type of fibroids you have affect your lifestyle? Are there any lifestyle changes you need to make?

Hemorrhaging which is heavy periods due to symptomatic fibroids may affect your productivity at work.

Treatment of fibroids may cause a ripple effect on your finances as it can be really expensive and some insurance companies wouldn’t totally uphold the entire cost.

These questions may shed light on other more important questions you should ask your doctor.

What’s important though is that you keep asking! Don’t stop.

Knowledge is what will inform whether you choose the right treatment option for your specific fibroids.

So, don’t stop asking, probing and requesting.

Feel free to ask me more leading questions on the comment section below or on our social media handles.

I hope this article was insightful and will bring you a step closer to getting the help you need for your fibroids. All the best!

XOXO!