Period Pain Was How I Knew About My Fibroids, but You Need to Hear This Too!

My periods were usually short and with minimum pain. Perfect case scenario, right? That was until beginning of this year, things started changing drastically, and I was clueless to what was going on. My short five day periods were replaced by 15-20 day ones, very heavy bleeding and cramps that could go on for days. When this repeated itself for the second time, I decided it’s best to see a gynecologist.

After doing an ultra-sound, I found out that I had fibroids. What are fibroids? Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus. They’re made up of muscle and fibrous tissue, and they come in different sizes. They’re very common amongst us women, and could go undetected as well and not cause any symptoms or trouble in some cases. Which brings me to the next point, what are the symptoms of fibroids?

1. Heavy and prolonged bleeding during your period.

2. Pain in the pelvis or lower back.

3. Increased menstrual cramping.

4. Increased urination.

5. Pain during intercourse.

6. Fullness, enlargement or swelling in your abdomen.

What causes fibroids?

It’s unclear what causes fibroids to develop, but there are several factors that influence it such as hormonal imbalances, family history, pregnancy, a high body weight or reaching the age of 30 or older.

DOs and DON’Ts with fibroids:

1. Avoid smoking and drinking.

2. Lower your meat and high-calorie food intake, in addition to highly salted food and anything with too much fat.

3. Processed food won’t be good for your fibroids, and don’t overdo it with sugar.

4. Coffee will do you more harm than good.

5. Opt for green leafy vegetables, green tea and fish, such as tuna and salmon.

6. Try to manage your stress levels.

7. Yoga helps.

8. Apply heat for cramps, but if you bleed heavily that might not be the best idea.

A few things I wish my doctor would have told me…

1. The heavy bleeding can cause anemia.

2. Even though fibroids are quite common, it’s sometimes super hard to function especially during your periods. I became very drained and out of energy, not to mention grumpy. During that time, and until you treat your fibroids, you need to take care of yourself, be it physically or mentally.

3. I gained a lot of weight and especially around my stomach area. I didn’t fit into any of my pants anymore.

One last note, there are many different ways to treat fibroids, depending on their size, their placement, if they’re pushing against another organ or not. If you’d like to get pregnant in the future, or if you currently are about to, I’d suggest getting a couple of doctor opinions on this matter, to know what’s the best way to treat your fibroids. I had to read about it online, instead of getting that information from my doctor. Medication, minimally invasive procedures or surgery are always options to pick from.