Fibroids

The Conditions:
These are benign tumors in the muscle lining the uterine wall. They vary in size and number; they can be anything from the size of a pea to as large as a tennis ball.
About one woman in five develops fibroids by the time she is 45 years old. The exact cause is still not known.

Symptoms:
About a quarter of the women have no symptoms at all. Some of the indicative symptoms include:

• Very heavy or abnormal menstrual bleeding
• Swelling and a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen.
• Discomfort or pain during intercourse
• Pressure on the bladder and bowel, leading to urinary problems
  and backache.

Care:
If you are having difficulty in conceiving, if you have increasing pain or bleeding with your periods or if there is any change in your normal menstrual cycle, see your doctor at once.

• Your doctor will first perform a routine pelvic examination and
  question you about any symptoms you may have experienced.
• Further investigation and tests, which will probably include an
  Ultrasound scan of your uterus, a hysteroscopy or laparoscopy.

Fibroids are treated according to the seriousness of the symptoms and whether you wish to conceive. Once you are past childbearing days, the fibroids usually shrink and disappear anyway.

If you want to have children and the fibroids are numerous, your doctor may suggest a Myomectomy. This removes the fibroids from the uterine lining and leaves the uterus intact and back in its usual shape.

If the symptoms are difficult to bear, and you do not wish to have any more children, a hysterectomy might be advised. This should be considered as a last resort and only after two opinions and discussion with your doctors.

Also, anti – oestrogen hormone treatments may be given. These make fibroids shrink, but can only be given for a period of six months because of the risk of Osteoporosis, and are only given before a Myomectomy.

There is a higher incidence of uterine cancer in women who suffer from benign fibroids, so any unusual bleeding or other irregularity in your menstrual pattern should be investigated immediately.