Wow, this blog really got real, huh? I wanted to discuss an important topic today and I figured, here I am sitting on my bed in 90-degree weather with no AC sipping on iced cool water. It seemed like a good opportunity to discuss plus I’m also hiding out from the sun bc I’m really as tan as I can be and summer barely started a few weeks ago. LOL. Ladies, let’s talk fibroids.

75% of us women have it in our lives. Crazy how common something really is, but you don’t really think about it until you yourself have it or someone close to you does.

Let’s backtrack a little: for the past few months, I’ve always felt this hard “lump” in my lower abdomen. I honestly always thought it was stool and thought I was just constipated every single day… except I didn’t have problems in that area. I brushed it off and thought I was just getting chubby until it wasn’t all that jiggly. Weird, huh? I paid no mind to it bc I was busy with school, applying to jobs, trying to graduate, etc.

My boyfriend Brian poked my belly one time and was like “why is it so hard?” And that’s when I knew something was off. Like really knew.

After graduation, I made an appointment with a doctor (who btw thought I was either having a UTI or just pregnant. I said no way to both, but she insisted anyway). Long story short – I was persistent. She referred to me to a local hospital where I got an ultrasound and a couple of days later, I learned what a fibroid was.

(read my story on Acessa Health’s Instagram)

According to UCLA Health, fibroids are “benign tumors made of smooth muscle cells and fibrous connective tissue. They develop in the uterus. It is estimated that 70-80% of women will develop fibroids in their lifetime—however, not everyone will develop symptoms or require treatment.”

Symptoms include:

• Heavy or prolonged periods
• Bleeding between periods
• Pelvic pain and pressure
• Frequent urination
• Low back pain
• Pain during intercourse
• Difficulty getting pregnant

Personally, I experienced frequent urination and pelvic pain and pressure. I found out from my gynecologist that I have a 15cm fibroid in my uterus, larger than the size of a grapefruit. I panicked, teared up, literally had zero idea what this meant.

When she was doing my pelvic exam (just imagine being fingered by different doctors multiple times within the past 4 weeks. Yup, me!), she made a comment about me looking pregnant. That isn’t something you want to hear.

Fibroids don’t usually have to be removed bc often times, women feel no symptoms at all. In that case, they will never know they have fibroids. Because I was feeling symptoms AND bc of the size of it, I was recommended to have surgery (expected to happen by the end of the year — insurance pending!).

It’s important to know the following information:

• Uterine fibroids are the most common tumor of the reproductive tract.
• Fibroids are not cancer. They do not increase a woman’s risk for uterine cancer, and they do not become cancer.
• Women who are nearing menopause are at the greatest risk for fibroids. Fibroids are most often found during a routine pelvic exam.
• Symptoms may include heavy and prolonger periods, bleeding between periods and pelvic pain.
• Fibroids are most often found during a routine pelvic exam.
• There are a variety of treatment options available, which may include watchful waiting, medicines or surgery.

What’s affecting me the most however is my sleep and self-confidence. I wake up 3x each night just bc I feel the constant pressure to use the restroom.

And let’s not get started on my self-confidence. I can’t look in the mirror without looking/feeling pregnant. Certain jeans don’t fit the same anymore especially if they’re high-waisted bc I’ve gotten chubbier down there. No matter how much I work out, I feel this annoyance with myself that I’ll still look the way I look — something that is beyond my control until I get this surgery. It’s hard bc I don’t want to seem insecure either. Brian has been amazing as I struggle to embrace my chubby uterus (LOL), but I am grateful for his support.

(photo by: Stephanie Rita)

My point is, fibroids are common and I wanted to shed some light on this topic bc I’ve gotten so DMs on it ever since I posted about it on Instagram. I wanted to bring some awareness for those who are still reluctant to get their routine exams done. I know it’s uncomfortable opening up (literally) to your gynecologist, but who knows — you may find things out to your benefit.

I also want to stress that there are also non-invasive techniques to get rid of fibroids. I’m not sure if I have the option to do so only bc of the size of mine, but there are other ways as well such as Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) and the Acessa procedure, where they use radiofrequency to get rid of fibroids.

While the causes are still unknown, I think the point of this is to just be aware of your body and go see a doctor if something feels off. I know they say ignorance is bliss, but I think awareness is just as beautiful.

Happy Fibroid Awareness Month, ladies!