Fibroids

 

Answer: 

 

General Fibroid Information

 

Fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) tumors found within the uterine walls, often resulting in a change in the size or shape of the uterus. The cause of fibroids is unknown, but fibroids are a fairly common occurrence, with 30% of all women reporting them by the age of 35. Fibroids may increase in size or quantity and thus should be monitored by your healthcare practitioner.

 

Doctors are not sure what causes fibroids, but the female hormones estrogen and progesterone seem to make them grow. There is also no known reason as to why some women acquire severely symptomatic fibroids while others do not. There has been so little research on the risk factors for developing symptomatic uterine fibroids.  

 

Even so, age, race, lifestyle and genetics may well play a part in the overall scheme of your health and your own body's tendency to develop symptomatic uterine fibroids.  Obesity is associated with the presence of uterine fibroids. 

 

A lot of women may not even be aware that they have fibroids since often they cause no symptoms. In some women though, severe pain and bleeding may accompany them. If this is the case, there are a couple of options, surgical and non-surgical, available to women who wish to have the fibroids removed.

 

Hysterectomies 

 

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the uterus entirely. Although hysterectomies can abolish current and future fibroids entirely, they can cause more serious problems. Hysterectomies have been strongly associated with urinary problems, such as increased frequency and urgency of urination, incontinence, frequent urinary tract infections, sexual function problems, and hormone deficiencies. Immediate post-surgical risks include infection, hemorrhage during or after surgery, and damage to internal organs such as the urinary tract or bowel. 

 

Fibroid removal accounts for about 30% of all hysterectomies. This makes them the most common reason for hysterectomy, although it has been proven that other options can be just as effective in treating heavy bleeding and lengthy periods. Doctors often refer to fibroids as “fibroid tumors” in order to make them sound more serious and to make hysterectomies sound more appealing. Fibroids are tumors, but they are benign and do not metastasize, so they cannot spread and are generally not harmful.

 

Hysterectomies can be medically necessary for fibroid treatment, but usually only is severe cases. You should seek a second (or third) opinion from another doctor who has experience with myomectomies and other fibroid treatments. Hysterectomy should not be the first suggestion. You should find a doctor who supports your goals. The NWHN promotes alternatives to hysterectomies whenever possible because they are very serious, irreversible procedures, and there are other options to be considered first.

 

 

Regarding Your Specific Inquiries:

 

Non-Surgical Procedures

 

Estrogen

 

If a woman currently takes estrogen as a daily supplement in any form, she may be able to reduce larger fibroids by discontinuing its use. 

 

Dietary Restrictions

 

Whole grains, rich in Vitamins B and E can help lower excessive estrogen levels that stimulate fibroid growth. Soybeans and soy products are also helpful because they are rich in plant estrogens. These plant estrogens, or bioflavonoids, compete with our body’s own estrogen for binding to the estrogen receptors in our cells and are weaker, so they actually help lower our body’s estrogen levels. Soybeans have shown to reduce bleeding problems in premenopausal women. Other beans and peas help replace the nutrients lost to heavy or excessive menstrual bleeding. Green vegetables have similar benefits. Most fruits and unsalted seeds and nuts are excellent vitamin-rich sources, particularly raw flax and pumpkin seeds. 

 

It is recommended that when eating meat; choose fish, as most fish is high in linolenic acid, which helps relax muscles through the prostaglandin pathway. This acid can help alleviate muscle cramps. You can experiment with avoiding dairy products, meats high in saturated fats, alcohol, and excess salt, all of which have been associated with menstrual cramping.

 

 

Surgical Procedures

 

(If you are bleeding often and between periods, your doctor might want to perform an endometrial biopsy to rule out endometrial cancer before performing any surgery.)

 

Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE)

Uterine Fibroid Embolization is surgery that shrinks fibroids by cutting off blood supply to the fibroids. This procedure can affect how the ovaries function, but if you are not planning on having more children, this may be a viable option. Recovery time for this procedure is relatively short. A doctor would perform an ultrasound or MRI to determine whether or not your fibroids will respond to this option. It is most effective in treating fibroids that cause heavy bleeding and best for women who do not want more children. It is also more effective in treating submucosal and intramural fibroids, but not as effective in treating subserosal fibroids, because they can draw blood supply from elsewhere in the pelvis. Make sure you are aware of the exact location of your fibroids if you consider this option.

 

Myolysis

This is a surgical treatment that requires first shrinking fibroids with GnRH agonists for 3 months, and subsequently piercing the fibroids with a laser that destroys the blood vessels that supply the fibroid. If you are interested in removing the fibroid all together, this is not the best option, because the GnRH agonist treatment can make future surgery more difficult. Cryomyolysis is a similar procedure that also requires 2-3 months of supplemental GnRH agonists. Instead of applying heat, however, this process involves a needle that freezes the fibroid.

 

Myomectomy 

This removes only the fibroids, while leaving all the healthy areas of the uterus intact. Many doctors fail to mention this option because they would rather recommend hysterectomies. The doctor’s logic is commonly that if an organ  is removed (the uterus, in the case of hysterectomy) it can’t cause any further problems. This logic is flawed, because hysterectomies are notorious for causing a host of other issues! This is a personal decision, but not to be taken lightly.

 

Fibroids can reappear after myomectomy surgery, but 4 out of 5 women (80%) see their bleeding issues as a result of fibroids improve. So it is not 100% effective, yet preferable to a hysterectomy for many women. This surgery ranges in invasiveness from minor to major surgery, depending on the size and location of your fibroids. There is a risk of uterine infection post-myomectomy that can usually be treated with antibiotics. To read more about the different kinds of myomectomy procedures available follow this link to our website: http://nwhn.dev.web.confluencecorp.com/fibroid-treatment-options.

 

Many reasons doctors give for not performing myomectomies are unfounded. Some doctors may say that hysterectomies are safer than myomectomies, which is simply not true. The surgical procedures are equally safe, and hysterectomies can have more dangerous after effects. Some doctors insist that fibroids are more likely to reoccur after myomectomy procedures, but that reoccurrence rate is lower the closer a woman is to menopause. Doctors also like to claim that women who have myomectomies are more likely to require hysterectomies in the future anyway (like I mentioned before). No studies have proven this to be true. If your doctor implies this, you can ask him or her to provide a medical text supporting the statement. One does not exist.

 

If you would like to learn more about the surgical removal of fibroids, I have included below some great links to acquaint you with the different procedures.

 

Myomectomy - https://www.virginiamason.org/service.cfm?id=735

 

Uterine Artery Embolization - https://www.virginiamason.org/service.cfm?id=733

 

 

There are also several organizations on uterine fibroids and hysterectomy alternatives which you may find helpful:

 

National Uterine Fibroids Foundation - http://www.nuff.org/

 

Fibroid Relief - http://www.fibroidrelief.org/

 

Hope for Fibroids - http://www.hopeforfibroids.org/

 

Hysterectomy Alternatives & After Effects - http://www.hersfoundation.com/ (a website which provides information about alternatives to hysterectomy and the aftereffects of the surgery.)

 

Make sure to discuss each option thoroughly with a doctor who has experience treating fibroids. If your doctor automatically recommends hysterectomy, you should seek a second opinion. You should find a doctor who supports your goals. 

 

The NWHN promotes alternatives to hysterectomies whenever possible because they are very serious, irreversible procedures, and there are other options to be considered first. There is no “right way” for all women; as individuals our bodies are unique. Some methods may work for you while others may not.