How fibroid wreaks reproductive havoc on women refusing surgery

Menstruation is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina monthly.

For some women in their reproductive age, menstruation is normal and comes with ease every month.

But for those with uterine fibroids, it is an agonising burden they have to contend with monthly owing to heavy blood flow, accompanied by big blood clots and excruciating pelvic pain that can result in hospital admission.

10 years of fibroid agony

For over 10 years before seeking a permanent solution, Mary Peters struggled with fibroids in tears and agony.

Life was hell for the Rivers State Indigene every month, owing to the severe pelvic pain and heavy bleeding that impacted her health negatively.

Mary told our correspondent that menstruating every month was traumatic as she suffered anaemia thereafter.

The digital marketer, who is in her late 30s, said while some with fibroids get pregnant and go on to have healthy babies, hers, was the opposite as she ended up having a miscarriage.

Mary said in 2017, she had a close shave with death when she lost her five-month-old pregnancy, which later led to complications that almost took her life.

Fibroids defined

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, fibroids are benign (not cancer) growths that develop from the muscle tissue of the uterus.

ACOG says the size, shape, and location of fibroids can vary greatly, adding, “They may be inside the uterus, on its outer surface or within its wall, or attached to it by a stem-like structure. A woman may have only one fibroid or many of varying sizes.

“Fibroids may have the following symptoms: changes in menstruation, heavy menstrual periods, menstrual pain, difficulty urinating or frequent urination, constipation, miscarriages, infertility, etc,” the ACOG said.

Herbal treatment worsens fibroid

further sharing her experience with PUNCH Healthwise, Mary said fibroids made life difficult for her until she eventually got it removed without surgery after taking different herbs and concoctions that worsened her condition.

She recounted, “I battled with fibroids for 10 years. I was diagnosed with it in 2010 but was taking herbal treatment that made the fibroids grow bigger. It was traumatic and I lived with excruciating pain.

I bled heavily and passed out blood clots like someone giving birth. Five days in a month, which is the duration of my menstruation, I go about with a bag of pads and will always be conscious of myself to avoid getting stained. I barely sit for long. When I go to ease myself, the moment I bend down, the blood clots will start falling off like tiny balls.

“I was anaemic, suffered from headaches, lower back pain and dizziness. There were days that I will be unable to go to work because of heavy flow. The bleeding was really scary and impacted my well-being negatively.


Five months pregnancy gone

Recalling how she lost her five-month-old pregnancy in 2017, Mary said, “When my stomach was getting bigger, I felt the pregnancy would stay and that there was nothing to worry about.

“But I started having persistent pain in my abdomen and thighs until I lost the pregnancy. It was a bit complicated for me because I thought I will never be able to get pregnant in the first place.

“My fiancé later broke up with me because he felt I was going to be a liability to him. That affected my quality of life. I went through years of trauma and pain because I was afraid of going for surgery.

“I developed cold feet about going for surgery after one woman that lived in my neighbourhood died after fibroid surgery.

“She decided to do the surgery to increase her chances of getting pregnant. She was told by a doctor that unless the fibroid is removed, she will not be able to get pregnant. Hers was very big and she looked heavily pregnant. She eventually died during the operation and I vowed not to go under the knife.”

Mary told our correspondent that the fear of surgery forced her into taking herbal treatment, which compounded her problem.

“Instead of shrinking, it grew bigger and gave me more problems. Meanwhile, my doctor had repeatedly told me to have it removed through surgery but I refused.

Removal without surgery

“So, I kept on looking for a solution without surgery until I stumbled on reports online about alternative procedures that can be used to remove fibroids.

“I read about women that have undergone fibroid removal without surgery through a non-invasive process known as High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound –HIFU. I went for the procedure in 2021 and it lasted for less than one hour and 30 minutes.

“When the procedure was over, I realised that the breathing in my stomach had stopped automatically. When someone has fibroid, it will be breathing like a human being. I had to put my hand on my stomach for 20 minutes after the procedure to be sure it was gone. ”

For Mary, life has since become beautiful as she no longer experiences heavy blood flow and pelvic pains.

“My menses is normal and comes with ease, unlike the torture I went through. So, women battling fibroids and are afraid of going under the knife should seek help from experts. They can have it removed without surgery and still have their womb intact,” she said.

Lived with fibroid for 13 years

Also sharing her horrific experience with fibroid before it was removed, 45-year-old, Mrs. Deborah Oparah said it made her life unbearable for 13 years and also made acheiving pregnancy impossible until it was removed.

She recounted, “The doctor told me that it was very big and will not allow me to carry a pregnancy to term. I had three miscarriages before it was eventually removed.

“But I was afraid of having surgery because of the negative thing I heard. I was even told by friends that I will not be able to get pregnant after surgery and so I was scared. I took various concoctions and traditional medicine but none worked.

“The fear made me visit different hospitals and experts until I got a facility that used non-invasive procedures to have it removed it. I gave birth a year later.

Unpleasurable sex

Deborah recalled that sex with her husband before the fibroid was removed was usually an unpleasant experience laced with pain, adding that she was also anaemic and underweight.

Deborah also recounted her ordeal with heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding, saying, “My periods were extremely heavy and lasted seven to nine days. There was a time I was transfused after observing my period due to heavy bleeding. The trauma and pain that women with the condition go through is unimaginable.”

11 years of heavy bleeding

Similarly, a 38-year-old mother of two, Mrs. Agnes Falade, shared her experience with PUNCH Healthwise, noting that fibroids was a big burden that affected her life negatively.

“Fibroid plagued me for over 11 years. I stay indoors whenever I am in my period because of heavy bleeding. Everybody in the family usually knows when it is time, even my boss because I will not be able to go to work.

“I summoned courage and went for surgery after living in fear for years. I was lucky the surgery was successful and I now have two children,” she said.

Another 36-year-old lady, who simply identified herself as Joy, also shared her experience, noting that she suffered from back pain, severe bloating, exhaustion, heavy blood flow during her period, and pain during sex before it was removed.

“Besides the chronic pelvic pain, you are uncomfortable going anywhere when menstruating because you are going to be embarrassed. I summoned the courage to have it removed eventually without surgery and the pain disappeared.

“I learnt the fibroid is killed by heat and over time, the dead fibroids are passed out or absorbed by the body. It depends on the position of the fibroid. The one that is in the system is passed out, while the one in the muscle is absorbed by the system”, Joy said.

Other women that spoke with PUNCH Healthwise shared similar experiences.

Fibroids curable

Given the pain, trauma and infertility caused by fibroids among women in their reproductive age, it is worthy of note that it is curable, even without surgery, experts have said.

Maternal health experts say HIFU is a bloodless or non-invasive surgery for the treatment of fibroids and adenomyosis.

the procedure involves using real-time ultrasound and high-intensity ultrasound waves to generate localised heat to specifically target individual fibroids and destroy the cells.

A fertility expert and Managing Director of Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, says fibroids are among the most common malignant growths in women of reproductive age.
Dr Abayomi Ajayi
He pointed out that women might have fibroid before the age of 50, lamenting that it impacts the quality of their life.

The gynaecologist noted that fibroid could also be associated with infertility for a long time because of the fear factor associated with surgery.

HIFU safe method of removing fibroids without surgery

Dr. Ajayi affirmed that HIFU is a safe method of removing fibroids without surgery and that removal of