fibroids

My earlier PET scan results had suspected fibroids in my womb. So my oncologist had referred me to SGH's O&G clinic for further checks & investigations.

The ultrasound results now confirmed there are 5 fibroids in my womb, ranging from 3.0cm to 5.5cm in size. I am surprised there are so many fibroids in my womb as I have never experienced any symptoms all these years. My gynaecologist said this result was quite characteristic of single-unmarried women or women who had never given birth. My gynae suggested surgery or hysterectomy but I refused. He said there is no other way of shrinking or removing the fibroids, so he will monitor me every 2 months.

For those who wish to know more about fibroids, this is what I found out from the internet :
(1) Fibroids are tumours that grow in the uterus (womb). They are benign (not cancerous) & are made up of muscle fibre.
(2) About 20-50% of women have or will have fibroids at some time in their lives. Fibroids are most common in women in their 30's & 40's & tend to shrink after menopause.
(3) As many as 75% of women do not know they have fibroids as they experience no symptoms at all, symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding, pain during menstruation, abdominal pain or pressure, changes in bladder & bowel patterns, etc.
(4) There are 4 types of fibroids : intramural, subserous, submucous & cervical.
(5) The exact cause of fibroids is unknown but they seem to be influenced by oestrogen. This might explain why fibroids appear in a woman's middle years when oestrogen levels are high and stop after menopause when oestrogen levels drop.
(6) If you have fibroids, you may have one or many; you may also have one type of fibroid or a number of different types.
(7) As the cause of fibroids is still not known, there are no clear guidelines for preventing them.
(8) Because there are often no symptoms, you may only find out you have fibroids when you go for an internal examination. You may be given an ultrasound scan to confirm if you have fibroids. Other tests include hysteroscopy & laparoscopy.
(9) The main treatments for fibroids are myomectomy (operation to remove fibroids individually, leaving the womb intact); hysterectomy (removing the womb entirely); and uterine artery embolisation (blocking the blood supply to the fibroids).

As a nose cancer survivor, the doctor might be overly concerned about my fibroids. But somehow I'm not the least worried. I've read that TCM can be effective in shrinking, or in some cases, even in removing the fibroids. What I intend to do is to consult my TCM physician to find out more on this. If all else fails, then I will reluctantly go for surgery as my last resort, but only if I begin to suffer some unbearable symptoms.

thanks for keeping me in your prayers,
tsk tsk