Trang* thought she was one of the lucky ones. She had been experiencing painful, heavy periods since 2012 as a result of several large uterine fibroids but was surprised to learn that the fibroids shrunk on their own after giving birth to her first child. In the blink of an eye, she was symptom-free and married with a beautiful new baby. Sadly, that temporary relief was short-lived, as the stress and mental push of trying to succeed in a tough college MBA program seemingly caused her fibroids and related heavy menstrual bleeding symptoms to return with a vengeance. Stress or no stress, Trang knew it was time to finally take action about her situation. She started researching, and it didn’t take long before she was visiting a fibroid doctor at Fibroid Institute Texas.
Trang* thought she was one of the lucky ones. She had been experiencing painful, heavy periods since 2012 as a result of several large uterine fibroids but was surprised to learn that the fibroids shrunk on their own after giving birth to her first child. In the blink of an eye, she was symptom-free and married with a beautiful new baby. Sadly, that temporary relief was short-lived, as the stress and mental push of trying to succeed in a tough college MBA program seemingly caused her fibroids and related heavy menstrual bleeding symptoms to return with a vengeance. Stress or no stress, Trang knew it was time to finally take action about her situation. She started researching, and it didn’t take long before she was visiting a fibroid doctor at Fibroid Institute Texas.
Trang’s Fibroid Symptoms
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Debilitating pain
- Anemia
- Vertigo
- Hair loss
Is There a Link Between Stress and Fibroids?
As surprising as it sounds, yes. And given that April was Stress Awareness Month and May is Mental Health Awareness Month, now is as good a time as any to use Trang’s journey to educate other women and inspire them to visit a fibroid doctor.
First, it’s important to note that leading a stress-free life won’t prevent you from developing fibroids. It is estimated that 70 to 80 percent of all women develop these noncancerous growths between 35 and 54. But the connection between stress and fibroids is real. Why? It’s because fibroids are sensitive to hormone levels—specifically, estrogen and progesterone. This is why fibroids tend to grow more during childbearing years because hormone levels are typically at their highest during this time. Stress is the body’s biochemical response to life challenges, and to handle stress, the brain tells our body to produce extra hormones. As a result, hormone levels rise, which stimulates fibroid growth and causes symptoms to flare up.
Any fibroid doctor will tell you that stress or any mental health challenges can cause once-asymptomatic fibroids to grow at an alarming rate. Depending on your situation, you may have one or several. In addition, they could all differ in size and either stay that way or grow at different rates. This can lead to a variety of symptoms. Trang experienced painful and heavy menstrual bleeding, but other women can experience:
- Debilitating cramps, pelvic pain, and pressure
- Periods that last longer than a week
- Pain during sex
- Back or leg pain
- Urinary frequency
- Bowel or bladder dysfunction
- Excessive fatigue
- Bloating or swelling in the lower abdomen
- Constipation, diarrhea, and rectum discomfort
Reclaiming Your Life With Fibroid Treatment
Several fibroid treatment options are available for women who wish to live symptom-free. These include hysterectomy, myomectomy, and endometrial ablation, among others. Trang was intrigued by a less-invasive treatment option known as uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). She began researching the benefits in 2019 and was convinced this was the answer to her prayers. In fact, a fibroid doctor Trang reached out to was Dr. Suzanne Slonim at Fibroid Institute Texas. But as the COVID-19 pandemic hit she was forced to wait.
By 2022, she was admitted to the emergency room with debilitating pain and anemia.
“Before COVID and the vaccines, my periods were double and triple the pain. … The doctor [in the emergency room] said, ‘You cannot leave. I have to keep you because if you try to leave, you will drop dead on me,” Trang said. “I think my red cell count at the time was 5.6, and a normal person should have 12 to 14. There were many options available, including surgery and hormone treatments, or you could try UFE.”
Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is a unique, low-risk procedure for fibroid treatment that often avoids complicated and bloody surgeries such as a hysterectomy or myomectomy. Rather than remove fibroids, experienced fibroid doctors at the Fibroid Institute use image-guided interventional radiology to insert a tiny catheter through a small nick in the wrist. Tiny particles are led through the catheter to the fibroid vessels, forming a barrier to the fibroids’ blood supply. This causes fibroids to shrink and die, fostering a dramatic reduction in symptoms for women.
Additional advantages of UFE at Fibroid Institute
- In-office procedure instead of hospital stay
- Tiny wrist puncture, no need for vaginal access
- Avoid side effects of pharmaceutical hormone therapies
- Short period of recovery (7 to 10 days in many cases)
- All fibroids may be treated at the same time
- Over 90% of patients see dramatic improvement in symptoms
- Five-star doctors as rated by patient reviews
- Mobile number given to every UFE patient to contact her doctor directly
Trang said her UFE procedure was complicated by the very small veins in her wrist. This meant Dr. Slonim, a fibroid doctor, had to perform the procedure through the groin area instead. That said, the procedure worked flawlessly, and Trang woke up with very little pain or side effects.
“When I woke up, I didn’t feel anything,” she said. “I had several pain medications prescribed to me, but I didn’t have to really use anything. The next day, I removed the pain patch and was fine.”
She added, “I am a very data-intensive person; I analyze everything. Dr. Slonim looked at my MRI results and shared other UFE cases and risks. She let me decide for myself and weigh the risks and benefits. That was very liberating for me because I was able to take charge of my own health.”
Read more about Fibroid Institute’s highly specific formula that helps patients experience little to no pain after UFE when they follow the recommended medicine chart from our fibroid doctor.
Seek a Fibroid Doctor If You’re Living with Period Problems from Fibroids
The connection between stress and fibroids is a real thing. One way to manage the stress of your situation—especially if you’re concerned about treatment options, is to have an open conversation with your doctor. Many times, women find that they don’t need to have surgery at all. At Fibroid Institute, we are dedicated to educating and empowering women on fibroid treatment options.
Thousands of women visit Fibroid Institute Texas year-round to find relief from their fibroid pain. We are happy to cater to those needs and offer a nonsurgical solution: uterine fibroid embolization. UFE is the gold standard in non-surgical fibroid treatment, and at Fibroid Institute’s multiple locations in Houston and Dallas, we help thousands of women avoid fibroid surgery and find relief from their fibroid symptoms. Meet some of these women here:
Our fibroid doctors are board-certified interventional radiologists and experts who are passionate about helping women become #FibroidFree. Dr. Suzanne Slonim and Dr. John Fischer are highly experienced UFE specialists, 100% focused on fibroid issues.
Most major medical insurance providers cover the cost of UFE. Get started now with Fibroid Institute Dallas at 214-838-6440 or with Fibroid Institute Houston at 713-903-3733 or complete the form below.
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Fibroid Institute Texas serves the Dallas and Houston areas including Houston, Sugar Land, Katy, Webster, Clear Lake, The Woodlands, Universal City, Spring, Kingwood, Stafford, Conroe, Texas City, Cypress, League City, Bellaire, Addison, Carrollton, Plano, Frisco, Craig Ranch, McKinney, Allen, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, HEB, Arlington, Euless, Hutchins, Irving, Duncanville, DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Cockrell Hill, Highland Park, University Park, Park Cities, Garland, Mesquite, Richardson, Dallas, Sherman, and more.
*Patient stories are true. Names and/or photos may be changed to protect patient confidentiality.
This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Prior to starting any new treatment or if you have questions regarding a medical condition, always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider.