It’s not that Lydia* has been content with her fibroids diagnosis and the symptoms that seemingly multiply each month. Quite the contrary—her life has increasingly been interrupted by heavy bleeding, abdominal bloating, back pain and fatigue. Furthermore, she can’t wait until she can get rid of them, hopefully through a non-invasive treatment rather than surgery. But at least she knew these symptoms were part of the process after speaking with her doctor.
What she didn’t anticipate was the impact a fibroids diagnosis would have on her mental well-being as well as positive body image. On top of the typical symptoms, Lydia’s emotional response to fibroids has included everything from fear and anxiety to stress, anger, sadness, and feelings of hopelessness. Being unable to work out or stay active like she once did has also been a tough pill to swallow—and don’t get her started on the bloating and growing weight gain with an enlarged uterus.
As a result, she has struggled to love her body or look at herself in the mirror. Even family and friends have begun commenting about her ballooning weight, unaware that it’s not her fault. It’s the fibroids.
These are all normal concerns many women face and are largely unprepared for throughout the stages of their fibroid journey. The good news is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Recognizing this and stressing the importance of loving and caring for your body—despite dealing with a fibroids diagnosis—is the first step.
Do Any of These Emotional Responses to Fibroids Sound Familiar?
- Embarrassment about physical changes to the body
- Feelings of sexual inadequacy and undesirability
- Depression, helplessness, sadness, and grief
- Isolation and loneliness due to limited understanding from others
- Fear of future health complications (cancer, infertility, etc.)
- Financial concerns over future medical bills, treatments, etc.
- Frustrations with ineffective treatments
The Importance of Positive Body Image for Overall Well-Being
We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to love your body. This message resonates throughout the year, but it holds special significance this month. February—with the month of Valentine’s Day—symbolizes a season of love, and it’s crucial to remember that self-love is just as essential as the love we share with our partners, family, and friends.
If you’re like Lydia and dealing with debilitating fibroids, it may feel impossible to embrace and celebrate your body during these difficult times. However, your body is resilient, and you are much more than your diagnosis.
This is not to downplay the significance of your emotions. Researchers estimate that 70-80 percent of all women develop fibroids between 35 and 54. These benign tumors that develop from the uterus muscle tissue can appear in different locations, differ in size, and either stay that way or grow at different rates. Fibroids can also grow in clusters to create a large, heavy mass. In many cases, they can vary from the size of a pea or bean to a melon or grapefruit and cause swelling of the abdomen.
As a result, this can make a woman appear pregnant and that she has gained a lot of weight.
- Small fibroids — Between 1 cm and 5 cm. Basically, the size of a small seed to a cherry.
- Medium fibroids — Between 5 cm to 10 cm. Can be the size of a plum to an orange.
- Large fibroids — Greater than 10 cm. The size of a melon, grapefruit, watermelon, or a small pumpkin.
Researchers estimate that 70-80 percent of all women develop fibroids between 35 and 54.
This paves the way for a litany of physical and emotional symptoms. For instance, many women experience an enlarged uterus, extended abdomen, and unexplained weight gain as a result of their fibroids diagnosis, which can easily cause them to feel bad about themselves. The thought of going through a surgical procedure also creates stress and fear of the unknown. How long will the recovery be? How will my body react? Is it safe? Will I be able to have children again? Will my life be forever changed because of this condition?
The mere fact that they are stressed can cause asymptomatic fibroids to grow since fibroid growth is stimulated as hormone levels rise. With so many factors working against you, it can feel like you are trapped in an unrelenting cycle of emotional turmoil and inability to love your body.
Here are a few practical ideas to get you thinking positively.
7 Tips for Living With Fibroids and Loving Your Body
- Treat yourself to a makeover — A makeover can include anything: a bold new haircut with color, highlights, and styling, getting your nails done, relaxing facials and massages, new makeup, and even new clothing and accessories that feed your personal style and positively accentuate your body shape.
- Consider journaling — If you’ve never journaled before, you’re really missing out on a powerful opportunity to process the emotions you’re experiencing because of your fibroids diagnosis and foster a deeper connection with yourself. You can write down thoughts and feelings, celebrate small victories, and set intentions for self-care, all of which make it easier to release negativity, identify patterns, and focus on what’s important.
- Look for positive social support — Surround yourself with friends and family who love you for who you are and stop at nothing to ensure you are uplifted at every turn. If you have negative people in your life, consider spending less time with them as you process your emotions and learn to love your body.
- Explore body-positive online communities — There are countless online forums, social media pages, and communities dedicated to fibroid awareness and emotional support. Many of them include women like you who have found a way to love themselves more and share what they’ve learned. For instance, one woman on a forum shared a T-shirt she made with a cartoon of her fibroids to create an icebreaker as she explained to others what her unique fibroids journey was like and how she was coping.
- Educate your family — It can be challenging for a partner or spouse, children, and other family to understand what you are going through and the body changes that come with a fibroids diagnosis. The easiest way to help them understand is to explain, educate, and tell them precisely what you need from them in terms of emotional support and guidance. As your family becomes educated, you can work together to find more out-of-the-box coping techniques.
- Take advantage of relaxation techniques — There are various techniques for slowing your mind and body down physically, mentally, and emotionally. These include deep breathing and engaging in enjoyable activities such as working out or listening to calming music. Massage is also a great way to limit stress.
- Decorate your living space — Beyond personal changes to your appearance and wardrobe, there’s something to be said for giving your living space a long overdue makeover. Change out the furniture, buy new curtains, and pick out different accessories to freshen up your environment, making your home or office a beautiful space.
Additional Tips for Living With a Fibroids Diagnosis
If you are experiencing unexpected weight gain, a noticeable stomach bulge reminiscent of being pregnant, or you aren’t satisfied with how you look, it could be due to fibroids.
It is a good idea for you and your doctor to talk about your fibroids and weight gain. On top of that, there are other tips to consider for reducing the impact of the symptoms you’re experiencing and increasing your ability to love your body:
- Maintain a routine of clean eating and daily exercise.
- Even when not exercising, stay as active as possible.
- Avoid red, processed meat, and salty foods; eat more fruits and vegetables.
- Eliminate unnecessary pills and medication that can lead to weight gain.
- Avoid consuming too much alcohol.
- Stay hydrated. The more water you drink, the better.
- Increase your Vitamin D intake.
The bottom line is that you deserve to love your body and see yourself as your loved ones see you. No one is saying that your fibroids diagnosis isn’t a difficult journey. Truthfully, it will likely get more challenging as time passes. That said, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You do have treatment options, and it is possible to reclaim the body you so richly deserve. During this season of love, discuss all treatment options with your healthcare provider, including UFE (uterine fibroid embolization).
While there are several options, UFE is widely considered the gold standard for non-surgical fibroid treatment because it blocks the blood supply that feeds fibroids rather than surgically removing them. As a result, the fibroids shrink, and symptoms disappear.
When performed by our team of experienced interventional radiologists, many patients experience a high success rate of over 90% with minimal discomfort. Our patients miss less work and return to enjoying their lives faster, often within only one week, which is much shorter than recovery from fibroid surgery.
Every Patient’s Fibroid Journey Matters at Fibroid Institute
It is important for all women to love their bodies and engage in practical techniques to remind themselves that they are beautiful. Unfortunately, body positivity and overall self-image can wane for women with a fibroids diagnosis. Beyond the painful physical symptoms that these non-cancerous tumors bring on, women can experience emotional factors (stress, anxiety, depression, guilt, shame, and more) that are rarely discussed openly or addressed with their doctor or support structure.
At Fibroid Institute Texas, we do not believe you need to decide between suffering in silence and having invasive surgery. We are dedicated to treating fibroids using uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), the gold standard in non-surgical fibroid treatment. With multiple locations, our Dallas and Houston fibroid clinics 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. Because experience matters, our physicians have completed more than 40,000 interventional radiology cases over the course of a combined 55 years of experience. We invite you to connect with our highly specialized fibroid treatment team who offer concierge-level care.
Most major medical insurance providers cover the cost of UFE. Get started now by calling our Dallas fibroid clinics at 214-838-6440, our Houston fibroid clinics at 713-903-3733, or by completing complete the form below.
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.
Fibroid Institute Texas serves the Dallas and Houston areas including Duncanville, DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Cockrell Hill, Highland Park, University Park, Park Cities, Garland, Mesquite, Richardson, Dallas, Sherman, 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, Hutchins, Irving, and more.
*Patient names and/or photos may be changed to protect patient confidentiality.