What it is
Fibroids are muscle growths in the wall of the uterus. They are not cancer. Most women have one by age 50.
Position matters more than size. A fibroid in the cavity bleeds heavily. One on the outside may cause nothing.
Many need no treatment at all. What gets treated is the symptom, not the fibroid.
What you might notice
- Bleeding that soaks a pad or tampon in an hour
- Periods lasting longer than seven days
- Clots larger than a quarter
- Pressure or fullness low in the belly
- Needing to urinate often, or urgently
- Deep pain with sex
- Constipation, or trouble emptying the bowel
- Fatigue and shortness of breath from low iron
How Dr. Mueller finds the cause
- 1
Your history
Dr. Mueller asks how heavy the bleeding is and how long it has run.
- 2
Pelvic exam
An enlarged or irregular uterus can often be felt.
- 3
Pelvic ultrasound
It maps size, number and position.
- 4
Blood count
It shows whether the bleeding has made you anemic.
- 5
Look inside
If a fibroid sits in the cavity, hysteroscopy shows it directly.
- 6
Your options
She goes through watching it, medication and surgery.
Questions people ask
- Do fibroids turn into cancer?
- Almost never. Leiomyosarcoma is rare, and it behaves differently from the start.
- Can I still get pregnant with fibroids?
- Usually yes. It depends where they sit. The ones that bulge into the cavity are the ones that interfere.
- Do fibroids go away on their own?
- They often shrink after menopause. Before that they stay the same or grow slowly.
- Do I have to have a hysterectomy?
- No. A myomectomy removes the fibroids and leaves the uterus in place.
- Can they come back after surgery?
- Yes. Removing fibroids does not stop new ones from forming.