I am 44 years old, but recently I started having a lot of bleeding and was told I have developed fibroids and need surgery. Are there other options since I do not want surgery? Sarah
Dear Sarah,
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths found in the muscle of the womb, mostly in women of childbearing age.
Apart from heavy or painful periods, a woman with fibroids may experience other symptoms such as anaemia (due to blood loss), lower back pain, or sometimes no symptoms at all.
Fibroid treatment depends on many factors, including your age, the size and location of the fibroids, whether you want to get pregnant, your symptoms, and possible complications of treatments, which can include surgery to remove the fibroids or the womb, among others.
Menopause usually causes fibroids to shrink or stop growing because the female hormones (estrogen and progesterone), which support their growth, decline.
At 44 years, you are approaching menopause (when fibroid growth usually stops).
If you do not want surgery, medications can be used to shrink fibroids, or treatments can help reduce bleeding, including progesterone-releasing intrauterine devices (IUDs) and hormonal birth control medications.
Please talk to your doctor about whether they can offer you alternatives to surgery.