Many women live with fibroid tumors and still maintain a good quality of life. Some women may experience some symptoms of fibroids, but can still manage to perform their daily activities. Many women who suffer from symptomatic fibroids underestimate the severity of their symptoms as they have become accustomed to excessive bleeding, pain, and the pressure fibroids can cause. However, if the symptoms of uterine fibroids are so severe that they affect your ability to maintain your day to day activities, it is a good time to discuss with your physician all of the alternatives available to help you manage these symptoms.
Common symptoms of fibroids include:
- Very heavy menstrual bleeding and prolonged monthly periods, sometimes with clots
- Frequent occurrence of soiling events due to excessive menstrual bleeding
- Anemia (excessive fatigue due to low red blood count)
- Pelvic pain or pressure
- Pressure on the bladder which leads to a constant need to urinate or incontinence
- Pain in the back of the legs
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Pressure on the bowel which can lead to constipation and/or bloating
- An enlarged abdomen which may be mistaken for weight gain or pregnancy
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should go to your doctor to confirm the cause of them. These may be symptoms of other problems that need to be diagnosed by a medical professional.
Excessive Menstrual Bleeding
One of the most common symptoms of fibroids is prolonged and excessive menstrual bleeding. The passage of clots is also another symptom commonly related to heavy menstrual bleeding, which in many cases can cause frequent soiling events. Prolonged bleeding over a long period of time can cause anemia and fatigue, which may result in the need for transfusions.
Pelvic Pain and Pressure
As fibroid tumors grow in size, they may put pressure on surrounding organs; causing pain and discomfort. In other instances, fibroids may be accompanied by other conditions, such as adenomyosis (components normally in the endometrium are within the myometrium) and endometriosis (endometrial tissue is generally found outside of the uterus), which can cause pain and other complications. It is important to ensure that you have a complete gynecological evaluation to properly diagnose all of the conditions causing symptoms.
Urinary Incontinence and Frequency
In conjunction with pelvic pain and pressure, growth of fibroid tumors can put pressure on surrounding organs, such as the bladder. This pressure can cause urinary incontinence or more frequent urination. It is very common for women with fibroids to feel the need to urinate many times throughout the day and night.
