Fibroids
These are benign growths in the uterus, also called myomas or leiomyomas and are made of muscle and fibroid tissue. They can vary in size from a pea to a small football. They are stimulated to grow by high oestrogen levels or low progesterone. They can be asymptomatic or they can cause symptoms as listed below.
Fibroids often grow during pregnancy due to increased levels of oestrogen in the body. They shrink after the menopause.
Symptoms
Heavy or painful periods
Bloating
Abdominal pain
Back pain
Bowel problems
Urinary frequency
Painful intercourse
Infertility
+ Things you can do at home
- Healthy diet
- Decrease coffee intake
- Limit exogenous oestrogen exposure
- Iron supplementation as directed by a doctor
+ The conventional approach
- Oral contraceptive pill
- Drugs to control the heavy or painful periods such as tranexamic acid
- The IUS/mirena coil
- For large fibroids, GnRH analogues (gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues) are used which stop oestrogen production by acting on the pituitary gland. This approach has many unwanted side effects.
- Surgery; uterine artery embolisation, fibroid resection surgery or in severe cases hysterectomy.
+ Our approach at London Hormone Clinic
- We prescribe body identical progesterone to counteract the effects of oestrogen.
- Supplements to help restore hormonal balance such as DIM. Also to address deficiencies, such as iron caused by heavy bleeding.
- Referral for surgery if indicated if fibroids are extremely large.
