Nearly every Black woman I know has fibroids, and nearly all of their doctors have told them it’s nothing to worry about. That’s a lie. You should be concerned, monitoring the fibroid’s growth through transvaginal ultrasounds, and getting second opinions.

I had my first baseball-sized fibroid removed in 2015. At the time, there was a smaller grape-sized fibroid hanging out in my uterine wall, and the surgeon didn’t see the need to remove it. He was wrong. I should’ve pushed to have it removed.

Now, of course, it’s causing all kinds of problems. I’ve had two biopsies, three ultrasounds, two rounds of Megestrol acetate to control bleeding, and now I’m taking hormones for PCOS—instead of my doctor just removing the second fibroid.

If you have access to quality healthcare, don’t just let fibroids sit and grow until they become obstructive. Figure out all of your options, even non-surgical ones, so you can make the best decision for your health.

I know we like to think doctors are advocating for our best interests, and sometimes they are, but you are your own best advocate.

The replies to this thread took my breath away. Please keep advocating for yourselves when you visit doctors. It’s your first line of defense.

To be clear, myomectomies and hysterectomies aren’t options for all people with wombs. They’re expensive procedures. My myomectomy was almost $100,000, and my insurance covered all but $4000 of it.

That’s the reason gynecologists should monitor fibroids from the first sign of a symptom, and try to slow the growth and offer alternative treatments.

I am so sorry to hear this, and also glad that you had a Black woman technician.

Tanja, this is so awful.

I have not had a regular menstrual cycle since I had my myomectomy, but I do have a lot more energy. I was so weak from bleeding that I could barely get out of the bed most days. The surgery solved that problem.