Dea Winfrey was sick for years before she received an official diagnosis from doctors. She had uterine fibroids.
“One time, my period came on, but it did not end. At first, I thought it was stress from my job. I was a litigation paralegal, and the burnout is real. But as time went on…I knew something was wrong,” Winfrey told 21Ninety.
For nearly four years, Winfrey would experience on and off again bleeding but always assumed it was her period.
“I always had horrific periods, and I thought that was normal,” Winfrey explained. “But it seemed with each period, the sicker I became…once again, thought it was the effects of a ‘bad period.’ And then I got the one period that would not go away. I started going to doctor after doctor because I knew something was wrong, but nothing was being done to help me. It wasn’t until several doctors later that I was officially diagnosed with uterine fibroids.”
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths in a woman’s uterus during that occur during childbearing years. Unfortunately, the exact cause of fibroid development remains an unknown. While many fibroids are asymptomatic, some cause distressing symptoms like abdominal pain, excessive bleeding, lower abdomen enlargement, frequent urination, reproductive issues, and pregnancy complications.
“There were days I couldn’t get out of bed because I was so exhausted from losing so much blood. Simple tasks like getting water or walking to the next room became too much,” Winfrey shared. “I never thought fibroids. I didn’t have a diagnosis, so why would I? Doctors just kept throwing supplements at me, informed me to change my diet and rest. But nothing got better.”
Though most fibroids resolve naturally after menopause, they can be a leading factor behind hysterectomies in the United States, especially when symptoms are severe.
Black Women and Uterine Fibroids
Nearly two-thirds of women will develop uterine fibroids. And, fibroids are more prevalent among African American women than their White, Hispanic, or Asian counterparts. Black women are three times more likely to experience them than any other race of women.
According to research published in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, almost one in four Black women between ages 18 and 30 have fibroids compared with roughly 6 percent of white women. In addition, Black women have an increased chance of having multiple, larger tumors with more severe symptoms. They are also more likely to develop them earlier in life than women of other races.
“Eventually, I found the right doctor…specialist, who took my cry for help seriously. I ended up having two surgeries, and the last one [was a] myomectomy. Life is so much better when you are not in pain and bleeding to death,” Winfrey explained.
She says she felt like an “invisible weight” was lifted off her shoulders after her last procedures. And Winfrey wants other women, especially Black women, to listen to their gut instincts regarding their bodies. She says she started having issues at 20 years old.
“I was this young, Black woman whose doctors couldn’t or wouldn’t hear me. I wish I had demanded an ultrasound early and advocated for myself better—that way, I could have found a doctor who could help me sooner,” Winfrey said. “Find a good gynecologist. Take care of yourself. Eliminate stress, excessively processed foods, and, most importantly, listen up your body. When it feels off, it’s off.”
Fibroid Awareness Month
July is Fibroid Awareness Month. On July 1, people were asked to wear white as a poignant reminder to stand in solidarity with women battling fibroids. This observance strives to shed light on a widespread yet often unspoken health concern that affects a staggering 20 to 80 percent of women by the time they reach 50.
This past year, the FDA approved Oriahnn, a pioneering oral medication explicitly designed to alleviate heavy menstrual bleeding triggered by uterine fibroids. But there is a two-year limitation on the medication due to concerns regarding potential bone thinning. Consequently, all women should discuss uterine fibroids openly with their healthcare providers to comprehend individual risks, diagnoses, symptom management, and treatment options.