I feel like my symptoms started to shift in late 2019. Then 2020 came around, and it got worse. When I was around 25 or 26 — around the time I decided to start #HappyPeriod — I created a period journal. I would keep notes of what my period was like, what the blood looked like and the clotting. Even from my notes, I knew it was changing. I felt nauseous; I couldn’t really keep food down my first 24 hours. I was bleeding like running water, which was super scary. Sometimes I would feel a clot pass, and it almost felt like birthing a jellyfish. I honestly just took a guess at first because there is a history of fibroids in my family. I’m the only child, and the main reason why is because my mother opted to have a hysterectomy because she didn’t want to deal with fibroids anymore. Fibroids are common for women in my family. It wasn’t until 2016 when I was officially diagnosed with fibroids, and that just happened because I had horrible cramping. I was told [by my OB-GYN] at that time if it’s not giving any major, crazy symptoms, or if it’s just period cramps, then it’s nothing to worry about. The excessive bleeding definitely started around August or September 2020. [After finding a new doctor,] I was very demanding with my new OB-GYN and the residents that she had around her. The tech told me she saw the fibroids and that there were at least four. I went to another doctor who actually counted six fibroids when he did my ultrasound. My data was my period journal. I showed them it’s getting worse and worse. I requested certain notes on medical record. And I didn’t just get one opinion — I got three. 

 

I got one opinion from the OB-GYN that I was assigned to through my primary care physician, then I saw two doctors outside of my insurance. I didn’t make a decision to schedule my procedure until after those additional consultations. 

After getting three medical opinions, I believed the hysteroscopy was best. So, the hysteroscopic myomectomy is the most minimally invasive procedure to treat fibroids. The fibroid tumor has to be small and close to the cervix, otherwise a doctor may not even bring it up as an option. During the process a surgeon removes fibroids by inserting a hysteroscope into the uterine cavity through the vagina and cervix. A hysteroscope is a rigid tube with a light that has an operative element that can remove fibroid tissue. I was nervous at first, but once I got to the hospital, I felt fine. [The procedure] was a little under three hours. I went home after waking up and was able to be on my feet in a few hours, once the anesthesia wore off. When I got my period back, I just saw blood and felt nothing. I’m all for holistic medicine or alternative medicine. I’m all for integrative medicine, eating healthy, changing your lifestyle, herbs — I’m all for that. But sometimes, once your body gets to a certain point, there’s no reversing certain things. You may need surgery, and that's okay. 

It's your journey.