July is Fibroid Awareness Month: I am a Fibroid Survivor

July is Fibroid Awareness Month, and it’s a topic that deserves far more attention than it receives. Did you know that 80% of women will experience fibroids in their lifetime? Yet, despite being so common, fibroids are still misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and often minimized—especially in the Black community. According to Michigan Medicine, African American women are three times more likely to be diagnosed with fibroids than white women—and we often suffer more severe symptoms.

This is personal for me. I’ve been living with fibroids for the past 2 ½ years, and the toll it’s taken on my body, mind, and spirit is something I never could have imagined.

How It All Began

At 39, I was balancing motherhood (with three young adult kids), starting a new career in sales, and trying to get my life together. During a routine gynecological exam, my doctor mentioned she suspected I had fibroids. She handed me a few brochures and scheduled an ultrasound to confirm.

Tumors? Non-cancerous, they said. But I was still panicked. What caused them? Did my mother have them? Would I need a hysterectomy? I felt confused, scared, and completely in the dark. I didn’t want to lose my uterus or my sense of femininity—I still felt too young.

When “Wait and See” Turns Into a Battle

The ultrasound confirmed I had fibroids—noncancerous tumors that were growing and causing my increasingly painful and long menstrual cycles. My love life took a hit, and the possibility of surgery loomed again and again.

Determined to heal naturally, I threw myself into every article, Facebook group, and YouTube video I could find. I changed my diet multiple times: vegan, keto, dairy-free, gluten-free—you name it. I became obsessed with working out to reduce my “fibroid belly.” I even tried supplements like Myo-Inositol after seeing it promoted all over TikTok.

But instead of improving, I felt worse. My cycles got heavier. I was constantly tired, weak, and emotionally drained.

The Wake-Up Call

When I finally went back to the doctor, my bloodwork revealed a hemoglobin level of 6.8—dangerously low and far below the average of 8–12. I had been living with severe anemia that could have led to long-term or even fatal complications.

I needed an emergency blood transfusion. And that dreaded word resurfaced: hysterectomy.

This time, I agreed.

Facing the Future with Hope

Am I scared? Absolutely. But I’m also hopeful.

I look forward to rediscovering life after fibroids. To have the energy to go out with friends, to enjoy intimacy without fear, and to reclaim the parts of myself that fibroids have taken from me. I want to swim again. To dance without worrying. To feel normal.

If you're experiencing painful cycles, extreme fatigue, or symptoms that are dismissed by your provider—advocate for yourself. Seek answers. You are not imagining it.

Fibroids may be common, but suffering in silence shouldn’t be.

Resources:

• Michigan Medicine – Understanding Racial Disparities in Fibroid Diagnosis and Treatment