Aunt’s corner

Dear Aunt Silvia,I am a young single lady hoping to get married very soon with my fiancé of five years. Sometime back I was found to have uterine fibroids and ever since I have been undergoing treatment. I have never told my fiancé the problem I have because of fear of rejection. I have been told many versions of uterine fibroids and one of them is that I might not be able to have children in the future and another person told me that I developed uterine fibroids because I have not gotten a baby at my age. Please, help me get proper treatment to save me from being rejected by my future husband. Roselyn. Dear Roselyn, Uterine fibroids are tumours or growths, made up of muscle cells and other tissues that grow within the wall of the uterus (or womb). Although fibroids are sometimes called tumours, they are almost always benign (not cancerous). Fibroids can grow as a single growth or in clusters (or groups). Their size can vary from small, like an apple seed (or less than one inch), to even larger than a grapefruit, or eight inches across or more. Uterine fibroids are the most common in women of childbearing age, but no one knows exactly what causes them. In fact it is very misleading when someone tells you that you developed uterine fibroids because you are past the bearing age, I don’t think that is the correct information. You see I experienced uterine fibroids in my prime age of twenties even after I had already given birth to my first born daughter. And after undergoing treatment for uterine fibroids close to ten years, I got my second child, and up to now I live with the fibroids, even though the treatment I received managed to shrink them to a smaller size , I still hope and pray that one day I will be free of them. Even experts cannot say exactly what causes fibroids in each woman and this is because the actual reasons vary from woman to woman. The risk factors, combined with the woman’s individual genes contribute to the condition. However, no matter what the causes, it is also possible to treat fibroids naturally and changing your diet is a good starting point as altering this can alter the expression of your genes, helping to control your symptoms and help your fibroids to shrink. If the fibroids don’t shrink a doctor might recommend an operation; and there are three types of operations. One is the Myomectomy which is a procedure that takes the fibroids out of the uterus. Then there is the new operation done by use of high technology called Laporoscopy which is a surgical procedure performed through very small incisions in the abdomen, using specialized instruments. A pencil-thin instrument called a laparoscope is used, and it gives the surgeon an exceptionally clear view, on a TV monitor, of the inside of the abdominal cavity, where the operation will be performed. On a very case when push comes to shove, then the doctor will perform a Hysterectomy where the whole uterus will be taken out- please be reminded that this is applied only the doctors have reached a dead end. I don’t see why you should keep such a major health problems as a secret. Your future husband needs to know what is happening, so that he too can play a major role in making sure that you are restored back to good health so that you can give him bouncing babies in the near future. Please seek two to three medical advices so that you get different onions from different doctors until when you are satisfied. I wish you the best. Ends