Tips For Handling Fibroids From A Holistic Practitioner

Guest post by Robyn Srigley In December 2018 I received an email sharing the following story:

“My sister is scheduled for a hysterectomy next Wednesday. She has been bleeding heavily (about a menstrual cup an hour and needing to use Depends as a backup, because when the cup leaks it’s a flood) since the beginning of October. She finally got her results from the ultrasound and it looks like a lot of fibroids, one the size of a softball. While doing surgery they plan to repair a hernia, and they said they could keep the ovaries. They said because of the size of the fibroids and the bleeding they need to do the hysterectomy. She has reached out to me to see if she has any other options. She does not want to remove her uterus in haste.”

As a women’s health practitioner, I hear stories like this all the time. I share that fact so that when you’re reading this, you realize you’re not alone.

It’s 100% not normal to experience symptoms like these.

Unfortunately, traditional medicine often has no answers for experiences like this, beyond recommending surgery or meds (if they even try that first). I will mention that in this case, the surgery was necessary, and the woman felt better about having the surgery after receiving my response. When it comes to issues like heavy bleeding, fibroids and almost any other female reproductive issue where the practitioner may recommend surgery (hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and so on), if recognized early enough, surgery can often be avoided. Below I’m going to share some tips to recognize that what you’re experiencing in fact isn’t normal – no matter what anyone says, and how to move forward in your own care when dealing with these scary circumstances.

**It’s Not Normal**

Although it seems like many women experience problem periods in one way or another, and yes – women’s reproductive health issues are extremely common – the following are definitely not normal and should be addressed:

Heavy bleeding (like changing one pad or tampon per hour)
Prolonged bleeding (bleeding longer than 7 days)
Bleeding between periods
Painful menstrual cycles (menstruation should cause only mild discomfort at worst)
Pressure, swelling or sharp pains in the lower abdomen
Nausea or vomiting associated with bleeding or the menstrual cycle in general
ANY menstrual-related symptom that interferes with your ability to live your life

I’ll share some advice on addressing these issues later in the article. What Are The Typical Medical Treatments For Fibroids? Doctors have two routes when it comes to “treating” these types of symptoms and any resulting diagnoses such as fibroids, cysts, endometriosis, and so on. The first route is meds. Birth control being the main prescription. Women are often told taking birth control will “fix” their issues or “cure” their symptoms. And while some women do report a lessening of symptoms, hormonal birth control absolutely does not “cure” anything – but getting into that is a full article on its own for another day. I’ve had many clients on birth control due to pain and bleeding issues, not wanting to use it, but so incredibly scared to come off the medication because they don’t want their symptoms to return. The second option is surgery. Surgery may include a hysterectomy, oophorectomy, laparoscopy, laparotomy, etc. A full hysterectomy (both uterus and ovaries being removed) is the most drastic option. Yes- surgery is necessary in some cases. Especially when cancer is involved, or like in the story above when a hernia is involved, and this woman already had her tubes tied years prior. However, if the situation is dealt with early enough, or isn’t a true emergency, seeing a qualified holistic practitioner to correct the underlying causes of the symptoms is extremely helpful. I’ve seen it in my own clients, and in the clients of my colleagues. What Can I Do If I Am Experiencing Symptoms Of Fibroids? First things first, it’s important to find out WHY the symptoms are happening in the first place. Getting to a doctor such as a gynecologist is important here. They may run blood labs, do ultrasounds and other tests to determine the cause. Once you know WHY your symptoms are popping up, find someone who knows what they’re doing to help you implement a protocol to correct those underlying causes. A combination of diet, supplements and lifestyle-based protocols will have the most profound effect. I will not share any specific recommendations here as what will work for you is specific to you – and using generalized tips from the internet is not a safe way to deal with the types of symptoms discussed earlier. The important piece to take away from this is to get the support you need in order to make an informed decision. Simply taking the advice of either a doctor or a holistic practitioner as gospel is not a smart idea. Often these issues require a combination of both, and the commitment by you to do what you need to do to feel better. When you begin holistic interventions – it’s not like taking a pill. It takes time for the body to rebalance itself, unlike taking an Advil for a headache and feeling better an hour later. Stay consistent, get support and be gentle with your body. That’s truly the best you can do for yourself – allow that space and time to heal. — Read Part 1 of this series here: My Experience With Fibroids — Robyn Srigley, BA, PTS, CNP, NNCP is The Hormone Diva! Robyn helps women replace anxiety with joy to open possibility in their lives and to have a positive impact on the next generation. As a holistic nutritionist, Robyn helps women with a variety of struggles including PMS, menopause, PCOS and endometriosis in her coaching practice. You can connect with her on her website The Hormone Diva, or on Facebook or Twitter.

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