Bad bleeding. Anemia, fibroids, and women’s health 2023

Anemia, which occurs when the body does not create enough healthy red blood cells, has plagued me for at least two and a half years owing to fibroids – benign tumors that can form inside or outside the uterus. When I initially received my diagnosis, I felt quite isolated.

I used to record my running exercises like other fitness lovers, but suddenly I was monitoring my hemoglobin levels. Not until I began sharing my experience online did I understand I was not alone in my struggle. Fibroids were yet another taboo women’s health subject, and many of us had been suffering in silence.

By age 50, over 70% of women will be impacted by fibroids, an illness that is frequently misunderstood. With African women, the rate is considerably greater. Between 20% and 50% of women with fibroids have painful and other health-related symptoms.

Bleeding bad. What women don’t say about fibroids, anemia, and their health

Fibroids are frequently likened to the size of various fruits, ranging from apple seeds to watermelons (before you have to ask, my largest is the size of a small orange). There may be heavy periods, stomach discomfort, frequent urination, and even infertility.

When the bleeding is severe, it can cause anemia, a disease in which your red blood cells are unable to transport enough oxygen to your body’s tissues. As a person with anemia who has previously run a marathon and regularly exercised in the gym, I am now ecstatic when I can ascend a flight of stairs without pausing to catch my breath.

To counteract the culture of silence around women’s health, we must mainstream the discussion of the particular illnesses that afflict our bodies. There has always been a shame associated with discussing your period, let alone having to explain to your boss that you can’t leave the house because no tampon or pad can stop the bleeding.

Women of all ages will continue to confront health care hurdles if we do not take the first step toward dispelling the horrible notion that we must suffer in silence.

When I disclosed publicly for the first time that I have fibroids and anemia, my email was flooded with tragic accounts from other women with an all-too-common ailment. In several instances, women revealed that they first disregarded their concerns, frequently delaying their visits to the gynecologist for years. Others offered accounts of persistent disturbances to quality of life.

Over the past year and a half, I’ve received monthly iron infusions at the hospital, which have temporarily increased my hemoglobin. I’ve also undergone hormone treatment to halt the bleeding permanently. This was not a long-term answer, and I’m pleased to have undergone surgery this week following a cancellation in December.