I am going through some things right now that are a little worrisome. Last night I thought I might end up having to go to the emergency room; but I’m still here watching to see what develops. In the meantime I thought I would explore the question “Can fibroids kill you?” because I really wasn’t sure I was going to make it through the night last night and I feel that if something had happened to me it most certainly would have been indirectly caused by the fibroids. I’ve researched this question before back when I first discovered I had fibroids and pretty much everything I found made light of fibroids. They were described more as a nuisance, but something that doesn’t really usually result in a loss of life.
I think we all know that just about anything can kill you. Fibroids themselves won’t kill–meaning you’re not going to die simply because you have fibroids; but you can develop complications because of your fibroids and some of the complications can be life threatening. I think the heavy bleeding that some fibroid suffers experience is one of the more serious issues that could potentially put their life at risk. Right now I am dealing with that problem. I won’t get into detail because this is one of those topics that not everyone can talk about casually and not everyone can read about without feeling uncomfortable; but I was worried for a minute there that I might bleed to death.
I’m sure you can find more factual information on the subject of whether or not fibroids can kill you by doing some google research. I’m obviously just a woman with fibroids. I’m not a doctor and can’t answer that question based on any actual knowledge. I only know that everything I’ve read paints a picture of fibroids as being harmless for the most part. It would seem that most women with fibroids are in that group who are hardly affected by their fibroids at all; and then there are those of us whose lives are changed by fibroids. I imagine the factors that put you at greater risk of potentially losing your life due to complications from fibroids will come down to your own individual situation; but over all the general consensus is that complications from fibroids are uncommon.
I was reading an article just now and it has left me wondering, again, if I am being irresponsible by not getting medical treatment for my fibroids. The reality for me is that the only treatment anyone has offered and the only treatment anyone will offer is a hysterectomy. Maybe at some point during the period from June 2012 to December 2013 I might have been able to “qualify” for a less drastic procedure. My stomach was much smaller during that period than it had been when I was twice told I needed a hysterectomy. If I went to the doctor today, based on the size of my stomach today, the only treatment that would be offered to me is a hysterectomy; and even though I said earlier in the year that I was fed up with this whole fibroid life and I was ready to quit trying to shrink my fibroids naturally and just go ahead and get the hysterectomy, I don’t have the same attitude of “I’ll take my chances” today that I had when I wrote the post in question. My fear is irrational. I get it. Nonetheless, I am afraid.
But if my fear of the possibility of dying during surgery could potentially kill me anyway what am I really gaining by not doing it? If by not doing it because I am afraid, I leave myself in danger of developing complications that could still kill me, how does it benefit me to not take the risk? Either way I am at risk.
About the image: This morning when I sat down to start my workday I saw a bird in the tree outside my apartment. I was looking through the blinds. I had my camera right there so I tried to snap a photo of the bird while still sitting in my chair. I didn’t get a very clear shot but this has a kind of sad and misty quality to it that suggests a mood of reflection about life. I wonder if birds get diseases like fibroids?
