FKA Twigs & Uterine Fibroids
- In 2017, singer FKA Twigs had uterine fibroid tumors removed via surgery, and has spoken openly about the experience.
- Uterine fibroids are extremely common and they are non-cancerous; up to 80% of women will have a fibroid in their lifetime.
- If something feels off to you, it’s important to be an advocate for your health and seek answers and treatment when necessary.
Dr. Kelly N. Wright of Cedars-Sinai, who has not treated FKA Twigs, tells SurvivorNet, “Uterine fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) tumors that are extremely common, with up to 80% of women having a fibroid in their lifetime. Many fibroids are small and cause no symptoms, and therefore can be monitored over time. We expect fibroids to shrink by about 30% at the time of menopause, and after menopause, they shouldn't grow any further or cause new symptoms.”
Read MoreWhat Are Uterine Fibroids?
Vogue magazine reported that in 2017, FKA Twigs “underwent laparoscopic surgery to have six large fibroid tumorswhich she likened to two apples, three kiwis, a few strawberries, and ‘a fruit bowl of pain every day’removed from her uterus.” The singer made an appointment to see a doctor when she was unable to sit up in bed.In an episode of the podcast TTYA TALKS, Twigs shared, "I was working so much, and I was so determined [to] make an album, that I actually knew that I had some sort of growth in my stomach for a long time, and I didn't do anything," she explained. "I assumed that I had stomach cancer and that I was going to die. It was kind of this underlying stress that I have never told anyone about."
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“When fibroids do cause symptoms,” says Dr. Wright, “it can be either with a women's period (heavier or irregular bleeding or both), or by causing "bulk" symptoms, which are symptoms caused by the compression of the fibroid onto other organs. Bulk symptoms can include a protrusion in the belly, urinating frequently, or sometimes pelvic pain. If a fibroid is causing these symptoms, then it should be evaluated by a physician, and a treatment plan should be created. Fibroids that interfere with one's quality of life should not be ignored.”
While fibroids aren’t cancerous, some women are at an increased risk for a cancer that may look like fibroids, explains Dr. Wright. “Though fibroids are extremely common, some women are at risk for having a much less common type of cancer that can look like fibroids called leiomyosarcoma. Women who have new fibroid tumors grow after menopause, take tamoxifen (a medication for breast cancer), or have a history of kidney cancer may be at a higher risk for leiomyosarcoma. Any concern for cancer in a fibroid should be fully evaluated and may require a hysterectomy for treatment.”
Being an Advocate for Your Health
It’s important to listen to your body, notice when something doesn’t feel right, and schedule a visit with your doctor to discuss the matter. Sometimes, even after taking the proactive steps of seeing a physician’s opinion, you may still not get the answers you’re looking for. It’s imperative to speak up when that happens, as you are your own best advocate.
Related: Stay Positive, It Matters
Dr. Zuri Murrell, a Colorectal Surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said in a previous interview, “The truth is you have to be in tune with your body, and you realize that you are not the statistic. You are not necessarily going to fit into well, I don’t have to have a colonoscopy yet because I’m not 50, even though my bowel habits have changed, even though I’m having a lot of blood when I have a bowel movement.”
Dr. Murrell says that you should take the initiative to do some research, too. “That’s why it’s important for you to actually educate yourself and be your own health care advocate. And that’s something that I think is really important. You should lead each doctor’s appointment with a plan…But every appointment you leave as a patient, there should be a plan for what the doc is going to do for you, and if that doesn’t work, what the next plan is. And I think that that’s totally fair. And me as a health professional that’s what I do for all of my patients.”
Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate… Don't Settle
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