Fibroid size can affect your fibroid symptoms.
Fibroids are very diverse. There are different types of fibroids, and women can have anywhere from one to multiple fibroids. Fibroid size can also vary, ranging from the size of an apple seed to the size of a watermelon.
How fibroids grow
Fibroids form from a single cell that continues to replicate itself and expand. In general, fibroids continue to grow in size as long as they have a supply of blood and hormones, especially estrogen. In fact, many women experience a rapid growth of fibroids during perimenopause due to temporary influx of female hormones.
Fibroid size can be described in a variety of ways
If you are diagnosed with fibroids in the uterus, you may hear your fibroid described in a number of ways.
For example, a doctor may use a pregnancy analogy for fibroid growth, as in “12-week sized.” Or he or she may use fruit analogy, like “grapefruit-sized.”
Alternatively, doctors may measure the fibroid by length, width, and depth to come up with a numerical representation of its size.
The largest uterine fibroid ever removed was the size of a watermelon and weighed 30 pounds. However, most fibroids are smaller than that, with even the largest only adding a few pounds to your overall weight. That said, large fibroids in the uterus do have the ability to expand the uterus, making the patient look pregnant, even if she is not.
For treatment, symptoms are more important than fibroid size
If you’re suffering from fibroids, you may want to know: just how large will my fibroid grow? Unfortunately, sometimes it is difficult to know.
Fibroid size is also not the most important question when it comes to whether or not you should seek treatment. While it’s true that large fibroids are more likely to press on organs surrounding the uterus or create excessive bleeding, this is not always the case.
Some women who have large fibroids experience no symptoms. In about half of women, fibroids are discovered only during a routine pelvic exam. On the other hand, some women have tiny fibroids that, because of their position, create a number of symptoms that interfere with the woman’s ability to go about her daily activities.
Therefore, treatment for fibroids in the uterus depends more upon the symptoms they’re causing than upon their size. For example, the woman with the large, non-symptomatic fibroid may simply be monitored over time to see if the tumor grows and/or starts to cause problems. The woman with small fibroids but uncomfortable symptoms, on the other hand, may undergo treatment in order to alleviate her fibroid pain and return her to a normal routine.
Seek medical advice
If you have symptoms of fibroids, seek medical treatment. And, no matter what the size of your fibroids, educate yourself regarding your treatment options.
The doctors at Viva Eve have years of experience in the treatment of both fibroids and adenomyosis through the minimally-invasive uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). We provide high-quality, personalized care for each and every patient we see. We will partner with you to determine the best way to treat your problematic fibroids of any size.
