Aches and pains are never fun, but ageing into menopause, many women have enough other pains to deal with that if one or more can be minimised, action is as much as mandatory. Reaching a point in our lives where balancing work and family, potentially including caring for ageing parents, leaves little time for nonsense.
Do fibroids really disappear shortly after menopause?
Uterine fibroids 1 are benign growths, forming from the uterine surface inward, outward or even occurring within the uterine walls. It is estimated that 2 out of every 3 women develop at least one fibroid through their lifetime, mostly between the ages of 30 and 50.
While true that fibroids feed on hormones which drop significantly at menopause, fibroids are only reduced by 40%. But while menopause provides relief to some women, others may not be so lucky. Women taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involving synthetic hormones that return the body to near pre-menopause levels, often lose any anti-fibroid benefits aging can bring.
Symptoms and Risks Post Menopause
With the myth that postmenopausal women are immune to having fibroids being so overwhelmingly prevalent, symptoms often send medical staff looking in other directions 2. Appendicitis, STDs, urinary tract infections and other potential causes may be explored instead.
Abdominal pain and swelling, low-grade fever and high white blood cell count are all symptoms3 that can point to fibroids, as well as 4 lower back pain, vaginal bleeding, frequent urination, and a feeling of pelvic pressure. If symptoms point in the direction of fibroids, it really might be fibroids, at any age.
While extremely rare, fibroids can mask uterine leiomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer whereby a sarcoma develops within a fibroid. “Such malignant transformation occurs in middle-aged to older women and should be considered in postmenopausal women with rapid enlargement of the fibroid,” say researchers. 5 For this reason, accurate diagnosis, treatment and follow-up are vital.
Management and Treatment Options
Fortunately, there are many treatment options[6] for women (of all ages) with fibroids.
Medication
- Gonadotropin releasing hormone analogues (GnRHas) – This treatment is delivered via injection or tablet for up to a maximum of six months
- Other hormonal pills available in the form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Non-surgical procedures include Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE), Endometrial ablation, MRI-guided procedures and ultrasound-guided procedures.
Surgical options include hysteroscopic morcellation, hysteroscopic resection, myomectomy and hysterectomy.
Not all options are suitable for all women. Therefore, careful consultation with competent, trusted medical professionals is mandatory before taking any concrete steps.
Lifestyle and Dietary Considerations
Weight gain 6 unfortunately brings numerous health problems, among them an increased propensity for fibroids. Research has found that many women report gaining weight during menopause, with more than 40% of menopausal women having obesity. Other studies have found that most women gain about 1.5 pounds (0.68 kilo) per year in their 50s and 60s.
Therefore, eating a healthy diet7, including fresh and cooked green vegetables, fresh fruit, legumes and fish, decreasing alcohol consumption and increasing intake of foods rich in vitamin D8, potassium9, dairy and green tea is key.
Exercise10 also boosts health and wellbeing. When beginning any fitness program, it’s recommended to speak with a doctor. When you’re consulting over fibroid treatment options, just throw in a question or two about recommended physical activity.
Certainly, fibroids are rare in postmenopausal women, but they DO happen. Treatment options abound. Pay attention to your body and seek competent medical attention and care when needed, including routine checks. Coupled with a healthy lifestyle, women can (and do!) live comfortable, thriving lives at all ages.
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fibroids/
- Shrestha R, Khanal R, Aryal MR, Pathak R, Karmacharya P, Naqi M, Murukutla S, Bhatt VR, Gottesman A. Fibroid degeneration in a postmenopausal woman presenting as an acute abdomen. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2015 Feb 3;5(1):25917. doi: 10.3402/jchimp.v5.25917. PMID: 25656665; PMCID: PMC4318819.
- Shrestha R, Khanal R, Aryal MR, Pathak R, Karmacharya P, Naqi M, Murukutla S, Bhatt VR, Gottesman A. Fibroid degeneration in a postmenopausal woman presenting as an acute abdomen. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2015 Feb 3;5(1):25917. doi: 10.3402/jchimp.v5.25917. PMID: 25656665; PMCID: PMC4318819.
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319576
- Yanai H, Wani Y, Notohara K, Takada S, Yoshino T. Uterine leiomyosarcoma arising in leiomyoma: clinicopathological study of four cases and literature review. Pathol Int. 2010 Jul;60(7):506-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1827.2010.02549.x. PMID: 20594271.
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fibroids/treatment/
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/menopause-weight-gain-5184111
- https://www.healthline.com/health/fibroids-diet#foods-to-eat
- https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/ask-the-expert/foods-high-in-vitamin-d#:~:text=The%20best%20food%20sources%20of,to%20the%20products%20you%20buy
- https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/foods-high-in-potassium