I am 52 years old and was told I have a fibroid that is 11cm. It was found after I went to emergency because I was bleeding really heavily with blood clots the size of golf balls!! The doc prescribed a pill that lessened the blood flow to spotting. I have an MRI scheduled for Dec.2nd to see if there is anything else there that I should be worried about like cysts etc. I was so scared before I found out what was wrong with me. Bloating ‘constant back pain and heavy long lasting periods with spotting in between. It's a weight off my shoulders and even though I have to wait so long I am doing something about it. I want to have a hysterectomy and hope to leave my ovaries in so that my hormones are not affected too much. I hope The MRI will clear things up and help me with my decision. Apparently you have to have a D&C anyways even if you have the noninvasive embolization and then it may not work.

I am a 40 year old female from South Africa. I have been diagnosed 2 days ago with fibroids and I also have upper left abdominal pain. I am in my second marriage and my husband has no kids. We have been trying to fall pregnant for the last 9 months and nothing. I also have not had a period for 3 months. Most of my periods have been extremely painful with blood clots and heavy bleeding. I am seeing my doctor again on Monday, for her to diagnose further and advise what steps we will take to overcome all these barriers. I read that drinking bicarbonate of soda with Apple Cider Vinegar also reduces fibroids. I'm willing to try anything right now.

I have been examined over 12 weeks for bladder infection, kidney stones, gallbladder problems, they now say it's the colon and the back, however, I have had a period for 11 days now, it's heavy and uncomfortable, I still have the pain in the side and my lower back is very painful, the doctors and hospital have never listened when I told them I missed 4 periods and now 2 people have said it could be fibroids. All the money spent the pain incurred and it could be something the doctor hasn't looked into.

I had my first surgery at the age of 18 and a second one at the age of 27. I still feel pain from my fibroids Three years after my last surgery, my doctor wants to do another to make sure that I am able to give birth someday.

I didn't have much pain, but did have lots of bleeding I had Mirena inserted to stop the bleeding. I didn't have periods, only spotting for about six months. I noticed my stomach was getting bigger, but since I was 38, I thought it was just a sign of middle age. One night I woke up with stomach pain. My doctor performed an ultrasound and asked if I had ever been diagnosed with fibroids. A hysterectomy was recommended. By then I was 46, had my family, and was fine with that option. I thought they might be able to do laparoscopic surgery, but the fibroid was too big. What was supposed to be a 60- to 90- minute operation turned into 6 hours. The fibroid weighed 6 kg. I haven't looked backed: the operation was great and I have no more pain. I walked out of hospital 7kg lighter.

I was diagnosed with fibroids in 2006 when I was 42. I am now 48 and have been living with them and waiting for menopause because I am terrified of surgery. I was on the pill, but I had a bad reaction when my carrier switched brands they would cover at a low price. I have had my stomach blow up to where I looked six months pregnant and then passed clots. I recently passed about six clots that felt like I was giving birth. Other than that I haven't had any pain. A friend suggested that I take a supplement called Vitex. It is available at most vitamin stores. I have since started buying it online. I recently switched multivitamins and the new one has Vitex in it. So I am taking twice as much as I used to. I haven't had many clots since and I don't bleed between periods any longer. I usually have one really bad day that I have to change every hour. Other than that it's bearable. I haven't been to the doctor since March 2010 because he thought I should have surgery. Although my fibroids are annoying I am living with them.

I'm in my early 40s, and I've been having problems with my period since my early 20s. I have four fibroids on my uterus. It's causing me so much pain when my period is on 5-7 days, I have cramping, I can't get out of bed because of no energy with being an anemic. I have back pain, and irregular and heavy periods with blood clots. I've had three D&Cs to scrape my uterus. I have taken birth control and nothing has worked. This runs in my family.