On 14th March, we hosted a fibroids Twitter chat with the Fibroid Forum UK. We had a great time discussing the work of The Forum, how they’re supporting women who have been affected by fibroids and explored some of the challenges women with fibroids encounter.

You can read some of the highlights from this really interesting chat below and if you have any questions for the Fibroid Forum, please do send them an email or drop by their next support group session (all the details are in the chat below).

Hi everyone, it’s our my pleasure to welcome you to another one of our #fibroids #TwitterChats. #FibroidsChat (1/4)

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Today we’ll be chatting to, @FibroidForumUK, and exploring all the great work they’ve been doing to support women who have been affected by #fibroids. (2/4)

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce our guests @FibroidForumUK.

Welcome @FibroidForumUK , please tell us a bit about your organisation and what you do. #FibroidsChat (4/4)

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Hello everyone, it’s great to be a part of this chat. Fibroid Forum UK was set up in 2015 by a group of women who have suffered with fibroids. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

We started Fibroid Forum UK to raise awareness of the condition, provide support for women with fibroids and empower them to make informed choices about treatment. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

So, let’s get started.@FibroidForumUK, can you tell us what motivated your team to start the Fibroid Forum UK #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Between us we have had various forms of treatment for fibroids including myomectomy, hysterectomy and embolisation #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

There were good and bad things about our collective experiences but we all felt that there was generally a lack of information about fibroids and about choices for treatment options. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

We wanted to make sure other women had all the information they needed. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

It can also be a daunting experience mentally and physically and we want to help other women on this journey by coming alongside them. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

We feel it’s important for those of us who have information to share this with others. We don’t want women to suffer in silence. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

.@FibroidForumUK Having probably interacted with many women affected by #fibroids since you started, what has been the most interesting and also the most surprising thing that you’ve learnt about fibroids since delving into this area?

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

We’ve learnt a lot! One example is that the location of the fibroid can be more important than the size, particularly when thinking about treatment options. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

We were also surprised to hear just how long women wait before seeking help. We seem to find coping mechanisms before reaching out and this doesn’t help. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

Many women didn’t realise how big a problem it was and looked for other reasons to explain their symptoms. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

I did this myself – when I was very tired over a period of time I put this down to lifestyle and thought I needed to slow down. We really want women to identify the symptoms early on and seek help. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

.@fibroidforumUK, you have organised educational events in both #London and #Birmingham. Can you tell us about these events? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Yes, that’s important. We held events in 2016 and 2017. There were presentations from consultant radiologists, obstetricians and gynaecologists. There was also a forum for women to share their experiences. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

.@FibroidForumUK , What were some of the most common challenges that women who attended these events raised about #fibroids? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Many women didn’t feel that the range of treatment options were explained or offered to them. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

Many women didn’t feel that the range of treatment options were explained or offered to them. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

There was also an issue of doctors not realising that fibroids could be a cause of the symptoms when some women visited and explained what was happening in terms of heavy bleeding, fatigue, etc. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

It looks there needs to be some educational work done with doctors too #fibroidschat @FibroidForumUK

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Absolutely l am totally there for doing some via social media and group chats it’s up to us to raise the profile of Fibroid suffers. I am really passionate about it because l am still suffering after surgery 10 years of fighting it. #fibroids #BlackTwitter

— RAINBOW BLAK (@RAINBOWBLAK) March 15, 2018

Yes, some doctors seem to know more about fibroids than others. We would like to see a universal standard of information included as part of their training. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

Did you find that women in #London and #Birmingham raised the same or different issues? @FibroidForumUK #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Yes, the women raised similar issues about lack of information but also about feeling quite lonely as they went through their experiences. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

This is part of the reason why we set up the support group so women can share and be encouraged by others who have been through similar experiences. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

We’ve heard from a lot of women how their social lives were impacted, particularly if they were bleeding heavily. They just stayed at home, and sometimes had to take time off work. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

This is part of the reason why we set up the support group so women can share and be encouraged by others who have been through similar experiences. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

Oh that’s great. Can you tell us a bit more about your support group? Just in case people out there might like to attend @FibroidForumUK #fibroidschat https://t.co/ELljRu0xpo

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Oh that’s great. Can you tell us a bit more about your support group? Just in case people out there might like to attend @FibroidForumUK #fibroidschat https://t.co/ELljRu0xpo

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Yes, we run a quarterly support group for women. Our next one is on Monday 26 March at 6.30pm at St Thomas Hospital in London. Everyone is welcome. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

What do you think needs to be done (by the NHS and by organisations like yourself) to address these challenges? @FibroidForumUK #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Organisations like ours need to do as much as possible to raise awareness of this issue among women. As individual women, we need to share our stories and also give leaflets on fibroids to our doctors. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

The NHS can follow the guidelines that are already in place about giving women leaflets on fibroids when they come to appointments, and others. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

What other events, support and work have you undertaken and what are your plans for the future? @FibroidForumUK #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Our future plans are to host more events and see more support groups started across the country. We will continue to raise awareness where we can with those who are involved in treating women with fibroids. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

Hi @CAREAbtFibroids, if you’ve been following our discussion, I was just wondering if you see some of the same issues over there in the US – women with fibroids feeling lonely, lack of information, doctors not recognising symptoms.

#fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Definitely. One of the most troubling aspects is how many women with fibroids wait for years without seeking treatment.

Fibroids place a heavy toll on a woman’s emotional well-being and can lead to body-issue anxieties and lower self-esteem. #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) March 14, 2018

Where can women find out more about these services and the work that you’re doing on fibroids? And if people want to support your organisation how best can they do that? @FibroidForumUK #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

They can join our Facebook group. They can also email us fibroidforum@outlook.com. We will have more information about how people can support us in the near future. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

Do you have any tips or advice you can share for women living with fibroids? @fibroidforumuk #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Generally, it’s important that we take care of ourselves – that includes our physical, emotional and mental well-being. It’s important to seek appropriate medical advice as all of us are different. #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

Well, we have come to the end of our #FibroidsChat. A big thank you to @fibroidforumUK for joining us. It has been really nice speaking to you and learning more about the work of your organisation. It’s great what you’ve been doing and we wish you all the best #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

Thank you @lakehealthwell for having us as your guests. Keep up your good work too! #FibroidsChat

— Fibroid Forum UK (@FibroidForumUK) March 14, 2018

What a great chat we had with @FibroidForumUK. They provided some really useful insight into some of the challenges that women with #fibroids face and how they’re addressing some of these issues.#fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

If you’re based in London and have been affected by #fibroids, check out their support group on 26th March at 6.30pm at St Thomas Hospital in London. Everyone is welcome. #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) March 14, 2018

On 21st February we were delighted to host another fibroids Twitter chat. Our featured guest was Laterria Patton.

Laterria Patton is a Self Care Activist who writes a food blog that promotes reproductive health to black women. The blog content utilizes natural self-healing food practices to educate black women who are suffering with reproductive health problems about the hormonal process, and how to keep it in balance.

During our chat we had an interesting discussion with Laterria  about the common challenges that contribute to uterine disorders (like fibroids), how these challenges can be overcome and how women can achieve optimal uterine health through self-healing food practices.

If you missed our Twitter chat, have no fear, you can read the highlights below.

Hey, hello, hello, Twitter family, it’s our my pleasure to welcome you to another one of our #fibroids #Twitter chats. #FibroidsChat (1/4)

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

Today we’ll be chatting to, Self-Care Activist, @selfcareandfood, about some of the factors that lead to uterine (womb) disorders, like #fibroids, how these can be addressed and how women can achieve good womb health through self-healing food practices. #FibroidsChat (2/4)

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

Hello! My name is Laterria Patton.
I’m a Self Care Activist that promotes social change that is centered around the self care practices of black women. One of the ways that I do this work is by writing a food blog that promotes reproductive health to black women. #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

.@selfcareandfood Can you tell us a bit more about your blog and why you started it? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

1/2 I started this blog because I wanted to create content that breaks down the different ways in which food is impacting our hormones and how these hormones are having a negative or positive effect on the health of our reproductive organs.

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

2/2 I use natural self-healing food practices to teach black women who are suffering with reproductive health issues about their hormonal processes and how to keep them in balance.

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

. @selfcareandfood What has been the most interesting and the most surprising things that you’ve learnt since delving into this area? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

The most surprising thing that I learned since delving in this area is that many obstacles are strategically being put into place that make it hard for black women to get access to the information & food that could help them with their reproductive health issues. #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

That is quite surprising, let’s explore that further. What sort of obstacles have been put in place? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

Some of the obstacles are:
1) Food desserts
2) Bias Physicians
3) Lack of family support

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

We’ll come back to some of these. We should start at the beginning, your work centres on understanding the link between the liver & the uterus. Can you tell us how the health of a woman’s liver affects the health of her uterus, and how this could lead to disorders like fibroids?

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

1/4 The health of a women’s uterus is affected by the health of her liver because the liver produces the cells that help to create neurons in the brain. These same neurons use cells to send messages from the brain to the uterus.#FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

2/4 These messages control the rhythm in which the uterine muscles contract & relax so that the uterus knows when to shed the lining(menstrual bleeding) & when not to. An unhealthy liver has a negative effect on the neuron’s ability to communicate messages. #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

3/4 When uterus begins to shed it’s menstrual lining at the wrong time or it doesn’t shed as much as it’s suppose to, the excess lining that stays in the uterus contains hormones that never got a chance to leave the body. #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

4/4 Too many hormones can cause the uterus to make abnormal cells that contain excessive amounts of estrogen and progesterone. Abnormal cells lead to various disorders within the uterus. #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

.@selfcareandfood You write a lot about healing through food. So, let’s explore food a bit, how does the food we eat affect the health of our liver and thus the uterus? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

1/2 The liver is a highly dependent upon nutrients to function properly. There are 4 things that can hinder the absorption of nutrients in the liver:

1) Processed foods
2)Toxins
3) Bioavailability
4) Long-term medication usage

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

2/2 When the liver is not being nourished with nutrients, it can not make the cells that communicate with the neurons that are controlling the functions of the uterus.#FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

1/3 One way that we can improve our reproductive health is by minimize the amount of grains that we are consuming. Many people who want to eat healthier tend to fill their plates up with grains. Grains are healthy BUT overconsuming grains can be counterproductive because:

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

2/3
1) Most commercially produced products like bread, still contain the anti-nutrients that prevent us from absorbing the nutrients in grains.
2) Eating large amounts of grains daily can cause the pancreas to produce too much of a hormone called insulin.#FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

3/3 3) Some grains like wheat are processed. When your liver gets too busy breaking down processed foods, it doesn’t have time to metabolize your hormones, which causes excessive amounts of hormones to be thrown your bloodstream. #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

Ok, that is interesting, so really we should be eating grains in moderation #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

Absolutely. Small portions are fine. If you eat bread, try making you own at home so that you can ferment the grain so that the anti-nutrients are ineffective. #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

What are the best foods for a healthy uterus, @selfcareandfood?
#fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

1/2 The foods that are the most beneficial to our uterine health are all types of whole foods. Eating a variety of whole foods regularly improves the bioavailbility of the liver because the liver requires some nutrients to be paired in order to improve absorption. #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

2/2 For example, black pepper improves the absorption of turmeric. Plus, the liver has the ability to heal it’s with the help of various nutrients. Healing the liver can improve upon the health of the uterus. #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

.Do you have any diet tips or advice you can share for women who already have fibroids? Would the advice be the same? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

1/2 I would advise anyone who is already suffering with fibroids to minimize processed foods, drink less caffeine, eliminate alcohol and opt for natural healing remedies instead medication(if possible) for 3 months. #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

2/2 This gives the liver the time that it needs to create new cells that can repair tissue damage or congestion in the liver. This can help to heal minor uterine issues, minimize symptoms or prevent new uterine issues from reoccurring after a uterine surgery #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

The most common concern that I hear about reproductive health is “Should I try to heal an reproductive ailment naturally or with surgery?” I think it depends on the severity of the problem. You need to see a physician to know exactly how minor/urgent the problem is #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

Yes, we hear that a lot too.. Many women would prefer more natural approaches to addressing their reproductive health issues #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

1/2 #FibroidsChat One of the BEST things that anyone can do outside of eating healthy food to promote their uterine health is to start gardening. Start growing small plants in doors until you feel more confident into growing your own TOXIC-FREE produce.

This is why:

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

2/2
1) Plants will eliminate toxins in your house.
2) There are establishments that are paying for you NOT to have access to foods that keep you from filling up pharmaceutical companies pockets.
3) It will save you $ on produce because organic food is beyond high😂 #FibroidsChat

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

If you’re looking for natural self-healing food practices that will help you balance your hormones in order to promote a healthy reproductive system, check out my blog>> https://t.co/RL0VFVdLyj

To contact me email me at Laterriapatton@gmail.com#FibroidsChat pic.twitter.com/tlxdv4EfWK

— Laterria Patton (@selfcareandfood) February 21, 2018

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for this #fibroidschat we hope you found it useful! We really did #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@TheLakeFound) February 21, 2018

On Wednesday,  we were so excited to host our third fibroids Twitter chat. We were joined by special guest Dr Sydney Dillard, CEO of Fighting Fibroids to discuss the symptoms and diagnosis of fibroids.  If you missed it you can check out our conversation below.

Hello all, it’s @AbiBegho here and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to The Lake Foundation’s #fibroids #TwitterChat. #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

Today we’ll be discussing the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of #fibroids. We’ll be putting questions to our special guest. #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

I’m delighted to introduce our guest, @DrSydneyjd. Please tell us a bit about who you are and what you do. #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

Thank you for having me. I am a wife, mother, daughter, and professor who has dedicated her life to addressing fibroids #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

Wonderful! Thank you for joining us again. You’re becoming a regular 🙂 Great to have you tonight #fibroidschat.

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

Ok, we’ll get going with our discussion. Tonight we’re focusing on the #symptoms, #diagnosis and #treatment of #fibroids. #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

.@DrSydneyjd, let’s start at the beginning. How would a woman know she has fibroids? What are the symptoms? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

Great Q. There are numerous symptoms. The most common include heavy bleeding, pain in the abdomen, lower back, and cramp #fibroidschat pt1

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

while others symptoms may include decreased fertility. #fibroidschat pt2

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

Those are a lot of #symptoms! Do women get all of those symptoms or just some of them and what is the most common #symptom? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

Symptoms vary across women so it’s difficult to say, but heavy periods seems to rise to the top as most common often times #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

.@DrSydneyjd What other conditions may be associated with these symptoms? Other gynae conditions may have similar symptoms? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

There are a handful of other conditions associated with similar symptoms such as PCOS, ovarian cysts, polyps, etc #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

.@DrSydneyjd If a woman thinks she has symptoms what should she do? Should she go straight to her doctor or wait and see? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

Depending on her level of discomfort, she can choose. I always suggest getting checked out as being informed. Trust yourself #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

.@DrSydneyjd How would a doctor/gynaecologist diagnose fibroids? What tests are done? #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

Fibroids can be found through numerous methods including ultrasound, lab tests, MRI, hysteroscopy, and other imaging tests. #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

Can you tell us what a #hysteroscopy is? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

Quite difficult to explain via twitter 😅. But in short a small lighted telescope is inserted into the cervix. #fibroidschat pt1

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

Saline is also injected to help examine the walls of the uterus in search of the fibroids #fibroidschat pt2

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

Do these tests give doctors a good picture of the womb so they can see whether a #fibroid is present? Can they miss them? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

Unfortunately, yes. Fibroids are easily missed because they can be found in all sorts of places with the uterine cavity #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

#fibroidschat What would you suggest someone does if they feel their symptoms are not being taken seriously?

— thefibroidforum (@fibroidforum) May 3, 2017

Great q. I always say trust yourself. Remember it’s the docs opinion, so i suggest getting a 2nd or even a 3rd opinion #fibroidschat pt1

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

There are plenty of woman and other ways to gain support so that your voice is heard and your experience is validated #fibroidschat pt2.

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

There are plenty of woman and other ways to gain support so that your voice is heard and your experience is validated #fibroidschat pt2.

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

@ThekindDiva Mine sure did! 😞 #FibroidsChat

— thefibroidforum (@fibroidforum) May 3, 2017

Another great q. They certainly can. In fact depending on how early you have them removed, they may be more likely to return #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

that’s not great to hear 😢

— Sheena Simpson (@ThekindDiva) May 3, 2017

I know…but u are more informed now. I wish we had time to talk through ways to minimize their return

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

Sorry to hear that! ☹️. We hope you’re ok. #FibroidsChat https://t.co/BCrDO7QIc5

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

@DrSydneyjd @ThekindDiva Thank you. Change of diet, increased exercise and UAE procedure & I’m doing alright 😊 #FibroidsChat

— thefibroidforum (@fibroidforum) May 3, 2017

.@DrSydneyjd if people would like to find out more about your work, how can they? Do you have a website? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

Yep! Find me at https://t.co/zKw9ilkpyj or check out some of my work in Women’s Reproductive Health Journal. TY for having me #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) May 3, 2017

Sadly, we’ve come to the end of our #TwitterChat. A big big thank you to @DrSydneyjd for being such a wonderful guest. #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) May 3, 2017

#fibroidschat @TheLakeFound @DrSydneyjd @ThekindDiva Great chat as always. Thanks everyone!

— thefibroidforum (@fibroidforum) May 3, 2017

Last night, we were so excited to host our first fibroids Twitter chat. We were joined by special guests Dr Sydney Dillard, CEO of Fighting Fibroids and Renee Brown Small Co-founder of The Fibroids Project with host, our own Abi Begho, founder of The Lake Foundation.

If you missed our Twitter chat you can check out our conversation below and look out for our next Twitter chat on Wednesday 15th February at 7pm (UK time).

Update June 2018: Please note that tweets from Renee Brown Small are no longer available so some information is missing from the chat below.

Hello all, it’s @AbiBegho here and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to The Lake Foundation’s first #fibroids #Twitter chat. #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

Fibroids are a common, but rarely spoken about #WomensHealth issue and we want to raise awareness and provide women with info #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

Fibroids are a common, but rarely spoken about #WomensHealth issue and we want to raise awareness and provide women with info #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

Over the next hour we’ll be putting questions to our guests, @DrSydneyjd and @FibroidsProject on a variety of issues. #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

There will be time for you to make comments and ask our guests questions. #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

It’s a pleasure to be a part if this much needed discussion about uterine fibroids. Thank you for having us @TheLakeFound ! #FibroidsChat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) January 18, 2017

It’s a pleasure to introduce our guests.First, Renee Brown Small, from @FibroidsProject .Please tell us a bit about yourself. #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

It’s a pleasure to introduce our guests.First, Renee Brown Small, from @FibroidsProject .Please tell us a bit about yourself. #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

We also have @DrSydneyjd from Fighting #Fibroids. Please tell us a bit about who you are and what you do. #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

I am an Asst. Professor of Communication @CMNDePaul Univ. Health campaign developer. Wife, mother, daughter! #FibroidsChat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) January 18, 2017

So… let’s start at the beginning. @FibroidsProject can you tell us what exactly are fibroids? #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

#fibroidschat #Fibroids are benign smooth muscle tumors of the uterus. This is the what an opened uterus looks like after surgery#RxForLife pic.twitter.com/sNsC3Ih28L

— Crystal Moore MD/PhD (@drcrystalamoore) January 18, 2017

Thank you. We understand that there are different types of #fibrods. @DrSydneyjd can you take us through the different types? #fibroidschat https://t.co/X719hKxUPq

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

Thank you. We understand that there are different types of #fibrods. @DrSydneyjd can you take us through the different types? #fibroidschat https://t.co/X719hKxUPq

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

The four are defined by their location in the uterus. More photos at https://t.co/MrTGm2sTLQ 2/2 #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) January 18, 2017

Ok, it looks like we don’t have any questions. So let move to the next question. @fibroidsproject What causes fibroids? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

Thank you. It’s a shame the cause isn’t known as it does make prevention a bit difficult. #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

We might not know the cause, do you know factors increase a women’r risk of developing #fibroids? @FibroidsProject @DrSydneyjd #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

Some factors that increase your risk include heredity, race/ethnicity, early onset of one’s period, weight, and diet #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) January 18, 2017

#fibroidschat Here are some factors that can affect the risk of developing #fibroids.#RxForLife pic.twitter.com/TFvBT6gIzg

— Crystal Moore MD/PhD (@drcrystalamoore) January 18, 2017

Thank you. Quite a few factors affect risk. So what specific steps could women take to reduce their risk? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

Unfortunately some of the risk factors are out of our hands, but we have some flexibility w/others like diet/weight etc. #fibroidschat 1/2

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) January 18, 2017

New studies show decreasing the intake of foods high in estrogen and increasing intake of green leafy veggies is a start #fibroidschat 2/2

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) January 18, 2017

@TheLakeFound Which foods have estrogen in them? Or would it be simpler to say which do not? #fibroidschat

— Jo Richards (@NearerNature) January 18, 2017

How much time do you have 😅?! There is estrogen in so many foods. I always suggest staying away from red meats as a first step #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) January 18, 2017

#fibroidschat Here are some foods high in #estrogen #FibroidsChat pic.twitter.com/6VVS5vy3sX

— Crystal Moore MD/PhD (@drcrystalamoore) January 18, 2017

Great example of what I meant! Lots of foods have estrogen, but we also have to worry about artificial vs natural estrogen. #fibroidschat https://t.co/qN9sgzP6VM

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) January 18, 2017

Can we just highlight that Soy is a major concern and should be avoided. Vegans are particularly vulnerable #fibroidschat

— Jo Richards (@NearerNature) January 18, 2017

yes soya is such a major hormone disrupter that i still a staple in many vegetarians & vegans diets

— Leah Salmon (@naturalyoucoach) January 18, 2017

This is another great point, but I always note not demonize soy as there are conflicting studies on it’s impact at the moment #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) January 18, 2017

@FibroidsProject Fibroids are more common in black women? Why is this? #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) January 18, 2017

At this time there isn’t enough research to pinpoint why this fibroids are so common especially given the many risk factors #fibroidschat

— Dr. Sydney Dillard (@DrSydneyjd) January 18, 2017