OH Services will be launching their four-week Emotional Impact of Fibroids online course on 7th November. This course is aimed at women who have been affected by fibroids, professionals who would like to support and understand their clients better and family members and friends who would like to learn more about fibroids so they can help their loved ones.

The course will be led by Olivia Haltman who is an accredited Integrative Humanistic Counsellor and an Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapist.  She is also a member of British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), EMDR UK & Ireland and BAATN (Black and Asian Therapist Network). Ms Haltman has over 10 years experience working in the mental health sector having worked for organisations like Mind and established her organisation to support people who want to develop their lives on a personal level and reach their best potential. Of her approach to tackling mental health issues she says:

“I believe everyone is different, with unique needs and aspirations so I use an integrative approach to apply and integrate the most suitable solutions for my clients. Within my practice, I also apply (where necessary) a holistic approach to help clients enjoy the essential benefits of wellbeing and healing processes.”

The Aim of the Course

This course will empower attendees, enabling them to

• Get an understanding of how fibroids affect your emotions and life
• Create a stepping stone to start a routine to work on their self-care
• Create their own self-care plan
• Learn how to support and understand others with fibroids
• Start a self-development journey to improve their general wellbeing

It will be interactive and include: a lecture, break out exercises, Q & A, guest speakers, home work, hand-outs and a Certificate of Attendance upon attending the full 4 weeks.

Why Four Weeks? 

Usually workshops or seminars are a few hours with very important information, but once these sessions are over many people go back to their normal routine and lose motivation.  With a four week course OH Services will help you start to create a habit and assist you in dealing with what is going on in your life. This is a journey of reflection to explore how your emotions and fibroids are linked.

To give an extra boost to your journey OH Services has added a BONUS week (week 5) a few weeks after the course ends so you can check-in and monitor your progress.

We’ve Teamed Up With OH Services

We’re delighted to have formed a partnership with OH Services. We’ll be hosting a Fibroids Self-Care Webinar Series which starts on 27th October with a session on Fibroids, Diet and Hormones. The first few people who register for our webinar can claim a £5 discount on OH Services’ online course in November.

And, if you’ve already registered for the OH Services course and were one of the first 10 people to do so, you can claim a 10% discount on one of the seminars in our Fibroids Self-Care Series.

More Information

For more information you can visit OH Services Eventbrite page, visit their website or email us

Disclosure: this post contains an affiliate link. Find out more here

We are delighted to let you know that registration for our Fibroids Self-Care Webinar Series is now open! Our series starts on Saturday 27th October at 11am AST/4pm GMT with a session led by Le’Nise Brothers, a Registered Nutritional Therapist and the Founder of Eat Love Move.

Le’Nise will deliver a webinar on Fibroids, Diet and Hormones giving attendees the opportunity to learn about the role that hormones play in the development of fibroids and how simple changes to your diet may improve symptoms.

Discounted Early Bird Tickets Are Now Available

Early bird tickets for this webinar are now available and are just $10 (about £8) and you can book your tickets on Eventbrite 

We Have A Special Giveaway Just For You

We’re pleased to let you know that the first 10 people who register for this webinar will be entered into a giveaway and one lucky person will win a copy of the book ‘Flow Fighters – How I Kicked My Fibroids and Heavy Periods to the Curb’ by Holly Bridges.

We’re also delighted to have formed a partnership with OH Services who will be launching their ‘Emotional Impact of Fibroids’ online course in November 2018.  The first 10 people to register for our webinar on 27th October 2018 can claim a £5 discount on the cost of the OH Services course.

Other Webinars in this Series

Other webinars in the series will include:

Session 2: Deciding on the Best Treatment For You, Apryll Chase, Consultant Gynaecologist, 5th December 2018

Session 3: The Importance of Exercise, Relaxation and Me-Time, Candice Bryan, Founder and CEO, Noire Wellness, 23rd February 2019

Session 4: Hair and Body Care for Women With Fibroids, Rachael and Jocelyn, Founders of Afrocenchix, April 2019 (To be confirmed)

Session 5: Dealing with the Emotional Impact of Fibroids, Olivia Haltman, Founder, OH Services, June 2019

Session 6: Our Fibroids Stories – A Time to Share, August 2019

More Information 

We hope that you’ll join us on 27th October for this really interesting online event and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at events@lakehealthandwellbeing.com or visit our Eventbrite page

Disclosure: this post contains an affiliate link. Find out more here

We’re delighted to announce that our July Fibroids Twitter Chat will be with Jenny Rosenberg on 25th July 2018 at 2pm EST (that’s 7pm GMT, or 2pm AST).

Jenny Rosenberg is the Executive Director of CARE About Fibroids and is an internationally recognized leader in health care policy and strategic communications. Mrs. Rosenberg served for more than a decade in senior-level policy and communications positions in the Obama Administration and Congress.

Previously, Mrs. Rosenberg was Director of Communications to former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin and former U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard Koh. ​Her broad experience as a regulator, policymaker and communications expert brings a comprehensive, multifaceted approach to enhancing public awareness over critical public health issues.

CARE About Fibroids is a Washington, DC-based non-profit whose mission is to elevate uterine fibroids as a women’s health issue and drive change. Bringing together many of the nation’s most respected women’s health advocacy and policy-focused organizations to advance solutions, CARE About Fibroids is a catalyst for increased awareness, research and education about uterine fibroids, leading to earlier diagnosis and improved treatment.

Join our #FibroidsChat to find out more about the great work that CARE About Fibrioids is conducting. To take part in the conversation find us on Twitter on 25th July at  2pm (US EST and 7pmGMT ) and use the hashtag #FibroidsChat.

You can find out more about CARE About Fibroids here: www.careaboutfibroids.org and you can follow CARE About Fibroids on social media:

Twitter: @CAREAbtFibroids

Facebook: @CareAboutFibroids

Are you interested in this topic? Then please do sign up to our fibroids mailing list here

Back in December 2017 the European Medicines Agency announced that it had started an in-depth review on Esmya (ulipristal acetate), a drug widely used to treat fibroids. This in-depth review was conducted following four reports of serious injury with three of these patients having to have a liver transplant. After receiving these reports an initial assessment of these cases was carried out and it was determined that Esmya was indeed the cause of the liver damage, therefore the EMA started a more comprehensive review.

The EMA has now concluded its review on Esmya and in June 2018 published new measures to minimise the risk of rare but serious liver injury that could be caused by Esmya. They recommended that the use of Esmya be restricted and that more research be conducted to gain a better understanding of how Esmya effects the liver and whether the measures they have introduced will, in fact, be effective at minimising the risk of liver damage.

EMA’s Safety Measures for Esmya

The specific measures that the EMA has introduced are:

• Esmya should not be prescribed to patients who have liver problems
• A liver test should be performed before a patient starts taking Esmya and if the test is abnormal the drug should not be prescribed
• Patients should have liver tests during and after treatment
• If no liver problems are detected, a single course of Esmya can be used in women who are about to have surgery for their fibroids; Esmya can be used for more than one course only in women who cannot have surgery
• A card should be included in the package for Esmya with information on the risk of liver damage and the need for liver monitoring
• Patients should stop treatment and contact their doctor immediately if they develop symptoms of liver injury, which include tiredness, yellowing of the skin, darkening of the urine, nausea and vomiting
• Patients with questions or concerns about their treatment should speak to their doctor or pharmacist.

More Information

For more information about the EMA’s review, please visit their website here or download their information sheet below.

Keep up-to-date on fibroids news as well as our upcoming fibroids webinar series by signing up to our fibroids newsletter here

Disclosure: this post contains an affiliate link. Find out more here

Wednesday 11th July, 2018

Today we provide an update on two upcoming events – our Chronic Disease Self-Management Course and our Fibroids Self-Care Webinar Series. We also talk briefly about changes to our podcast schedule.

We’re so happy to announce that our June Fibroids Twitter Chat will be with Angèle  Mbarga on 21^st June 2018 at 6:30pm CEST (that’s 5:30pm GMT, or 12:30pm AST).

Angèle  Mbarga is the Founder of Fibrome Info France which she established in 2011 to provide a place of healing dedicated to women suffering from fibroids. Angèle’s personal experience with fibroids motivated her to start Fibrome Info France to fill the gaps in support that she noticed when she was first diagnosed.

Through their support groups, Fibrome Info France supports over 1500 women every year, they assess women’s personal circumstances and then match them with a relevant support plan. In addition to providing support to women, they raise awareness, provide information on the complications of fibroids and are working towards improving the care that women receive.

They released an awareness video in 2012, in 2013 they published an information leaflet in collaboration with the Ministry of Women’s Rights and the Regional Council of Ile-de-France and in 2014 they worked with doctors to create an information and supportive guide for patients.

Fibrome Info France is making a significant difference in France and you can learn more about their work in our upcoming #FibroidsChat. To take part in the conversation find us on Twitter on 21st June at  6:30pm (French time) and use the hashtag #FibroidsChat.

You can find out more about Fibrome Info France here: http://fibrome-info-france.org/

Wednesday 30th May, 2018

In today’s episode of our podcast we speak to Jo-Ann Hamilton, the founder of Secret Birds, about her 10-year journey with fibroids.

In today’s blog we are delighted to hear from  Angèle Mbarga the founder of Fibrome Info France. Angèle shares her personal experience with fibroids, explains why she started Fibrome Info France, talks a bit about the situation in France and discusses the excellent work her organisation is doing to support women with fibroids. 

I had a surgery by laparotomy in 2010. In January 2011, when creating the association Fibrome Info France, I had no idea just how vast my job would be. The only thing I was sure of was the absolute need to have a place of healing dedicated to women suffering from uterine fibroids. This shelter will be their place where they would find a sympathetic ear and be able to share their own experience in a mutual aid environment. I had the vision of a modern sisterhood where every woman physically injured and hurt in her inner self, intimacy can henceforth stop and they would be able to talk openly, place a word on her pain without any judgement. My objective was to offer to women what had so badly missed in my time when I had to face fibroids for the very first time. Fibrome Info France is my plea a distress call of a woman wrecked by the violence of fibroids.

My fibroids were out of control, disabling and hemorrhagic.  My symptoms were blood clots with throbbing pelvic pains sometimes. Untimely and chaotic bleedings were my sad daily reality. My life was completely turned upside down. I had no menstrual cycle reference anymore. I had no life anyway. Fibroids were killing me softly. Periods and unusual bleeding got mixed up and caught me in an endless, disturbing and distorted cycle in a completely crazy pace. I was in hell! At office, in meetings, when hanging out with friends, in restaurants, in my own car or in common transportation, anywhere. Always this inopportune and incessant flow of blood gushing from me! There were no sanitary pads that could help me out with stopping this. Fibroids gave me no place for neither private nor professional life. It was like holding a time bomb in my womb with the difference that I had no idea when the explosion would happen.

While recovering from my surgery at hospital, I made a promise to myself to help those women with fibroids issues. They should not face the lack of information about this disease anymore. They should not go through the fibroids complications alone either. Once this idea sprouted in my mind I put all resources and forces I had to make it happen as quickly as possible. And in January 2011, Fibrome Info France was born. Our association assists through our support groups, every year we help over 1500 women to overcome their profound distress caused by this disease. Uterine fibroma is a disease that affects the woman in the depths of her intimacy and in some cases affects fertility. Its development and complications vary from one woman to another. But a widely spread cliché makes one  believe that fibroids are asymptomatic hence do not require any specific care. However, witnesses and S.O.S messages received by our association prove the need for information and support of women severely exposed to this disease which has a strong consequences and significant impacts on their intimacy, their professional and social life.

Uterine fibroma is the most frequent non-cancerous tumor that affects women in childbearing age. It represents also the first cause of uterus ablation in France, over 75000 every year. Physicians who are experienced in the care of this condition are of the opinion that African-Caribbean women develop fibroids at a younger age than the average and are prone to a higher rate of recurrence as well. The specific cases of young women who might likely relapse therefore exposed to repetitive surgeries raises the question of the preservation of the uterus and fertility. As the founder of Fibrome Info France, I assess on a daily basis women’s expectations with regards to this disease in order to have a good match with our actions towards them. The key challenge for our association is the information and awareness of women about the symptoms and complications of uterine fibroids in terms of basic prevention. We also provide tangible and lasting actions to improve the care of uterine fibroids and fight against its banalization.

In 2012, our first awareness video was released as well as our first information campaign. Both were financed by myself. In 2013, with the support of the then Ministry of Women’s Rights and the Regional Council of Ile-de-France, an informational leaflet was published. We also launched our second information campaign. In 2014, in partnership with doctors who support our action we developed and informative and supportive guide for patients and for the rest of the medical corps that are still underestimating the impacts of uterine fibroids as well. Around ten centres fully dedicated to diagnose and to the care of fibroids were opened in several hospitals in Paris and in other French provinces. All of our actions aim to respond to the need for information by women suffering from uterine fibroids and the imperative requirement to guide them on their therapeutic path. Our association will turn 7 on June 30!  To celebrate our achievements and alert the public about fibroids’ impacts we will hold an open house day in our premises. We invite anyone who is keen on acting for women’s health and rights to come and join us in our fight to improve the care of uterine fibroids, for the preservation of the uterus and the fertility of women suffering from fibroids.

Angèle MBARGA
Founder
Fibrome Info France

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We would like to thank Angèle Mbarga for sharing her inspirational story with us and applaud her for the fantastic work she has done in establishing Fibrome Info France and providing much-needed support to women in France who have been affected by fibroids. To find out more about  Fibrome Info France you can visit their website or connect with them on social media. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fibrome-Info-France-233050816814726/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fibromeinfofr 

Disclosure: this post contains an affiliate link. Find out more here

Wednesday 16th May, 2018

We’ve had a  lot of interesting meetings, which we’re quite exited about so we thought we’d take a few minutes to update you on what we’ve been planning. 

We’re delighted to let you know that OH Services will be launching their first set of live online courses. Their first course will be on fibroids and will explore the emotional impact of fibroids. The course will be led by counsellor Olivia Haltman and will run over several weeks. This new course will allow attendees to:

• Look deeper into how fibroids can affect a woman’s emotions
• Explore how they can effectively change their wellbeing
• Focus on themselves and their healing
• Take their emotional awareness to another level

This course is open to women affected by fibroids, friends or family members of fibroids sufferers and health professionals who would like to better understand this issue so they can support their patients.

You can register your interest in taking this online course here  and if you have any questions about the course, please  email OH Services , call them on 00 44 577 565 218 or follow them on Twitter (@OHServices2018)

To find out more about OH Services, you can read our blog post here or visit their website.  You can also listen to our interview with Olivia Haltman about the emotional impact of fibroids by clicking on the link below.

Episode 7: We talk to counsellor Olivia Haltman about the emotional impact of fibroids