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

 

Our July 2018  #FibroidsChat was with Jenny Rosenberg, the Executive Director of CARE About Fibroids.

CARE About Fibroids is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit 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.

If you missed this Twitter chat you can read through the highlights of our conversation below and if you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments section at the bottom of this page or send us an email, we’d love to hear from you. Additionally, you can read the highlights of our previous #FibroidsChats here

Now, drum roll please…🙂. It’s my pleasure to introduce our guest Jenny Rosenberg, @CAREAbtFibroids

Welcome Jenny and thank you so much for taking part in this Twitter chat, it’s a pleasure to have you. Please can you tell our audience a bit about yourself #FibroidsChat (3/3)

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

You’re welcome! Our organization has been very much looking forward to this #FibroidsChat. We find these chats to be incredibly informative and engaging.

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Ok, we have a few people that have joined us. Hello all!

We’ll go ahead and get started with our first question: Jenny, what motivated you to move into your current role at CARE About Fibroids @CAREAbtFibroids #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

I have always been passionate about women’s health and women’s health care. (1/2) #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Serving as Executive Director of CARE About Fibroids is an opportunity to help women in the U.S. – a majority of whom suffer from uterine fibroids but know very little about the condition and their treatment options. (2/2) #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

This seems to be a global issue as we have found that in many countries despite how common fibroids are, there isn’t an awareness of what them and treatment options. #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

You’re absolutely right. That’s why organizations such as yours are so important to help educate and promote more awareness.

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

I totally agree it is global and therefore this chat is so important and connect globally will help raise the bring awareness.

— OH Services (@OHServices2018) July 25, 2018

Based on your experience so far, what have been most important lessons you have learnt about fibroids and their impact on women? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

I’d say the one of the most important lessons we’ve learned is that fibroids carry a significant emotional and economic toll in addition to the obvious physical symptoms. Too many women with severe symptoms often feel helpless and worry about potential health complications. (1/2)

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

This. This right here, emotionally and mentally it is draining.

— Olliviette (@olliviette) July 25, 2018

Definitely true. As a society, we need to be pushing for more patient-centric care when it comes to fibroid treatment. #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Many other women who suffer delay their diagnosis and are resigned to tough it out. We need to do a better job of promoting more information awareness about treatment options and pushing back against stigma that might deter women from seeking treatment. (2/2) #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Absolutely. We need to inform women with accurate information and empower them to talk to their health care professionals about treatment. And you’re not alone if you’re asking, “What Are Fibroids?” We have answers: https://t.co/lPknefmtWH #FibroidsChat https://t.co/oD5F09ETsp

— HealthyWomen.org (@HealthyWomen) July 25, 2018

Agreed! Informing women about #fibroids and all of their treatment options is so important. We hope you’ll also include uterine fibroid embolization (#UFE) on your treatment list. Here’s more about this minimally invasive option! #FibroidsChat https://t.co/9Tdo5JSv7E

— SocInterventionalRad (@SIRspecialists) July 25, 2018

Yes and tough it out is the key word as then woman stop speaking about it and just go on struggling alone thinking its normal or okay. They are not alone and they should know there is help and support.

— OH Services (@OHServices2018) July 25, 2018

Absolutely agree! Women need to know they’re not alone–AND health care professionals cannot brush off their pain or experiences. #FibroidsChat

— HealthyWomen.org (@HealthyWomen) July 25, 2018

We’ll move on to our next question for Jenny: Can you tell us about the work that @CAREAbtFibroids does? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

Right now, we are working to mobilize a broad spectrum of women’s health advocates to build greater awareness of uterine fibroids. This work includes the establishment of our steering committee, which you can read more about here: https://t.co/UFc3VmxyHF (1/3)

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Are you members mostly America-based organisations? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

Yes, given that we’re a relatively new organization, we are focusing on building our membership domestically.

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

We are also working to establish a broad-based membership of stakeholder organizations that can help us advance increased awareness, research and education about uterine fibroids. You can read more about some of these stakeholder organizations here: https://t.co/XdQdZYMYGa (2/3)

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Additionally, we are working to build our patient network. We just launched a call for first-hand stories from patients who have experienced symptomatic uterine fibroids. https://t.co/tsmT6QiK2a (3/3)

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Great to hear of all that you’re doing. This is really interesting.

I think one area that you’re exploring is research into fibroids. Research is such a key area and we wanted to get your thoughts on what the priorities should be for research into fibroids? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

First and foremost there needs to be an increased investment in overall research. We need to have an abundance of information into new treatments and mechanisms for earlier diagnosis. (1/4) #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

We are currently developing a white paper on uterine fibroids that seeks to answer some of the common questions about the disease (2/4) #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

These questions include: When is the right time to see the doctor? How does a patient choose if, when, and how to treat symptomatic fibroids? How do women and their families deal with the physical and emotional toll of fibroids? (3/4)

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

We believe that by asking and answering questions such as these, we can do better for women and their families by raising more awareness of this condition. (4/4) #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Yeah I personally find it frustrating that the cause of #fibroids is not known and why it affects black women so…where that research 😑📝🔬

— Olliviette (@olliviette) July 25, 2018

Yes, there are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to #fibroids and the need to push for more research. Fibroids are more common in black women and it’s thought to be due to a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

Them peas and rice days coming to haunt me. Lawd. #fibroidschat #fixit #imanewcreation

— Olliviette (@olliviette) July 25, 2018

Lol but the good thing is that you are changing it now. We did not know then what we know now so improvement is coming #fibroidchat

— OH Services (@OHServices2018) July 25, 2018

Thanks @OHServices2018 nearly missed the #Fibroidschat @CAREAbtFibroids @lakehealthwell @olliviette It’s great to see more #fibroid orgs Internationally

— Fibroid Network UK (@fibroidsupport) July 25, 2018

From your experience, so far, what are the biggest challenges that women, in the US, with fibroids face? #fibroidschat @CAREAbtFibroids

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

Despite their prevalence, there is a considerable amount of misinformation about fibroid symptoms and treatments. This prompts women to forgo or delay treatment, causing more long-term suffering and increased treatment cost. We’ve got to push back against this (1/2) #fibroidschat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

and ensure that women who suffer have an abundance of information about symptoms, treatment options, etc. (2/2)

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

.@CAREAbtFibroids What do you think needs to be done to address these challenges (by doctors, the Government, charities etc)? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

It’s important for us to break down barriers to access for women’s health care, and promote legitimate information about symptoms, causes, and treatment options for uterine fibroids. (1/2) #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Our governments, physicians, groups like ours, etc. must emphasize that there is no one-size-fits all treatment. We must work to promote patient-centric treatments that work best for the individual patient. (2/2) #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

.@CAREAbtFibroids What has been the most surprising thing you have learnt since working on fibroids? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

How many women have suffered from uterine fibroids and that if an organization like CARE About Fibroids had existed years ago many women would not be in the dark about this condition. #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Y’all keep working so it can get better. That was the past, only thing to do is help illuminate women and fam in the future. 👊🏾

— Olliviette (@olliviette) July 25, 2018

@CAREAbtFibroids To date, what has been your proudest moment with regards to CARE About Fibroids’ achievements? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

I would say hearing from so many women who have experienced symptomatic fibroids that there is a need for our organization and that by raising awareness of uterine fibroids (1/2) #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

and educating about the condition plus the options women have for treatment we are going to make a difference in the lives of women and their loved ones for the better. (2/2) #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Wow, time is really flying! We’re coming towards the end of our #fibroidschat. If you have any questions for Jenny Rosenberg, the Executive Director of @CAREAbtFibroids, please do tweet them to us.

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

Just keep up the work Jenny #fibroidschat

— Olliviette (@olliviette) July 25, 2018

.@CAREAbtFibroids What tips/advice would you give to women living with fibroids? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

I would say three things. 1 – Know that you aren’t alone 2 – Don’t delay your visit to the doctor or OBGYN and 3 – Choose the treatment that works best for your individual needs. #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Our final question before we start wrapping up: Jenny, is there anything that you would like to see happen globally to improve the situation for women? Any global approaches that you think could be useful? @CAREAbtFibroids #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

First and foremost we need more awareness about symptoms and treatment of uterine fibroids in order to push back the stigma that associates periods with embarrassment and disgust. (1/2) #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

We also need well-funded research into treatment options so that we can continue to develop more options for women with fibroids. (2/2)

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Again, there is no one-size fits all treatment to symptomatic fibroids. But the more treatment options we have and the more women and their providers know about them, the more we can begin to address the individual needs of women who suffer. #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

If anyone would like to find out more about @CAREAbtFIbroids, contact your organisation or get involved in your work, how can they do this? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

Please visit our website https://t.co/yO9sMD5u49. We have curated a lot of information that we hope can serve as a useful tool for women seeking to learn more about fibroids. You can also contact us here: https://t.co/C6RAeRVGIW

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Great, thank you for sharing. We’ll make sure we point people in your direction. Thank you so much for joining us today, it has been really informative. We wish you every success with all the work that you’re doing and look forward to seeing your white paper #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

Thank you so much! We are honored to have been your guest this month. Looking forward to speaking with you again soon! #FibroidsChat

— CAREAboutFibroids (@CAREAbtFibroids) July 25, 2018

Thank u everyone for joining our #FibroidsChat today. We’ll be taking a break for the #summer and hope to back with another #FibroidsChat in September. We hope you found this chat useful and if you have any further questions, please do email us an info@lakehealthandwellebing.com

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

Many thanks for this #FibroidsChat @lakehealthwell A pleasure as always. Have a Great Summer #July #FibroidsAwarenessMonth

— Fibroid Network UK (@fibroidsupport) July 25, 2018

For those of you who joined our #fibroidschat today and are looking for more support, @OHServices2018 are launching their 4-week online course on the emotional impact of fibroids. You can find out more here: https://t.co/Xcyq5ilDRK@olliviette, @The1980rules, @NoToFibroids

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) July 25, 2018

Sorry missed the chat during the course of work…thank you for helping raise Awareness about #fibroids and being an #advocate .#FibroidsChat #FibroidAwarenessMonth

— Keith Pereira MD, #Vascular_Irad (@keithppereira) July 25, 2018

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

On 21st June we were delighted to host a  Fibroids Twitter Chat featuring Angèle  Mbarga.

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.

If you missed this Twitter chat you can read through the highlights of our conversation below and if you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments section at the bottom of this page or send us an email, we’d love to hear from you.

Hello Twitter family, it’s our pleasure to welcome you to another one of our #fibroids #TwitterChats.

Today, we’re absolutely delighted to have as a guest Angèle Mbarga, the founder of @FibromeInfoFr (1/3) #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Hi everybody, i’m Angèle Mbarga, founder and CEO of Fibrome Info France, an organization in charge of women suffering from uterine fibroids in France. 1/3 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Fibrome Info France has a three-fold missions namely: to inform and alert women about uterine fibroids, to assist those who have already developed fibroids, and the last one but not the least, the enhancement of fibroids’ cares in France. 2/3 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

I’m delighted to share my experience with all of you, and I want to thank Abi, the founder of Lake Health & Wellbeing, for the wonderful idea she had to invite me to this fibroids chat. 3/3 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Q1: Angele, you have an incredible bio, so let’s start at the beginning; you have had personal experience with #fibroids. Can you tell us a bit about your experience? @FibromeInfoFr #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

My fibroids were diagnosed in February 2008 further to pelvic unbearable and sharp pains. The pelvic ultrasound realized in emergency by doctors unveiled that my pains are due to a necrobiosis caused by my fibroids. And that’s how it all started! 1/2 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Necrobiosis is nothing more than the infarction of fibroids. It is the severe form of complication of fibroids which may require emergency surgery, especially when the necrobiosis is over supplied with blood. 2/2 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

We’re so sorry to hear of the experience that you had with #fibroids and hope that you recovered well and are ok now. It must have been significant challenge. #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Q2. What was the most challenging aspect of having fibroids? #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Yes it was a big challenge! The first time the doctor told me I have fibroids, I was dumbfounded! My gynecologist of that time never alerted me about fibroids. I barely knew what they were as I had some relatives who had surgery because of fibroids. 1/3 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

My ordeal lasted almost 2 years during which untimely bleedings and haemorrhages were my daily reality. Their impacts on my day-to-day life especially on my social life and my relationship were disastrous. This latter were going downhill fast. 2/3 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

I was operated by laparotomy in January 2010, after several months of medical wandering. Now i’m doing well. 3/3 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Q3: What would you say that you have learnt from your experience? #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Further to my experience I am now certain that women have to act for their own health in order not to just undergo medical decisions that are proposed to us, but also to change the care of uterine fibroids. 1/2 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Just like all women fights, such as the right to contraception or the right to abortion, women with fibroids must go down in the arena to move the lines. We must be carriers of changes if we want doctors rethink of the care of fibroids. 2/2 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Q4: You founded Fibrome Info France in 2011, can you tell us what motivated you start your organisation? @FibromeInfoFr #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

I created Fibrome Info France to avoid to women suffering from fibroids to experience what I been through. I remember that after hearing the doctor diagnostic my first action was to rush on internet looking for an organization dedicated to fibroid. 1/3 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

I wanted to talk to women suffering from fibroids. I needed to talk about it, to be listened. My researches were vain. There was no such as organization in France that could help me. 2/3 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Our organization receive very often women who have been told by their general practitioner or their gynecologist that having fibroids is not a big deal! #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

This is very true. So far I have found that medics tend to take a blasè approach to #fibroid care as they are non-cancerous. So I think as women we need to do more to highlight the struggles faced and advocate for further advancement of care #FibroidsChat

— JourneyToBeatFibroidsNaturally (@NoToFibroids) June 21, 2018

Yes, we hear this a lot in the UK and #Caribbean. Fibroids seem to be trivialised a lot!, which is not helpful to women who are going through a challenging time. #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Q6: Can you tell us about the services Fibrome Info France provides to women who have been affected by fibroids? #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Fibrome Info France works to improve the care of uterine fibroids and to change people opinion about fibroids in France. Before the creation of the organization, women suffering from fibroids were left on their own. #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Our organization filled the gape in terms of information for women about this disease, through awareness campaigns and the edition of information leaflets made available to women in hospitals and waiting rooms of gynecologists. #FibroidsChat pic.twitter.com/XfbgJEXVkF

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Fibrome Info France offers women a personalized support. We act through individual interviews, support groups and any other means that can help to reacting out a maximum women. 1/4 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Uterus being the neuralgic organ of women, we need to consider its symbolism meaning when talking about care and healing of disease related to this organ. 2/4
#FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Fibrome Info France has created a specific support group for women experiencing troubles in having a child or women who have had miscarriages. We consider that their cases are so sensitive that they need specific support. 4/4 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

This is such a useful service to offer, as there is a lack of support for women in this situation #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Yes! Some of those women need to mourn their missing babies and sometimes to definitively give up on their desire of motherhood. I personally work with those members on the matter of self-esteem and self-confidence, so that they don’t feel responsible/guilty of their situation

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Even though vital prognosis of women with fibroids is rarely life threatening, the fact remains that many affected women are devastated. There are significant impacts of uterine fibroid on couples, social and professional life.

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Q7. We can see you have several achievements such as releasing an awareness video and supportive guide. Can you tell us more about these? @FibromeInfoFr #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Our first awareness video and launched in June 2012 on social media the first campaign on uterine fibroid. We developed and published in January 2013 our first information leaflet, for the purposes of our second awareness campaign. 1/2 #FibroidsChat pic.twitter.com/y7GpfT24Es

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

In January 2015, with the support of the Ministry of Women’s Rights, we worked in partnership with specialized doctors to develop an information and support guide for patients. Made up of a dozen practical sheets, this guide can be used as a roadmap for women. 2/2 pic.twitter.com/D3CCNJBf6f

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

It’s good that you were able to partner with the Ministry of Women’s Rights on this project as well as doctors, nice that you all come together on this.

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Yes it important for to partner with doctors & hospitals. In Paris area and in various other regions: in June 2015, multi-disciplinary consultations dedicated to the diagnosis and management of fibroids, were open to reduce the medical wandering of women. #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Q7 and Q8 Time is against us, so I will ask two questions at once 🙂

We’ve talked quite a bit about the challenges, are there any other challenges that women in #France face and what do you think the Government should do to address these? #Fibroidschat @FibromeInfoFr

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

The trivialization of uterine fibroids and the denial of the pains of women suffering from fibroids are undoubtedly the most common challenges to be faced. 1/2 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Another one is the systematization of surgical treatments and the propensity to offer hysterectomy as the only therapeutic solution: uterine fibroids are the leading cause of uterine ablation in France: more than 75,000 surgeries are performed each year. 2/2 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

One of the major changes in the management of uterine fibroids would be, the implementation of awareness-raising and primary prevention. 1/2 #fIBROIDScHAT

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Particularly through national information campaigns which would allow women to be informed as soon as possible about symptoms & complications of uterine fibroids, especially in terms of fertility. 2/2 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Our last question is about your anniversary! a.The 30th June is Fibrome Info France’s 7-year anniversary – congratulations! How will you be celebrating this great milestone? @FibromeInfoFr #fibroidschat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Several highlights are planned to mark this event; in particular an open day under the sign of the sharing of experiences. The celebration of the future mothers group is one of the highlights of the festivities. 1/2 #FibroidsChat pic.twitter.com/rAlGUDIkhy

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Several members of this group will testify to break the law of silence and the taboos around fibroids. And of course the highlight of this event will be the toast that will be proposed to the health of women who suffer from fibroids. 2/2 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Congratulations and we wish you all the best with this event. What has been the proudest moment of your first 7 years and what are you major plans for the next 7 years? #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

It’s a very difficult question as I am proud of all the achievements of the organization. I am very proud of the first info leaflet published in 2012 and shared in the hospitals. I am equally proud of the guide of information and support published in January 2015. #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Uterine fibroid affects 30% to 60% of the women of childbearing age, including 60% of Afro-Caribbean native. There is an urgent need to open an antenna of Fibrome Info France in Martinique or in Guadeloupe. 2/2 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Next year, we plan to carry out a caravan for raising awareness, in order to meet women living in several regions of France. Besides big cities, West French Indies will also be part of our caravan. 1/2 #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Thank you so much Angele for joining us for today’s #FibroidsChat. It has been really great learning more about you and all the great work you’ve been doing over the past 7 years. (1/3) #fibroidschat @FibromeInfoFr

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

We wish you continued success with your organisation and are impressed by all the work you have conducted and the difference you have made in women’s lives. (2/3) #fbroidschat @FibromeInfoFr

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Thank you to you Abi, its was a pleasure for me! #FibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Thank you so much. We need a significatice change of management of fibroids. It’s important to women to know that the evolution and complications of fibroids vary from a woman to another, depending on the location, size and number. 1/2 #FIBROIDSCHAT

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

If women would like to find out more about Fibrome Info France where can they get more information (3/3) #fibroidschat @FibromeInfoFr

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

If you need further information, I kindly invite you to visit our web: https://t.co/pYydcFttV1 Or our facebook page https://t.co/xXVJ1dHl08
#fibroidsChat

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this #FibroidsChat. We hope you found it useful and it gave you some insight into the work of @FibromeInfoFr and the situation in #France.

Find out more about Fibrome Infor France on their website: https://t.co/XCMre5oVdk #FibroidsCHa

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

Or you can visit their Facebook page here: https://t.co/2FOuGZc1w6 #FibroidsChat

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

We’ll see you all in July for another #FibroidsChat. We’ll be chatting to @CAREAbtFibroids on 25th July. More details to follow.

Have a good afternoon/evening!

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

I’d like to share with all of you our awareness video pic.twitter.com/jCRtWPz7dh

— Fibrome Info France (@FibromeInfoFr) June 21, 2018

Thank you to all who joined us earlier today during our #FibroidsChat. If you missed any of our previous chats you can read through the highlights of all of them here- https://t.co/N0nHIerZz3

Our past guests included @eatlovemove, @KandiceBryan, @selfcareandfood, @OHServices2018 pic.twitter.com/k2d6PAZgKa

— Lake Health and Wellbeing (@lakehealthwell) June 21, 2018

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

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

We are so delighted to announce that we will be launching our fibroids self-care webinar series in the autumn. The aim of this series is to empower women affected by fibroids with information, knowledge and practical tips to take action to improve their health and wellbeing.

The series will include four webinars led by experts in the field of gynaecology, nutrition, exercise and mental health with a fifth session being an Our Stories session. In this final session attendees will hear from women who have conquered fibroids and will have the opportunity, if they wish, to share their own experiences. We will also explore challenges, useful tips and discuss solutions. Lake Health and Wellbeing will use this session to listen, understand the current experience of women with fibroids and work with attendees to explore how we can best support women with fibroids.

If you have fibroids, this webinar series will be perfect for you. It will give you the opportunity to meet other women with fibroids and provide you with access to experts in the field, all from the comfort of your home. This is not to be missed.

The webinars will be held every two months and there will be a small charge.

For more information and to register your interest, please contact us on events@lakehealthandwellbeing.com  or you can sign up to our fibroids mailing list here

More details will follow very soon.

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

We’re inviting women in St Kitts who have been affected by fibroids to get involved in our new survey which aims to understand their experience to determine if there is a need to provide information and support.

Fibroids are common with an estimated 50-70% of women being affected and 30% of women with fibroids will have symptoms that affect their quality of life. Despite fibroids being common, from the work that we have conducted in the UK, we know that this condition receives very little attention, we want to change this so that women who need help have the support that they need.

Now that we are based in St Kitts we are keen to reach out to women who have been affected by fibroids and speak to them about their experience to determine whether help is needed.

If you live in St Kitts and have had, or currently have fibroids, we’d love to hear from you. We’d be very grateful if you would complete our survey which should take 15 to 20 minutes. You can complete the survey over the phone, meet us in person  or we can email you a copy of the survey to complete at your convenience. Your identity will be protected with your answers remaining anonymous in our final report.

For more information and to take part in this survey, please email info@lakehealthandwellbeing.com or call 668 1518.

In today’s blog post we hear from Silvia who shares her experience with fibroids and explains why she started her blog, Life With Fibroids.

Well, let’s start off with a little bit about me. My name is Silvia and I am married to an amazing man who is so supportive and have an adorable dog who from time to time drives me nuts, but that is okay because I adore him.  I have fibroids and have been living with them for two years and have come to a place in my life where I want to share my story and my personal opinions and connect with others and learn about their stories as well.

I was diagnosed with Uterine Fibroids two years ago officially but have lived with them for just about 6 years now and since then I have done a lot of research but there is still so much more to do, so in no way am I saying I am an expert and I am not a doctor.  I decided to start my website, Life with Fibroids,  to create a space where women of all ages, creeds, backgrounds, religions, and parts of the world could come together and know that having fibroids does not mean that you are alone. Although fibroids is very common it is crazy to think that it is not a very talked about subject for most women and there is really no place to connect with others and ask how they are living with it and going through life with this. I was diagnosed with Uterine Fibroids two ago and they do affect my life they make me have the worst menstrual cycle of my life for example I have more bleeding and the first couple of days is so painful and the cramps sometimes can drop me to my knees. It hurts so much let me just say.

I guess, for me at least, that is the biggest inconvenience and it is so crazy to think that they can develop like they did for me because of the fact that your body can produce too much oestrogen and they can grow over time as well and can cause other problems like infertility if they block the Fallopian tubes and get in the way of implantation but to know that it is on a case by case situation and if you come to find out  that you have them and are worried about that then I would definitely set up an appointment with your doctor and get your situation checked. I did and thankfully they are not going to stop me from getting pregnant but I think for the best option since they have gotten bigger is to get them removed before we try for a baby again since I have experienced a miscarriage due to fibroids and want to avoid any further complications due to fibroids, so that is another reason for me to write this post and try to reach out to those who are in the same situation and be an outstretched hand and let others know you are not alone and I am here for you. I guess I just want to help people share and get connected and help support each other because there are lots of stories like mine but there are also lots of stories that end up with a happy mommy and a happy baby, so like I said it is case by case and if I can help even one person then I think that writing this post and creating my blog, Life with Fibroids, is worth it.

Now let’s get a few things clear about fibroids first:

1. Fibroids are not cancerous and from what I have come to learn not life threatening, so you can take that stress off your mind right now.
2. What my doctor has come to teach me is that for every woman’s fibroids are different and can affect them in different ways and with fibroids especially the kind that I have which is Uterine Fibroids is always a case by case situation so in no way am I saying that I know everything about you and your situation so please feel free to write about your story and connect with others.
3. Fibroids can happen anywhere in the body but the most common fibroid I have come to read about is Uterine Fibroids which is what I have.
4. Even though many women have fibroids they can go their entire lives without knowing it due to having no symptoms and doctors not having any indication to look for them.
5. Women who do have them and do have active symptoms can have a variety and cannot have their daily lives affected in any way and then there is the other side of the coin where women have their everyday life come to a standstill and cannot function and then of course there is the middle ground where you have good and bad days but nothing too drastic, which for the most part is where I fall, well for the most part anyway.
6. My final point on this never-ending list is that for every woman with this diagnosis there is a story and it is different and each and everyone is valuable and important.

So with all that I have said again I just want to say that I created my blog, Life with Fibroids, as a place to connect and share your individual stories and remember that you are not alone and you are one of a kind and that you and I and everyone else living and not living with this is beautiful and amazing. Please feel free to visit my blog, share your stories and help me to connect with others from all over. Thanks for taking the time to read my post and even though I am not the most talented writer I want to share my story and hope that it can help at least one person out there. Thank you again for visiting and taking the time to read my post. At Life with Fibroids I do my best to keep everyone up to date on what is happening with me and my fibroids and try my best to keep it active and hopefully on-going. Have an awesome day and you rock!

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Lake Health and Wellbeing  would like to say a big thank you to Silvia for sharing her experience with fibroids, we hope that through her experience you have gained some useful insight into this condition. You can find out more about Silvia at Life With Fibroids

If you have any questions or comments please do leave these in the comments section below. 

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

We first heard about Eat Love Move on the Secret Birds Podcast a couple of months ago when founder Le’Nise Brothers was interviewed about health, hormones and barriers.  We were really impressed with all the great work that Le’Nise is doing and it also piqued our interest because of the work we’ve been doing on fibroids, an area that Le’Nise focuses on too. We felt the services offered by Eat Love Move would be of interest to you, our readers, so in today’s blog we introduce you to their services.

Who Is Eat Love Move?

Eat Love Move is a business that focuses on women’s health and offers personalised hormonal health programmes and workshops. At the helm of the company is Le’Nise Brothers, a registered naturopathic Nutritional Therapist who specialises in women’s health, anxiety, depression and weight loss.

As a nutrition and wellbeing coach for women, Le’Nise’s mission is to help women understand and embrace their hormones and menstrual cycle and thus much of her work focuses on women who struggle with low energy, sugar cravings and hormonal issues such as PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, heavy & painful periods, fibroids, perimenopause and menopause.

“I’ve had a life-long interest in food – eating it, cooking it and sharing it. I slowly started to make the connection between what I was eating and how I was feeling and used diet and lifestyle changes to improve my anxiety, depression and irritable bowel syndrome.”  – Le’Nise Brothers

Le’Nise firmly believes in the power of food and she takes the time to understand her clients, their lifestyle and goals, and then designs nutrition and lifestyle programmes that are tailored to the individual.

Their Services

Eat Love Move’s services fall into three categories:

• Personalised Health Programmes
• Hormone Health Programmes
• Workshops and Talks

Personalised Health Programmes – these are a minimum of 8 weeks long and are for women who have symptoms or health issues, are concerned about their family’s medical history or have been advised by their doctor to improve their diet.  A typical personalised health programme consists of the following:

• Initial personal consultation including an in-depth health and lifestyle assessment
• Personalised nutrition advice and supplement plan
• Current medication and nutrient interaction evaluation, if applicable
• Recommendations of clinical tests and interpretation, if applicable
• Follow up consultations – face to face, skype, telephone
• Mini progress review calls
• Email support
• Personalised menu planning and recipes

Hormone Health Programmes – Eat Love Move offers three programmes:

1. Period Helper – this is a personalised programme that helps women with their periods and menstrual cycle so they enjoy life with no PMS or pain (yay!)
2. Hormone Helper – this programme teaches women how to manage their hormones and stress, and how food can bring things back into balance.
3. Menopause Helper – teaches women how to support their hormones and get a sense of balance so they feel better as they go into perimenopause and menopause

Workshops and Talks

Le’Nise is passionate about helping women learn more about how they can improve their health and wellbeing and regularly facilitates workshops and delivers talks covering a range of topics including meal planning, wellbeing in the workplace, self-care and hormone health.

More Information

For more information and to book a free 20 minute health and wellbeing review you can email hello@eatlovemove.com or visit their website

Eat Love Move offers Skype and FaceTime consultations so you can access their services from anywhere in the world, or if you’re based in London you can find Le’Nise at the Onebody Clinic in Chiswick on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 – 11am

Alternatively, you can join Eat Love Move’s private Facebook group, Embrace Your Hormones. It’s a private and positive space for women to ask questions about their hormones and menstrual cycle and get evidence-based information and support.

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

 

 

 

Today we tackle a question that we are asked quite regularly at our fibroids events: ‘Is there a link between fibroids and endometriosis?’

To answer this question, we’re going to look at what research tells us, but first let’s start with a bit of background on endometriosis. You can find out about fibroids on our fibroids page here

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis occurs when cells similar to those that line a woman’s womb are found in other parts of the body like the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder and stomach. The problem with this is that the cells that line the womb have a specific function which is only appropriate in the womb. The cells that line the womb build up, break down and bleed every month during our period. In the womb the blood has an escape route (the vagina), but in endometriosis the blood from the womb-like cells don’t have an escape route, and this can cause pain, inflammation and scarring.

Endometriosis is a long-term condition that affects millions of women worldwide causing a range of symptoms, such as heavy and painful periods, back pain, constipation, infertility and more. Thus, it has a significant impact on a woman’s quality of life.

Is there a link between fibroids and endometriosis?

When we look at research that has been conducted in this area, there does seem to be a link between fibroids and endometriosis. Firstly, several studies have found that many women with fibroids also have endometriosis, but just how common it is to have both fibroids and endometriosis isn’t clear as it has varied between studies. For example, a study carried out in the US by a team in Stanford in 2010 found that 86% of patients with fibroids also had endometriosis, whilst in 1994 a team in Italy found that just 12% of women with fibroids had endometriosis. Furthermore, three other studies found that 87%, 21% and 28% of women with fibroids also had endometriosis.  So, it does vary from there being a very strong link (87%) to a relatively weak, but significant link (12%).

When we look at the biology of fibroids and endometriosis there is evidence of a link between these two conditions. It has been reported that fibroids and endometriosis have common biological abnormalities that contribute to the development of both conditions. Namely these are defects in molecules called 17B-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (involved in hormone regulation) and aromatase (involved in the production of oestrogen). Related to this it is thought that women with fibroids and/or endometriosis tend to have a hormone imbalance having excess amounts of oestrogen in the body which, in both conditions, causes growth of the abnormal cells.

Why is it important to know about this link?

It’s important for patients and doctors to be aware of the link between fibroids and endometriosis so patients can receive the most appropriate treatment. If there is no awareness that women with fibroids are likely to also have endometriosis, patients diagnosed fibroids will be treated for just their fibroids and their symptoms may persist which the doctor and patient may think is due to the treatment being ineffective, but the persistent symptoms could be due to undiagnosed endometriosis. Researchers from the Stanford Study therefore recommend that doctors explore whether their fibroids patients also have endometriosis. Their study did identify helpful clues to identify whether a patient with fibroids may have endometriosis. They found that women who were diagnosed fibroids were more likely to have endometriosis if they:

• Had pelvic pain that was disproportionate to the size of their fibroids
• Were infertile

Therefore a good starting point for doctors and patients wanting to explain persistent symptoms after fibroids treatment is to explore whether the two symptoms above are present as this could mean the patient has endometriosis. If we can pinpoint these patients early then steps can be taken to alleviate their symptoms and thus improve their quality of life.

More Information

For more information about endometriosis you can visit Endometriosis UK’s website and for more information about the link between fibroids and endometriosis you can check out the references below.

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References

1. Huang J.  et al. (2010). Coexistence of endometriosis in women with symptomatic leiomyomas. Fertil Steril, Volume 94(2), p 720.
2. Nezhat C. et al. (2016). Strong Association Between Endometriosis and Symptomatic Leiomyomas. JSLS, Volume 20 (3).
3. Maclaran K., Agarwal N. and Odejinmi. (2014). Co-existence of uterine myomas and endometriosis in women undergoing myomectomy: risk factors and surgical implications. J Minim Invasive Gynecol, Volume 21 (6), p 1086.
4. Tanmahasamut P., Noothong S., Sanga–Areekul N., Silprasit K. and Dangrat C. (2014). Prevalence of endometriosis in women undergoing surgery for benign gynecologic diseases. J Med Assoc Thai, Volume 97 (2), p147.

Disclosure: this post contains an affiliate link