~The fibroid had made the woman look like she was 9 months pregnant. As per diagnosis, the bulge in her lower abdomen was due to the big fibroid~ 

A team led by Dr Preethika Shetty, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Kharadi surgically removed a giant fibroid weighing 5.6 kg, equivalent to a full-term baby in size, by giving a fresh lease of life to a 38-year-old woman. The patient who appeared pregnant and had low haemoglobin and irregular periods successfully underwent fibroid removal surgery. Now, the patient has resumed her daily routine without any complications or difficulty.

After experiencing severe abdominal pain, heavy menstrual flow, fainting spells, and a haemoglobin level of 3.4 mg/dl (which could be life-threatening), Niharika Pandey (name changed) *, a 38-year-old woman from Pune, a working professional, was scared and tensed. She tried various over-the-counter medications and exercise, but nothing seemed to work in her case. Finally, she was referred to Motherhood Hospital, Kharadi wherein she got prompt treatment.

Dr Preethika Shetty, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Kharadi said, “On arrival, she had a history of menorrhagia (abnormally heavy or prolonged bleeding) and anaemia for 1 year. She had irregular bleeding, but the bleeding was high, and cramps as well.  Her tummy was big and looked like a 36-week unborn baby inside her. By sonography, we revealed the presence of a huge fibroid that damaged her uterus. Nowadays, fibroids are a common occurrence. Uterine fibroids are mainly non-cancerous tumours present in the uterus. The condition affects women belonging to reproductive age. These fibroids are also called leiomyomas or myomas and are there with or without symptoms. But not many women are aware of this and neglect it.”

Dr Shetty added, “Her condition was worsening as one of her kidneys was also under pressure due to the large fibroid of 5.6 kgs, along with both the ureters (urine tubes). It was very difficult for us to reconstruct her urine tubes and uterus. So, we had to secure dilated ureters by a procedure called D J stenting (the procedure to place a thin, flexible plastic tube that is temporarily in the ureter to help urine drain from the kidney into the bladder in the case of a blockage) and with due consent from the patient, we had to remove her uterus (open hysterectomy). The surgery went for 2 hours, and she was discharged post-surgery after 50 hours.   Not treating her at the right time could have occurred more complications like Anaemia, which can cause exhaustion and lethargy. In severe cases, heart problems can result from Anaemia. Cases of fibroids have become more than a doubling over the last 3 decades. Factors behind it are later marriages, later pregnancies, and fewer pregnancies. And women should opt for regular gynaecological check-ups to spot any abnormalities related to the uterus and one shouldn’t delay the signs and symptoms they are seeing.

“Fibroids are benign growths commonly seen in the uterus. They can be of size from seedlings and even form bulky masses that can distort and enlarge one’s uterus. Fibroids are undetected until it starts showing symptoms.  Signs like heavy bleeding during menstruation, pelvic pain, frequent urination, rectum pain, constipation, bloating, periods lasting more than 8 days, and blood clots, can indicate the presence of fibroids. Most women may get stressed and anxious thinking fibroids can cause cancer. If left untreated, fibroids can lead to miscarriage, infertility (as it disrupts the fertilization process), pregnancy complications such as placental abruption and preterm labour, and a caesarean section. 60-70% of women don’t know about laparoscopic surgery, 40-50% of women are suffering from fibroids and are unaware of this condition, 25 to 35% of women don’t come for gynaecologist checks, have fibroids and they don’t come until it starts showing symptoms or it’s too late to realize. Women shouldn’t take these symptoms lightly and come forward for checks with their gynaecologist,” said Dr Karishma Dafle, Fertility Consultant, Nova IVF Fertility, Pune. 

“I couldn’t do my daily activities with ease due to that sudden abdominal pain, bloating, and fainting spells. To top it all off, I panicked as my menses became abnormal. I tried various stretching exercises, yoga, and walking that didn’t help me to manage pain. I even took medications that failed to do the trick. I had lengthy and heavy flow menses, but I kept ignoring them for a long time. Slowly, I appeared to be pregnant and was embarrassed as people would ask me about it. I even stop venturing out of the house.  Fortunately, I consulted Motherhood Hospital and I thank Dr Shetty for giving me a new way of life. I am fine after surgery and have resumed my normal life. I urge everyone to take utmost care of themselves and not to neglect any health issues,” concluded the patient Niharika Pandey (name changed) *.