JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 Women may end up having uterine fibroids at some point in their lives. <\/p>\n
There can be some warning signs that something is wrong, but there are a lot of cases where the fibroids can go undetected because there aren\u2019t any symptoms. <\/p>\n
At 57 years old, Anna Lindler says she feels better than ever.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel wonderful,\u201d she said. \u201cIt just feels like a new beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anna Lindler had to be medically treated for uterine fibroids seven years ago when she was 50 years old. (WJXT)<\/p>\n
It was a different feeling than Lindler says she had seven years ago finding found out she needed to be treated for uterine fibroids.<\/p>\n
\u201cI noticed that my menstrual cycles were very heavy and very long,\u201d Lindler said. \u201cIt was a little abnormal. Very uncomfortable things like that. I did end up having a hysterectomy, which was fine for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Uterine fibroids are typically benign tumors that grow in a woman\u2019s uterus. They are rarely cancerous but can significantly alter someone\u2019s quality of life. <\/p>\n
Dr. Tony Reed, who has been an OBGYN for more than 20 years, says they can lead to other issues, too.<\/p>\n
Dr. Tony Reed, who has been an OBGYN for more than 20 years, says they can lead to other issues, too. (WJXT)<\/p>\n
\u201cThey get bigger,\u201d Reed said. \u201cDepending on where they are placed, if you have one inside the uterus, implantation may be difficult and so pregnancy is difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reed says the fibroids usually develop in women between 30 and 50 years old. <\/p>\n
He says they can affect each person differently. <\/p>\n
Sometimes, Reed says, no treatment is the best treatment. But there are times when medical attention is necessary. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf [the patient] wants to have children, then we may say, \u2018Well, where is the fibroid?\u2019 and \u2018Do we [use this] medicine that would pretty much shrink the fibroid maybe 25% so it is less space occupying?\u2019 Or she may say, \u2018I am bleeding tremendously, and it is altering my quality of life. I cannot perform my usual duties because of the fear of bleeding, and it is becoming a psychologically affecting day. I want definitive management.\u2019 Then we will talk about a hysterectomy.\u201d<\/p>\n
This part of women\u2019s health has found its way into the current legislative session in Tallahassee. <\/p>\n
Florida representative Lisa Dunkley, who serves Broward County, is proposing a bill that would re-establish a database for uterine fibroid research that became law in 2022, but became useless because of an error. (flhouse.gov)<\/p>\n
Florida Rep. Lisa Dunkley, who serves Broward County, is proposing a bill that would re-establish a database for uterine fibroid research that became law in 2022, but became useless because of an error.<\/p>\n
In Dunkley\u2019s bill, the database would include personal information, but it would be protected. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe need that database to be able to serve the women of Florida,\u201d Dunkley said. \u201cHopefully, more people take it on to see that this is something that is necessary in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
As millions of women may or may not be aware of having uterine fibroids, Lindler and Reed have some suggestions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would just say talk with your doctor about what is best for you to do,\u201d Lindler said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat your friend had, what your mom had, that may not be what you need,\u201d Reed said. \u201cYour goals may be different from those other people in your life, and the fibroid may be in a different place in the body or in the uterus. We want to make sure that we have a custom-tailored treatment option.\u201d<\/p>\n
When it comes to Dunkley\u2019s proposed bill, it recently passed all the committees and now heads to the House Floor for a future vote. <\/p>\n
The Senate would need to take up its version of the bill to fix what became law four years ago. <\/p>\n
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