Fibroids and Sugar

 Recently, I found out something kind of scary about fibroids... they crave sugar.  More accurately, that explains why I always crave sugar.  This morning, I had a Nutella waffle for breakfast... and then 2 hours later, I made another one 😭  

Admittedly, I don't usually indulge to this degree, but I will admit that over the past 4-5 years, my cravings for sweet have increased to the point where I feel almost desperate for my next "fix".  I've racked up quite the debt on my card, which I tap to the vending machine every other day at work, for an Oh Henry! bar (my favorite). 

Kicking the sugar habit cold turkey is near impossible. My brain & tongue are too trained... but the good news is, I can start making healthy choices - and if sugar cravings get you too, then read on:

• Strong soothing flavors - such as peppermint, ginger & cinnamon - can be great alternatives and all have health benefits. They can be found (or put) in green tea. 
• Choose water over pop, and put fruit or fruit juice into the water for a boost of flavor.
• Use honey instead of refined sugar, on things like cereal or toast.
• Opt for smoothies over milkshakes, and yogurt over ice cream - when possible.
• It's okay to indulge in actual sugar sometimes - just not all the time!
• Choose chocolate covered nuts or granola bar over typical candy snacks.
• Dark chocolate = less sugar and healthy antioxidants. Yay!
• Limit it to no more than 1 treat per day. More than once a day is a problem...

Cutting back sugar won't single-handedly get rid of fibroids, but it can sure help slow their growth and make things like cramps less intense over time... Plus, you'll feel better overall!

Video of a Robotic Hysterectomy

 Hi all, 

Before I get into it, I'd like to point out that this is not my video.  It was published by UnityPoint Health in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  

Anyway, this is a very cool video, featuring a robotic hysterectomy with vaginal assist, which is minimally invasive (though still considered major surgery).  These days, it's more & more rare that your surgeon would need to make a large abdominal incision, unless you have an extreme health issue (such as your uterine lining ending up on all your surrounding tissues).  I'm really hoping that when I get mine done, that it will be simple like this.  The video duration is about an hour:

The main surgeons, Drs. Rozeboom and McCarron, are very chill and great at describing each step you see on the screen. 

Though I'm sharing this for your benefit, to help ease your mind if you have a surgery upcoming (that is why I look up this kind of stuff, to calm my nerves), I'd like to warn you that it is a bit graphic and if you feel queasy about blood & guts, it's best not to watch. (it's okay, I cannot watch "Dr. Pimple Popper" for that reason, hahaha). 

Saying goodbye to my "normal" pants

Okay so, this might be kind of a strange video. As I may have already shared, I recently bought myself 3 new pairs of maternity pants (in addition to the one I already have) - giving me 4. Yay! 

This is a sort of sad "goodbye" video for my former pants and leggings, as I acknowledge that I'm no longer able to wear any of them due to painful bloating (and increased risk of heavy bleeding from pressure on the fibroids, from pants). 

At some point, I'd like to take photos of myself in all the new maternity pants and show you how super cute and cozy they are. Now I could not imagine wearing pants that don't hug my "swelly belly" LOL.

In the meantime, here is a personal photo, where I staged stuff I actually use. Of course, that's my only non-blue denim maternity pants there, along with the Super-Overnight pads I need to use, since anything lighter tends to fail. And one of the Super-absorbency tampons of course, along with my Aleve - the only thing that (safely) works for my worst cramps! And last but not least, the iron supplements I take during my period to help lessen my anemia. 

Pictures of Belly Bloat

 Hello all!

As you know, fibroids can be the size of a pea, or they can eventually become the size of a grapefruit! Mostly, they remain somewhere in between... in many cases, their size can make a woman appear several weeks pregnant as they fill the womb...

For example, all of these are pictures of me from over the years (many are before I even knew about having fibroids). I currently look approx. 2 months pregnant, and have for quite a long time... tune in to a future post to hear all about my new collection of super-comfy maternity pants!

Some of the above photos date back to about 2010... so something was already beginning and would just worsen over time. Along with a slowly growing belly, I also experienced worsening cramps and heavier flow! It just doesn't get better... 

Anyway, I'm getting hesitant to wear the white sweater-dress pictured above (on my 26th birthday), because it's really begun to emphasize "the bloat".  My response to "Oooh, what are you expecting?" will be, "a hysterectomy."