The thought of surgery is scary for everyone not only women dealing with fibroids. Like every other medical treatment, it is fraught with questions, doubts, and uncertainties. Personally, I swear by surgery as a quick(considering how long other treatments take) remedy for fibroids and I highly recommend. So, what are the steps to take when you make the decision to get rid of fibroids through surgery? In the spirit of keeping posts really short and concise, I bring you five important things to note before your myomectomy. These apply to any form of surgical procedure as well.

  1. Blood count/blood level: Considering that you will lose a lot of blood during surgery and that you’re probably already anemic due to the fibroids, it is important to build up your blood. Personally, I didn’t have to because my surgery was considered an emergency (I got blood transfusion after surgery). You can build up your blood by eating iron-rich foods such as liver, pork, poultry, legumes and seafood and greens such as broccoli, kontomire, spinach, and others. You can also take iron supplements such as…(sike! I am not a doctor so please consult your physician for this).
  2. Support system: You cannot have surgery without a support system! That’s a tad dramatic…you can if you want to stay at the hospital until you heal completely. The physical effects of myomectomy aside, it can also leave you emotionally drained. As such, it is important that you are not alone. Even if it’s one person by your bedside just smiling or holding your hand, it is enough encouragement to keep going! Make preparations for this. Find out from your family or friends if they are available to cater for you. Do not go through this by yourself, superwoman! You will need all the help you can get.
  3. Dietary: You are going to be deliberately injured so you need to set your body up to be able to repair damaged tissues and muscles. You need to eat foods that will quickly repair severed tissues and muscles. You need high protein foods eg, beans, milk, eggs, chicken, and nuts. Throw fruits and veggies in there, of course, you’ll need those also!
  4. Research: A week to my surgery, I enrolled in a medical institution called the University of GoogleYouTube. And if I tell you the wealth of information I received without paying a dime, you would be shocked. I read and watched everything and anything I could on fibroid treatment especially on myomectomy. Because I am not grossed out by blood, through YouTube, I made myself present in various laboratories and watched as doctors cut open and sewed wombs back up! What this did for me was to reduce my anxiety towards the procedure and calmed my nerves. I went into the theatre, well-informed about everything. I could even name the equipment to be used. Looking back, I could have even performed the operation on myself…hahaha.
  5. Finances: This is important because even though fibroids are common, treatment is still quite expensive. Treatment was “free” for me because insurance covered it. I do not know what the financial demands are in other places but do make sure that you are financially sound to take care of your needs before, during, and post-surgery.

With these, you are 5 steps closer to having a much better uterine life; I assure you! Do not take these steps lightly, each one of them is important to ensure a successful recuperative journey. They say that women who are able to prepare mentally and physically for surgery have fewer complications, less pain, and recover more quickly than those who don’t prepare. It’s the psychology of it and it works!