My Experience with Uterine Fibroid Tumors

About two years ago now, I was told by my doctor that I had a uterine fibroid tumor about the size of a tennis ball hanging from the back of my uterus. The fibroid was pedunculated or hanging from a stalk and was distorting the shape of my uterus. She suggested doing some more tests on it and then performing surgery to remove it.

I'd always had problems with my period and suspected that I had fibroids for years, but never did anything about it. If my doctor hadn't discovered the growth, I probably would've continued doing nothing at all about it.

My doctor wanted to operate. I didn't have health insurance at the time and the price of surgery was just way too much for my family to afford. I just don't like the idea of surgery either. So I started looking into ways to shrink my fibroids naturally. I thought it was worth a try.

After doing lots of research online, I made up a plan to shrink my fibroids. The plan was to include herbs, compresses, change in diet and exercise.

One of the things that causes uterine fibroid tumors to develop is estrogen dominance. If you're estrogen dominant you have to much estrogen in your system for your body to process. We take excess estrogen into our bodies everyday through birth control pills and chemicals in household cleaners, cosmetics and plastics used to store food that mimic estrogen.

The first thing I did is cut these things out of my life. I started making my own cleaning supplies from lemon juice, borax, vinegar and essential oils. You can also use vodka as a household cleaner. I also switched to all natural hair products, lotions and makeup. We've never really used very many plastic containers in our kitchen so I didn't have to make many changes there.

Diet and exercise are also important for shrinking fibroids. I read that I should do vigorous exercise 5 days a week. That was a bit hard for me. I only did aerobic exercise 3 times a week. I did do yoga 5 days a week on most days.

I also changed my diet. I started eating only organic free range meats. The hormones and antibiotics given to the animals before slaughter can add to estrogen dominance. I also cut down on my meat consumption. I eliminated all soy from my diet. Soy also causes estrogen dominance. I started eating organic fruits and vegetables. Pesticides can add to estrogen dominance, but you could've guessed that, right?

Castor oil compresses can be used to stimulate blood flow to the uterus and draw out toxins. The compresses are done by soaking a piece of cotton, preferable dye free, fabric in the oil. putting the fabric on your abdomen and covering it in some plastic. Then place a heating pad or hot water boil over it. Put a towel or blanket over that to keep the heat in. Let that sit for 30 minutes to an hour.

Using a castor oil compress is the common advice that you find online, but I didn't follow it. Instead, I made ginger compresses, by grating several inches of ginger in a pot and boiling it for 10 minutes. Than I let it cool a little and put a cloth in the hot water. I put that cloth on my abdomen and covered with towels to hold in the heat. I left it on for 30 minutes.

Ginger also increases circulation and draws out toxins.

Be smart. Don't burn yourself doing this.

I also used herbs to help the situation along. I took Vitex daily. I also made an herbal tea that I drink twice daily. The tea contained motherwort, burdock root, wild yam, evening primrose, milk thistle and some other things.

This isn't an herb, but for good measure I started taking a tablespoon of black strap molasses daily.

I did this for a long time. I have to admit that I wasn't as diligent about it as I should've been. Some days I didn't do it at all, but I was good most of the time. The result is that I have no fibroids now that my doctor had been able to detect.

Some might say it's a coincidence. Others may say it was the herbs or the diet or the exercise or the compresses. Maybe it was the combination of all of those things. I can't really say for sure. I can just say that this is what I did and it seemed to work.