The Importance of Tracking Fibroid Symptoms

If you have benign uterine tumors, tracking fibroid symptoms can help determine your treatment path. When fibroids are small and symptoms are minor, you may choose to manage your condition with lifestyle changes. However, as symptoms progress and interfere with your daily life, medical intervention may be your best pathway to relief. By carefully monitoring and recording symptom progression, you can best decide when to seek treatment at the Dallas Fibroid Center.

Tracking Fibroid Symptoms

Women with fibroids can experience a range of symptoms, from heavy bleeding and pelvic pain to back pain and uterine enlargement. Symptoms tend to worsen when fibroids grow large, or when you have multiple tumors. By tracking your symptoms over time, it becomes easier to determine their impact on your daily life, helping inform your treatment decisions. Here’s what to mention when creating your own symptom diary.

Periods

Long, heavy or irregular periods can all be symptoms of uterine fibroids. By tracking your cycle, including the length between periods and the length and strength of your menstrual flow, you can help doctors determine if you’re experiencing abnormal uterine bleeding, a concern that could lead to anemia if left unchecked.

Pain

Fibroids can also cause painful menstrual cramps, pain during sex, pelvic pain, back pain and other forms of discomfort. Taking note of when you experience pain, along with its degree of severity, will help paint a picture of how fibroid symptoms are impacting your daily life. 

Sleep Changes

Tracking your fibroid symptoms can also help you notice how often you wake up at night due to concerns such as frequent urination. While you may know that fibroids are impacting your sleep duration or quality, seeing a record of how often you wake at night can help you recognize the larger impact these tumors can have on your overall wellbeing.

When to Seek Help

After tracking your fibroid symptoms for several weeks or months, you should have a better understanding of how these tumors impact your overall quality of life. When fibroids are only minorly disruptive, you may wish to manage your symptoms with lifestyle measures. However, when these tumors regularly cause you pain, disrupt your sleep or interfere with your menstrual cycle, seeking medical intervention can help you find symptom relief while getting through your daily routine more comfortably. Ready to explore fibroid treatment? Contact our team of interventional radiologists to request a consultation. When you come into the office, we can review your candidacy for minimally invasive Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) treatment.