sharon stone seeking treatment for fibroid tumour after initial misdiagnosis
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golden globe winner sharon stone has had her share of excisions and health hurdles. (photo by frazer harrison/getty images)
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“ladies in particular: don’t get blow off! get a second opinion! it can save your life,” actor sharon stone urged her followers via her instagram story, people magazine reports.
stone, 64, revealed that she had a misdiagnosis and incorrect medical procedure that left her in severe pain, even after receiving a double epidural. she turned to a different doctor for a second opinion, who found “a large fibroid tumour that must come out,” according to the star’s instagram story.
“i’ll be down for four to six weeks for full recovery. thanks for your care. it’s all good,” stone wrote.
the golden globe winner has had her share of excisions and health hurdles. in her memoir released last year, the beauty of living twice, she talked about doctors removing “gigantic” benign tumours from her body in 2001, and the stroke and cerebral hemorrhage she had that same year.
stone took a two-year break from working after the stroke to recover, but told variety in 2019 that it hindered her career. despite her enormous success in the films “basic instinct” and “casino,” stone struggled to find work for many years.
stone, who is the mother of three sons through adoption, also revealed earlier this year on instagram that she lost nine children through miscarriages, people reports.
sharon stone diagnosed with fibroid tumour
fibroids are growths made of muscle cells and connective tissue that develop in the uterus, according to johns hopkins medicine. they can be “as small as a grain of rice to as big as a melon” and sometimes grow into the uterine cavity or out from the uterus. roughly two thirds of fibroids are too small or obscure to be detected by a physical exam, so they are often left undiagnosed.
however, it is important to know that in 99 per cent of cases, fibroids are not cancerous and don’t heighten the risk for developing uterine cancer. they are also extremely common, affecting 20 to 50 per cent of women of reproductive age, who are considered most at risk. it is estimated that 77 per cent of women will develop them sometime during their reproductive years.
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the cause isn’t known, but research highlights genetics and possible prolonged exposure to the hormone estrogen may increase the risk. other factors that may contribute to these growths are obesity, high blood pressure and eating a lot of red meat.
fibroids can be problematic when associated symptoms are severe and interfered with daily living, like pressure in the pelvis and lower back, pain during intercourse and heavy or prolonged periods, according to the center for uterine fibroids. women can also experience menstrual bleeding between periods, abdominal discomfort, bladder troubles and bowel symptoms, such as excessive straining with bowel movements or constipation. sometimes, women with fibroids have complications with fertility or during pregnancy.
if a fibroid is large enough to be detected during a physical example, your health-care provider may order tests for diagnosis. these could involve a pelvic ultrasound, an mri, an x-ray exam of the uterus and fallopian tubes or hysteroscopy visual scope exam.
not all fibroids will need treatment but, if necessary, treatment can involve medications and surgery to remove the fibroids. some women will also need treatment for iron-deficiency anemia due to prolonged bleeding.
rarely, a fibroid may constitute an emergency. symptoms include sharp, sudden abdomen pain or severe vaginal bleeding that is accompanied by light-headedness, weakness and extreme fatigue.
fibroids after menopause usually shrink
fibroids typically shrink after menopause but, if a fibroid grows during this period, it may be an indication of cancer. additional testing is important to determine the cause of the fibroid growth and to develop a treatment plan.
karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.
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