We’ve recently heard from Lupita Nyong’o and Venus Williams about their health battles with uterine fibroids, which affect so many women and have a much higher incidence among Black women. Venus had a myomectomy to remove fibroids about a year ago (she only revealed this recently, after kicking ass on the court again) and Lupita has launched a foundation for awareness and advocacy for fibroid sufferers.
ABC News anchor Linsey Davis did a televised special this week about fibroids with Tamar Braxton and Cynthia Bailey. Linsey said that her bloating was so pronounced that people speculated she was pregnant. This is unfortunately relatable to me. Linsey has scheduled a hysterectomy after undergoing a myomectomy years ago. Her fibroids grew back after the myomectomy, causing countless health problems. Here’s a quick description from USA Today and the full special is below.
“ABC News” anchor Linsey Davis is revealing for the first time her yearslong struggle with uterine fibroids.
The “World News Tonight” weekend anchor explained during a “ABC News Live Prime” conversation with singer Tamar Braxton and model and actress Cynthia Bailey on Monday, Aug. 12, that she has powered through painful and severe fatigue behind the scenes due to fibroids.
Davis hopes to help women by revealing her fibroid battle. “I feel like if there is an 80% instance in anyone’s health, it should be a priority,” she said.
She also said a hysterectomy was the right path forward for her.
“I guess I just want to be final. You just want to be finished,” Davis said. “It causes me enough angst and grief, and planning my day differently, accordingly, that I really feel like I’m ready to be finished with this journey.”
This segment was hard for me to take as I could relate to everyone’s stories. I spent years blaming myself for how tired I was and how my fitness was suffering. I’m 52 and had a hysterectomy last November after describing my symptoms for at least a decade to countless OBGYNs who dismissed me. Before I had an ablation in 2019, I would have to stay in bed for a day or more with every period. I would get constant UTIs and had stress incontinence because my uterus was pressing on my bladder. There were weeks last year when the pain was as intense as labor. It wasn’t until I found my current doctor that I was quickly diagnosed with adenomyosis as I met every criteria. The hysterectomy was not an easy procedure and the recovery has been slow going, but I’m so glad I did it. They found a lime-sized fibroid on the outside of my uterus and multiple fibroids inside, confirming adenomyosis. My uterus was over twice the normal size and, like Linsey, I often looked pregnant. I appreciate it so much when famous women open up about their health. So many of us have extreme pain from fibroids, endometriosis and adenomyosis that we’re just expected to endure as part of being a woman.
Photos credit: Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.com/Avalon and screenshots from YouTube
