Homeopathy for uterine fibroids

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Nov, 2004 by Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman, Robert Ullman

[Some material in this article is excerpted from Whole Woman Homeopathy by Dr. Reichenberg-Ullman]

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What Are Uterine Fibroids, Why the Concern, and What Are Conventional Treatments?

Uterine fibroids, commonly called "fibroids" for short, are a benign growth of tissue within the uterus. Benign, non-cancerous, and nothing serious to worry about. Unless they grow large enough, which they commonly do, to become a problem. So common are these tumors that they are said to occur in three out of four women, and often go unnoticed and undiagnosed. However, a quarter or so of women who do have fibroids, suffer a variety of related complaints including pelvic pain or discomfort, pain during sex, heavy menstrual bleeding, urinary frequency or urgency, miscarriages, or difficulty conceiving. A very common intervention for troublesome fibroids is a hysterectomy. In my experience, early intervention with homeopathy, in the treatment of fibroids, could prevent many of those 600,000-plus hysterectomies performed in the US each year which are fibroid-related. Although some surgeons are willing to remove the fibroid alone (myomectomy), it is rare, and there are, in many cases, multiple fibroids. An additional complication is the tendency for additional fibroids to appear later in 25 to 50% of women. A recent, less invasive, but still somewhat experimental, surgical option, called uterine artery embolization (UAE), uses a catheter to block blood flow to the fibroid. It is too early to assess its effectiveness. Another allopathic intervention is hormone therapy, designed to shrink the fibroid(s) by impeding estrogen production.

My Clinical Experience Treating Women with Fibroids

I have had the opportunity to treat dozens of women with fibroids over my 21 years of homeopathic practice. Although I do recommend a standard, naturopathic "non-estrogenic" diet (whole grains, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, fish and avoiding beef, poultry, pork, and dairy) as well as liver herbs, the mainstay of my treatment is homeopathy. There have been only half a dozen cases, during my two decades of practice, where the patient has undergone surgery (myomectomy or hysterectomy). Of course, I have seen many other women who underwent hysterectomies for fibroids before they came to see me.

In all of my other cases, the fibroid has either not grown or has grown minimally enough that surgery was not required. Among the handful of women who did go on to have surgery, in each case the fibroid(s) was/were so large by the time they consulted me that they were already experiencing significant uterine bleeding, urinary symptoms resulting from pressure on the bladder, and painful sex.

I remember one patient, just a year or so into practice, who had a lemon-sized fibroid protruding right through the cervix. It shocked me when I performed a pelvic exam because, on inserting the speculum, a large, solid, fleshy mass pushed through the cervix. Hers was one of the few cases that did require surgery, which I was able to attend. She had endured a fibroid of that size for months, as had all the other women who ultimately needed or chose surgery. In such cases, it seems to be simply too late to avoid surgical intervention.

Homeopathy: What to Expect with Treatment for Fibroids

Although I heard a brilliant case of a woman with uterine fibroids that shrunk dramatically, presented by a Canadian colleague, that has, frankly, not been my experience. I have, however, witnessed, again and again, that fibroids remain the same size for a number of years, or they may grow slightly, though not enough to warrant surgery. In most cases I have found fibroid-induced symptoms such as excessive menstrual bleeding, incontinence, and urinary frequency and urgency, to resolve within a month or two of receiving the correct homeopathic medicine. The exception is when the fibroid was excessively large upon beginning homeopathic treatment. It is not uncommon, when the woman presents with large fibroids from the onset, for a perceptible uterine enlargement to persist as well as a local discomfort due to the mass. Other patients, despite the presence of the fibroid, remain symptom-free and are reminded of the fibroid(s) only at the time of their annual gynecologic examination.

Those few patients in my practice who have chosen hysterectomies after, rather than before, homeopathic care, have given mixed reviews. For some, particularly those who suffered considerable unwelcome symptoms due to the fibroid(s), being uterus-free is a welcome relief. In other cases, a surgically-induced menopause brings more problems than were bargained for and the women regret the decision. This is true, particularly, if the ovaries are removed in addition to the uterus. Many women are surprised both by the impact of major abdominal surgery and also by the abrupt onset of hot flashes, mood changes, sleep disruption, loss of libido, and vaginal dryness associated with menopause. These symptoms can be challenging enough when the onset is gradual, much less dealing with such a dramatic "change of life" over a matter of weeks, at the same time as facing post-surgical recovery.