Women around the world face many health challenges, especially after a certain age. When young, most girls hardly think that the health challenges their mothers and aunties have faced could one day visit them.

Why do they think so? Maybe youthfulness! As most us do understand, youthfulness is beautiful but it could be marked by stupidity too, except if guided through life by adults or if the young people are willing to listen. 

Learning through one’s experience could be challenging and learning the hard way in an environment without the proper social support system could be disheartening, especially in the event of a serious health issues.

One of those challenging health issue stalking young women these days is a fibroid growth which could spell mental and psychological destabilization.

I found out that I had fibroids when I went to the hospital where I was advised by a medical doctor to undergo an ultrasound scan.

Strangely, what took me to the hospital on that fateful day was not fibroid but constipation which has been blighting my life for some time.

I had been experiencing constipation for some days until I went to the hospital for consultation. I had to rid myself of this discomfort which had kept unhappy.

After a thorough examination by a doctor, I was advised that subjecting myself to an ultrasound could help the doctor to gain a better understanding of what was ailing me.  Thanks to the scans, I found out that I had multiple myomas (fibroid), which measured 14.5cm and 5cm. This was indeed bad news and it was really devastating.

My stomach had bulged but I did not pay much attention because I assumed that it was a result of weight gain. I took the ultrasound results back to the doctor who advised that I saw the gynaecologist.

The gynaecologist examined me and said there was no treatment for that other than surgery (myomectomy). I later went back home and did some research on fibroids. After connecting the dots, I concluded that the fibroids were the cause of the symptoms I was experiencing.

The symptoms were irregular menstrual periods, heavy flow, abdominal pain and excruciating menstrual cramps. The thought of surgery terrified me, but that was the only solution that could bring the much-needed relief.

After days of contemplation, I decided to go in for the surgery. I was scared but I knew only a surgery could provide a long-lasting solution. The procedure lasted for about three hours and it was done under anesthesia.

Recovery was characterized by bleeding, convulsion, fever and headaches. After about five weeks, I knew I was on the right path to recovery. By the eighth week,  I was fully recovered  and the psychological discomfort was gone.

After surgery, all the symptoms I experienced were gone. No irregular mentrual periods or cramps.

I know a majority of women fear stigmas when seeking help with their reproductive health, but conditions like fibroids, endometriosis and PCOS are not caused by witchcraft, neither are they related to living a promiscuous life.

Women, especially young women, should feel free to discuss their health issues and doubts with their healthcare workers if they want to gain much knowledge about their bodies.

They should open up to women who have much experience and they should understand that most health issues will find solutions in health facilities and not in shrines and churches.

Challenges are normal in life. Some could be addressed very fast while some could take a long time to be addressed. If faced with health challenges which could take a long time, it is better to stick with the hospitals and, sometimes, it is advisable to seek a second opinion to be very sure of the type of health issue that is blighting our lives.

Witchcraft is, in many cases, a figment of our imagination and it is driven by ignorance. Since many women especially those in the rural areas are not very informed about their bodies, it is easy for them to blame their unfortunate health situation on witchcraft which in many cases beclouds our thinking.

Women should understand that ignorance is costly. If they do not go to the hospital early enough for timely diagnoses, a small health issue could develop into a major problem.

Ignorance should never be bliss! Ignorance kills and it entrenches our mistaken belief in witchcraft. Knowledge is power and women must understand that today, knowledge is just a click away and when they obtain such knowledge, they should share it with their friends and families which is a sure way of rolling back ignorance and disease.

By Cecilia M. Manjang