I Lived in Pain for 10 Years: Lydia Forson Shares Her Fibroid Battle

Ghanaian actress Lydia Forson shared on X her ten-year battle with fibroids. In her post, she revealed the struggles and pain she endured during this period.

Forson made this announcement to coincide with July being Fibroid Awareness Month. Her message aims to support and encourage others facing similar health challenges, offering them hope and solidarity.

“July is Fibroid Awareness Month. To the women who’ve had to live in constant pain, multiple surgeries, questions about children, if you’re pregnant because of how you look, or the fear that you never will; you’re not alone. I lived in pain for 10 years before I got help,” Forson wrote.

“Today I’m grateful that I don’t have to live in so much pain, grateful that no one else will find me on a bathroom floor too paralyzed to move. Grateful that I don’t have to be rushed into an emergency and even more grateful that I’m alive to share my story when some aren’t,” she added.

She said the worst part of this journey was not the surgery, because thankfully she had great doctors who took fantastic care of her.

She therefore advised women to run medical checks to ensure that their body is free from the disease.

“My story is a lot more complicated than I’ve shared, and this is just a summary. But to any woman reading this, I do hope you’re inspired to run tests, ask questions about your body, and also not feel so alone with the things you have to live with,” she further noted.

July is designated as Fibroid Awareness Month, an initiative aimed at raising awareness about uterine fibroids, a condition that affects millions of women worldwide.

This month is dedicated to highlighting the challenges faced by women with fibroids and advocating for increased research and funding to better understand and treat this common yet often overlooked condition.

In Ghana, the prevalence of uterine fibroids among women is notably high. Studies have shown a significant occurrence rate, underscoring the need for attention to this health issue. Research conducted in South-Central Ghana revealed that the average age at first diagnosis of uterine fibroids was 36.29 years, with the highest frequency of diagnoses occurring in the 35-39 age group.

This indicates that many women are diagnosed during their late thirties, a critical period in their reproductive years.

Further studies on the clinical presentations and ultra-sonographic features of uterine fibroids in Ghanaian women have provided additional insights.

One such study found that the mean age of patients diagnosed with uterine fibroids was 37.1 years, with most cases diagnosed in the fourth to fifth decade of life. These findings emphasize the widespread nature of uterine fibroids among Ghanaian women and highlight the urgency for more comprehensive research and effective interventions.

The statistics underscore the importance of initiatives like Fibroid Awareness Month, which aim to shed light on the impact of uterine fibroids and advocate for better healthcare solutions.

By focusing on this condition, the goal is to improve the quality of life for women affected by fibroids through enhanced medical research, increased funding, and broader public awareness.

Addressing this gynecological condition is crucial for the health and well-being of women not only in Ghana but around the world.