AUDIO: Dr. William Parker - Will Fibroids Shrink After Menopause?
How about menopause? Do fibroids shrink after menopause?
Dr. William Parker:
Yes, interestingly this is one of the easiest things to study and it’s just never been studied properly, but everybody’s clinical impression, mine included, now I have been practice for 30 years, and certainly seen a lot of women go through menopause and fibroids do shrink. They probably shrink 50% or more. I have seen patients with much more dramatic shrinkage than that, and the symptoms usually will go away after menopause. Bleeding obviously stops.
And importantly, women who choose to take hormones after menopause should know that if they have fibroids, the amount of hormones that are given is so small compared to what your body was making that it does not cause growth of the fibroids and there are a number of studies to show this, that you can take hormones safely and relieve your symptoms of menopause and the fibroids will continue to shrink, but certainly not be influenced to grow. It is extremely unusual to have that happen. I have seen that happen once in 30 years of practice.
Todd:
Well, he is Dr. William Parker, and you have heard him on EmpowHER. His videos are here on the site. If you want to visit him on the web, it’s www.fibroidsecondopinion.com or parkermd, is his other website. He is the author of “A Gynecologist’s Second Opinion”, and Dr. Parker, thank you so much for giving us this extensive overview on fibroids.
Dr. William Parker:
Alright, take care.
