2 months ago
23
Tennis icon Venus Williams has opened up on her terrifying battle with fibroids - and claimed that doctors initially misdiagnosed the problem as period symptoms.
Williams, who has won seven women's grand slam titles, discussed her painful experience during an interview with NBC News after alleging that she was unaware of the full extent of the problem despite seeking medical help.
After her menstrual cramps intensified, leaving her with heightened nausea, the 45-year-old says doctors dismissed her grueling period symptoms as 'normal' while failing to spot signs of fibroids - noncancerous growths that develop in the muscular wall of the uterus.
'It just got too bad, and I couldn’t handle it,' she admitted in the interview with NBC News' Zinhle Essamuah, which aired on Thursday.
'As bad as things were for me, crazy amounts of bleeding like you couldn’t imagine… my doctors told me it was normal,' Williams later added. 'I never realized (anything) was wrong.'
The American star reportedly knew she had fibroids, though doctors never identified how large they were. Medical professionals also failed to explain how they were related to the intense levels of pain, nausea and persistent anemia she was feeling from heavy periods, which led to repeated iron transfusions.
As a result, she suffered behind the scenes for years while juggling the issue with her career as an elite tennis player.
'I’m sharing now because I was outraged that I didn’t know this was possible. I didn’t know what was wrong with me,' she insisted. 'No one should have to go through this.'
