It can develop and grow either in the uterus itself or on the outside of the uterus. Although rare, pedunculated fibroid tumors can cause extreme pain when the stalk becomes twisted.

The symptoms of perdunculated fibroids can range from very mild, to extreme, for example:

• Cramping from the uterine muscles, as the uterus attempts to get rid of the fibroid

• Diggestive problems, including nausea and vomiting – especially if the fibroid is disturbing a nearby organ such as the small intestine

• Extreme pain if the fibroid stalk twists

Submucosal fibroids are more likely to cause the woman a lot of pain.

Typical symptoms of submucosal fibroids include:

• Uterine cramps and spasms – sometimes these can be very strong and almost as powerful as childbirth.  This is because the uterus is trying to expel the fibroid.

• Heavy periods, as the large fibroid mass increases the endometrial surface, resulting in more menstrual blood

• Lengthy periods, as a result of more blood being shed

Subserosal fibroids can cause tissue compression on areas that are surrounding it, such as the bladder and/or bowel. They are not generally the cause of excessive bleeding, as they do not affect a woman’s menstrual flow.

They are also called subserous fibroids .

The symptoms of subserosal fibroids include:

• Enlarged uterus – to the extent that you look pregnant when you are not

• Increased desire to urinate – or stress incontinence as the fibroid puts pressure on the bladder

• Severe menstrual symptoms, such as excessive bloating during menstruation

• Digestive complaints such as irritable bowel syndrome or constipation, also due to the pressure a large fibroid can put on the intestines

• Back pains, and shooting pains down the leg, as some large fibroids can put pressure on the nerves that serve the back and legs

Remember, you can have more than one type of fibroid, and I’m just sharing with you information about one type.