Venus Williams announces private health battle that had tennis legend in ‘extreme pain' – ‘you can't get off the ground'
The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion recently opened up about the private health battle.
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The 45-year-old took part in an interview with NBC News' Zinhle Essamuah on Wednesday.
Venus Williams revealed that she's continued to struggle with fibroids, which had her "laying on the floor in the locker room" before one of her most legendary matches.
Essamuah also has a history with fibroids, which are growths in the uterus that cause painful symptoms such as "heavy and prolonged periods, pelvic pain, and bladder symptoms," per NYU Langone Health's Center for Fibroid Care.
"My symptoms were extreme pain. You know, getting so much pain that maybe you throw up. Or you can't get off the ground ... I missed practices because of that. Just, you know, hugging the toilet," Williams told Essamuah.
Williams then shared that she suffered fibroid pain before winning her sixth doubles match with sister Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2016.
"[I was] just laying on the floor in the locker room. Like, it's gonna pass, it's gonna pass. And thank God Serena got the doctor," Venus said.
"And I was able to get up and eat and start playing [which was] bad luck for our opponents.
The Williams sisters eventually won their sixth and last Wimbledon doubles title.
At the time, Williams thought her symptoms were due to Sjögren's syndrome, which causes fatigue and swollen joints.
She revealed her Sjögren's diagnosis in 2011.
"I live with an autoimmune disease. So I thought maybe it was autoimmune anemia or something like that. But really it was what I was dealing with inside, which was fibroids."
But one doctor told her that the symptoms weren't anything to worry.
"One doctor told me [when I was 37] ... this is a part of aging. This is normal," Venus said.
Another doctor wanted her to get a hysterectomy.
"I've never been so sad in my life," she recalled.
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"I had never been running to have kids but I always wanted to have a a choice and to have that taken away is just frightening."
Williams finally got in touch with Dr. Tara Shirazian from NYU's Langone Health Center for Fibroid Care.
Last year, she underwent a successful procedure that removed the fibroids while keeping her uterus intact.
During July's Fibroid Awareness Month, Williams wants women to keep searching for answers.
Up to 80 percent of women can develop fibroids in their lifetime.
"You can be denied the best health care no matter who you are. And that you have to be your own advocate. Hopefully someone will see this interview and say, 'I can get help. I don't have to live this way,'" Williams said.
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