Singer FKA twigs has said her “confidence as a woman was knocked” following laparoscopic surgery to have six fibroid tumours removed from her uterus.
The 30-year-old musician, whose real name is Tahliah Debrett Barnett, said she underwent the procedure in December.
In a long Instagram post alongside a video of her pole dancing, she said she was a very private person and had not been sure whether she should share the news.
She revealed she has been recovering from the surgery, adding that the tumours removed were “pretty large”.
She wrote that they were “the size of 2 cooking apples, 3 kiwis and a couple of strawberries”.
“A fruit bowl of pain everyday. the nurse said that the weight and size was like being 6 months pregnant,” she said.
The NHS website describes fibroids as “non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the womb (uterus)”.
She continued: “I tried to be brave but it was excruciating at times and to be honest I started to doubt if my body would ever feel the same again.
“I had surgery in December and I was so scared, despite lots of love from friends and family I felt really alone and my confidence as a woman was knocked.
“but … today whilst dancing with Kelly at the choreography house I felt like my strong self again for the first time in a while and it was magical. thank you precious body for healing, thank you for reminding me to be kind to myself, you are a wonderful thing, now go create and be other once again.
“I know that a lot of women suffer from fibroid tumours and I just wanted to say after my experience that you are amazing warriors and that you are not alone. you can get through this.”
She ended her message writing: “and with this I let go of the pain … love always twigs”.
In July last year, Twilight star Robert Pattinson told US radio host Howard Stern that the pair were “kind of” engaged, but more recent reports have suggested they are no longer together.