Written on day 15 of the period from hell.
My repro. endo. was able to squeeze me in for an ultrasound yesterday; and they discovered what appears to be another uterine fibroid, possibly two!
Back in early May I was told that I had 3 fibroids, but that one was not operable as it was intramural. So the surgery I had on 5/26/09 was to remove 2 submucosal fibroids. Well here's the kicker. Sometimes, very rarely, an intramural fibroid will pop through the uterine wall and become submucosal after other fibroids have been removed. (It's kinda like when you go to a store and you pull a bottle of nail polish off the rack and another one pops into it's place right away.) This fibroid saw an opening and took it. When the fibroid pops through the uterine wall it often causes what doctors call abnormal uterine bleeding. That's what has happend to me.
It may be interesting to note that I had pedunculated fibroids the size of large pears removed in November of 1998. Back then I was living in Massachusetts and the procedure was done laparoscopically. My recovery time was about a month.
However, the only way to confirm that is with a sonohysterogram and that can't be done until I stop bleeding. The way we stop my abnormal uterine bleeding is to put me on birth control pills for at least 2 months. It's not a normal dose of bcp's though. I am to take 3 pills a day for the first 7 days, then 2 pills a day for the next 7 days, then 1 pill a day for the next 7 days. Then I skip the placebo week, and start all over again. This is very upsetting to me because I just want to stop bleeding, so I can work on being healthy enough to get pregnant. Oh yeah, after my period stops, I go back in for the sonohysterogram and then they schedule me another surgery to remove this new fibroid(s) which has decided to poke it's ugly head out into my uterus.
So in the meantime I am borderline anemic and exhausted all the time because I am going through 8-10 maxi pads a day. Correction: I was using two of the Always thin ultra, overnight pads with wings at a time, but that just wasn't enough. So now I am using the extra large, ultimate Poise pad. It's gigantic and uncomfortable but it works. It is reminiscent of the old fashioned super Kotex that required the use of a belt.
If only my garden grew things as well as my uterus, I'd have a bumper crop of veggies.
Showing posts with label cramps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cramps. Show all posts
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
RANT: My Period From Hell!
TMI Warning for All Men: I am about to talk in detail about my menstrual cycle. If this makes you queasy or just disgusted, stop reading now!
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RANT: My Period From Hell!
My period started late in the afternoon of Wednesday, July 8, 2009. I had no cramps and minimal flow, to no flow. Late in the evening of Saturday, July 11, 2009 my flow became quite heavy and I experienced severe cramping. My menstrual flow has remained heavy since then; but the cramping has been sporadic and milder since Wednesday, July 15, 2009. Since Wednesday, the 15th I have felt very lethargic. I have also felt light headed off and on,since Thursday, July 16, 2009. Since Thursday night around 7:00 PM I have been wearing 2 overnight maxi pads and changing them every 2-3 hours.
I have not felt nauseous, nor have I noticed a fever; but I have been craving protein all week. I'm guessing that is a result of all the blood and iron lost.
This is my 2nd period since my hysteroscopic myomectomy, on May 26, 2009. My June period was the same as before the surgery. It lasted 6 days and I had severe cramping and heavy flow. I went back to my usual 3 Motrin every 4 hours.
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7/17/09 -On the advice of the doctor who did my surgerys nurse I am going to the ER. She thinks I may have lost too much blood and need a transfusion. YIKES!
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
The ER didn't keep me, nor did they do a blood transfusion as I only appeared borderline anemic from the blood work they did and my white blood cell count was normal. They did give me a prescription for Vicodin for the cramps though. I didn't fill it cause that doesn't solve the problem. It will just knock me out so I don't feel the cramps. The cramps have become less severe. They don't make me double over anymore.
The ER kindly gave me a copy of the results of all the bloodwork they did and I have faxed it to my doctors office in Atlanta.
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7/18/09 - Right now, I'm weak. I do one or two things like make breakfast and fold clothes and then I need an hour nap.
You know how after giving birth some women complain that when they laugh, cough, or sneeze a little urine leaks out and they can't control it. Well thats how I have been all week, only it's the blood flow. I can feel it surging or gushing out of me when I laugh, cough, or sneeze. It's damned annoying.
Fortunately or unfortunately the results of my blood work were borderline. Last night the ER doctor explained that while I had definetely lost a lot of blood it wasn't enough to require a transfusion.
When I called Dr.Pauli, who was on call for my reproductive endocrinologist this morning and read him the results of the bloodwork he said the exact same thing. I have to admit that made me feel relieved.
I know it's wrong; but I have a slight prejudice against some of the local doctors because we are in such a rural area. I feel like maybe they don't know as much as the doctors in Atlanta. In some cases I'm right and in others I have been wrong. It's about 50/50. The ER doc ticked me off because he mentioned the 'H' word. Hysterectomy. I'm still hoping to meet Mr. Right and have kids! A hysterectomy is not an option. He reminded me of Dr. Charles Emerson Winchester from M*A*S*H and his pompous attitude annoyed me. He is the second rural doctor to tell me I needed a hysterectomy. Meanwhile I have had 3 doctors in Atlanta who know for a fact I am still able to conceive and bear children normally. As a matter of fact just teo months ago I was told by a reproductive endocrinologist in Atlanta that I had very nice ovaries and a many viable eggs.
Numerous studies and statistics show that black women are encouraged to have hysterectomys more than white, Asian, or Latina women. Black women are often forced into hysterectomies in their 20's where as other races are told to not even think about it until they are in their 50's.
The cramps are much less than before which is the other reason I didn't fill the Vicodin script.
On Monday I will call Dr. Roberts., Dr. Pauli said they may need to do a hysterosalpingogram which the ER doc had also mentioned. This is done for a few reasons. In my case it will be to: Find problems in the uterus, such as an abnormal shape or structure, an injury, polyps, fibroids, adhesions, or a foreign object in the uterus. These types of problems may cause painful menstrual periods or repeated miscarriages.
Based on the results of my bloodwork Dr. Pauli said I should take the following supplements: Iron, Calcium, Folic Acid, and a stool softener such as Colace to counteract the constipation from the Iron.
I'm curious, if I took the calcium in the morning and the iron at night or vice versa would I still get constipated? I'm already prone to constipation because of IBS. The last thing I need is to make it worse.
As of today, I am on day 16 of my period with no end in sight.
I enjoy being a girl!
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
RANT: My Period From Hell!
My period started late in the afternoon of Wednesday, July 8, 2009. I had no cramps and minimal flow, to no flow. Late in the evening of Saturday, July 11, 2009 my flow became quite heavy and I experienced severe cramping. My menstrual flow has remained heavy since then; but the cramping has been sporadic and milder since Wednesday, July 15, 2009. Since Wednesday, the 15th I have felt very lethargic. I have also felt light headed off and on,since Thursday, July 16, 2009. Since Thursday night around 7:00 PM I have been wearing 2 overnight maxi pads and changing them every 2-3 hours.
I have not felt nauseous, nor have I noticed a fever; but I have been craving protein all week. I'm guessing that is a result of all the blood and iron lost.
This is my 2nd period since my hysteroscopic myomectomy, on May 26, 2009. My June period was the same as before the surgery. It lasted 6 days and I had severe cramping and heavy flow. I went back to my usual 3 Motrin every 4 hours.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
7/17/09 -On the advice of the doctor who did my surgerys nurse I am going to the ER. She thinks I may have lost too much blood and need a transfusion. YIKES!
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
The ER didn't keep me, nor did they do a blood transfusion as I only appeared borderline anemic from the blood work they did and my white blood cell count was normal. They did give me a prescription for Vicodin for the cramps though. I didn't fill it cause that doesn't solve the problem. It will just knock me out so I don't feel the cramps. The cramps have become less severe. They don't make me double over anymore.
The ER kindly gave me a copy of the results of all the bloodwork they did and I have faxed it to my doctors office in Atlanta.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
7/18/09 - Right now, I'm weak. I do one or two things like make breakfast and fold clothes and then I need an hour nap.
You know how after giving birth some women complain that when they laugh, cough, or sneeze a little urine leaks out and they can't control it. Well thats how I have been all week, only it's the blood flow. I can feel it surging or gushing out of me when I laugh, cough, or sneeze. It's damned annoying.
Fortunately or unfortunately the results of my blood work were borderline. Last night the ER doctor explained that while I had definetely lost a lot of blood it wasn't enough to require a transfusion.
When I called Dr.Pauli, who was on call for my reproductive endocrinologist this morning and read him the results of the bloodwork he said the exact same thing. I have to admit that made me feel relieved.
I know it's wrong; but I have a slight prejudice against some of the local doctors because we are in such a rural area. I feel like maybe they don't know as much as the doctors in Atlanta. In some cases I'm right and in others I have been wrong. It's about 50/50. The ER doc ticked me off because he mentioned the 'H' word. Hysterectomy. I'm still hoping to meet Mr. Right and have kids! A hysterectomy is not an option. He reminded me of Dr. Charles Emerson Winchester from M*A*S*H and his pompous attitude annoyed me. He is the second rural doctor to tell me I needed a hysterectomy. Meanwhile I have had 3 doctors in Atlanta who know for a fact I am still able to conceive and bear children normally. As a matter of fact just teo months ago I was told by a reproductive endocrinologist in Atlanta that I had very nice ovaries and a many viable eggs.
Numerous studies and statistics show that black women are encouraged to have hysterectomys more than white, Asian, or Latina women. Black women are often forced into hysterectomies in their 20's where as other races are told to not even think about it until they are in their 50's.
The cramps are much less than before which is the other reason I didn't fill the Vicodin script.
On Monday I will call Dr. Roberts., Dr. Pauli said they may need to do a hysterosalpingogram which the ER doc had also mentioned. This is done for a few reasons. In my case it will be to: Find problems in the uterus, such as an abnormal shape or structure, an injury, polyps, fibroids, adhesions, or a foreign object in the uterus. These types of problems may cause painful menstrual periods or repeated miscarriages.
Based on the results of my bloodwork Dr. Pauli said I should take the following supplements: Iron, Calcium, Folic Acid, and a stool softener such as Colace to counteract the constipation from the Iron.
I'm curious, if I took the calcium in the morning and the iron at night or vice versa would I still get constipated? I'm already prone to constipation because of IBS. The last thing I need is to make it worse.
As of today, I am on day 16 of my period with no end in sight.
I enjoy being a girl!
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