Reproductive System Gone Crazy

I have so much to  write about, yet so little time. It's been so long since my last entry, I had to go back and read what I wrote.

 

I have been bleeding continuously since February 25th. Sometimes I have debilitating pain, massive clotting, and have to use copious amounts of feminine hygiene products. The bleeding is very very heavy. Like nothing I have every seen. I finally reached a threshold and was referred to the ER. I spent the day there in agony. They did blood work and worked me up for a transfusion because I had lost so much blood so quickly. My blood volume was just above the minimum limit and did not warrant an emergency transfusion. I was so happy about that. I was diagnosed with dysfunctional uterine bleeding. After waiting for hours they finally gave me IV pain meds, which were very impressive. I don't think I have ever had such strong meds and it was a little frightening...for a millisecond...then all was happy and carefree for about 12 hours.

 

After that I finally got in to see my GYN, who I like a lot but don't really trust. He ordered blood work and did a physical. He asked me if I had gained any weight recently. I said over the last year, each TTC cycle of drugs has put on a few pounds which added up to about 7 total. He said that my body might be making too much estrogen and the bleeding may be a result of over estrogen production which would throw progesterone out of balance. Estrogen being the lining builder, progesterone being the bleed starter and stopper. So if the relationship is high estrogen and low progesterone, then lots of building with no stop and start regulation = continual bleeding. While I agreed that my levels are probably out of balance, I could not contend that the 7 pounds increased my estrogen to this point. Especially since I didn't gain it all at once.

 

He prescribed birth control pills to try to regulation estrogen and progesterone (something I have never been able to take because I get really bad side effects). I told him that but he said these were a new kind, re-dosed, etc. After 3 days, I stopped taking them. There is some standard in the formulation that completely screws with my cardiac system. It's not the estrogen (I have injected that many times), it's not the progesterone (I have injected that many times), but something else... I won't be doing that again. He said the alternative to BCPs is just progesterone. You take it like BCPs, on for 18 days, off for 10 days. It comes in pill form. I have not started those yet. He also scheduled me for an endometrial biopsy, to rule out endometrial cancer. I am waiting for that (in 2 weeks).

 

Everything at my GYNs office is computerized now. You never see a lab slip, or any paper work. I called to get the results of my blood work and found out that the GYN only ordered thyroid and FSH. No estrogen or progesterone levels. So today I will call and speak to someone about this. How can they treat for this imbalance without actually testing them? It's so stupid. I have years and years worth of data to compare it to. My estrogen and progesterone levels are well documented. My thyroid is functioning perfectly and my FSH came in at a 5. I'm no where near menopause.

 

I don't think I have endometrial cancer. I just think I am out of whack. I need to stop the bleeding. I feel like utter shit. I can't do anything. The sheer force of the clotting prevents me from using anything but pads. "Accidents" are a way of life now especially after sneezing, coughing, standing, etc. And although work is much less stressful after taking a Vic*din, I'm not very productive, happier, but not productive.

 

Today I hope to get the prescription filled and start taking the progesterone. As I write I am on the phone waiting to talk to the GYN office and let them know that are going to order estrogen and progesterone blood work.

 

More later...