So I went to the endo doctor....
I had The Barren come with me, well, because it was a male doctor and as sexist as that sounds often times when I have visited a male doctor they talk down to me unless The Barren is present.
It sucks and is sad, but true.
So I brought back-up
Also, I had MASSIVE white coat and I wanted a second set of ears to hear what my brain dropped with its high screeching sound.
I was sweating and anxious and although my clots had stopped on Monday, I was still spotting.
The doctor came into the exam room like a cowboy on a bulldozer.
Sat down in front of me with my folder and said:
"You are peri-menopausal.
that is why you are bleeding like this."
"We've met before, but you were asleep" (creepy)
He assisted on my ovarian cystectomy and stage four endo confirmation.
" yep, you are total mess, everything is just all mucked up in there."
He was trying to make light of things I think...but it came across a little like a used car salesman
He told me that when I got tired of bleeding I should consider a D&C or Uterine Ablation or both.
But first,
" We need to do an endometrial biopsy, to confirm that you don't have uterine cancer. I don't think you do, but it is important to confirm that.
I have my nurse practitioners do them because I don't like to hurt people and they hurt. Because I have never had any children, my cervical opening is small or totally closed and they might not be able to do the biopsy, so if that is the case then they would do it with a D&C""
I saw The Barren go pale when the doctor described the process
and I think I left my body at that moment.
He suggested that I double up on my BC pill to up the hormone and if it works then we can switch to another pill and just take them back to back.
Oh, and you can only take the pill until you are 50 so you only have a little bit of time left on that.
then you are considered Menopausal and you shouldn't be on the pill anymore.
I told him I was most afraid of having to have a hysterectomy and he told me that he had ZERO desire to do one, that he doesn't even have it on the list of options....unless needed.like uterine cancer.
That was a relief among the land mines.
He also said that caffeine or alcohol are not triggers for endo and that I should be drinking champagne whenever I want and enjoying my cup of tea in the morning.
I left the office with a biopsy appointment, with a nurse practitioner that was versed in the procedure of difficult subjects, and the lady at the front desk said she would ask if a should take some kind of medicine ahead of the procedure to help make it easier for us both...but it wasn't an anti-anxiety drug.
I left the appointment feeling like I had been run over by a mack truck!
I was dizzy and shaking and confused and so very sad.
I spoke to a pharmacist yesterday that confirmed that doubling up on the BC pill was a good option and if the spotting stopped then get a new prescription with that dose and take three 28 day packs back to back. 28 day packs have a wider range of dosages of hormone than the 91day generics I take.
I started last night and aside from some nausea this morning, I feel pretty alright and the spotting seems to be stopping too!
I did yoga yesterday and today...that helped A LOT.
I am scared of the biopsy, but keep trying to focus on it being a 10-15 minute
procedure and that the pain will be temporary.
The Barren is taking me to and from the appointment that day.
I am so done with this bullshit
I am done with doctors
I am done with the sadness
I am done with painful procedures
I am done with feeling so overwhelmed
but something somewhere in me won't let me totally give up and give in
I still have some dim flame of hope that this will be it, the last of it for a long spell
3 comments:
I had an endometrial biopsy as part of my infertility workup, 18 years ago. I remember it was a bit painful, but nothing I couldn't handle, and it didn't last very long. Yoga breathing helped, and I think I took some extra-strength ibuprofen about an hour before my appointment. Hang in there!
I'm so glad Loribeth was able to come in with some experience of this. How it all sucks. I totally understand how "done" you are with all this. Sending hugs.
Also, I know this is different, but my hysterectomy freed me. I'm going to write about this soon. I haven't before, and feel a bit ashamed about that.
Wow - I'm sorry this ridiculous body shit (or insert descriptive phrase of your choice) continues. Will be thinking of you and fingers crossed for your procedure and for the future.
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