(random) Good morning, LJ!

[vg_ford]

Yes, I said good morning! After a good night's sleep and a good doctor's visit yesterday, I am feeling much better. I was up at 5:45 am and have already written 3 pages (I'm starting The Artist's Way course today), made and eaten breakfast (2 waffles and 2 fried eggs, yum!), drank a pot of tea, made apricot chicken and buttered rice for dinner, done my email and am now onto LJ. Not bad for a non-morning person.

It's the Snooch icon today, which means...I'm getting into SCA mode! I can't wait for GNEW this weekend. I need to make some new garb tonight - I'm pulling out the sewing machine and going to make some more t-tunic dresses. I have enough cotton to do a few, and I need them.



So, Mom came with me to my doctor's visit yesterday - I was (as of yesterday) STILL bleeding, for the 3rd week - and this was the 2nd period in a row that I had had my period last more than 2 weeks. Something was definitely wrong.

Luckily, my doctor actually takes the time to KNOW her patients, to LISTEN to them and to TALK to them like thinking human beings. I adore her. She listened to both of us and talked about the various options for treatment.

They think it's a hormone imbalance - I'm starting to exercise and eat right, which is breaking up fat cells - breaking them down into estrogen. So basically, I'm flooded with estrogen, which is making my period act up. The treatment plan is to get things straightened out by putting me on progesterone this month, to stop the bleeding (although I think it might be stopped now - who knows), and then, next month, I'm going on Seasonale to regulate things.

FOUR periods a year. I cannot WAIT.

If this doesn't work (ie, I don't stop bleeding), there are some other things we can try, but I'm hopeful this will work.



So, now I need to get dressed for work. Onward and upward, as cbpotts would say!

(oh, did I mention the SUN IS SHINING?????)

Comments

[suelder.livejournal.com]

Just remember - Seasonale doesn't start all at once. You might get some breakthrough bleeding when you get started.

Glad to hear you're taking steps and feeling better.

Hoogles

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she went over that. But seriously, with the last 4 months, I can deal with a bit of breakthrough bleeding.

[estellye.livejournal.com]

It's good to see you're feeling better! I recommend a natural supplement I started taking a few months ago when I was diagnosed as anemic. I get it at my local natural food store and it's called Hemaplex. It is iron that doesn't hurt your body like regular iron does, plus other blood replenishing things. Bleeding so much takes a toll on your blood levels and it may increase your overall energy to take that for a month. I take one every day and I could feel my energy gradually come back and I stopped getting sick constantly. With all the other things you're doing to improve your health, you may not need it, but I thought I'd mention it! Have a great day!!!

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

I'll look into it, but I'm on a LOT of meds due to the Crohns, so I'm always a little wary of adding in another supplement (comes from being the daughter of a pharmacist and a horiculturlist), because so many of them can have interactions. And I'm not anemic - I'm just bleeding. They said my blood levels and my iron levels are fine.

But I'll check it out - thanks!

[scarlettarcher.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of bleeding like that due to a change in diet. I really hope it works for you soon!

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Yeah, apparently fat cells secrete a ton of estrogen when you start shrinking them - and if you're making a lot already...

I've had quite a few overweight female friends have a lot of problems with periods/bleeding when they lost the weight. The body just gets overloaded with estrogen.

[jp-rich.livejournal.com]

You might ask them to do a saline sonogram and make sure everything is okay- I went to the doctor for bleeding problems....I would have my period for a week- stop for a few days- bleed for a day- stop again-- spot for a few days, etc....it was enough to have to wear a pad or possibly have it go thru my pants. When I did have a period, it was always heavy(!!!)....

I was diagnosed as anemic- twice within a year....and the first doctor saw nothing wrong with that. I went to a different doctor, who asked more questions-did the saline sonogram and found 2 large polyps in my uterus. Non cancerous but found a few abnormal cells, but definitely hormone related. I had a D&C done to remove the polyps and (by personal choice & due to the cells) I asked for a partial hysterectomy (I was done having kids and tired of being weak/exhausted/anemic all the time)

I would make sure that there isnt something else going on- just to be on the SAFE side

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

They've already done the ultrasound and the pelvic exams - showed nothing. I'm not anemic, like I said before, and this is only the second period that I've had a problem with. No polyps, no cysts, no nothing. So she said we'll start with correcting the hormone levels and go from there.

They're well aware of my family medical history (Mom has fibroids from hell) and with the Crohns, she's on the lookout for anything that might be cancer.