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Re: BCPs - how long?

From: Diana (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Wed Nov 30 12:12:05 2005

Thanks Jennifer -

I'm seeing my GP this afternoon to ask her to "cover" me for a few more months to see if the BCPs will work (or until I find a new local gyn), and in the meantime I've set up an initial appointment in January with an endo specialist in case I don't improve and do need surgery. I hope I'm not just fooling myself - but I'm taking about half as many pain killers now as I was a week ago and I want so much to believe it means I'm improving!

I've read a lot about Lupron, and have decided against it. I have a sister who also has endo, now resolved after having a couple kids, Lupron, a laparoscopy or two, and finally a radical hysterectomy - not exactly in that order, but you get the idea. Thing is, she developed fibromyalgia after the Lupron, and I have another sister who has rheumatoid arthritis (she did not take Lupron) - considering their autoimmune problems, I feel I'd be putting myself at too much risk for developing similar problems.

I chose Dr. Cook after reading as much as I could about endo and came to conclusion that excision gives a woman the best chance for long-term relief. It's expensive, but I'm weighing that expense against the odds that if I get a less thorough surgery, I'll likely end up having to have another one, and very possibly more after that. And if I were to try Lupron and develop fibromyalgia, it would cost me a lot more than the price of an endo specialist. Some women, like my sister, can't even work - I hate to say it, but unless a cure is developed, she's going to be paying for the Lupron she took for the rest of her life.

It's interesting to me how doctors promote surgery for women who want to have babies, but medical treatment for women who don't. I personally don't plan on having kids, but I've been thinking I should just start telling the doctors that I really really want them NOW so they will lay off the Lupron talk! But a doctor that pushes for Lupron is not a doctor I want to see anyway...

And now I've babbled! But I often do ;-)

Thanks for your help, and best of luck to you. 

--
Diana


At Tue, 29 Nov 2005, Jennifer wrote:
>
>Diana...
>Here's my two cents (or 5 cents depending on how long this takes!!!).
>I have been switched from one pill to the other for the symptoms, now, I
>have yet to find one that helps, but my doc has stopped switching them
>(he hoped the lap would help and I'd feel better on these pills now).  I
>know that when used at birth control, they need to be in your system at
>least a month -- I also know that most meds I've been on like that
>(anti-depressants, sleep aids, B/c, etc.) are supposed to take about 1
>to 2 months just to kick in.
>I say that if you think you are seeing the light at the end of the
>tunnel, stick with it a bit longer.
>But, your situation also plays a factor in this, and when I say
>situation I mean with children.  If you don't have any and want them --
>you may want to take a different road.  If you're ready for a baby now,
>the best step for you would likely be the lap.
>I have not had pain relief since I started with symptoms,so I had the
>lap and am glad i did.  I haven't had relief but I was given answers.
>But many women do get relief.
>My doc said the course from birth control pills (with no help) is a lap
>-- then if there are still problems, lupron for 6 months, he recommends
>I get pregnant at the end of that treatment, as that's the best time for
>my endo.  From that it's just more of the same as you said.
>Anyway, I may have babbled, but I hope I have helped a little.
>Please let me know if you have any more questions or if I've confused
>you!!!
>Jennifer A.
>
>At Tue, 29 Nov 2005, Diana wrote:
>>
>>Back this past May, a doctor put me on Tri-Cyclen for endo symptoms,
>>which seemed to just make everything worse.  I took them continuously
>>for 5 months, then I got the NP at my doctor's office to switch me to
>>continuous Nordette on advice I received from yet another NP.  Then I
>>went to a new doctor, but they seem really frustrated, and don't want to
>>wait to see if the Nordette works, nor do they want to deal with giving
>>me pain meds.  They are pushing a laparoscopy followed by lupron
>>followed by god-knows-what, more of the same I imagine.
>>
>>I've only been on the Nordette for 4 1/2 weeks, and I have seen some
>>improvement - now the pain killers actually kill the pain! And I'm
>>taking fewer of them
>>
>>I'm wondering of the people who tried BCPs for their endo, how long did
>>you give the treatment before you got results, or gave up?
>>
>>Thank you!



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