WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for March, 1998: Re: Abnormal, prolonged bleeding

Re: Abnormal, prolonged bleeding

From: Tracy (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sun, 22 Mar 1998 10:28:27 -0600 (CST)

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At Sun, 22 Mar 1998, Shirley wrote: >
>I am 38 years old and the mother of three teens. I have always been
>healthy with regular periods until November of '94. I had been
>hospitalized with severe pneumonia for five days. I had just started a
>period before I was admitted and it ended normally. About a week later
>I started again. I bled for 20+ days. My physician ordered an
>ultrasound which showed the right side to be fine but the left side was
>not clearly visible. I was then referred to an obgyn who performed an
>endometrial biopsy. The results were normal. He gave no indication as
>to what could have caused this. He told me and my husband to choose a
>method of treatment from a list that ranged from estrogen-therapy BC
>pills to hysterectomy. No knowing what was causing my problem, we
>selected the pills. Unfortunately, I could not take them longer than
>two months. My nervous system could never handle them before and it was
>even worse. Everything seemed to return to normal. Then December '96 I
>was two weeks late. We just thought perhaps I was pregnant. But I
>started the day I went to the doctor. Everything normal again. Then I
>had no period from June '97 till August '97. When I did start, it
>lasted for 20+ days. I returned to the doctor who suggested a chemical
>D&C. Seemed to work until November. This one lasted 17 days. Twenty
>days later I started again. This went on for over 30+ days with heavy
>bleeding and clotting the entire time. Needless to say, my blood count
>was dangerously low. In January my doctor referred me to another obgyn.
>Unfortunately, everyone seemed so concerned about my blood count (which
>I understand) that they failed to try to find out what the problem was.
>The obgyn did an endometrial biopsy. He started me on depo shots and
>told me I would have very little if any bleeding while on them. It was
>about two weeks of staying off my feet before the bleeding completely
>stopped. 2½ weeks later I began having severe cramping around the
>middle of the day. By 4:30 that very afternoon I was in pain that was
>worse than the labor I had with the birth of my last child. (The first
>two were C-section. The third was born vaginally--no drugs.) I was sick
>at my stomach and feeling very weak from the severity of the pain. I
>called for my obgyn as he had told me too. However, his nurse would not
>let me talk to him and told me I needed to go to the ER. (She said it
>could be a kidney stone.) I did not want to go through the same
>procedures again as I would have to see the ER doctor. Just as my
>husband started to take me, I felt a strange sensation of something
>"dropping". I rushed to the bathroom. I passed a very, very large
>clot--maybe the size of a fetus about 3/4 term. I began bleeding
>heavily, but the pain returned to very mild cramping. I called for my
>obgyn again. He had left for the day and the nurse refused to page him
>or bother him. She told me to go on to the ER. We didn't. (We just
>started our own business and have no insurance.) I bled like a fairly
>normal period for a little over a week, however, I have had some small
>amount of bleeding almost every day. About a week ago, I stopped
>completely. But if I am very active, like hiking, lifting a child and
>dancing with them, I cramp and spot--not heavy and not long. I am tired
>of being treated for symptoms and no one suggesting a real cause for
>this. It cost us over $500 for them to "try" the depo (which I never
>went back for since it didn't work). Please, can you give me some
>options as possible causes of my problem. My husband and I have been
>married almost 3 years. Although he adopted the three teens, he has
>desired to have one more. We realize this may not be possible anymore.
>Please help.

This sounds so familiar to me it scares me. I had just about the same problem, for almost a year I bled up to 3 weeks a month, severe pain even when not bleeding,could not have sex with my husband because of the pain, not being able to function normally because of it. My first doctor also tried the pill, but it didnt work at all, after 3 months on it, no change. I had my mind set I didnt want any more children(I have 3 girls now 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 years of age). The first doctor wanted to keep me on the pill til menopause, and I thought that was crazy(already high risk/family history of breast cancer)! He wouldnt even consider hysterectomy at my age(23). I sought help from another doctor, and he understood exactly what I was going through and his first suggestion was hysterectomy. He didnt see the sense in me possibly suffering with this until menopause,and knew I was done having children, so we went for it. It was the best decision I ever made for both myself and my family. I could once again be intimate with my husband, play with my children, go grocery shopping even(before it was like a painful chore). I know this souunds like a drastic thing to do, but it was well worth it, even if you do not have insurance, most any hospital will take payments, no matter how low. My insurance covered 80% and I now pay the hospital just $10 a month and I get no complaints from them.

I understand what you and your whole family must be going through right now, and I have been there. If you wish to talk further about any of this, you can email me privately at tracy-lynn@rocketmail.com.

Good luck with whatever you decide,

Tracy

Next message: Jeneane: "Re: vag vs c/s breech delivery"
Previous message: cheryl: "exercise for bed-ridden pregnant women"
In reply to: Shirley: "Abnormal, prolonged bleeding"

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