Re: Bleeding for a week - when should I REALLY worry?
From: jodi (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sat, 2 Feb 2002 12:21:39 -0600 (CST)
Hi there Tera, thanks for answering. I did call my doc yesterday but
ended up playing phone tag with her until this afternoon. Yesterday at
work was horrible, for about half an hour I had cramps so bad I couldn't
stand up. I spent that half hour squatting on the floor in the staff
office :-/ (I work at a residential treatment facility, sort of a step
down from a psychiatric hospital...) I kept thinking I should go to the
emergency room, given that there is a women's hospital right across the
street from where I work... but all I could think about was sitting
there in the ER and having to see all these happily pregnant women
walking through the door going into labor and even though I am not ttc
right now... well, I hate seeing pregnant women. I hate seeing women
with babies. I especially hate seeing women younger than me with babies
in their arms and another on the way... I guess I'm quite hung up on
feeling doomed before I've even started! So, I stuck it out at work...
finally talked to my doc today... and she feared I might have an
ectopic pregnancy and SHOULD go to the ER! ugh! she had me take a preg
test while we were on the phone (i happen to have a bunch on hand...)
and it was neg, so she said not to worry about it... it's probably just
extra lining that didn't come out when I had a period, and the metformin
alone isn't cutting it. She she is adding actos or avandia to my meds
in an effort to get me regular without the pill. I cannot tolerate the
pill... I have tried 10 different kinds, all resulting in in mood
changes ranfing from perpetually pissed off to sitting on my bed holding
a knife to my wrist. Adding anti-depressants doesn't do much good
because they kill my sex drive/ability... which shifts me into the
ironic phase of "Oh, I can have sex now without worrying! But I have
more interest in licking a frozen flagpole than having sex..." Blah!
She is also getting me forms for free meds since taking any meds right
now is a hassel due to insurance...
Soooo... well, maybe adding something else for the insulin will help.
She also gave me some gynecologist's names in the area who are familiar
with PCOS. The gyn I have seen in the past is a complete moron when it
comes to PCOS, at least with me... my endocrinologist says maybe that's
just because I really don't present as a typical case. Young, not
really overweight, whatever...\
My endo. also said she doesn't think it's cancer. I've been having
horrific visions of needing a hysterectomy at the age of 24... :-/
- jodi
At Fri, 1 Feb 2002, tera wrote:
>
>Hi!
>
>I too have PCOS and get irregular periods and I also get periods more
>infrequently than frequently like you do. I often have difficulty
>getting periods on my own at all. There have been a few times, Jodi
>that I have had a period twice in one month. This doesn't happen often.
>It's probably happened 3-4 times in the past few years. There have even
>been rare times when I have bled heavily for a month straight because it
>had been so long since I had a period. I wouldn't panick. Getting a
>period twice in one month does not necessarily mean that something is
>wrong. I have had MANY ultrasounds since my strange episodes and evens
>HSGs and there is nothing wrong with my uterus or cervix just my
>hormones. I wouldn't be too concerned but I would call your doctor
>though and at least let them know about the situation. They will either
>reassure you or have you come in for an appt. You can't lose. When
>something strange happens with my periods I always call my doctor. She
>asks me to keep her posted about the situation and it really helps to
>keep my mind at ease. Sometimes she'll even call me a few days later to
>see how I'm doing - super cool!
>
>My cousin recently had a uterine biopsy because of some irregular
>bleeding that she was having and it came out negative. She had a biopsy
>because women with PCOS are at a higher risk for uterine cancer because
>of the absence or irregularity of menses.
>
>Just a side note. I'm sure that you already know this but it is very
>important for women to get a period at least on a semi regular basis. If
>you do not get a period for a couple of months you should call your
>doctor and have them give you Provera for a few days so that you can get
>one. Also, if you're not trying to become pregnant a good birth control
>pill such as Diane or Yasmin will help your irregularity. Hope it works
>out, Jodi! I'll be thinking of you! God bless! Tera
>
>At Fri, 1 Feb 2002, jodi wrote:
>>
>>Hi all... I decided some time ago to stop reading PCOS-related stuff on
>>the net in an effort to stop obessing over this damn disorder. Something
>>WOULD happen to prevent my not thinking about my reproductive organs
>>24/7, though...
>>
>>For the last week, I have been bleeding. It is NOT a period - not a
>>normal period, at any rate - since I just had a period starting January
>>15. At first I thought maybe this was ovulatory spotting, even though I
>>had never had that... but by the second day when I had cramps and
>>needed to wear a pad, I knew this was just too heavy to be that. This
>>is now the 8th day of bleeding, if I count the two light days of
>>spotting before I started really bleeding... and I'm quite freaked out.
>>I have always been the sort to go forever without bleeding, not the sort
>>to bleed frequently. So, I have never had anything happen like this
>>before. I did start a new job recently, and I have had two people tell
>>me it's probably the stress of the new job... but I don't know. I have
>>been under stress before. Compared to the stress I have been under in
>>college, I really don't feel stressed out at all these days, actually...
>>so I really don't think I buy the new job explanation.
>>
>>I just have no idea what is happening and I have all these fears of
>>cancer or SOMETHING terrbily wrong...
>>
>>How long should I wait before I try to see a doctor?
>>
>>- jodi
>
>--
>Tera
>
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