Re: Bleeding for a week - when should I REALLY worry?
From: tera (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sat, 2 Feb 2002 13:44:27 -0600 (CST)
Hi again, Jodi!
I know that it's a huge bummer. Our periods with PCOS can be wacky.
They can be so sporadic and very light at times and at other times
REALLY heavy...I know how frustrating and scary it can be.
Don't you feel a little relieved at talking to your doctor? I hope your
new meds will help you. I forgot if you mentioned how long you had been
taking the Met. Sometimes it takes a while for it to regulate women and
it can also take a lot of trial and error to find the right dose for
you. Anyway, I hope you and your doctor can regulate you soon.
As for being a non-typical case - the onset of PCOS IS usually when
women are in their early twenties and keep in mind that most women with
PCOS were thin at the onset. When I first started showing signs of PCOS
I was only 18 with an absolutely fabulous figure. Keep in mind that
even though it may seem that most women with PCOS are overweight not all
of them are. Some statistics I have read show that about 60% of PCOS
women are overweight and that it may be because those who are have
greater insulin resistance than the thin women. That's just a theory.
Finally, it is highly doubtful that your doctor will recommend a
hysterectomy for your problems. I wouldn't sweat it. If your doctor
ever does, fight it. According to the literature I've read total
hysterectomies should not be preformed for anything short of cancer or
an equally serious condition. A hysterectomy will not cure PCOS anyway.
Sure, you won't have to deal with periods any more but the PCOS will
still exist. I'll be thinking of you, Jodi! Take care! God bless! Tera
At Sat, 2 Feb 2002, jodi wrote:
>
>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
>>
--
Tera
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