Rambling, a little scared, just needing a place to write it out

I'm written here before, mostly lurked. Long story short: 46 years old,
long history of ovarian cysts, heavy bleeding; had D&C and then endometrial
ablation... didn't want to go through with hysterectomy unless absolutely
necessary. On the pill to stop the ovarian cysts.

Last Friday, toward the end of week two of the pill, I got out of the car
and felt *gush*. I thought "Oh, that's weird. If I were on my period I'd
think I just broke through." Well, no, it wasn't time for my period, but
yes, I was bleeding, and pretty heavily. Over the weekend things were like
a moderately heavy period (needing to change super tampons about every 45
min to an hour, spilling over a couple of times, clots present, from nickel
sized to golf-ball sized). Then today, I started coming through super
tampons is 10 min or less. Lots of clots, mostly the size of small eggs,
but some larger. Called the ob/gyn and explained the situation. They
couldn't get me in today; I have an appointment next week. Basically, I've
not gone more than 30 min. in the last five hours without bleeding through,
and sometimes it happens in less than five.

Doc is calling in a progesterone to try to staunch the bleeding. Nurse says
that if it doesn't stop by tomorrow, I might have to have an emergency D&C.

I'm back to not knowing what to do. When it was just a matter of
inconvience, I could avoid the hysterectomy. But, now it is getting scary.
I'm afraid to drive to the pharmacy, because I'm lightheaded, and I'd
probably be bleeding on the floor by the time I got there. I've asked DH to
pick it up for me on his way home from work.

Doc says I'd have to have an abdominal hysterectomy. When he did the
ablation he confirmed that I have a very narrow vaginal canal, and he says
there is simply no way he could do it vaginally. So, we are talking
significant recovery time. Then I worry about all the "what ifs".... should
I ask him to leave the cervix, because of the risk of sexual dysfunction
I've hear about? If he leaves the ovaries, I'd STILL have to be on the
pill... so, should I say "Take it all out."

Mostly just putting this into words helps.

Sheila

"WhansaMi" <WhansaMi@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:nJIEh.3898$854.3061@trnddc04...
> I'm written here before, mostly lurked. Long story short: 46 years old,
> long history of ovarian cysts, heavy bleeding; had D&C and then
> endometrial ablation... didn't want to go through with hysterectomy unless
> absolutely necessary. On the pill to stop the ovarian cysts.
>
> Last Friday, toward the end of week two of the pill, I got out of the car
> and felt *gush*. I thought "Oh, that's weird. If I were on my period I'd
> think I just broke through." Well, no, it wasn't time for my period, but
> yes, I was bleeding, and pretty heavily. Over the weekend things were
> like a moderately heavy period (needing to change super tampons about
> every 45 min to an hour, spilling over a couple of times, clots present,
> from nickel sized to golf-ball sized). Then today, I started coming
> through super tampons is 10 min or less. Lots of clots, mostly the size
> of small eggs, but some larger. Called the ob/gyn and explained the
> situation. They couldn't get me in today; I have an appointment next
> week. Basically, I've not gone more than 30 min. in the last five hours
> without bleeding through, and sometimes it happens in less than five.

I'll address only this bit:

When I had floods in peri - complete w/ disgusting clots, I'd have to change
every 15 minutes - the most super tampon just didn't do the trick at all;
the damned clots just slid down their sides, along w/a ton of liquid blood.
My floods lasted 2 - 3 hours each IIRC - it was many years ago; and we're
all different.

Cathy


>
> Doc is calling in a progesterone to try to staunch the bleeding. Nurse
> says that if it doesn't stop by tomorrow, I might have to have an
> emergency D&C.
>
> I'm back to not knowing what to do. When it was just a matter of
> inconvience, I could avoid the hysterectomy. But, now it is getting
> scary. I'm afraid to drive to the pharmacy, because I'm lightheaded, and
> I'd probably be bleeding on the floor by the time I got there. I've asked
> DH to pick it up for me on his way home from work.
>
> Doc says I'd have to have an abdominal hysterectomy. When he did the
> ablation he confirmed that I have a very narrow vaginal canal, and he says
> there is simply no way he could do it vaginally. So, we are talking
> significant recovery time. Then I worry about all the "what ifs"....
> should I ask him to leave the cervix, because of the risk of sexual
> dysfunction I've hear about? If he leaves the ovaries, I'd STILL have to
> be on the pill... so, should I say "Take it all out."
>
> Mostly just putting this into words helps.
>
> Sheila
>

Aw.... Sheila. I don't know what to tell you, but I will say some prayers
for you. A dear friend swears that acupuncture was the only thing that
stopped her heavy bleeding (after 3 weeks!) and immediately helped her other
symptoms too.
With hope and heart,
Kathleen
--
He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn,
or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other.
~ C.S.Lewis



> I'm written here before, mostly lurked. Long story short: 46 years old,
> long history of ovarian cysts, heavy bleeding; had D&C and then
endometrial
> ablation... didn't want to go through with hysterectomy unless absolutely
> necessary. On the pill to stop the ovarian cysts.
>
> Last Friday, toward the end of week two of the pill, I got out of the car
> and felt *gush*. I thought "Oh, that's weird. If I were on my period I'd
> think I just broke through." Well, no, it wasn't time for my period, but
> yes, I was bleeding, and pretty heavily. Over the weekend things were
like
> a moderately heavy period (needing to change super tampons about every 45
> min to an hour, spilling over a couple of times, clots present, from
nickel
> sized to golf-ball sized). Then today, I started coming through super
> tampons is 10 min or less. Lots of clots, mostly the size of small eggs,
> but some larger. Called the ob/gyn and explained the situation. They
> couldn't get me in today; I have an appointment next week. Basically,
I've
> not gone more than 30 min. in the last five hours without bleeding
through,
> and sometimes it happens in less than five.
>
> Doc is calling in a progesterone to try to staunch the bleeding. Nurse
says
> that if it doesn't stop by tomorrow, I might have to have an emergency
D&C.
>
> I'm back to not knowing what to do. When it was just a matter of
> inconvience, I could avoid the hysterectomy. But, now it is getting
scary.
> I'm afraid to drive to the pharmacy, because I'm lightheaded, and I'd
> probably be bleeding on the floor by the time I got there. I've asked DH
to
> pick it up for me on his way home from work.
>
> Doc says I'd have to have an abdominal hysterectomy. When he did the
> ablation he confirmed that I have a very narrow vaginal canal, and he says
> there is simply no way he could do it vaginally. So, we are talking
> significant recovery time. Then I worry about all the "what ifs"....
should
> I ask him to leave the cervix, because of the risk of sexual dysfunction
> I've hear about? If he leaves the ovaries, I'd STILL have to be on the
> pill... so, should I say "Take it all out."
>
> Mostly just putting this into words helps.
>
> Sheila
>
>

WhansaMi <WhansaMi@verizon.net> wrote:

> If he leaves the ovaries, I'd STILL have to be on the
> pill... so, should I say "Take it all out."

No, because you'd have no uterus (unless you're taking the pill as
hormone therapy?). Leave the ovaries. They still have function even
after you're menopausal. Oh, heck, even the uterus does.

I think you need more information, simply, at this point. Just to find
out what happened this weekend with your body and what are the options.
Hysterectomy is pretty drastic if the uterus isn't actually ailing, but
if nothing else will stop the bleeding, then that may be the option.

In the meantime, take deep breaths. And an iron pill. And give DH a hug.
Nice to have someone to run the errands. :-)

--
Keera in Norway * Think big. Shrink to fit.
http://home.online.no/~kafox/

"WhansaMi" <WhansaMi@verizon.net> wrote in
news:nJIEh.3898$854.3061@trnddc04:

> Then today, I started coming through super
> tampons is 10 min or less. Lots of clots, mostly the size of small
> eggs, but some larger. Called the ob/gyn and explained the situation.
> They couldn't get me in today; I have an appointment next week.
> Basically, I've not gone more than 30 min. in the last five hours
> without bleeding through, and sometimes it happens in less than five.
>

Some things that helped me when I had bleeds like that (every month for a
decade or two):
-lie on your back, with your legs straight up in the air, for about 20
minutes. I usually butted up against a wall.
-external massage. You probably feel like pushing and pulling on your
lower abdomen would make things worse, but it might very well make them
better.
-fill a plastic quart bottle halfway with water, screw on the cap
loosely, and freeze. Then fill it the rest of the way with water, and
apply to the lower abdomen. Several times this stopped the flood in mid-
flo...
-sudafed, for some odd reason, seemed to help reduce my flow. If it
works for you, great.
-post-partum pads for overnight. If you look at the bottom shelves or
the top shelves in the feminine hygeine aisle at Target or WalMart,
you'll find these hyoodge pads. You might be changing tampons every ten
minutes, but saddle up one of those ponies and you're good for hours.
-overlap pads. Put one forward, and another farther back in your
panties.

And don't panic. You can lose an awful lot of blood without harm (other
than to your car seats).

Best,

Chak

--
No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of
policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets.
--Edward Abbey

Thanks, guys. I'm going to try to go in to work today, so I don't have much
time to post, but I didn't want to leave without showing my appreciation for
your kind words.

Update: The doc called in some prometrium last night. DH was picking it up
for me, and he didn't get home until 8 pm. By then I had gone a 45 min
period without breaking through, so it looked like it was letting up on its
own. The rest of the night was not as bad as the day. I've been up for
almost a hour now. Had to change again after my shower, but it was mostly
clot, so I figured it was the gravity that brought that down after being on
my back most of the night.

When I get home tonight I'll address some of the other questions/comments,
but, again, thanks.

Sheila

P.S. (and Hi Kathleen!)

Hi Sheila!
Better now?

With hope and heart,
Kathleen
--
He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn,
or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other.
~ C.S.Lewis
"WhansaMi" <WhansaMi@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:NYUEh.3934$854.141@trnddc04...
> Thanks, guys. I'm going to try to go in to work today, so I don't have
much
> time to post, but I didn't want to leave without showing my appreciation
for
> your kind words.
>
> Update: The doc called in some prometrium last night. DH was picking it
up
> for me, and he didn't get home until 8 pm. By then I had gone a 45 min
> period without breaking through, so it looked like it was letting up on
its
> own. The rest of the night was not as bad as the day. I've been up for
> almost a hour now. Had to change again after my shower, but it was mostly
> clot, so I figured it was the gravity that brought that down after being
on
> my back most of the night.
>
> When I get home tonight I'll address some of the other questions/comments,
> but, again, thanks.
>
> Sheila
>
> P.S. (and Hi Kathleen!)
>
>

"Kathleen" <lovebirds1201@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:54qc6hF220dqnU1@mid.individual.net...
> Hi Sheila!
> Better now?
>
> With hope and heart,
> Kathleen

Yes. And no. I dunno.

Lemme see..... Monday, the doc called in some Prometrium (400 mg daily). My
DH picked it up on his way home from work, but he couldn't get home until
almost 9:00 pm. By that time it looked like things were letting up on their
own -- I'd gone almost an hour without breaking through. But, I took the
Prometrium anyway.

Tuesday through Thursday I was having moderate to heavy bleeding (changing
tampons every hour or two), still with a fair number of clots (mostly in the
1 inch to 2 inch range), but nothing like Monday, so I was grateful.

Friday, during most of the day it was pretty light. Relatively little
blood, and an occasional nickel sized clot Then last night, it started hard
again. This morning, back to light.

So, who knows? I see the doc on Monday. The nurse told me that "if it is
hormonally based (as opposed to morphologically based, I guess) the
Prometrium should make it stop." I don't know if she meant the scary
bleeding, or the bleeding altogether, so I don't know how to interpret all
this.

Thanks for asking, though.

Sheila

Hi Sheila,

Do you know if you have fibroids?

Stacey

"WhansaMi" <WhansaMi@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:9yhGh.108$iD4.15@trnddc06...
>
> "Kathleen" <lovebirds1201@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:54qc6hF220dqnU1@mid.individual.net...
>> Hi Sheila!
>> Better now?
>>
>> With hope and heart,
>> Kathleen
>
> Yes. And no. I dunno.
>
> Lemme see..... Monday, the doc called in some Prometrium (400 mg daily).
> My DH picked it up on his way home from work, but he couldn't get home
> until almost 9:00 pm. By that time it looked like things were letting up
> on their own -- I'd gone almost an hour without breaking through. But, I
> took the Prometrium anyway.
>
> Tuesday through Thursday I was having moderate to heavy bleeding
> (changing tampons every hour or two), still with a fair number of clots
> (mostly in the 1 inch to 2 inch range), but nothing like Monday, so I was
> grateful.
>
> Friday, during most of the day it was pretty light. Relatively little
> blood, and an occasional nickel sized clot Then last night, it started
> hard again. This morning, back to light.
>
> So, who knows? I see the doc on Monday. The nurse told me that "if it
> is hormonally based (as opposed to morphologically based, I guess) the
> Prometrium should make it stop." I don't know if she meant the scary
> bleeding, or the bleeding altogether, so I don't know how to interpret all
> this.
>
> Thanks for asking, though.
>
> Sheila
>
>
>

"Stacey Weinberger" <poppinjay@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:hCjGh.8491$tD2.3098@newsread1.news.pas.earthl ink.net...
> Hi Sheila,
>
> Do you know if you have fibroids?
>
> Stacey

I had a hysterogram a few years back and yes, it indicated fibroids and
polyps then.

Sheila

"WhansaMi" <WhansaMi@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:OfkGh.546$wc6.103@trndny05...
>
> "Stacey Weinberger" <poppinjay@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:hCjGh.8491$tD2.3098@newsread1.news.pas.earthl ink.net...
>> Hi Sheila,
>>
>> Do you know if you have fibroids?
>>
>> Stacey
>
> I had a hysterogram a few years back and yes, it indicated fibroids and
> polyps then.
>


That *could* explain the heavy bleeding. I remember my mother
having to wear two "ultra" pads together and still having to change
them ten minutes later.


--
Jette Goldie
jette@blueyonder.co.uk
http://www.jette.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
http://wolfette.livejournal.com/
("reply to" is spamblocked - use the email addy in sig)

>>> Hi Sheila,
>>>
>>> Do you know if you have fibroids?
>>>
>>> Stacey
>>
>> I had a hysterogram a few years back and yes, it indicated fibroids and
>> polyps then.
>>
>
>
> That *could* explain the heavy bleeding. I remember my mother
> having to wear two "ultra" pads together and still having to change
> them ten minutes later.
>
Yup, it very well could. And nowadays treating fibroids doesn't mean a
hysterectomy. Here are a couple of nice sites about them:
http://www.hopeforfibroids.org/uae.htm and
http://www.fibroidsecondopinion.com

Stacey