Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, please)

[LynzeeLeigh]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Go with the IUD. Options 3 and 4 just seem too invasive and permanent...and if you don't like hormones, depo wouldn't be for you either. I've had mirena for almost two years now and have never had a single problem with it. My periods have went from being moderate/heavy and a week long to very light and lasting only a few days. Since it emits hormones and you don't have to take them orally, the hormones go right where they need to and don't travel through your bloodstream. That's why, once it's taken out, your chances of getting pregnant are just as good as before you had it--because the hormones don't have to have time to leave your system, like with the pill. It's honestly worth a try. Coming from someone who has one, it's extremely simple and may help you out a lot in the long run.

 

[katamari]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Glad to see you have come to a decision you feel comfortable with, Gypsy. I just want two things. First, my GYN suggested an IUD particularly because I get migraines. They are apparently the least likely to trigger migraines. Second, if the IUD doesn't work for you, I would still consider hormonal birth control. I have known several women to get an early hysterectomy and all were put on a strong regiment of hormones post surgery. The hysterectomy does not necessarily mean you will avoid hormones. I really hope this helps you feel better!

 

[CJ2008]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Gypsy - I am sorry to hear you're going through all this but so glad the PS family helped you so much that you feel clear about what to do, and that you feel supported. Good luck with everything and I hope you keep us posted on how you're doing.

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Gypsy, I am not sure if someone else has addressed this in your post as I have not had a chance to read through all the replies. Have you had a laporoscopy to rule out endometriosis or other pelvic diseases like polycystic ovaries ? During the lap they can also treat any endometriosis and cysts which could really help you symptoms. In addition, changing your diet and exercise can also really help with bleeding and inflammation in you pelvis. Look up info on a macrobiotic diet. Basically you need to cut out all wheat and any process foods, and eat more whole foods. In addition, you can also treat it with stronger birth controls that allow you to skip your periods all together (e.g. seasonique or minovral).

I found these books to be really helpful:

http://www.amazon.com/Endometriosis-Key-Healing-Through-Nutrition/dp/0007133103/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1296952885&sr=8-2-spell

http://www.amazon.com/Endometriosis-Complete-Reference-Taking-Charge/dp/0071412484/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1296952913&sr=8-6

 

[geckodani]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Aw Gypsy. Massive hugs coming from over here.

I was going to suggest the IUD over the Depo, for the reasons everyone else stated. IUD can totally come out if you have problems with it. I know too many people that have had problems with the Depo, and there's just no going back from that one until it works its way out of your system.

I really, truly hope that the IUD works for you. And if it doesn't, please, PLEASE investigate any and all other non-permanent solutions first. You said you don't like taking hormones, but there are so many options out there now that perhaps you could find a pill solution that you feel good about it the IUD doesn't solve the problem. Even if you don't ever plan to have children, losing the ability altogether... well, it has to have a psychological effect, if nothing else.

And ditto not mixing tylenol with Vicodin - they both have acetaminophin in them. Made that mistake and had the most god awful headache. Ibuprofin doesn't seem to have the same effect when mixed.

I can't even imagine how uncomfortable and hard this must be on you. Hang in there, don't give up, and keep us posted.

 

[lizzyann]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Gypsy, sorry to hear you have been going thru this. My vote would also be with the IUD. A friend of mine has had hers for years and found that she prefers it to the BCP. Good Luck! Hope you can get some relief and feel better soon!

Oh on a side note, did you decide on your rug for your living room?

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

HI ILTW, I will look at the links you posted, thanks so much. Skipping periods is what started this problem. At least as much as anything. I've been screened. They are sure why this is happening. My thyroid is fine. They did more tests two weeks ago, I'll find out on Monday what the results are.

Gecko, you are a great friend. I am pretty content with the IUD decision. I can try it and if it doesn't work go from there. But keep my fingers crossed that it does work.

Lizzy, ((HUGS)) yes, anything I saw in person was a bust. I have a couple ideas, but I'll update the rud poll 2 thread with them soon to keep the information there. Thanks for all your help honey.

 

[geckodani]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Fingers, toes, eyes and tail crossed for you.

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

CJ and katamari, thank you both for your posts I didn't mean to overlook you earlier I was on my way to family's house for dinner and just bolted the earlier post. ((HUGS))

Thank you Gecko honey.

 

[slg47]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

yeah, I hope it goes well! I would give it at least 2 months or so (unless it is totally unbearable, then obviously take it out!) because my first period with it I had really really bad cramps, but after that it was fine.

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

yeah, I hope it goes well! I would give it at least 2 months or so (unless it is totally unbearable, then obviously take it out!) because my first period with it I had really really bad cramps, but after that it was fine.

Okay. I'll talk to my MD about what to expect.

 

[yennyfire]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Gypsy, I don't mean to threadjack your post here, but I actually want to thank you. My IUD has to come out in a couple of months and from reading everyone's responses, I learned that I can talk to my midwife about something to soften my cervix before the thing is removed. For me, the insertion was very painful (mostly because I wasn't expecting it to be that bad), but once it was over, I was fine. Some cramping, but nothing unusual.

I'm so glad that you've come to a decision that you're comfortable with and hope that you get some relief really soon!

 

[stepcutgirl]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

I haven't read all the responses as I'm out the door but I wanted to chime in with what about a partial hysterectomy? They would leave your ovaries so you wouldn't go into menopause and would continue normally only you would be sans the thing that's making you miserable. I'm an ultrasound tech so I see this done alot and most of the women I see pre and post are very happy, no more periods but you still have all your womanly hormones. Just an option.

Oh and ps-I had earrings made for my wedding like your Kraiko's!

ETA-I see you made your decision, best of luck with it!

 

[Scorpioanne]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Gypsy, I don't mean to threadjack your post here, but I actually want to thank you. My IUD has to come out in a couple of months and from reading everyone's responses, I learned that I can talk to my midwife about something to soften my cervix before the thing is removed. For me, the insertion was very painful (mostly because I wasn't expecting it to be that bad), but once it was over, I was fine. Some cramping, but nothing unusual.

I'm so glad that you've come to a decision that you're comfortable with and hope that you get some relief really soon!

Yennyfire, as a IUD veteran of about 3 copper Ts over the years, it really doesn't hurt to have it removed, they just pull it out. It is the insertion that hurts.

 

[yennyfire]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Good to know ScorpioAnne, thanks! That's definitely a relief!

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Thanks so much everyone.

I went to see the doctor yesterday. I am having the IUD done next week. Fingers crossed!


All my biopsies and everything came back negative. So we'll see.

Thank you guys so much for all your help. I can't thank you enough.

 

[vintagelover229]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Hey Gypsy!
Sorry I haven't said anything in this thread yet, I wasn't quite sure what to say bc I haven't gone though or know anyone who's gone though anything similar. I do want to give you HUGS though and say I'm glad you've found an options your most comfortable with and have gotten the support you need from PSers who know better than I. I hope all goes well and that you start feeling better. HUGS!

 

[happybear]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Hi Gypsy,

I'm new here but have been reading alot of your helpful posts... just wanted to come in to give you a hug...
I'm sure everything will go smoothly next week.

Take care, girl!

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

If you google "IUD Divas" it brings up a site with hundreds of IUD experiences. There are even a set of pictures of what the IUD (well, the strings) looks like throughout the cycle. It's pretty interesting. I spent a lot of time on that site after I had my IUD inserted. It's nice to hear other stories, especially if you experience any side effects that you're not sure about.

I hope you have a nice, easy insertion experience and that it works for you!

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

VL, no worries hon. I like my doctor. I took the day off (once I start fainting I usually keep fainting, it's fun) so I don't have to stress and hubby will be with me. I'm going to be okay. And if I'm not... I can have it removed.

Thank you for your very kind words happybear. I love your nickname.

Travel Goddess, thank you!!! That website will help greatly!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Looks like you've already made up your mind based on the other excellent advice posted, so I'll just agree with everything everyone else wrote - I would try the IUD first cause it's easily reversible and (I think?) a lower dose of hormone than the Depo. You can move on to the more aggressive things if that fails, but it's best to try the least aggressive thing first.

The main thing is...even though none of the options sound good and the surgical options sound really scary...it is not worth it to live the life you are living. I don't know if you mentioned how long you've been living with this, but it sounds like you will really be a new person once this problem is solved and sometimes we can't even imagine how things will change if we've been dealing with something for a while. If it takes a procedure to solve your problem and some risk and overcoming the anxiety of having something done, it may still be very much worth it in the end.

This is my feeling too. Try to IUD. And if that does not work, try other non-permanent solutions. But in the end, if nothing worked, I would have the hysterectomy. Life is too short to live with something chronic that can be solved. I am actually very against hysterectomy in principle and in general, but there comes a point where you need to decide to take drastic action to have a better life. Maybe you are not there yet, but I would not rule it out in future.

**edited for clarity

 

[Linda W]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Layla honey, I agree with some of the other posters. If the IUD does not work have the hysterectomy. I had one at 38 years old, due to cancer though. Having had one, best thing I ever had. No more periods, no more PMS Instead of going on the pill, I use the patch, just change it once a week. It has less symptoms than the pill does. Just a thought. xoxoxox

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

It is so scary to think if the hysterectomy as an option. I'm just praying the IUD works and it's something I can put off for a while. I will consider it if necessary. But... the thought is just terrifying for me.

I signed up for personal training lessons at the gym. And have been watching what I eat more. The doctor did say that if I lost weight it might (might) help as fat cells emit hormones and something...point being if I lose weight there is a higher chance things would settle. And since I have gained a lot of weight in the last year...I'm going to give it a try. Even if it doesn't help the bleeding, hopefully it will help with the self confidence and other issues.


Thank you both Dreamer and Linda (Linda I've missed you, please stay!).

 

[happybear]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Thank you for your very kind words happybear. I love your nickname.

I'm rather heavy & fleshy for my height, but happy nevertheless hence the nickname

But I'm trying to lose some weight too for health purposes. The excessive weight is not good for my joints, especially my knees.
So let's spur each other on in our quest for better wellbeing.

Keep up the spirit!

 

[jstarfireb]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

I have high hopes for your IUD...I hope it works as well for you as it's doing for me! I used to have periods that weren't terribly heavy but lasted 7+ days, and when I was on birth control (pill and Nuvaring), I developed such bad breakthrough bleeding that I had 2 periods per month. Not cool. As I mentioned, my periods are completely gone now, although for the first 2 years I spotted for about a day or two each month.

If your IUD fails (give it a few months first to let your body adjust)...

1) Hysterectomy is of course more invasive, but it's one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures, and it can be done in a minimally invasive way. If it comes to that, ask your doctor about doing a vaginal hysterectomy instead of an abdominal hysterectomy. Not everyone is a good candidate, but a "vag hyst" (as we call it) would be associated with less pain, a shorter recovery period, and no visible scarring.

2) Also don't forget about the option of endometrial ablation, which would be quite a bit less invasive and painful than a hysterectomy. If you're sure you don't want to have biological children, it's a good option.

Lots of hugs and dust for a relatively comfortable insertion!

 

[Amber St. Clare]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

No advice...I had endometrosis back in the day and was on hormone therapy for several years....I just want to send you a hug and wish you lots of luck.....

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Hi Happybear, that's a great idea. I got some personal training lessons, but haven't been to the gym for them yet. I'm also trying to alter my diet to higher protien, lower carb. What are you doing.

Jstar, I am admittedly scared of both those options. But if I do find myself in a position where I have to seriously consider them, I will be asking for a ton of advice, I hope I can reach out to you if that happens.

Hi Amber, ((HUGS)) and thanks so much for taking the time to post your support. I really appreciate it.


I will definitely be sure to give the IUD as long to work out as possible, hoping it will be the solution. But I will be better about not sticking my head in the sand just because I'm scared and don't want to deal with it.

 

[jstarfireb]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

You know, I was just doing some gyn cases in the OR yesterday and it got me thinking. Could you possibly have fibroids? There are lots of other things that cause heavy bleeding, but I mention fibroids because they're quite common. You may have been checked for them already, but sometimes they can be found on a simple pelvic exam, otherwise an ultrasound is quick and pretty noninvasive. If you have a large fibroid that's causing all this bleeding, you could have a myomectomy, which is a surgical procedure where they cut out the fibroid and leave the rest of your reproductive organs intact. It's obviously not a walk in the park, but it would preserve fertility, as opposed to a hysterectomy or endometrial ablation.

ETA: And regarding your last post, of course I'd be happy to give you advice down the line!

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

Had the IUD inserted on Friday. I've been crampy, but it's short term, and hopefully long term things will even out. I also started going to the gym this weekend too, and that is making me feel more in control. Thanks so much for asking.

I also got a new, better, job and gave notice at my current job which is crap. So that's helping too.


Jstar, I don[t have fibriods unfortunately. Thanks for thinking of me though.

 

[stci]

Re: Okay... I give in. I need advice. (No men allowed, pleas

I don't read all the post but I have something to say Gypsy.

Was exactly like you till I meet a gynecologist who offer me the endometrial ablation.

Yes, I know.... no more babies but you know, was so sick that I decide to go for it. DH prefer it too.

It was marvelous! Just after ablation (15 minutes) I can breeze, feel better and nerver regrets ( 4 years now). It was an issue for me!

Take information Sweety:

http://women.webmd.com/endometrial-ablation-16200