A Plan of Sorts

Again, a warning for those gentlemen and ladies who are sensitive to bodily fluids and functions. This post deals with how my doctors plan to treat extremely severe bleeding during my periods. Click away now if you'd prefer not to read or know this information.






So I thought I'd write a quick update for those who have been wondering what I've done to address the whole "bleeding like a stuck pig" issue.

Plan A.

Monday and Tuesday saw me trying to get appointments at my GP's office. My GP is out of town, but any of the others at the office could have seen me... if their 'emergency' appointment slots hadn't been taken. But they were, so I struck out there.

On to Plan B.

Tuesday night, enough was enough. I went to an urgent care clinic near our house. The nurse was amazed that I was still standing and able to function! She took the details down, and then took my BP which was pretty decent at 140/80. After that, I saw the doctor. He too was amazed. And somewhat perplexed. He ordered some bloodwork to be done to check hemoglobin levels and CBC details. He indicated that if the hemoglobin was low, he was going to send me to emergency to be assessed and treated.

About 45 minutes later, we learned that hemoglobin levels (and everything else they tested) was completely normal. So the doctor was at a loss as to what to do. He suggested that I contact my RE first thing Wednesday morning to get an appointment. That lead to...

Plan C

Wednesday morning, it looked like the bleeding was subsiding. It wasn't as copious as it had been and seemed to be tapering off. I figured I'd let it sit.

Overnight Wednesday into Thursday, almost nothing! WOW! First time in weeks! Alas, it was short-lived; as soon as I was done my morning shower, the bleeding returned. Not fast and furious, but it certainly did return.

So from my office this morning, I called my RE, who immediately booked me for a 10:30 appointment today. I left my office and headed there. They took my details and a copy of the blood work that was done on Tuesday night at the urgent care clinic. Next, my RE ordered a high level ultrasound elsewhere, which was booked for noon today (man, they were on the ball!). After that, I sat with my RE and chatted a bit about the whole situation. Here's his take on it:

The cyst is likely still there (I can feel it, I KNOW it's still there!) and is producing estrogen. That's throwing off my hormone levels. My progesterone is way down, and my estrogen is way up. So if he prescribed me some progesterone, in the hopes that hormones may level off a bit. And the progesterone may help alleviate the pain and aching that I'm getting from the cyst. He prescribed 20 mg per day, to reduce if I feel depressed. I'll get that prescription filled later today.

Secondly, assuming the cyst is still there, and it hasn't shrunk at all, that means the b/c pills for the past month aren't having any noticeable effect. I figured this much; we've done this before with no noticeable results on my cysts. And according to my RE, the cyst is likely causing a lot of this bleeding so it really needs to be removed.

He quickly put in a call to my OB. If you recall, my OB during my pregnancy is the same doctor who did a lap for me way back when to remove yet another cyst. However, this time, my RE asked the OB if I can be worked into the schedule in the coming few days to have the cyst aspirated. Aspiration is the same procedure I had done in Montreal right before our IVF cycle in the fall of 2008. Basically they use the same type of needle that's used in egg collection during IVF and using ultrasound, they locate the cyst, go in through the vaginal wall, and aspirate it. Poof, gone. Painful, sure. No doubt about that; there's no meds given for the procedure. But boy, it sure works like a charm!

So right now I'm waiting on a call from the RE or the OB's office to tell me when I'm scheduled. They figured by Monday or Tuesday, they can work me in for the aspiration.

At the moment, I'm just keeping fingers crossed that I don't start bleeding profusely between now and then. I'm getting tired of it all at this point. Time to just get it over and done with. Ugh. Wish me luck.

Where to turn for a severe case of menorrhagia?

Gentlemen, and those ladies more sensitive to bodily functions:

This post concerns severe blood loss during a woman's monthly cycle. I really don't think you want to read it. Feel free to do so, but don't say you haven't been duly warned.






I have to figure out what's causing all this bleeding.

For the past four days, I've had to change my super plus protection once every hour or hour and a half (at most). On the couple of occasions I couldn't change, such as driving from home to Petite's daycare and then to work (from 7:20 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.), I ended up bleeding through clothing and onto upholstery. I'm ruining all my pants. All the black ones anyway; I'm too afraid to wear anything else at the moment. I'll be doing extra washing this week, that's for sure.

This is crazy. In the last 31 days, I've had maybe seven days (not consecutive) of no bleeding at all. And on the days that I bleed, I can't actually do anything.

I have to interrupt choir rehearsal to go to the washroom.

I have to run to the washroom as soon as I arrive at the office.

I have to make sure I change protection right before I leave the office for the day, and even that's no guarantee.

I can't take time to go anywhere or do anything because I am watching the clock and figuring out when I'll need to excuse myself.

It's absolutely nuts.

My sleep is interrupted. My work is interrupted. My life is interrupted.

Every time I change, the toilet bowl looks like a massacre. I truly think some CSI dude is going to swab for blood and go "Whoa, this is our primary crime scene."

And I have clot, after clot, after clot. Not little ones. Large ones. HUGE ones. Toilet bowl staining ones. That was normal and expected after Petite's birth.

But it isn't normal for the entire 11 months that my period has been back. Not at all.

No wonder my iron levels are severely depleted. But why, oh why, aren't the iron supplements being absorbed? Im taking upwards of 300 mg per day for God's sake! And yes, I'm taking vitamin C with them, so the iron should be absorbed.

It's making me totally exhausted. I'm worn out and I'm not even doing anything! I was so tired yesterday, I didn't know if I'd make it home from work without passing out behind the wheel. That's not good.

For two days now, I've tried to get an appointment with a doc at my regular GP's office. My GP is out of town, but any of the others could take my file and see me. Problem is, they're booked and all their emergency appointments are booked too. I'm at the point where I think a walk-in clinic or emergency room may be what I need to do.

All I know is, this bleeding, this much, these clots, the pain I have and the lack of energy are indicative of something. What, I don't know. But definitely something.

Ideas, thoughts and suggestions are welcome.