Female Question (Guys GO AWAY)

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

I'm serious.






Has anyone ever been diagnosed with dysfunctional uterine bleeding?

I've suffered from it for a couple of years. I went thru an endometrial ablation a little over a year ago and things were fine for almost a year before the bleeding started again...not just the regular 7 days a month or whatever...more like spotting 21-25 days a month.

After we moved, I got a new doctor who wanted to treat me with a low-dose birth control pill. The first one I took made my face break out worse than you can ever imagine. I gave up on it after two weeks. After that, the doctor gave me that new Nuva Ring. I HATED it. It was strange and uncomfortable. She has a third new one for me to start using next week.

I'm getting ready to turn 40. I'm thinking of asking for a hysterectomy, but I don't know that it's the best decision. If you've been through such a situation, what decision did you make and why?

 

[Gabrielsbigtrip]

Talk to your Doctor about an IUD. It has helped me even though I wasn't diagnosed with what you have. I can say I had my friendly visitor with me almost the whole month. Pills didn't help. The IUD delivers hormones directly to you uterus and not throughout your body.

Hope that helps.

 

[mommasita]

to you as I know exactly how you are feeling..

I have had a D&C for heavy bleeding. I am anemic due to this now. My family has blood clot history (dad and sis) so BCpills are out. I tried Yasmin, which is supposedly safe, the sides I got were UNREALLLLLLLL and I have now stopped the pill on my own. This week was my 3rd period without the pills, and I hemorraged profusely for 4 days. It is finally letting down a little.

I had 3 yrs of bleeding 20 out of 28 days. The pill did help, and the D&C.

I hate to hear that your ablation did not work, as that was my thought right now. I fear the hysterectomy. My mom did for the same reasons and was SO happy that she did.

I don't know what to say. How hold are you? Are you finished your family?

I will be 38 this year, and am totally finished. I know I have to do something, and this is no way to live. Hysterectomy is a huge decision, and you really should inform yourself as much as you can..

Hugs to you. I know I did not help much, But i hear you knocking.

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

I have three daughters. We're finished having kids, so that isn't really the issue. The issue is more with surgery, being out of commission for a period of time, and the whole oddness of having my uterus removed.

The ablation did help for a year, and it was good. I understand that it either works or it doesn't, so don't give up on that idea. I would definitely go through that again prior to considering a hysterectomy!

The first pill they gave me was Yasmin too. My face, neck, chest, and back broke out in acne so bad that I couldn't wear makeup. It hurt to touch my face.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I would try one more b.c. pill (if you don't smoke). Hysterectomy is very radical...take it from one who knows.
Have you also been diagnoised with fibroids?

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I would try one more b.c. pill (if you don't smoke). Hysterectomy is very radical...take it from one who knows.
Have you also been diagnoised with fibroids?

 

[Vivianne]

I went for the uterine fibroid embolization procedure three years ago. It's worked for me. I went home the same day even though they gave me a choice to stay overnight at the hospital. Hysterectomy would be my last choice.

 

[Christine]

I would try the Mirena IUD. It releases hormones that stops the bleeing in *most* women. If it doesn't work, then go for the hysterectomy.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I would try the Mirena IUD. It releases hormones that stops the bleeing in *most* women. If it doesn't work, then go for the hysterectomy.

To give advice like that is unbelievable.....Try the ring and then JUMP to a hysterectomy for spotting/bleeding? That is just a CRAZY idea!!!!

 

[Gabrielsbigtrip]

The Mirena IUD device is a t shaped device that is inserted within minutes at your GYN''s office. It lasts for 5 years - amazing - Not the most pleasant feeling procedure but it help me. It has stopped bleeding altogether for me most months.

Look into that because as stated before ~ hormones are only released into your uterus and not throughout your entire system.

I hope you find something that helps you.

C.

 

[teacups]

Wait! There are lots of hormones in a female body... have they checked EVERYTHING, like thyroid? I know for a FACT that low thyroid function can and will do this... no matter what anyone tells you. This is a fact. There are other things, too... but this is the one I know about. Have you done a google search on bleeding in general? Doesnt hurt to get as much info as you can from places other than your doc just to be informed. You never know, you may well have something they never even thought to look for. Dont jump into something that you cant go back and change until it is your only last resort. You are too young.

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

My thyroid production is fine.

Actually, Neverenough, a hysterectomy is just about where I am at this point in time. In consideration of the constantness of the issue, a hysterectomy is looking REALLY good.

I am going to try one more pill. I don't really know that I want to go thru having an IUD...but I suppose it is less radical than a hysterectomy.

The funny thing is that my insurance co-pay for pills is $45 every month. Having a hysterectomy is free. Why is that?

 

[Christine]

To give advice like that is unbelievable.....Try the ring and then JUMP to a hysterectomy for spotting/bleeding? That is just a CRAZY idea!!!!

Actually it is not "UNBELIEVABLE". The poster has already had an endometerial ablation, which means that she is not just having simple and light spotting and bleeding. She has already been diagnosed with DYSFUNCTIONAL UTERINE BLEEDING!!! What part of this don't you understand.

So, if she's had the ablation (having her lining burned out), and she does get the IUD to try to stop the bleeding and THAT doesn't work, then there's really nothing left but to live with it which isn't good either.

 

[Christine]

I am going to try one more pill. I don't really know that I want to go thru having an IUD...but I suppose it is less radical than a hysterectomy.

Uhhh, yeah, having the IUD inserted will be a walk in the park compared to a hysterectomy. Good luck.

 

[heart4pooh]

Just to put in my two cents, my doctor put me on a BC called YAZ, not yazmine. It is similar but different. After three months on it I got my prescription renewed and the pharmacist gave me yazmine. I thought it was the same (It was new and the first 3 mo were samples) and it threw me for a loop!! I will never take it again!! I'm back on YAZ and all is well. I take it for dysfunctional uterine bleeding and may be looking at an ablation down the road. I don't have insurance and this seems to be helping for now.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

My sister just had a D&C to remove a big fibroid. Her first Dr. just wanted to put her on the pill, but she hates hormones. She got a second opinion and the new Dr. found the fibroid. She said it bled like crazy when they removed it. She also has endometriosis so they scraped her uterus as well.

Good luck with your search. My sister was extremely frustrated and very tired of it all. She had very heavy bleeding, more like gushing. A hysterectomy was her last resort, but she is only 27.

 

[leafette]

No real advice, but BTDT. Went through the ablation procedure which didn't work because the machine wouldn't attach properly. I've had my hemoglobin drop to 6(!!!) because of the bleeding, etc. I'm on the pill, which I hate, but it's pretty much the only thing that helps. My dr. wants to try the ablation again this year, as he theorizes that it didn't work last time because it had been too soon since I had had my son and my cervix wasn't back to its original shape. He hasn't mentioned the IUD, which I may ask him about.

Good luck!!

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

Been there & done that. I agree, removing the uterus is your LAST choice. Having said that, I gave up my uterus 15 yrs ago when ALL ELSE -and several yrs of options-available thru regular MD's had failed (today you may have more treatment options). There was also a fear that this was a 'pre-cancerous' condition.

My quality of life changed overnight from miserable to wonderful. I felt ten yrs younger immediately (and still do at 53) in EVERY way. My recovery time was less than 2 wks (I had a ******l procedure which was very new at the time). I kept my ovaries so didn't need hormones, tho now with menopause, I have some typical symptoms.

It's a VERY personal choice-but if you do end up as I did, it CAN be a positive step. Again, VERY PERSONAL choice. Best wishes!

 

[Jpgirl]

Just starting this wonderful journey. Have had no problems(other than night sweats and some hormonal things) until last month. Going for tests this week. Any kind of hormone therapy is out because of breast fibroids and breast cancer in my mom. Will opt for D&C or ablation first and then hysterectomy since I'm sooo close to menopause anyway. The thing I'm really going to fight is months and months of trying this or trying that. It's very important to me to take care of this sooner rather than later. I am not going to spend months bleeding and getting anemic. I like my doc but I have to say that he is male and tended to discount my other symptoms until I told him that my former OB/GYN had diagnosed it. Got the feeling that it was "here's another female that wants to blame everything on perimenopause" attitude. Fortunately for him, he was very thorough and I'm an expert on patient advocacy so he won't be pulling that crap for long. Good luck

 

[Christine]

Any kind of hormone therapy is out because of breast fibroids and breast cancer in my mom.

Just wanted to mention that *supposedly* the Mirena IUD hormone (a form of progesterone ONLY, no estrogen) stays contained in the uterus and does not go systemic. This type of IUD therapy is very good for those who cannot tolerate hormone therapy. All it does is slowly secrete progesterone into the uterus and avoids an endometrial buildup. My cousin got one for extremely heavy bleeding that was leading to migraines. She could never take BC pills because the hormones just made her sick.

She has had not one problem with the Mirena IUD--no systemic effects, less frequent headaches, and no menstrual bleeding.