I feel so stupid asking these questions

All of you have a name for your problems, I don't. All I know is that I was having heavy bleeding, some periods lasted for days (the longest was 21 days but it was light), a very enlarged uterus, no fibroids, and pain in my left side. I tried hormones to no avail then had a D & C. The biopsy showed overgrowth of the uterus lining. Now, 2 years later, I once again have an enlarged uterus, still heavy periods, no fibroids, periods are very irratic. Some come 2 weeks later, then I spot or have a period monthly complete with cramps. I skipped 2 months although had the on and off spotting. I also skipped last month and had terrible cramps but nothing happened. Spotted this week but I am expecting something at any time because of the cramps, pimples, loose bowels and tender breast, my usual signs of a BIG ONE.

I know none of you are physicians, but I feel so stupid not knowing the name of the problem. When I say I am having a hyst, most people say "Do you have fibroids?" I say "no" and then they ask why. I just say "I don't really know." My doctor says it is because of the irratic periods and enlarged uterus but has given me no name of the condition.

I am really scared to death of cancer because of this pain in my left side. It is right at my waist but now seems to radiate from below. The GP did an ultrasound and found that I had gall stones so they removed my gall bladder. The pain returned so I had a colonoscopy and removed 2 polyps which were on the left side. The pain returned. My DH thinks that I should have had a hyst all along. He thinks that is where the pain is originating from. I have had my tubes tied and 2 vaginal births. Can anyone help? I plan on asking my DR to name this when I go in for pre-op if I can remember to ask. I seem to get brain fog when I go see him. I bring a list and forget to look at it.

You sound alot like me, I've had heavy bleeding/clots for about 12 yrs finally got so bad I resorted to sleeping in a recliner the first few days of my periods. In Dec I had an emergency gallbladder surgery and they discovered I was severely anemic, the Dr said whatever was causing it had to be taken care of. I knew my periods were terrible and went to the Dr and said "I want a hysterectomy" the Dr wanted to know if I had tried this and that, I said "no, but I'm not willing to be a pin cushion"
So we scheduled a hyst and people asked "why?" I had no answers but that I had no life and couldn't take it any longer, I'm 45 and was done having children. Well I could tell people questioned my choice but after surgery the pathologists report said I had Adenomyosis then I had a name. Only you matter, don't worry about giving others a name, it may not come til after your surgery. Good Luck

First of all, ((((hug)))). I'm sorry you've been having so many problems.

Mine started with a diagnosis of fibroids, which I know you don't have. Prolonged/heavy bleeding has a medical term, but I can't remember what it is. I'm sure there is one for an enlarged uterus and irratic periods as well. Sometimes all the medical terms make my head spin.

I found out after my hyst that I had endo on my ovaries and tubes. I had such pain during my periods that narcotics (darveset) didn't even take the edge off. I also had really painful ovulation.

When people ask(ed) me why I was having my TAH, I just said "lots of girly problems". That seemed to be sufficient, especially when there are men around.

The important thing for me is that the problems are a thing of the past!

Tara

BTW, these are not stupid questions. You have every right, as an intelligent women, to ask your doctor to tell you (and write down) the specific names for your problems.

I definitely think it's good to know the name or the cause of a health condition. It doesn't change your symptoms, but it kind of makes you feel like you have some grasp of what's happening.

When I found out my heavy bleeding was caused by fibroids, things started making more sense to me. I wasn't glad to have them, but I did prefer having them identified.

If you had something dire, your doctor would have told you. I bet if you let him/her know that it matters to you, you can get more info. Why some doctors think we don't need to hear details, I'll never know!

Hi, sgm! Your dr could write down your diagnoses for you and then you can show them to your friends to impress them! It sounds like you have what I had: dysfunctional uterine bleeding and endometrial hyperplasia (abnormal thickening of the lining of the uterus). And on my pathology report, I found out that I had fibroids in the lining of my uterus (intramural and subserosal) that were the cause of heavy abnormal bleeding with large clots. That can also be the cause of an enlarged uterus. In addition it's possible that you could have adenomyosis, but it may not be diagnosed until the uterus is removed.

So there's some scientific-sounding terms to throw around! But it does sound like you've tried all your other options, and a hyst is the final solution. I'm sure you will be feeling much better and healthier when you are recovered.

I'm sorry you are still having upper abdominal pain even after your gall bladder was removed. It is possible that pain is "referred" up there from the pelvis, so hopefully your pain will be relieved after the hyst. Sometimes I get mild pinching where my gall bladder used to be because of a few adhesions, but it's not bad. Good for you for getting a colonoscopy and having everything checked out. Wishing you healthier days ahead! s and best wishes!
Ruthie

Now that you bring it up, I have heard the word hyperplasia used by the DR. He said something about that while reading the biopsy after the D & C. I just remember him saying a buildup of hormones in the uterus. He did see a suspect place but found nothing more. Maybe he was just trying to explain to me without using the big words.

I have always suspected adenomyosis since doing research. The new thing of spotting but having symptoms of a period are scaring me to death. It is unusual. Has anyone had these symptoms.

I have also been told of lesions possibly from when my tubes were tied 31 years ago causing my side pain. I always suspected ovaries because my left side hurts more. I think the pain is radiating up from the pelvic area but I can't be sure. It is just a weird pain. Does not hurt too bad but sometimes feels like a side stitch.

I had pain on my left side too. The first doc told me that periods aren't fun. The second one said my tubes were probably squished from having kids causing it to be difficult for the eggs to pass. (Of course he didn't check anything out that was just his thought). Finally, I found a doctor who took me seriously. I had a ton of small cysts from being polysistic and some large cysts that could have been causing the pain. They also found uterine polyps, very thick uterine lining, and what the doc thought was cancer or pre-cancer cells. It's frustrating when doctors don't take you seriously or when they can't figure out what's wrong with you.

I told the co-workers, who are all male, that I had girl issues. That was enough to shut most of them up. One of the guys asked me exactly what I was having done. I explained the surgery to him and his friend. His friend turn green and said that he finally understood why I had to be gone for 6 weeks. Guess they thought I was milking the time off so I didn't have to be oncall.