Feel like I'm going crazy

Hi, I am new and have lots of questions, concerns, issues, etc. I am 46 and have no children. My periods have never been regular unless I was on the pill. Two and half years ago I had a tubal ligation, at that time we found endometriosis, fibroids and a tennis ball sized ovarian cyst. About 6 mos after that I began bio-ident HRT. I flew to Atlanta to see someone listed in the Suzanne Sommers book. I have been on Vivelle patch .1mg, Prometrium 100mg/daily and testosterone gel. I have felt much better than before, no more sweats, etc. As I mentioned I have never had regular periods, they vary month to month - 21 days, 18 days, 24 days, 27 days,12 days, etc. They are not terribly heavy and usually last about 4-5 days, however, I do have EXTREME cramps and back pain and usually a migraine, all for at least the 1st 3 days. Over the last few years this has seemed to be getting worse. When I started my period in Aug it just did not stop. After 2 weeks I called my GYN and they scheduled to to come in the following week. (I am a dentist and so have patients and a schedule of my own to work around) At the time they saw me I had been bleeding for 20 days. He did a transvaginal ultrasound and noted fibroids and another ovarian cyst, but nothing "pathological". His suggestion was to stop the estrogen/progesterone. He says that my ovaries are "still working" and the HRT is only "confusing" them and probably causing the excess bleeding. I discussed my concerns with him regarding being symptomatic w/o the estrogen. He decided to have me take Femhrt and discontinue the est/progest.
I stopped bleeding after 2 days (would I have stopped then anyway?) and for the first few days felt pretty good. Then all hell broke loose, began to get very emotional, IRRITABLE, hot flashes, sweats, the whole 9 yards. Then on Fri I started my period AGAIN!!!! After only 5 days of not bleeding. When I called GYN, he said it was just an "inconvience" and I was going to have to adapt, luckily he was on the phone or I would have torn his head off. (irritable, remember?) I spent most of the weekend in bed with cramps, back ache, migraine and generally feeling ****ty. I feel like I am losing my mind - I am an intelligent, well educated person and I know I feel "abnormal". I have taken Welbutrin for about 10 years and have done very well on it, but now all of a sudden I am so irritable I want to scream at everyone and then 10 seconds later, for no reason, I feel as if I am going to start crying. I don't feel that it is a failure of the Welbutrin, but a hormonal problem.

The GYN (at a large university hospital) says the insurance will probably pay for a hysterectomy b/c of the endometriosis/fibroids - "if that is what I insist on".
Everyone I know (regardless of wether they have had one or not) says "honey, you need a hysterectomy."
It suits me fine to get one, but the Dr. acts like I am being a baby about it, but then again he is not the one who is miserable. My quality of life is being seriously (negatively) affected by all this. Our sex life is nil, since I bleed most of the time these days. My poor husband has been very good about all of it, but I know I am a ***** to live with. He says he would like his "real" wife back. The medical opinion these days is to not do a hysterectomy unless there is "medical need" such as cancer. My poor husband said to tell him there is a medical need b/c if I don't get one we are going to wind up with a murder/suicide at our house!! haha

My questions are ... if my ovaries "still work" why am I falling apart and doing so poorly... if I get a TVH what kind of recovery am I looking at? I know it varies, but in general? As an example - I had my tubes tied on Fri and went back to work Mon., I had major shoulder surgery and went back to work in 2 weeks, in other words I am tough. I am planning on going out of town Dec 22 to Jan 1 - could I get it done a week before leaving town?

Sorry this has been so long! I would appreciate it if any one has advice, support, info or at the very least a gun with which to come and shoot me if I provide an address!!

Help

Hi MADDMD,

Welcome!!

Here is a Hyster Sisters link that goes over the different types of hysts, recovery times and questions to ask your Dr. in pre-op:

https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/view_preop.htm

Best wishes,

Mary

Mabdmd, Sounds like what you were using before the Fehmhert was helping you. Compounded progesterone and compounded estrogen from a compounding pharmacy might be even more helpful. The problem isn't that your ovaries are dead, they are just fluctuating. Meaning you are getting varying levels of estrogen rather than a steady dose when you were younger. I hear ya, cause I'm in the same boat. Please read, "Natural Hormone Balance for Women," by Uzzi Reiss. Like the Summers people he says the Vivelle dot and Prometrium are better than the more chemicalized stuff, but still not as good as the compounded. Worth a shot before surgery. I'm like you if I'm on artificial progesterone and chemicalized estrogen I'm a total beep too.

Hang in there,

Tara

Dear MABDMD:

Welcome to HysterSisters With a diagnosis of endo, fibroids and an ovarian cyst, as well as the symptoms you have described, I can see why you would want to pursue a hyst.

It's my understanding that 85% of hysts are for quality of life issues, not to SAVE a life. Perhaps it's time to visit a different doctor.

Get smart about your symptoms and your options, and make the best choice for YOU.

I am sending huge cyberhugs

Thanks to all for the info. It can all be so confusing - different sources contradict one another, Dr.s contradict each other, etc.

I know that my ovaries still work, but poorly, and to be honest I think they were never great, hence the period irregularity since age 13. Hormone testing does not seem to be terribly useful, since it varies so much. I know saliva testing is considered worthless and even blood testing may not be useful if levels are fluctuating rapidly. Also, since my periods are so irregular, it confuses matters. Normally the hormones would have certain ranges based on the day of the cycle when the testing was done, but this is based on a "normal" 28 day cycle, which I never have.

On the bright side, I am much less irritable today! Yesterday I had a nice "sign". As I drove up and parked at my office, a completely white dove landed on top of the building in front of my car. It sat there and looked at me as I parked and got out of the car and walked toward it. As I got close enough to where we would lose sight of each other, it flew away in the direction it came from. I never saw it before or since. We have bird feeders outside the office and have 2 different varieties of doves that come to feed each day, but never a white one. So I think it must be a positive sign. My sister said it represents peace and to not let my irritability cause me to kill anyone! haha


I think I will try sticking with my current situation/meds for a little while longer and see how things go and maybe make a decision based on how the next cycle of things go.

Thanks!! Melanie

Hi MABDMD I sympathise I know what your going through. I was put on HRT when I was 42 and starting menopause I am now 51 still going through menopause. When the scare about HRT started my doctor took me off HRT because I don't know what's in my familys medical history (I'm adopted) anyhow I became this screaming shrew and I really have to work at keeping my cool all the family used to run for cover. Anyhow I started having extremely heavy periods complete with back pain and large clots. the last period lasted for 7 weeks non stop with me bleeding so heavily I nearly went into shock. Put on meds to stop bleeding had a vag ultrasound which showed enlarged uterus, fibroids and ovarian cystss had a D&C, hysteroscopy and edemetrial biopsy. the results were I had polyps all over my uterus. My Gyno is talking about putting me on the Mirena IUD to see how that works before talking hysterectomy. So maybe that might help you with your periods. I love the white dove so go with your gut feeling and if the hormones were helping you I'd look at finding another gyno who will listen to you and not treat you like an idiot. to you I hope everything works out for the best. Evvie

Actually, my periods are not extremely heavy at all - just PAINFUL, irregular and that last time very long. I tried a regular IUD (not Mirena) prior to having the tubal and it caused alot of cramping and I was never able to get used to it, so after 8 months we removed it.

I will most likely go back to the Vivelle and Prometrium, even if that means finding a new Dr.

To MabdMd:

So much of what you have experienced I have too.

I am very nervous, because tomorrow I am walking into a GYN's office and I am going to "bluntly" ask for a TAH/BSO with anterior/posterior/rectal repairs.

I doubt very many women come in wanting to be opened up and have everything taken out, including my appendix. I don't think my ovaries ever worked right, either. There is ovarian cancer in the family, why wait and worry?

I hope my determination doesn't throw the doctor for a loop. I am bringing in my notes and diagrams and the whole works. My instincts tell me this is what NEEDS to be done and I don't know how much I will need to convince him.

I guess I just want to say is go with your gut and find a doctor that will do what your intuition tells you needs to be done.

If the doctor tomorrow doesn't want to do it, I am going else where. I am not growing any younger and I want this addressed while I am young enough to recover. Plus, I want my sex life back. This bleeding after sex is ridiculous and I refuse to accept that as normal as it does not contribute to the quality of my life.

You are intelligent and well informed, it is your body - so proceed with confidence and find someone that will do what you feel needs done.

Best wishes!

Everyone I know that has had a hyst. said that it was the best thing they ever did, so I am inclined to go for it. But then of course, you read things where women say they aged 15 years in one year and that the HRT did not work for them and basically they are a dried up old hag now. So that's pretty scary!! Of course you also don't know what all they tried. My MD says that since I am 46 he would take ovaries as well, since they won't be working much longer anyway. But some things I have read say to keep them, that any natural hormones are better than none and you can supplement them. I think the most confusing thing is all the various contradictory info.

Today I feel pretty good and I actually slept last nite, so I am more inclined to take a "wait and see how it goes" attitude - but the minute I start sweating and wanting scream at people and slap puppies I will be thinking "why didn't I already get that **** hysto?????"

I have found this site to be helpful, if for no other reason than to have abundant proof that you are NOT the only one suffering and freaking out.

Good luck with your new Dr.

Melanie

Hi Melanie,

I was 46 when I had my hyst and I kept my ovaries. My Dr. left the decision up to me since my ovaries were healthy and ovarian cancer does not run in my family. My ovaries are still working good. Some Drs believe that the ovaries can ~go~ with a hyst if a Hyster Sister is 45 or older. My Dr. did not believe that.

I read in pre-op that the ovaries secrete important hormones that help with the bones, skin and hair, to name a few. And newer studies are showing that the ovaries secrete important hormones well into menopause. And the hormones are *free*.

What also helped with my decision to keep my ovaries was doing (3) months of lupron shots in pre-op to shrink my fibroids enough for surgery. Lupron causes temporary chemical menopause. I had hot flashes and night sweats...and wow...I decided I wanted natural menopause instead of surgical menopause, if I was a candidate.

If you decide to have your ovaries removed, I suggest you research surgical menopause on the HRT - No HRT forum boards.

Best wishes with your decision making. We Hyster Sisters are here to help if we can.

Mary