How to deal with my doctor ...?

The problems I'm having at work? I either need to take more time off or get a work accomodation and I need his support. I've been back to work five weeks and I am really struggling. I work on the phone in a call center and everyday is a zoo! I don't sleep well at night so I go to work tired, irritable and confused. The average time it should take to handle a call is 2.5 minutes and my result hovers around 6 minutes. My boss has been all over me about it. I tried explaining to her about my memory loss and confusion but she does not care at all!
Then there's the result that measures whether I'm on the phone when I should be and that result has to be 2% or less and my result is consistently 3-4%. One of the reasons is I leave my desk about every hour or so to use the restroom. I've tried cutting back on my water intake but my poor bladder can hardly hold a thing regardless of how little I drink. I have panic attacks just about every morning thinking about going to work and not being able to do my job the way it's supposed to be done. I'm afraid I'll get fired for performance and I've never had a work performance problem, ever! I asked my boss if I could cut back to 32 hours a week just to get myself out of the office more since I seem to do more harm than good when I am there. She said no. She's such an insensitive winch! She would not approve any time off in January so I've had problems getting in for doctor's appointments. It's been so stressful!

Last week I went to see my GYN and explained to him again the trouble I'm having. He was cordial but can't seem to understand why I'm having problems since I still have ovaries. I told him that I need to take more time off work and he said that medically it's not necessary.
He prescribed Xanax to help me sleep, but only gave me a quarter of mg. to take at bedtime and it hasn't helped. Even though the instructions said not to I doubled up on the dosage and it helped me sleep for a few hours but not through the night. It hasn't helped my anxiety at all though.

So anyway, my GYN told me to see my family doctor who I have an appointment with today. I'm afraid he will take the same position as my GYN and I won't be able to handle it. What do I say to get him to understand that just because my incision has healed and I still have ovaries doesn't mean that I'm okay? I don't necessarily need him to take me off work, but I need a recommendation to work less hours or to work in a position that's less demanding. If he blows me off like my GYN did I don't know what I'm going to do. I'll probably end up quitting my job so that I don't get fired.

One good thing is I also have an appointment today with a Clinical Psychologist that I set up through the EAP at work. I'm looking forward to being able to talk to a professional in detail about my problems. And best of all she's a WOMAN and I think she will understand a little bit better where I'm coming from.

Even though you have your ovaries, this is still a very hard thing for all ladies to go through. I don't have mine so I though I would have it worse then those who kept theirs. But, as I read the post I am finding out it is all the same. I would go to m GP and at least try to talk to them. You never know, they may understand. Definatly keep the clinical psychologist appoinment. Hope they all help you out.
Take care,
SNSHINE

I went back to work 6 weeks after my surgery. I was fine eventhough I was still physically impaired (walked slower, mesured every movements etc...) my boss was really cool about it, and did a bit of my job too, he is a cool guy! Anyway, it is later, that I had family minor problems (my father-in-law died etc...) that my head could not keep up with everyday things anymore! I was not myself mentally, and seeked medical help right away. I was put Paxil and Xanax and I have been doing fine. I don't make a mountain of nothing or worry about things anymore. I was on HRT (patch for 3 years) and quit it on my own about a month ago and doing pretty good. No hot flashes!
Do not let your boss overcome you! Anxiety will not go away by itself, so get help and smell the flowers!
Good luck,
Ikoyi
p.s: my general MD is a woman, and she understood right away!

I still have my ovaries and have been having brain fog for about a yr. yr and a half.........My Gp told me "it`s normal with peri-menopausal changes" and suggested I increase my fatty acid consumption.I`ve added a borage oil,fish oil,and flax seed oil supplement to my diet as well as more salmon and other "good " brain food`s.........It has helped somewhat.......(((HUGS))) to you.I hope you get some relief soon.....

So sorry you are having a hard time at work. I also work in a call center, too as a senior representative which is very stressful, mentally. If you are not getting a good night's sleep, it will affect your job performance. Your supervisor is only concerned with meeting the department's numbers, that is why she is insensitive towards your needs. Trust me when I tell you, if she was in your same situation she would be requesting additonal time off from work, too. Don't give up!! I don't know what kind of company you work for, but before I would quit my job I would go to my Human Resources department and advise them of my situation. I hope everything works out for you.

Ditto to what everyone else said. I can identify with you. I have been an emotional, psychological, and physical train wreck since I went back to work at 6 weeks. I am fortunate enough to have sick days that I have been able to use to reduce my work week. For many of us 6 weeks recovery time is simply not enough and some doctors don't seem to understand. The hardest thing for me is the brain fog and memory lapse and loss. This is the toughest thing I have ever gone through.

I feel your pain and agony. I hope things work out for you. Keep us posted. I wish I had a solution for you. Do talk to your HR personnel before quitting though. Have you tried taking an extended leave through the Family Medical Leave Act. That might be an option for you.

Feel better soon.

Cathy

Hi Little Soldier
I'm sorry to hear about the stress you are under at work. Its so unfortunate when drs treat you like what you are experiencing isn't real just because they don't know what to do about it. I feel that if your gyn knew what to do he would do it.

It's great that you are going to see some other drs. You have a better chance of really being helped.
I would suggest with each one that you be insistent about explaining your problems and don't let them put you off. Ask for their opinions on what could be causing it and make sure they understand that this is a big problem for you that is keeping you from getting back to your life and could cost you your job. Don't let them treat it like it's nothing.

I have struggled with this brain fog too and I kept my ovaries. I don't know old you are, but at any age it is possible for the ovaries not to function full force after a hyst. I'm old enough to expect some fluctuations in my hormones so I'm trying to take it in stride, but maybe you need to ask them to check your FSH levels to see how your ovaries are producing just to be sure.
You might also want to look at the article on Too Much or too little Estrogen. It gives a list of symptoms that occur with hormone imbalance.
Good luck today with your appointments. Let us know how they go.
's, Rita

I too work in a call center and know all to well about being on the phone and not in the bathroom or getting water, etc.....I have to be on the phone at least 7 hours. I am only 2 weeks post-op here, and have been wondering about sitting for that long. I try sitting up but I don't last too long. I am going to try and pick up around the house today, try to drive, and just all around do some things instead of lying in bed watching tv ARGH, I am getting sick of Law & Order and that is a show I have tivo'd a lot of episodes, there are only 3 left, I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH TV, I think it would be fun to get back to work, and see my friends. I just don't know if I have the mentality or the stamina to do the job properly. I don't want to explain to clients(some regulars), why I haven't been to work, so I am just planning on saying I had to have surgery. I also have problems with anxiety, and panic attacks as well as depression(lost mom in 2002, after long battle with alzheimers-there was a post in pre-op today, about needing Mom, and I started crying, it still hurts), anyway I think everyone deals with things differently, as yesterday, I read a post in here where everyone was talking about how great they are feeling 2 weeks after surgery(I was jealous), I see the Dr. on Monday, and I am wondering, if those words are going to come..."are you ready to get back to work?", that is why I want to try and get somethings done this am/afternoon, and see how my body reacts. I fell out of bed, Tuesday, and had a set back. I am out of pain medicine, and that is one crutch I would like to have if I do go back to work so when I came home, if I was in pain, I know in 30 minutes, I would feel better. Just wanted to add my .02,
Thanks for all the support.
And good luck, little soldier.

Mary

In the three months since my surgery, I've quickly discovered that we have to be our own best advocate and not depend on the doctors to always know or understand what we are going through. My doctor did not give me good information prior to my surgery and I was not yet familiar with this site. Unfortunately, I was very unprepared for the real experience of surgical menopause as I had to have my ovaries removed. Ovaries or not, what you are going through is so much like my experience that I could have written it myself. We expect other women to understand. However, if they have not gone through this themselves, they can not fathom how rough this can be. Do you have disability as a part of your benefits? Rather than quit your job, this might be an alternative. And keep looking for a doctor that understands and will work with you...this is too important and you dont need to live like this with no answers.

Wanted to update you about the appointments I had today, the first with the psychologist. It went well, felt very cathartic. She let me know right away that I am not crazy and said I need to acknowledge the fact that I have suffered a loss. She was surprised that the doctor prescribed Xanax since it's highly addictive. I see her again in two weeks. She wants me to think more about the losses I've suffered, gave me a reading assignment. I'm looking forward to our next session!

A few hours later I had the appointment with my GP. He has a new nurse practitioner that was super nice. We talked for a while and she seemed to think the underlying problem is depression, which in a lot of ways makes sense to me. I talked to the doctor and he thought the same. He said it could also be a thyroid problem so they're testing me for that. In the meantime he wants me on an antidepressant (Lexapro) and gave me sleeping pills (Ambien) to take but only as a last resort when I can't sleep. He said it will take a few weeks for the Lexapro to start working but said they would make a huge difference in the way I feel. I've never been one to take pills or medication so it's scary in a way. Lexapro is in the same class as Paxil, which has a reputation for making people commit suicide. But I keep telling myself that if this stuff can make me feel better it's worth the risk because I desperately want to feel better. Anyone here have experience with any of the medicines mentioned? As far as the work situation I've decided to apply for FMLA for a reduced work schedule until the medication kicks in and I can cope better.

I would like to thank all you ladies for your continued support. It made me feel so good to read the responses to this thread. I can't tell you how much your support means to me.