Cardiac Arrest following 3 month long period - need suggestions please

Greetings all, I am new here and this is my first post. I am 26 and was diagnosed with PCOS shortly after my period began at age 14. I have tried 10 different birth control pills and been on a couple courses or Progestin etc. I cannot tolerate any artificial hormones. I literally go crazy. (I was even locked up in a mental ward on a suicide watch.)
I have had 5 ultrasounds and 3 intra-vaginal ultrasounds. (One just last week.) The results are always the same. My uterus is "normal", but the lining is thickened. My right ovary is 2x the size of the left and the left has several cysts. My periods have either gone missing or conversly have been unstoppable (my current record is 9 months of bleeding). The periods are also extremely painful. I have had my gallbladder out because of stones and these periods hurt almost as much as my gallbladder did.
About 3 months ago my current period started. 3 weeks ago I went from using 6-8 super pads / day (totally soaking them) to about 10. I was anemic, but not yet to the point of transfusion. I was drinking plenty of fluids, etc (I live at home with my mother who is an R.N.) I went to bed and woke up an hour later in a pool of blood. To make a long and scary story short, I ended up going into v-fib and then cardiac arrest from hypovolmemia. The ER set up an appointment with an ob/gyn for a consult. My second consult with him will be this week. I also have another ob/gyn I want to see for any second opionions I might need. (He was reccomended by a Nurse my mother knows and trusts.)
In short, I have to stop the bleeding and the pain and pills will not work for me. I eat well and exercise (when I am not bleeding this heavily). I believe I also have PMDD. I have taken several online quizzes and my mother also thinks that I have it. Any suggestions or support would be appreciated. I have come to terms (as best possible) with having a full hysterectomy. At this point I just want some quality of life back since I missed all my teen years and my early 20s. Thank you.

Welcome to the site. You will find a wealth of information here that will certainly be of help as you navigate through your doctor's appointments and the decisions ahead. There are many women here who have had surgery in their 20's, and you will often see their posts.
Let us know how you are doing... there are many, many women here to support you...

I can't speak to your physical symptoms (though my heart goes out to you, I've had excessive bleeding for 6 years now, a visible tumor, no insurance and hence no operation in sight for me).

However, online quizzes are not a good indication of whether or not you have PMDD. You need to be assessed for this by a psychologist, preferably one who does NOT have an axe to grind (either pro-PMDD or anti-PMDD).

I would suggest waiting until you have your physical situation settled before worrying about PMDD. With the kind of physical symptoms you are having, it would be impossible to separate PMDD symptoms from stuff that's being caused by your medical condition.

Hope that helps a little bit.

Sojourner

Welcome to HysterSisters!! This website has so much information and so many caring women participating in the discussions, I think you will enjoy your time here. You have been having an awful time and I totally understand you wanting to get your life back. I'm glad your mom is a nurse, so you have some medical care/expertise while you are awaiting your appointments.

Take care of yourself and keep us updated on how you are doing.

(((Evangelina)))

I too have PCOS and can completely relate to what you are experiencing. I exhausted all my possible alternatives and researched the possible negative outcomes of a hysterectomy. I finally came to the decision that even if I ended up with complications from a hysterectomy, and traded one set of problems for another, that I was willing to take that chance.

I would recommend though that you visit an Endocrinologist, if you haven't already done so, to get their recommendation for treatment or surgery. PCOS is a disorder of the endocrine system and is not cured by having either your ovaries or uterus removed. An Endocrinologist would be able to do the proper testing to help you make the best decision for you, and follow up with the best treatment for your PCOS whether or not you decided on surgery.

I wish you the best, and if you need help finding more info, or decide to schedule your surgery, we are here for you.

:
Kay

Thank you all for your replies. I have been to two gyns now and have decided to have a TAH BSO. I do not yet have a date set though it will probably be in May sometime. I have been to an Endo. before (he Dx my PCOS) and I have previously seen a Psychiatrist. I returned to see him as well (Thanks for the advice Sojourner). He confirmed a Dx of PMDD. Both Gyns believe I also have PMDD so I guess all that remains is preparing for this surgery. Thank you all so much for giving advice and support. The sisters are great! ~~Evangelina

Hi, I relate to your story. I am 6 mos. post op and am still struggling to find the right HRT to help me feel good. This surgery is a big deal, but I was so desparate to be out of pain, bleeding and the emotional wreck I would be 2 weeks out of every month. Life became sooo hard.
I tried Lupron before surgery. Lupron is an injection which puts you into menopause while you are taking it. I only say this in case you would like to know how you would feel after your hysterectomy-oopherectomy. While I was on Lupron, I blamed everything I was feeling as side effects of Lupron. Then after I had the surgery, it was exactly the same symptoms returned. The only other thing I had not tried is some other therapies that are in a book I highly recommend by Elizabeth Vliet, M.D. "Screaming to be heard" or "It's my ovaries stupid" These will help you understand alot so that you can make informed decisions with your doctor. I wish you the BEST!

nanou-ct Thanks for your reply. I have heard of Lupron. Both of my OB/GYNs did not want me to try it because of the high rate of side effects associated with the lupron. I will have to get one of those books from the library. Thanks again!
Evangelina

please be thorough in your research before the surgery. Read those books. As I write this I am still suffering since the surgery. It has been 6 mos. post op. I am feeling bad daily as opposed to 2 weeks out of the month.
Lupron does come with many side effects as long as you take it. It puts you into medical menopause. I had all the side effects. Then was off Lupron for 2 months and the side effects diminished. Then had the surgery and same exact symptoms returned. I came to the conclusion that the side effects of Lupron are really menopausal symptoms.