Another anemia post - and info on long term bleeding

I just spent 3 hours at the book store immersed in the medical section trying to find the answers to my post-op troubles. I didn't find an answer, and I must admit I trust my Docs a bit more now because the information out there is sparse and inconsistent and often contradictory when it comes to HRT. Note that I was in the medical section, not the health section, the difference being that health is written for the layman and medical for the professional. I was into the drug interaction and indications books, the diagnosis guides, the gynocology references, the studies journals, and hormone texts etc etc. I also read the high points of two layman's (laywomen's?) hormone books.

Anyway, I did find a few things out that I haven't seen here in the posts so I thought I'd share them.

Iron uptake is reduced by 40% when calcium is also taken at the same meal. (This means that I've been wasting my Feosol for 2 weeks as I also take calcium!) The presence of calcium retards iron uptake from both iron pills and from iron present in the food naturally. I am really surprised that no one mentioned this, not the Docs, not the pharmacist, not the label on the iron. It seems kind of important, don't ya think? Calcium taken NOT at the same meal is ok as long as it's calcium cabonite of 1000 mg or less daily total. Vitamin C should be taken at the same meal as the iron, 215 mg or more.

On my long term bleeding I found that the opinions and studies are very contradictory. Overall, there is a shaky consensus that it takes as long as six months for the uterus to acclimate to the HRT and that after that most have the bleeding subside. (These studies were on post natural menopausal women on HRT, as most surgical menopausal women do not retain their uterus. As I still have my uterus, it's as close as I could get.) However, those first six months are generally mild, erratic bleeding, not the constant and heavy flow I've had. My ultrasound (get the results tomorrow) is looking at the endometrial thickness. If it is 4 mm or less, all's normal, if it's over 4mm than the next step is generally a hysteroscopy, curretage and aspiration biopsy to check for cancer. Assuming I don't have cancer (they biopsied my uterus in the hospital in Aug) the treatment for the bleeding is one or more of the following: more estrogen, less progesterone, ibuprofen of 800 mg three times a day while "flooding", D & E, D & C, progesterone without any estrogen, endometrial ablation, or the tried and true "wait and see". The presence of fibroids (I have one) complicates most of the above.

So I guess I really have to let go of my anger with the Docs for not doing anything and not having the answer. There doesn't seem to be one! I'm only at 10 weeks of HRT, I guess six months is a little longer to go yet.

Oh, I couldn't find a single reference to sinus tachycardia being caused by estrogen. Anybody have info on that?

I hope this helps someone. It's so difficult to wade through this info, I thought I'd better share in case someone else needs it.

In my endless research I also found that without taking high doses of FISH OIL vitamin A, 50,000 to 100,000 IU (even cod-liver oil is good) iron will not be absorbed into the body. Iron will actually cause internal bleeding, or in the case of women with abnormal vaginal bleeding, can even cause hemorrhage. In my personal case I was already hemorhagging for months & noticed that each time I took iron I bled worse. Since taking the vitamin A this has stopped. I also read that there have been studies in Africa that prove that 100,000 IU of fish oil vitamin A daily can CURE uterine fibroids. Research yourself before doing any treatments. And if anyone has PICA (like me, a craving for ice, sand, weird things) it is an effect of anemia, it too has subsided since taking the A with the iron.

Noelle

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK WHY YOUR DR. RECOMMENDED 800 OF IBUPROFEN. MY DR. TOOK ME OFF THE MOTRIN WHEN I STARTED BLEEDING HEAVY. HE SAID THAT IBUPROFEN IS A ANTI FLAMMATORY AND WILL CAUSE YOU TO BLEED EVEN MORE... I STOPPED AND RELIZED A BIG CHANGE. SO I WAS JUST WONDERING.

I JUST HAD A TAH/BSO/APPENDECTOMY ALMOST 6WKS AGO...


I WOULD ASK AROUND ABOUT THAT...BUT I HOPE YOU CAN GET EVERYTHING WORKED OUT......

((((Steph))))) thank you for posting all of this information. I guess doing our own research brings on an increased respect for all of the research our doctors have to keep abreast of

I have no additional insight for you but, hopefully, someone will come along with some input. Of course, a great place to ask any HRT-related question is in The Hormone Jungle message board Click Here

I found the info on Ibuprofen in a medical treatments text book under heavy vaginal bleeding. The anti-inflamatory effects of the ibuprofen seems to be the agent that works here. Someone else posted about taking ibuprofen too and that it really slowed up her bleeding, but I don't recall where I read that.

I haven't chosen any of the treatments I mentioned in my post. I see my Doc on Thursday to go over my ultrasound etc. I'll let y'all know what I do and how it works.

THANKS FOR LETTING ME KNOW.... I JUST KNOW THAT WHEN I WOULD BLEED REAL HEAVY I WAS ALWAYS TAKING MOTRIN AND THE DR. STOPPED IT IMMEDIATLY BECAUSE IT WAS CAUSING ME TO FLOW MORE....... OF COURSE NOW I DONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE CLOTTING OR HEAVY FLOW. I WAS JUST CONCERNED. I AM GLAD YOU ARE WAITING TO SEE YOUR DR......

kindred spirit & all,
I also had horrible cravings to chew ice, etc a while back. I forced myself to stop, as I am worried about damaging my teeth, but WOW, it was really weird. I NEVER chewed ice before and actually didn't know it was even associated with anemia til someone else brought that to my attention. Also, I notice I sigh deeply quite a lot, and as stuid as that sounds, it is also a symptom of anemia. Weird, weird things happen to our bodies! LOL

Also, I noticed at one point that ibuprofen does indeed help in slowing the flow. Just something to keep in mind.

Christine