Choices????!!!! What now?

I am new here and this is my first question,but I have been reading for awhile. You are great! So much support and answers. Here it is I have a family history of ovarian cancer. I am a insulin dependent diabetic(on insulin pump) And my Doctor does not want to keep me on provera forever. I do not do well on birth control pills as for whatever reason they cause my blood sugars to whack out. Without the gorry(sp) details as to how I got here, I am coming up on chocies time.... How long can you stay on pravera? If it does not always stop the bleeding but changes it to spotting is it really not an answer? If I go the the castle how much will the diabetic factor complicte things ( I love my pump will I have to give it up for a while?) I have trouble making choices at a resturant,so imagine the deer in the headlight look I gave my Doctor when she said what do you want to do? I said "BE a BOY" she laughed but did not let me off the hook. SO now I know you can not make the choice for me no one can, but if anyone of you who have been at this crossroad could help me out with your insight it would really help. Thanks Ruth

Hi Ruth!

Welcome to HysterSisters and I'm glad you decided to come out of lurkdom and say hello!

What diagnosis did your DR give you?

I'll briefly give you my story - fibroids. That was brief. I was diagnosed with fibroids in 1998. What sent me to the GYN was a period that seemed like it lasted forever, and was very heavy. At that time my uterus was the size of a 6 week pregnancy. My GYN put me on provera 10 days / month to control the bleeding and we adopted a wait and see policy. Fast forward to Oct 2001 - my period started and didn't stop for 46 days. Stayed heavy, in spite of taking the provera as prescribed. Back to the DR's office. By now my uterus had grown to the size of a 16 week pregnancy. DR said it was probably time, but she wanted me to think about it and let her know. It was an easy decision for me. YES!! YES!! YES!!

I don't know if there is a length of time that you can safely be on provera - it made me crazy - drug enhanced pms - can't describe what it was like. I would cry over anything, or fly into a rage. It got worse with every passing month. Since my surgery and being on ERT, my DH has commented several times how "nice" I am now, and one of my employees told me I'm like a different person.

I can't help you with the diabetes issue, it's in my family but I don't have it.

Best wishes!

Thank you for your response! I had not thought about the other things going on with me being related to the parvera. I thought I was just being more emotional and cranky because I am getting tired of fighting with my body! I seem to be less tolerent with everything and everyone, this was not a side effect I was told about. I have thought it was just stress... I guess it is time to talk to the Doctor again. The increased PMS ? to as I seem to PMS for the whole time except for the 10 days I am on the pill does that make any sense? Ruth

Hi Ruth! I'm glad you found us. It's hard enough for most of us to get information to help make decisions about this surgery, but it's even harder if you've got diabetes complicating the picture.

I did find three hyst stories from diabetic ladies which might help you:

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...&threadid=5458

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=29108

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=69050

and also some posts from women who are diabetic and have had the surgery:

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=93138

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=63396

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=56749

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=26922

and these threads about hormone issues with diabetes:

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=75578

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=92018

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=55316

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=21619

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...&threadid=8543

I have not used oral provera, but I did use (injected) depo-provera for three years a while before my hyst. I had no side effects and no lasting effects other than that my periods stopped completely on the depo provera and didn't resume for about a year after I stopped taking it. Everyone's reaction to these synthetics is different, however... some ladies absolutely cannot tolerate them.

There are alternatives to provera which can also stop the bleeding... some are mentioned in the above threads. Also there is Prometrium (bioidentical progesterone) which helps some ladies. Maybe you could ask your DR about alternatives if you are concerned about staying on the provera?

Good luck with your decision, I hope this helps!
s,
-Linda

Hi Ruth
Bless your I am glad you posted. Linda, gave you some great links.I just wanted to offer you some big s ,s . My Mom is a Diabetic, and we always talk to the doctor, when there is a change of any kind (medications, health, etc.) if you decide to have the hysterectomy, make sure you talk in detail to your doctor about your Diabetes, so that you will know what to expect before, doing and after your surgery. Are you monitoring your sugar levels? Are you making a list of questions that you can ask your doctor? Make sure you express your concerns about your Diabetes. Also if you have been monitoring your sugar levels, the doctor will have a better understanding of how your levels are doing.

You are not alone, you have God and us, he loves you and so do we. I will keep you in my prayers, feel free to come to the Prayer Forum and ask for Prayers. Please keep us updated.


Ruth, Trust and go with God.

Thank you Ladies for you thoughts and ideas. I am so blessed you are here. I was not thinking clearly and you have given me more to think about and thankfully a clearer vision to do so. I think I am getting so I can actually put it all together in the best possible way for myself and family.Your thoughts and prayers have truly been a help. More to think about and do befor it is all set. Again Thanks! Ruth