Got Mirena Emotions?

Kythe: I am so pleased to know you are doing well and have kept your sense of humour.
I hope you continue to have luck with the Mirena.
I also have been hoping for a "Mirena miracle", but unfortunately it doesn't look like it's going to happen for me.
Aus Chick- I thank you for the advise you gave about giving it a few extra months--that's exactly what the doc said. Apparently in some women it takes 5-6 months to really work.
I wish it was going better. I do not have the very heavy days I was having before the Mirena, but I now only have about 8-10 days a month that I am not bleeding at all.
I had a visit with my family doc this week. She thinks it may be time to finally give up trying this and that and opt for the hyst. She has seen many, many ultrasound and blood test results and is hopeful that I can keep both ovaries. She is concerned that I am fatigued all the time even from just spotting. I seem to have caught more colds and other germs in the past couple of months that I have had in years. I must admit that I'm ready to throw in the towel.
The thing is, I have no fibroids or cysts. No one seems to know what the problem is; all they can tell me is that nothing seems to be making it any better. Duh! I kinda figured that much out.
I envy you the possibility of menopause. I was hoping maybe I'd hit it early(I'm 34), but as usual my body does whatever it can to work against me....
I send you the warmest wishes Kythe and hope things continue to improve every day.
's from Canada,
Kimberley

Hi Kimberley

What's your iron count? I was always tired and very susceptible to illness and it was because with all the bleeding I had become anemic. Iron-Deficiency Anemia means that you don't have enough iron to bind the oxygen in your blood, so every cell in your body is slowly being asphyxiated. It's like a very slow form of carbon monoxide poisoning, so it can really wreak havoc and can even lead to heart problems (which were beginning for me).

If your count is low, you might want to supplement with a gentle (easy on the tummy) form of iron such as iron bisglyconate. My doc had me take 25mg twice per day. That got my count up until menses pulled it down again. But with the Mirena and taking iron during my period, I'm actually feeling normal again.

Of course, as always, trust your gut on how to proceed. It's such good news that you would likely be able to keep your ovaries!!

Warm wishes also to you. Please let me know how you fare.

XOXOXXX Kythe

Thank you for your kind wishes once again.
My iron count has been up and down like a yo-yo. I am basicly borderline anemic most of the time, so when I start bleeding, I cross the border!
I have to go for another blood test to check my count this month, but she would like me to wait til I haven't been bleeding or even spotting for at least 5 days to see what the results will show. Now I just have to wait for a 5 day break.
I've been taking some multi-vitamins with iron as well as the occasional iron for a boost.
My quality of life just isn't what it should be, and that isn't fair to me or my family. I need quite a bit of energy to keep up with all the young men in my life. (14,11, and 8) not to mention hubby. I was really hoping the cylocapron(sp?) would have worked for me. One of my doctors said that in his experience, I had about a 90% chance of it taking care of most of my problems. Then the Mirena. I give up.
I see my other doc in March and will have to find out what kind of a time frame I'll be looking at. I don't know how high a hyst is on the list of importance.
I will keep you informed.
's
Kimberley

Hallo Kimberley!

Well, seems to me the importance of the timing of a hysterectomy ought to be equal to the measure of how much you feel you need it ~ I hope your doctor knows this and acts accordingly. Always being exhausted is bad enough, but ongoingly low iron depletes your whole body all at once ~ every cell in your body ~ and leads to more serious health problems if it goes on too long. (If you don't get a five day break within a reasonable amount of time, you might need to make the appointment anyway.)

It's frustrating when a good regimen of iron supplementation can't do it alone (for me, it was only good until I got bleeding again, as my flow was very heavy...so I sure hear you).

Good for you for trying and for trusting your interior sense of when enough is enough. With good consultation, second (or even third) opinion, and weighing your life situation and choices, you'll know what to do. Thanks so much for keeping me posted. I'm aware that I could be in the same soup sometime myself. We'll see.

Meanwhile, be gentle with yourself. Get all the rest you can, because you sure deserve some pampering!

XOXOXXX Kythe

Postscript to Kimberley...

Sure would be good to find out what on earth is causing this, wouldn't it?

You might want to start a new thread asking if others have had that situation. I know they often don't have the whole picture until after the path report (from samples taken during surgery) but you'd think they'd have SOME idea what the source is. I forget, how many docs have tried to figure this out with you?

blessings upon you Kythe

Thanks for your advice and wishes.
I've seen 3 doctors....so far, and where I live there are few really good ones left, so aside from my family doc, I have to drive at least an hour to see the other 2.(I hate driving by the way )

If 8 years ago someone could have figured out what the heck is going on, I may have had a hyst then and maybe had 7 or 8 years of relative peace of mind. It drives me a little crazy not knowing what the actual problem is. It just feels like I'm falling apart sometimes.
I have spoken to quite a few of the sisters here and it does seem a bit strange that so many women who have had tubals done, seem to run into similar problems in the years following...many without any diagnosis.
Honestly if I hadn't come across this forum in trying to get some answers for myself, I think I'd be a total wreck. Now I'm only part way there.
Thank you again for your understanding and kind words.
May each day bring you more reasons to smile,
Kimberley