Friday, March 1, 2013

Appointment re-cap

Thanks, everyone, for your kind words and advice on my last post! It really does mean a lot to know that someone is "out there" =)

Overall, I'm pleased with how my appointment went yesterday. The more I meet with my doctor, the more I appreciate her. She's very kind to us and also a good listener. Mr. M was with me for this appointment, which was also a bonus.

I did ask to get my testosterone levels checked, which I actually did yesterday while at the office. So we'll see what the results are with that.

Dr. C was concerned that the pre-peak bleeding was back, with only one month of no bleeding after my surgery. She said that it's very rare (1) to see polyps in a woman under 40, because often they start to appear in the pre-menopause stage and (2) to see a polyp return so quickly (if that is what is causing my irregular bleeding this time around). So that was discouraging. If I have to have a reproductive abnormality, can't I at least have one that's common? She also said the science is inconclusive as to why people get polyps at all - why one person and not another, for example.

However, she did say that hormonal imbalances could play a part, since estrogen can inflame polyps if not outright cause them. So I'm going to get a number of blood draws this month: days 13, 15, and 17 (my peak is usually 16/17), and then Peak plus 3, 5, 7, and 9. She was open to doing the 30-day blood draw, but warned us that it would be expensive (probably $1500ish by our estimates - yikes!) so we're going to see if this limited testing yields any helpful data.

If my hormone levels come back normal, then the next step will probably be the HSG + ultrasound + hysteroscopy. I'm not mentally dealing with that possibility yet - just want to get through the blood draws this month.

So human pincushion cycle it is =) I'm split between hoping they find something that can be treated, and maybe will explain the irregular bleeding, and hoping that I'm normal. Probably more the former, to be honest.

Oh, and about the PCOS - I brought that up with her (esp. my family history) and she said that it's not likely that I have PCOS given my normal cycles and lack of polycystic ovaries (viewed when I had that ultrasound in Sept) but I could have a very, very mild case - or a hormone imbalance (maybe extra testosterone?) that doesn't equal full-blown PCOS but is still a problem.

+EcceFiat+

3 comments:

  1. Yeah, PCOS is a spectrum disease. For me my ultrasound came out normal and my cycles were not too irregular but my hormones were slightly off and during surgery my ovaries looked poly cystic. What I have learned of PCOS is that no two women are the same. I am not discounting your Dr. but our degree of the disease does not all look the same. All that being said is that I pray and hope you do not have it. I am glad your appointment went well and the blood draw should give you some good info.

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  2. Ok, so some answers are better than nothing. And thank the Lord you have a doctor who is willing to actually help you.

    I have PCOS, with all the symptoms and none of the corresponding blood results. That is, when I saw my dr. about PCOS, she affirmed my symptomatic results, including polycystic ovaries, but when I had the blood work done, it came back completely normal, which was confusing, even to her. Things get very weird and wonky wit PCOS.

    What I'm really hoping is that as your blood results come back, you'll get some direction, and steps forward. My prayers continue for you!!

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  3. It is SO hard to tell what the culprit is! It is so gosh darn frustrating to keep having to get tests for this, that & the other, all with no definite results. I sure hope you find out something with your bloodwork! And I hope you have some good nurses to draw the blood & it doesn't take multiple pokes. Ouch!

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