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Post by disturbedme on Sept 9, 2011 11:29:09 GMT -5
Hey! I'm new(er) to the board and am in DC area, so thought I'd say hey to all the DC girls!!!
Any of you seeing a naturopath type of doctor that helps with your endometriosis? I would really like to see a type of doctor that understands endo but is also more 'natural' too. Even though I want to try birth control, I am also trying the diet as well as starting vitamins. I would like a naturopath that would be able to help me along the way with the diet and vitamin suggestions.
Anyone see anyone around the Germantown/Gaithersburg/Silver Spring/Rockville area? And if so, do they take insurance? If not, how expensive is a visit with them usually?
Thanks, girls!
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Post by 1234 on Sept 28, 2011 13:45:36 GMT -5
Unsure if this is the right thread, but wanted folks' opinions.
This mass on my R side (which I think is the same thing the doctor who did my surgery in March told me is a new endometrioma) has gotten larger, and more painful. It's softish, and I can squish it around. It's largest/most painful around ovulation, though that's not always the case--maybe it's just more apparent then. It's well behind my tummy muscles, and I have pretty developed tummy muscles, so it can't always poke out. It pops out during certain yoga postures, and recently more frequently. It's been there a while.
I've sort of been ignoring it, but it keeps getting more troublesome.
First questions: should I get it checked out? If it's just an endometrioma, it's ok to leave it there till I can't stand it, right?
Second: if I do get it checked out, any other recommendations of decent endo doctors that are bike or metro accessible for someone who lives in downtown DC? I really don't trust/want to go back to the place I did my surgery.
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Post by 1234 on Oct 25, 2011 9:42:26 GMT -5
So I took a pretty big step (for me) and scheduled an appointment with the Dr. Belizan, based on both Jenaya and Lady Tewlie's recommendations. He's way the hell out in the boonies for me, in my bicycle-based brain, but every other line I followed that was more accessible petered out. About a month ago, a colleague of mine who has had breast cancer and lots of ovarian/uterine problems (not endo related) gave me the name of the gyn she's been seeing for 15 years, but the dr wasn't taking any new patients, so I gave up again. I have really very little trust of ob/gyns, and don't want to hear crap about bcp, but I do want someone to check out this large mass on my right side. It's freaking me out.
Jenaya/Lady Tewlie--do you happen to know if Dr. Belizan's office is bikeable from the rockville metro? or is it in one of those areas surrounded by interstates and 8-lane semi-highways/pikeways with no sidewalks and no places for a bike?
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Post by JC on Oct 25, 2011 9:56:07 GMT -5
OH crap you're going to see Dr. Belizan! Cool! I actually used to bike there from the metro but I went on the sidewalk The streets are pretty busy but I think it's totally doable. I hope you can understand his accent! LOL I just got a post card in the mail from them saying I'm due for my pap. UGH GOD. He's going to be extremely surprised to see what has happened to my health in the last year. LOL!! I hope you get to meet his awesome nurse too. She's been working with him for like 30 years or something crazy.
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Post by 1234 on Oct 25, 2011 11:01:36 GMT -5
hooray, I can handle a sidewalk!
I'm not looking forward to this, but honestly I chose him b/c Lady Tewlie said he did ultrasounds on site instead of sending you gallivanting all around the city. I hope he can give me an answer on WTF this large thingy is. If it's just a humongous endometrioma or cyst, that's ok I guess, but my responsible side keeps telling me I should confirm this.
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Post by JC on Oct 25, 2011 15:51:35 GMT -5
Yeah he did an ultrasound on me on my very first visit! He does his own transvaginal ultrasounds which is super awesome. He's very gentle too. He doesn't go crazy digging around in there. HAHA. When is your appointment?
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Post by Karen on Oct 25, 2011 18:49:31 GMT -5
Hope it's worth the trek, Kristin!
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Post by 1234 on Oct 26, 2011 13:02:31 GMT -5
For me it's worth the trek just to know I won't have to go to a doc, get an ultrasound prescription, go to an ultrasound place, go back to the doc...I just don't have the energy. I've had so many ultrasounds, and they are always so painful, but I do want to confirm what this splooshy mass is. It's sort of creepy to push it around. It's like apple bobbing in your own abdomen.
I'm glad that he's gentle about it. I have nearly hauled off and punched some of the ultrasound technicians I've had over the years!
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Post by JC on Oct 26, 2011 13:29:10 GMT -5
Yeah he's really gentle. The only thing I could really say to be mindful of is that he does tend to lean toward treating everything with birth control which I guess is like every other doctor but just be prepared he may advise medications. He seems to think pregnancy fixes things too which makes me irate. But if you're looking for someone who will listen to you, treat you with respect, be gentle, give you an accurate diagnosis, or a skilled surgeon, he's your man.
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Post by 1234 on Oct 26, 2011 14:08:14 GMT -5
Thanks, Jenaya. I'm completely uninterested in bcp--that's why I've held off so long on going to any doctor over this pelvic mass. But, as long as I only have to say "no" a couple of times, that's better than many experiences.And really I should know! I've been on bcp over half my life. i feel like someone stole who I was from 13 - almost 29. It still makes me angry!
Thanks for the pregnancy warning too. It's better to go in being prepared for that.
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Post by JC on Oct 26, 2011 14:30:31 GMT -5
HAHA good I'm glad I could prepare you. He also has a thick accent cause he's from Argentina. HAHA. I love him though. He's the one-of-a-kind doctor that will hold your hand while you cry. I burst into tears once in his office frustrated that I couldn't have sex anymore and he looked genuinely concerned and held my hand while I cried and cried. LOL embarrassing. But I appreciate doctors like him.
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Post by 1234 on Nov 2, 2011 16:33:03 GMT -5
So I did really love Dr. Belizan. That was the least pain I've ever had in a pelvic exam/ultrasound. He's the first "normal" doctor I've ever been to that I thought knew anything about endometriosis--I did just trust him.
Was not so much of a fan of what he had to say, though. The good news is it looks like I don't have anything scary. The bad news is, I do have a large endometrioma on my right ovary and nodules in several places, including the rectum. I also have a lot of adhesions running around. He also said that my colon on the right side, from my hip bone to my ribs, was really inflamed/swollen and the colon wall was really thick. Again, probably from endo on/in it. Bummer. I just had surgery 8 months ago.
He also was REALLY pro pregnancy. Thanks for the warning on that, Jenaya. Good god. As lovely a man as he is, WHY does ANY MAN (or woman, for that matter) think they have a right to tell another human being that she should create another human being? RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
The other thing, is that he wants me to try norethindrone--I think this is what Pretty was put on before her surgery?he did agree, looking at the litany of birth control pills I've been on, that I shouldn't be on any more--15 years is enough time. But he wants to try this, which is just progestin. I've always had crazy side effects from jsut progestin, so I'm pretty negative on it.
Anyway, good news: I don't have scary squishy things. Bad news: I have lots of squishy things that shouldn't be there or shouldn't be acting like they are, and nodules of bowel endo that can be felt on a pelvic exam, and a uterus that is all wacked out of position again and stuck to things, and...
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Post by JC on Nov 2, 2011 18:59:12 GMT -5
LOL I'm laughing because I know how he f**king is about that pregnancy thing! I literally want to slap him when he says this sh*t!!
But I'm really glad he was gentle with you and you trusted him. That really really sucks that you have that much going on though. WOW that's A LOT of problems and I'm so sorry!
So are you going to consider the option of the medication? Is there a super low dose that you can try? I don't really know how it works.
LOL I'm still laughing about the pregnancy thing. What did you say?? I would think that a man that has been dealing with endo for so long should know it's not a cure. It's beyond me. Maybe he has seen many women have luck with that. Women who don't have problems usually don't join support groups so I've never personally heard of a woman getting a permanent "cure" from pregnancy but there MUST be a lot for him to be so pushy about it. Who knows... He's so funny though and aside from that I'm glad you liked him.
Isn't it cool that he lets you get dressed and talks to you in his office rather than laying naked and no dignity? I really liked that about him.
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Post by 1234 on Nov 3, 2011 6:22:37 GMT -5
He was really, really respectful, despite the pregnancy thing. I tried telling him that I just wasn't willing to put myself in the position of losing another pregnancy and didn't want to consider it. He started trying to convince me that it should be possible for me to keep a pregnancy full term....god, it was really crazy. He has to be REALLY nice for me to overlook all of that pregnancy stuff.
I've been thinking about the pill. I actually had to take a long run last night, even with the pain of all the exams, to straighten out my head.
I'm pretty sure no. I researched it and I've been on it before, in various combination birth control pills, and know how my body reacts. I also feel like I'm really giving my body a chance with the acupuncture. It's clearly making my hormones completely insane. It also ahs significantly (overall) raised my temperature, which makes me hope it's helped the thyroid a bit.
In any case, I know how my body reacts to hormones and I don't like it. My body also clearly grows endo really well, which sucks. As much as the acupuncture is really, really, really hard for me, I think I need to hang on. Maybe if I can change what my hormone system is doing, I'll grow less endo? in which case, I would consider doing another surgery, to remove what's there.
In any case, I'm glad to know what's going on. and I was SOO happy he lets you get dressed and talks to you in clothes. I'd never been to a male gyn for a pelvic exam, and it was completely non-embarrassing with him.
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Post by JC on Nov 3, 2011 16:26:35 GMT -5
Yeah it's weird how comfortable he makes you feel. Kinda nice huh? If you don't feel right about the pills then I wouldn't want to do it either. You know your body better than he does. If you do need surgery though he's a great one. Sounds like you have a good plan though! I hope the acupuncture helps you! I need to make an appointment for my annual pap. UGH.
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