Post by TMM03 on Sept 27, 2014 16:51:07 GMT -5
Hi everyone,
After reading through these forums over the past couple weeks I wanted to join and share my experience. My name is Tab. I just turned 45 and have 3 boys: 22, 17 and 15. I married my oldest son's dad this month, but we've known one another since I was 14. It's been an incredible and poignant journey so far.
So, on to the gory details, right? (grin)
I'm not diagnosed with endo as yet, but thanks to what might be perimenopause, I've had a lot of difficulty remembering things these last few years. I might have heard that word in my teens, but just can't remember. I knew that the pill was given for cramps and bleeding, so maybe that's how they were dealing with endo back then and I just didn't fully grasp it all.
Let me start at the beginning.
I first started my period when I was 12. I was also sexually abused that entire year, which I understand has some impact on reproductive health, such as HPV, which will factor into my story shortly.
At about 14 I started birth control due to brutally heavy, painful periods. This seemed to help a bit with the pain, but not with the flow. I've been in and out of anemia all my life. Have also been thin most of my life, except this new 10lbs I've had since my last surgery, which has settled on my abdomen (grrr).
Anyway, skip from my teens to me at 22. Together with my now-husband, I was off the pill (I think because I had moved across country and didn't have health care yet) and got pregnant. Miscarried at 12 weeks. Conceived 2 weeks after (the loss made me want to try right away again) and had my first beautiful boy. Had gestational diabetes and was taking insulin. Vaginal birth.
Got pregnant again when my first was 1, but lost that one at 19 weeks. For some reason I had a D&C after, which fortunately surfaced my cervical issue. I had precancerous cells that required a cone biopsy. I was 24. HPV? It didn't have a name back then.
Broke up when son was 3, and thinking only of what was best for him, we agreed he should go live with his dad for the next 9 years.
I met the dad of my younger 2 boys shortly after. I was not on the pill when we eloped (in Vegas!) and got pregnant; lost it at 8 weeks. Possibly due to the stress of realizing I had married an alcoholic. Maybe because I missed Nick, I wanted another baby, and got pregnant right after I miscarried. Had gestational diabetes again and gained 60lbs because I refused to take insulin. I've always been 110 outside of pregnancy, so that hurt. Had second son via c-section when I was 27.
By this time I had learned that my ovaries regularly had cysts on one side or the other at any given time. Lost all the weight but when second son was 9mos old I got pregnant with my third, just when their father and I were falling apart. Again with the uncontrolled gestational diabetes, and 60lbs weight gain, and another c-section. Had him when I was 29. Got my tubes tied at the same time. Hooray, no more BCP, which was important because I'm a smoker.
Left their father when I was 30. Divorced him when I was 33. Didn't go to the doctor once the entire decade of my 30s. Still had heavy, gushy, painful periods, but nothing OTC painkillers couldn't handle.
At 34/35, my first son's dad and I miraculously got back together (we only broke up because we were young and poor and didn't know what we were doing). Our son was 12 when they came back to me.
Have had a wonderful decade, but starting at 42, my health really fell apart. My eyes got bad so I had to get glasses. Ophthalmologist said I have evidence of a past eye stroke, probably during my last pregnancy. Then I had 2 instances of appendicitis with complications that put me in the hospital for a week each time. They were about 8-9 months apart. Ovarian cysts were still appearing regularly on ultrasounds. My 2 infections/abcesses were so bad they couldn't remove the stupid appendix.
Around that time my periods started getting wonkier. Unpredictable cycles. Sometimes 14 days, now as much as 40+ days apart. Enter hot flashes and night sweats.
Last year I had my appendix removed by lap. 8 weeks later my gall bladder had to come out too, also by lap. Surgeon gave me a pelvic wash afterward; said it was to clear out any infection/fluids.
In January of this year I decided to have a physical to make sure I was healthy. Pap OK, blood work OK. But lots of lumps in my breasts. I'm apparently very cystic! I had to get one cyst aspirated because it was starting to poke through!
Fast forward to this past month. Swollen feet, repeated partial bowel obstructions, abdominal pain from my diaphragm all the way to my pelvis. Sciatica and thigh pain. No period.
Went to urgent care. X-rays showed evidence of my obstruction, which I had managed to pass that morning. No ovarian cysts this time, but a cyst (I think the twit meant fibroid) in my uterus.
Set up an appt with a gyno since my PCP is just a pill pusher who I've only known since my physical (she gave me Naproxen for pain and Wellbutrin for anxiety and to quit smoking). None of the pills are working. They only good thing she did was show me that I was severely deficient in vitamin D, and taking that helped with my upper back pain for a while.
Will be seeing a gyno in early Nov. She specializes in pelvic floor and endo related issues. I think my problem is endo, adenomyosis, or adhesions (the urgent care doc thought so too). Hoping I can find some relief soon. My missed period came 2 weeks after it was due (yesterday) and I'm back to heavy and gushy. It started brown; that usually happens midcycle and at the beginning of a period for me. The it gets serious for 3 straight days to a point where I can hardly move from the pain and mess.
Will keep you posted on the findings when I see the gyno. I'm hoping she'll suggest a look-see lap.
So it's very nice to meet you all. Thanks for letting me share! Looking forward to getting to know you.
Tab
After reading through these forums over the past couple weeks I wanted to join and share my experience. My name is Tab. I just turned 45 and have 3 boys: 22, 17 and 15. I married my oldest son's dad this month, but we've known one another since I was 14. It's been an incredible and poignant journey so far.
So, on to the gory details, right? (grin)
I'm not diagnosed with endo as yet, but thanks to what might be perimenopause, I've had a lot of difficulty remembering things these last few years. I might have heard that word in my teens, but just can't remember. I knew that the pill was given for cramps and bleeding, so maybe that's how they were dealing with endo back then and I just didn't fully grasp it all.
Let me start at the beginning.
I first started my period when I was 12. I was also sexually abused that entire year, which I understand has some impact on reproductive health, such as HPV, which will factor into my story shortly.
At about 14 I started birth control due to brutally heavy, painful periods. This seemed to help a bit with the pain, but not with the flow. I've been in and out of anemia all my life. Have also been thin most of my life, except this new 10lbs I've had since my last surgery, which has settled on my abdomen (grrr).
Anyway, skip from my teens to me at 22. Together with my now-husband, I was off the pill (I think because I had moved across country and didn't have health care yet) and got pregnant. Miscarried at 12 weeks. Conceived 2 weeks after (the loss made me want to try right away again) and had my first beautiful boy. Had gestational diabetes and was taking insulin. Vaginal birth.
Got pregnant again when my first was 1, but lost that one at 19 weeks. For some reason I had a D&C after, which fortunately surfaced my cervical issue. I had precancerous cells that required a cone biopsy. I was 24. HPV? It didn't have a name back then.
Broke up when son was 3, and thinking only of what was best for him, we agreed he should go live with his dad for the next 9 years.
I met the dad of my younger 2 boys shortly after. I was not on the pill when we eloped (in Vegas!) and got pregnant; lost it at 8 weeks. Possibly due to the stress of realizing I had married an alcoholic. Maybe because I missed Nick, I wanted another baby, and got pregnant right after I miscarried. Had gestational diabetes again and gained 60lbs because I refused to take insulin. I've always been 110 outside of pregnancy, so that hurt. Had second son via c-section when I was 27.
By this time I had learned that my ovaries regularly had cysts on one side or the other at any given time. Lost all the weight but when second son was 9mos old I got pregnant with my third, just when their father and I were falling apart. Again with the uncontrolled gestational diabetes, and 60lbs weight gain, and another c-section. Had him when I was 29. Got my tubes tied at the same time. Hooray, no more BCP, which was important because I'm a smoker.
Left their father when I was 30. Divorced him when I was 33. Didn't go to the doctor once the entire decade of my 30s. Still had heavy, gushy, painful periods, but nothing OTC painkillers couldn't handle.
At 34/35, my first son's dad and I miraculously got back together (we only broke up because we were young and poor and didn't know what we were doing). Our son was 12 when they came back to me.
Have had a wonderful decade, but starting at 42, my health really fell apart. My eyes got bad so I had to get glasses. Ophthalmologist said I have evidence of a past eye stroke, probably during my last pregnancy. Then I had 2 instances of appendicitis with complications that put me in the hospital for a week each time. They were about 8-9 months apart. Ovarian cysts were still appearing regularly on ultrasounds. My 2 infections/abcesses were so bad they couldn't remove the stupid appendix.
Around that time my periods started getting wonkier. Unpredictable cycles. Sometimes 14 days, now as much as 40+ days apart. Enter hot flashes and night sweats.
Last year I had my appendix removed by lap. 8 weeks later my gall bladder had to come out too, also by lap. Surgeon gave me a pelvic wash afterward; said it was to clear out any infection/fluids.
In January of this year I decided to have a physical to make sure I was healthy. Pap OK, blood work OK. But lots of lumps in my breasts. I'm apparently very cystic! I had to get one cyst aspirated because it was starting to poke through!
Fast forward to this past month. Swollen feet, repeated partial bowel obstructions, abdominal pain from my diaphragm all the way to my pelvis. Sciatica and thigh pain. No period.
Went to urgent care. X-rays showed evidence of my obstruction, which I had managed to pass that morning. No ovarian cysts this time, but a cyst (I think the twit meant fibroid) in my uterus.
Set up an appt with a gyno since my PCP is just a pill pusher who I've only known since my physical (she gave me Naproxen for pain and Wellbutrin for anxiety and to quit smoking). None of the pills are working. They only good thing she did was show me that I was severely deficient in vitamin D, and taking that helped with my upper back pain for a while.
Will be seeing a gyno in early Nov. She specializes in pelvic floor and endo related issues. I think my problem is endo, adenomyosis, or adhesions (the urgent care doc thought so too). Hoping I can find some relief soon. My missed period came 2 weeks after it was due (yesterday) and I'm back to heavy and gushy. It started brown; that usually happens midcycle and at the beginning of a period for me. The it gets serious for 3 straight days to a point where I can hardly move from the pain and mess.
Will keep you posted on the findings when I see the gyno. I'm hoping she'll suggest a look-see lap.
So it's very nice to meet you all. Thanks for letting me share! Looking forward to getting to know you.
Tab