Chemical What?!

So there was always a chance that I would have to either be placed in Chemical Menopause or I would go in to regular Menopause (if they had to remove my ovaries. But I still have them both!) but I was hoping I wouldn't have either. Ha! Chemical it is. I went for my two week follow-up and everything was looking good. Except.. The pesky Endometriosis on my Diaphragm. Damn, damn, damn! Dr. R. told me in order to keep from doing more surgery, we have to put you in Chemical Menopause for six months to see if the Endo releases itself from your organs. Ok, six months. I can do that. No problem. What are the symptoms again?...

-Hot Flashes/Cold Flashes

-Night Sweats

-Loss of Libido....... (nope, I'm out!)

-Vaginal Dryness... WHAT?! Hell NO!

-Mood Swings/Crying

-Fatigue

-Hair Loss/Thinning or Hair Growth (I better not get a mustache or beard!)

-Sleeplessness

-Difficulty Concentrating, Disorientation, Mental Confusion

-Memory Lapses

-Dizziness, Light headedness, Episodes of Loss of Balance (damn, I'm already clumsy!)

-Weight gain (Major side eye...)

-Incontinence (Stop playing!)

-Sudden Bouts of Bloat

-Increase in Allergies

-Depression

-Anxiety, Irritability, Panic Disorder

-Breast Pain (no, no, no, no, no)

-Headaches, Joints and Muscle Aches,

Digestive Problems, and some more s&8#!!!!!

While the doctor was explaining this to me, I blanked out after Loss of Libido and Vaginal Dryness (just being honest)! That is not my idea of fun! No sir, but the alternative is to have more surgery. So I said okay. Lets get it over with. I start to roll up my sleeve and the nurse says, "no ma'am, the other side"!!!!! The other side of what?! Now, I got to get shot in the a$$?! This just gets better and better.

Bright side: Dr. R. gave me a prescription for an estrogen supplement to protect against bone loss and some of these symptoms. Ha! Not. Working......

I may not have all of them but I sure have a few of them! Let's talk about them, shall we:

Hot Flashes: Nothing but the Devil! You're body is not suppose to reach temperatures that high without you stroking out! It's starts at my feet and rapidly rises to my hair folicles! HELP!!!! I feel like I'm going to burst into flames like dude from the X-Men!

Night Sweats: The Devil's Helper! Sweaty sheets, pj's, fiancee'. Why am I up at 3am taking off my clothes, in the shower (again)? This is not my idea of fun!

Mood Swings/Crying: Yup! For no reason! I started crying from watching Xenia sing on The Voice (as I type this post...) What is that about?!

Fatigue: All the time...

Hair Loss/Growth: No Beard or Mustache.... yet!

Sleeplessness: My Nemesis! For a while, I was waking up like clockwork at 3:00am! Why? I don't know. I think that's when ithas its meeting with "The Devil", and "The Devil's Helper". Complete and utter BS!

Memory Lapses: Right in mid-sentence. 

Weight Gain: Nope! Yay!

Incontinence, Bloating, Breast pain, Digestive problems: No, no, no and no! 

The others are mild and few and far between. Yay!

This post could go on and on, but I'm getting sleepy, so you'll have to wait for the next one! 

Thanks for checking in. Talk to you soon!

35 With Hot Flashes

In The Beginning.....

Hey everyone. It took me a little while (seven weeks to be exact. but who's counting)  to decide if I wanted to start a blog about my journey because I didn't know if I wanted the world (or the 2 or 3 people who may actually read this) all in my business, but then decided that if this helps just one woman then my job is done. So here goes: (this is going to be a long one)

On April 14th, 2011, I underwent a Single Port Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy at the age of 34 and at 35 I am now in Menopause (chemical).... Think on that one for a minute...

Maybe I should start from the beginning...

About 5 years ago I started having some really bad cramps. I think every woman thinks their cramps are bad but these were worse than natural childbirth (trust me I know..)! They were the kind that would put you down for a day or two. I thought it was just apart of getting older and came with the territory after having 4 kids. Even with all these thoughts going through my head I decided to talk to my gyno about it. We went through the whole battery of test and ultrasounds and the diagnosis: fibroids. I accepted the diagnosis, she put me on birth control and went on about my business but dreading the every other 28 days... 

Then there was a change... for the worse... Stomach pains (when not on my cycle), chest pain, fatigue, head aches, trouble breathing, the list goes on... I went back to my gyno 12 times over 2 1/2 years trying to get some answers, but the answer was still the same: fibroids. She said "there's no way that the chest pain and shortness of breath is being caused by the fibroids. They are unrelated." On a visit to see her on September 2nd, 2009, because she was over booked, I opted to see another doctor and told him about the chest pains and shortness of breath, and he sent me to get a chest x-ray. I was never able to get the results of those tests because on September 3rd, 2009 I was rushed  to the hospital with Pulmonary Embolism. I had blood clots on my lungs!!!!!! I was allergic to birth control! But with all of that I still didn't have any relief from any of the pain.

I continued to keep seeing the same gyno. I just started thinking that all of this pain I was feeling was all in my head. I kept thinking "she's the medical professional. She know what she's talking about".... Until a co-worker told me to go to GWU Hospital Womens Health Center. I still put it off for a little while (until the pain and symptoms got worse than they already were). This was the appointment that changed my life.

First, my doctors were the most patient, understanding, courteous people, not just health professionals, but people I have met in a very long time. The doctor asked me all the questions my first gyno should have asked. They did an ultrasound right there in the office. They did not have me make a separate appointment for an ultrasound. And I had answers right then and there: I had a very severe case of Endometriosis. Now, with most women, they give you birth control and it helps to regulate it and you go about your business. But seeing as I'm allergic to them, that wasn't an option for me. I talked with my fiancee about it: I have four kids, he has one but we don't have any together and this was a huge decision to make. He was so very supportive and told me "We need you healthy. We have a family." With that, I made the appointment to have the surgery. 

My surgery was suppose to be a two hour outpatient surgery. I was suppose to go home afterwards: Welp, that didn't happen! LOL! My two hour surgery turned into five hours, a three day hospital stay and a blood transfusion! What the hell?! When they got inside there was a lot of damage! The Endometriosis was so severe that I fused my uterus to my bladder (one surgery by itself), it spread up to my diaphragm and liver and they found a dermoid cysts (that the ER doctor found in '09 that I told the old gyno about and she ignored). 

Which brings us to the present day and this Menopause thing. The doctors had to put me in chemical menopause because the Endometriosis is still on my liver and diaphragm and they want to see if it releases itself so I don't have to undergo anymore surgeries.

I know that was a mouthful to get out and to digest but if felt good to get it all out! 

So now that you know all my business, stayed tuned for the "Menopause Chronicles"..... LOL!

Thanks for reading!

35 With Hot Flashes