Surgery update

My laptop is heating up alot so that is who I am constantly replying by phone. It should be fixed soon and then I will get my posts moving quicker.

I did have my doc appt today since as most of u know I had to cancel the hysterectomy over the summer. Anyway, I go back on Monday to sign the paperwork and surgery is scheduled for Tuesday.

I can’t tell u how excited I am, nervous too of course.

I will keep replying by phone until the laptop is completely ‘safe’.

Update: 5/28/09 appt: Decision & date

My appt went awesome, man it has taken years to say that!
I saw another doc in the office at the Womens Institute, my doc got called out for surgery and I didn’t want to come back that afternoon.

He confirmed by decision and said that he completely agreed with my choice and that the ovaries must go to make a difference.

He talked with me, not at me, and found that I had exhausted all measures at this point. They don’t have anything else for me and believe it will take away my pain too.

Though I wasn’t expecting to meet another doc it went well, a 2nd opinion.

We scheduled my appt for the earliest available… July 18th!

I am even more excited and relieved that soon I will be living the quality of life I am so desperate for, though I am aware many more stops will be difficult along the way. I’m ready. I feel I have a great support system in place and as hard as living with PMDD is, I will definitely make it thru this.

Stef

PMDD rears its ugly head, again…

Unfortunately, I had an anxiety attack last night, the first one I have had in I can’t even recall how long.

One of those, chests aching, conversations going on in your head, annoyed with everything attacks.

Why you ask? All of you with PMDD know this answer: Who in the heck knows!

I was in bed watching tv, the whole house was asleep so I wasn’t stressed out, it just happened.

Of course because I am off my meds I knew this was a possibility, but it has been so long, I hoped not.  I really don’t like me with PMDD without meds, but I know the end result will be better if I can see where my body is, without meds.  I will continue fighting thru this mess in hopes to have some better answers next Thur at my next appt.

I guess I just needed to rant here for a bit.  PMDD once again irritating me to no end!

I hope the rest of you guys are hanging in there.

Stef

My diagnosis from Tuesdays appt

Okay, well it went well.  I got a little irked when the nurse asked me what PMDD stood for.  I took a deep breath and answered.

Why was I annoyed?
I had already made sure, prior to making the appt, that they dealt with PMDD issues.

Like I said, I took a deep breath and figured, this is the nurse, I have no idea how long she has worked here, etc…  Then the great question came out… What are your symptoms?

I chuckled because first of all I had already filled out everything via their online portal and she had already mentioned, you said on the online portal…. SO… I knew she had the info!  Again, I smiled and said, “Would you like the whole list, or do you want to just write down emotional, mental, physical ailments that keep me from living my life the way a 35 yr old Woman should be living.”

She said, “I need to write down the symptoms.”  I guess she meant, type or check them off on her little laptop she was carrying around.  I gave her a few and left it at that.

I was pleased, the doctor did know a lot, he was also not pushy or counter-talking me.  He asked me, after I would tell him my thoughts from my research and living, that’s true and then there is…

So, he had info to add to my info, I was pleased.  I haven’t had my yearly, I’m a few months behind from all our moving, so he went ahead and did that too.

Unfortunately, more was there than just the PMDD, but all is still well.  It looks as though I have a polyp that needs to be removed and he believes that I have adenomyosis (internal endometriosis) and menorrhagia (abnormal heavy bleeding and prolonged menstrual periods at regular intervals)— What the Hell! I thought this was just my period worse than everyones!  Anyway, causes may be due to abnormal clotting, disruption of normal hormone regulation of periods (Yep! that’s a given :), or disorders of the endometrial lining of the uterus (adenomyosis)

It all made sense.  I have said here that the past few months, even with my meds, have become quite unbearable.  Emotionally and physically.  Apparently, I was right on with paying attention to my body (that pleased me).  It really goes along with why I have this site.

I go back on Monday, have the polyp removed (in the office, just take some Tylenol he said) and have a sonogram of my ovaries and uterus to see about the adenomyosis and possible endometriosis.  Apparently, alot of Women that have Adeno, usually have the beginning of Endo too.

So… Come Monday I will have more updates.  It did confirm to me that the hysterectomy (because of my situation) is most likely my only step left.  All other options have been exhausted as I have said before.  Also, the ONLY cure for Adenomyosis is a hysterectomy.  So, again after finding that as well, it shows that I am reading my body correctly and making some good decisions, based on my situation.

That alone is a positive.

I will keep you guys updated!  Thanks for all the good lucks!

Stef

Appt today at Women’s Center

Hi everyone!

If I haven’t replied to a post it’s not because I haven’t read it, I read all of them, everyday.  I have been doing a lot of research for my appt today at a Womens Center, so I have been a bit backed up.

I will be replying to any posts I haven’t today or tomm.

I will let you all know how the appt goes.

Even though I am fully prepared for my appt, I have been to numerous appts with many doctors, I know what I want and have been preparing myself for that too, I am very nervous.

First, I want for the doctor to know more than I do with regards to PMDD.  I asked when I called about the appt and they assured me that he works with Women with PMDD.  (we’ll see about that :)

Second, I always get nervous when I go to the doctor, but not nervous like scared, more nervous like annoyed because I know I am going to have to start from the beginning and explain the past 20 years.  That becomes annoying after so many times.

PMDD isn’t like walking in and saying, look at my charts… I have cancer, or I have a cyst, as you all know.

Anyway, I am keeping my head up, thoughts trying to be positive, and I will let you all know what comes of the appt.

Stef

BTW, if you haven’t checked out the new forum, go by and check it out, it’s starting to get livelier…

www.lifewpmdd.ning.com