Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: TheWorstWitch on July 03, 2017, 01:46:26 PM
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Ummmm....hello? Good place to start I guess! Firstly having only found these forums on Saturday can I say I have already found SO much useful information here - it's made a real difference to where I'm at already.
To sum up briefly where I'm at then. I'm currently very nearly 45 - literally just a few weeks off. Always had very regular periods - could time pretty much to the hour when I'd come on and generally lasted 5 - 8 days. Occasional episodes of nasty period pains but nothing major, and never needed more than a "super" size tampon to cope. Two years ago I suddenly started getting a lot more pain, and then had a horrendously heavy period - flooding, the lot. Needless to say I was out and about at the time wearing light coloured clothes...so that's one "worst nightmare" ticked off, then... ::) went back to normal for a month or two then everything kicked back in again big time - often crippling pains and my new "normal" became it not being unusual to flood straight through a super-plus tampon plus heavy duty pad inside half an hour. Each time though this was only day 2 or 3 - I didn't generally go on for much longer than I had. Start of this year the heaviness started extending out into additional days and the whole thing stretching out to often 8 - 10 days, plus I was starting to get increasingly irregular - anywhere from 21 days to 31. Finally in MayI got by my utter conviction that I'd simply be told "it's natural, get on with it" and went to the doctors - my thinking being that I'd ask to get put back onto the contraceptive patch that suited me so well for years as that would hopefully regulate things down again. Finally got a Dr's appt in June, by which time I'd already done enough research to realise that this was almost certainly perimenopause kicking in. Doctor was remarkably unhelpful (you don't say) - first off wanted to send me for blood tests - which I now know would have been pointless in any case - and has referred me for a scan (TV US - I've had the letter through now to ring for the appointment for that) and finally after I basically pleased with her gave me a three month prescription for the patch, and made it absolutely clear that she didn't want to see me back there until I'd had the scan... she also said that she thought I was probably anaemic, but again wasn't willing to do anything about that until the scan results.
The patch so far doesn't seem to be making the blindest bit of odds although in fairness I did realise that I probably needed to get through the first full cycle on it to properly tell - I'm now three weeks in and on my "patch free" week....I'm also on day 24 of my period now...no, not my cycle, my actual period. I reckon about 35% of that time I've been ludicrously heavy (My new record is overflowing a super-plus in 20 minutes), and I've had about two days in that timeframe where I've been light enough that I've thought maybe I was finishing... I'm also now suffering quite distinct anaemic symptoms - quite severe breathlessness and a total lack of energy a lot of the time, very pale (not anything that I'd ever have described myself as before) insides of eyelids pretty much white etc. I started taking Ibuprofen a few days ago - about 2 doses a day - not sure whether that's helping or not.
Apologies - I appreciate this is possibly TMI for a first post - but I am now feeling increasingly desperate and utterly fed up with not feeling like "me" any more. I'm meant to be staying at a friends place in just over a week - I'm in an utter panic at the idea of flooding overnight - bad enough at home, worse by miles away somewhere else. I'm starting to feel as though I've got to put my life on hold - even driving to work is becoming a problem as my commute is a bit over an hour and that's quite frequently too long for the defences to hold out!
I'm currently losing weight (conscious choice) and exercising - or rather trying to dependant on energy levels, it's getting tougher and tougher to be honest - as I know both of these should help. Also focusing on making sure I eat an iron rich diet and am taking "Wellwoman" capsules to try to give myself a bit of a boost. Just ordered Magnesium thanks to seeing advice on here too.
Sorry for the novel - I'll shut up now... :-X
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:welcomemm:
Oh you poor thing. I had much the same but a much more understanding GP.
You need to find yourself a different doctor as soon as you can. There really is no need to have to bleed like this.
The coil can sometimes really help with heavy bleeds and there is medication that will slow or stop this constant bleeding.
Meantime I would suggest that you get a good iron supplement and start taking it ASAP.
Someone else will be along to welcome you soon and with more ideas on how to help.
Please try and get another appointment to see a GP with half a brain.
Mrs Brown
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:welcomemm:
Please try & find a sympathetic GP, they are worth their weight in gold. Still flabbergasted that they are so clueless in this day & age.
I had hysterectomy in my mid 30's due to constant bleeding & pain, not saying that's what you need, but my gynae suggested it as best solution for me.
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:welcomemm: from me too!
Your GP can prescribe a drug that will relieve such heavy bleeding and should have ordered a blood test for anaemia at once regardless of the other investigations ordered. Is there a Practice Nurse?
Browse round. Make notes. Some ladies find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary useful.
Nothing is TMI or taboo on here ;).
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Thank you all for being so welcoming! I actually feel better just for having "put it all out there" as it were - not exactly a conversation you can generally have, is it!
I KNOW this is ridiculous but a blood test is a real last resort for me as I'm incredibly phobic about needles. A finger-**** test I can cope with fine, but the full needle in the arm job - I'm feeling sick just thinking about it. Definitely won't be going the surgical route - I have some solid choices already made about that on various levels.
I'd already thought that when I go back to the GP I'm going to get an appintment with the nurse practitioner - not least as I can get a pre-arranged appointment with her rather than having to faff about with ringing at 8am while I'm driving to work and then not being able to get through anyway so thanks for suggesting that - confirms I may be on the right track there!
Found out over the weekend that our surgery is in the NHS equivalent of "special measures" at the moment - this may also be why they have such awful problems keeping staff. At the moment we have no female doctors at all which is remarkably unhelpful. Having said that the female doctor I did see who has now left was ALSO remarkably unhelpful so hey, ho! ;D Getting appointments at a time that actually suits a working person has always been tricky, but is now almost impossible - might be better is they didn't happily give away the first thing in the morning and last thing in the afternoon appointments to all the retired folk who can go at any old time!
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Hi, glad you joined :welcomemm:, it's the best menopause treatment available - support and cyber friendship from ladies who really 'get it'.
Floridix is a good iron supplement/tonic.
I also had a hysterectomy like cubagirl, when i was 38 for bleeding and pain so I got away with the worst of the bleeding side of menopause and I think it must be the worst. I can still remember being tied to the calendar, unable to plan to go anywhere and being housebound for one week out of four every month. I hated that standing up and feeling the 'glub glub' sensation (sorry, just wanted you to know it is not unusual at this time of life :-X)
That said I don't believe there is no way round it and this forum is full of different ladies, different opinions and different treatments. Browse round, read the posts, join in. Take what you find relevant and scroll past what you don't need. Above all enjoy it, it really helps and check out the 'Funny side of menopause' section for some light relief :hug:
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Aargh yes Babyjane that sensation is HORRIBLE!
Thanks for the recommendation on the iron supplement too.
Honestly - the more I read on here the more I find stuff and wonder whether it might all be linked together - I've been suffering awful joint pain in my hip since last autumn - I'd put it down to arthritis that was diagnosed years ago -I know it's in both knees and was told at the time it would probably "travel" so had assumed that the hip was that too - I'm wondering, now! Also - restless legs, and random skin itches - I had NO idea that those could be symptoms of perimenopause too!
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Oh yes on all accounts. It does run its course but it can be a bit of a bumpy ride until it does. Find out as much as you can about treatments and what you want to do before you go to the doctor again. It will empower you.
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Hi TheWorstWitch
:welcomemm: from me too!
I second that re Floradix - I take the tonic ( only now and again and less than the dose) - just to keep my levels optimal because I still have a bleed in my 60's. It is very gentle. You are very likely anaemic if you are losing that much blood but if you take this - perhaps take the recommended dose at first and then as you feel better ease off a little - although in your case a blood tests might be helpful?
It sounds like you are in very early peri-menopause from your cycle length and the ones that are close together may be anovulatory bleeds ie due to excess oestrogen without the progesterone from ovulation so your lining could get thicker and shed erratically and heavily. A Mirena coil would definitely help - especially if you are used to synthetic progestogens ( from the patch - which one do you use?). Then if you start getting menopausal symptoms you can add in oestrogen ( as a patch if this is what you prefer). The patch free week probably doesn't suit women in peri-menopause because the crash is too big (both from progesterone withdrawal symptoms and the oestrogen dip - leading to mood swings!
There is also a contraceptive pill specially designed for peri-menopausal women - called QLAIRA which only has two tablet free days - buit a variable amount of oestrogen (and a progestogen) in tablet form.
There is information about this here:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/contra2.php (scroll down)
and about bleeding treatments here:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/periodtreatments.php
Hope this helps :)
Hurdity x
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Hi Theworstwitch, welcome to the forum, lovely to have you join us!
I haven't experienced the very heavy bleeding you're having to manage but it may be a good idea to speak with nearly50 who has horrors to deal with on the bleeding front! She'll be able to offer you excellent advice re iron levels etc. She may not see this thread and you can't PM other members yet (think you have to have posted 10 times). Machair set up a thread for late peri women which discusses bleeds, mucus and spotting etc but we really talk about all sorts. nearly50 is a regular poster so pop along and have a chat with her. Just add what you want to the thread and she's bound to respond. x
This is the link
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,31902.msg584120.html#new
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I had heavy bleeding through most of my menstruating years :'( and DREADFUL pain. Fortunately peri-meno got rid of that!
As oestrogen levels drop off so muscles may become lax = aches and pains. Also, the body may become dry - inside and out: nostrils, deep in the ears, vagina, skin ::) :welcomemm: ............
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Elizabethrose thank you for the link - I'll take a look!
Hurdity The patch (Evra) is the only contraception I've ever used aside from the obvious condoms - I have a truly shocking memory and simply never trusted myself to remember the pill - another reason why I was massively relieved to note that HRT should I need it also comes in patch form! I don't even manage to remember to take supplements every day so the idea of something that I rely on so totally...errr no! ;D Thanks for your links too - more reading!
Babyjane I'm a firm believer in going to the Doctor's armed with the facts - when my surgery tried to withhold the Evra from me many years ago on various spurious excuses (but actually because they didn't like the cost) I tread everything I could find and wrote a complaint letter to the practise manager with all the reasons why what I'd been told was bunkum. Got a reply inside a week telling me to go and collect a prescription... ;)
CLKD that about the muscles makes sense - also explains why it's been helped by exercise!
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Welcome TheWorstWitch, I hope just posting here helps you realise you're not on your own, which I think is half the battle.
what a shame you've got such heavy periods, mine are pretty horrendous but don't sound as bad as yours. I had a 20 something day period recently and it just drains the life out of you, doesn't it? I've had 10 day periods for the past 2 and a half years and I know what you mean about the horror of a commute, mine is 1 hour 15 minutes and sometimes when someone catches me on the way in I want to scream as I know I'm running out of time! I can also empathise with putting your life on hold, it is rubbish but as I keep telling myself, it won't last forever.
Anyway, maybe the scan will find you have fibroids to explain the heavy bleed? If I had been more sensible, I probably would've got a Mirena fitted 2 years ago, but for various reasons haven't. I have friends who swear by it and have had no periods for years. Alternatively you could get transexamic acid to stem the flow? Options for me are waiting for them to shrink or hysterectomy, so I'm going with the wait and see option.
NHS seem happy with ferritin levels of over 15 but it seems you should be closer to 50-70 for optimal health. Mine was 10 when I was tested (had dropped 10 points in 6 months) and have steadily built it up to 50 something now. I take ferrous fumerate, don't think Floridix would've helped because my levels were so low. Worth getting that tested, as well as Vitamin D (might be cause of muscle pain) and thyroid too. I know you said you were phobic about needles though, so maybe that isn't an option for you.
As for worries about flooding at your friends, I now use a towel, a Boots maternity pad, and sometimes when things are pretty bad, Tena ladies' pants :(
Have you had any hot flushes/night sweats yet? Probably if you post any random symptom you've had into the search screen, you'll find someone who has had the same thing!
Sorry for the long post, please keep posting though.
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Thanks for the lovely reply Nearly50 - I was wondering about the fibroids thing myself - and yes hopefully the scan will show one way or the other although if it shows I have it may be that there's not a lot that can be done anyway other than as you say, "wait and see".
Honestly no idea if I can do the blood test thing or not - at the moment I'm swinging towards "not" but we'll see. Also wary of Mirena as I was told years ago it wasn't a good option for me - I already tend towards breast tenderness and struggle with my weight, and I've seen some reports of dreadful mood swings on it which make me incredibly cautious.
Question - have you tried ibuprofen for reducing the heaviness of the flow? If so how long did it take to kick in - I'm starting to think I *might* be able to see some improvement but just not sure if it's just another fluctuation that would have happened anyway!
Hot flushes - ha! Just commented to OH on the way home last night that we had a new symptom to add to the mix - it's not terrible yet but it's definitely there. Fabulous. Couldn't have started in winter when it might have been of some use, could it! ::)
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Hi TheWorstWitch,
I should've said, there are maybe other options if you do have fibroids, my doctor told me at my age my uterus was a "pointless void" but I'm sure others would be a bit more supportive. I'm happy to wait and see as I just prefer avoiding medical interventions in general!
I have tried ibuprofen but didn't find it made any difference really. As you say, hard to know if it would've happened anyway. My periods tend to stop and start now with no particular pattern, might have nothing all morning and then a flood in the afternoon, just to keep me on my toes. I tried transexamic acid once but felt really ill but should try it again as it maybe wasn't the cause.
My hot flushes started in the winter and it was a real bonus for the old gas bill ;) Does sound like you're well on the road to the magical day of the Final Menstrual Period, hopefully you'll start skipping periods soon.
If you do get manage to get a blood test, make sure they test for everything possible to avoid getting it done again!
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A "Pointless void" eh? Wow - now there's a helpful phrase for a GP to use! In fairness mine's always been fairly pointless but I guess it fills my innards up so... ! ;)
It had already occurred to me that if I DO manage to cope with the blood test they'd better take a full armload there and then as I certainly won't be doing it again! ;D
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As for a needle phobia - it's really common ::) - I have held the hand of many men when they were waiting for pain relieving injections :D. The older I get the more it bothers me (as does my up-coming smear test) :sigh: ....... so I make sure that I lay down B4 I need to give blood.
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Hello worstwitch,
It's good you have joined us.
CaroleM
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OK - in the interests of keeping track:
Things are a little better today on the bleeding front - it's still happening but as this is my "patch free" week I'm trying to remind myself that I would expect it to be at this stage. It's still heavy but not so much so, and far "thinner" than it has been (this could be related to the ibuprofen?) but feels more "normal period" than anything I've experienced for a while. Back to being incredibly low on energy though and the breathlessness isn't much better. No - scrub that, it's not helpful - the breathlessness is getting worse.
*note: forgot to take the wellwoman capsule on Sunday - this *could* be related to a dip in energy again yesterday and today. Need to remember to put a pack in my work bag so I have them with me and can take at lunchtime if I remember, and in the evening if not.
Unsure whether the Ibuprofen are having an effect or not as yet - bleeding is still heavier than I would have expected when I was on the patch before - a LOT heavier - but it's definitely nowhere near as floody and clotty as it was before - that was horrible.
Just having somewhere to note this stuff and bounce things off people is making a HUGE difference to how I feel about things - the light is back on at the end of the tunnel, albeit still quite dimly as yet.
Making a point of trying to eat at least 1 specifically "iron rich" food per day - yesterday was watercress, today will be eggs, tomorrow probably liver, this is in additional to a normal balanced diet.
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:bighug:
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Awww fanks CLKD! :)
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Hi just to say I went through a shocking phase of flooding last year. I use cloth pads and found that some of them coped remarkably well. I also found that I have become more sensitive to everything and the cloth pads were more comfortable and soothing. The heavier ones sold on here are good www.honouryourflow.co.uk .
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I just wanted to say Hello and tell you that you aren't alone. In May, well all of May to be exact, I had very heavy bleeding (changing a maxi towel every hour and 3 pairs of Tena pants + pads overnight). After the second week I went to A&E as I was away from home and really unsure what to do. They tested me and told me I was borderline anaemic but to eat lots of spinach and other iron rich foods and as long as I wasn't pregnant / miscarrying or haemorrhaging (sp?) to see how things went and if it recurred to get my GP to book a scan! It stopped about 2 days after I got back so I am now waiting to see what happens next ???
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It's almost impossible to get enough iron from food if you are low. A couple of members have recommended a kind to the tummy supplement. It might be a good idea to start that.
As to taking Ibuprofen. Do be careful that you don't end up with an upset tummy. They are not good for long term use at all.
Hope you get to see a GP really soon.....well one that will give you the appropriate treatment.
Mrs Brown
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Sadly I have no choice but to go the food route as I'm intolerant to some of the ingredients in iron pills, including Floradix, so I can either be anaemic or vomiting.
Re the ibuprofen, I did some research during that episode and it can either reduce or increase the bleeding, and as you say isn't a long term solution. I found taking 1 each day appeared to help but the effect was negligible so may well have happened if I hadn't taken them.
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Welcome Helenhelena ......... tnx for your input :thankyou:
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Just to add re iron - I know Floradix do pills but I have only ever used the liquid tonic which is very gentle on the system - it's very natural and I can't imagine it has additives that would upset the stomach. If you are bleeding that much and feeling breathless ( I remember this from pregnancy) I really would try to boost your iron levels asap and thereafter of course maintain an iron rich diet.
Here are the ingredients from Floradix liquid:
Aqueous Extract (54%) from Carrots, Nettles, Spinach, Quitch Roots, Fennel, Ocean Kelp, African Mallow Blossom. Mixture of Fruit Juice Concentrates (29.4%) Pear, Grape, Blackcurrant Juice, Water, Blackberry, Cherry, Orange, Red Beet, Lemon, Carob Extract, It also says this :
"No alcohol, preservatives, colourings or artificial flavourings, & free from lactose
Floradix Liquid Iron Formula contains iron (in the form of iron gluconate), vitamins B2, B6, B12 and C, which contribute to the reduction of tiredness and to normal energy yielding metabolism. Iron also contributes to normal red blood cell and haemoglobin formation, which is supported by vitamins B6 and B12. Floradix also contains vitamin C, which increases iron absorption.
As these nutrients are already dissolved in the liquid, they're absorbed more quickly by the digestive system compared to tablets. Floradix is particularly beneficial for people with an active lifestyle, and expectant and lactating mothers."
Hope this helps :)
Hurdity x
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Thank you all - much appreciated.
Helenhelena I've looked into cloth pads before but have disregarded them on several levels - firstly that OH really wasn't comfortable with the idea of them sitting around in a bucket etc (bless him he's so good on every other level I really do need to considering him in this!) and secondly the difficulty in using them with work etc. Hopefully it's a suggestion that might work for others though.
getting_old (and I bet you're not really!) glad to hear your situation sorted itself out and more particularly that the food route on the iron worked for you too - I'm incredibly wary of taking an iron supplement without medical advice as I know people can be sensitive to them - not sure I have much of a choice now though!
Mrs Brown thank you - I'm actually fine on Ibuprofen long term - have had to take it in the past and thankfully it has no adverse affects on me at all - a bit of a relief in this situation as I do think it might be helping a bit! :)
Hurdity thank you so much for listing those ingredients - that certainly does sound gentle and reassuring. I did have a look in Boots yesterday to see what they did and saw the tablets as well as the liquid so again the recommendation to the liquid specifically is a good one.
Definitely feeling as though I have a bit more energy today I think.
On balance I'm inclined to give it a few days really working on the dietary stuff and taking my WellWoman supplement as I have been - that in itself provides 86% of RDA and I *think* I'm starting to see a correlation with having less energy the day or two after I forget to take one... ::) which might mean I can better kick myself up the backside and REMEMBER TO TAKE THE F...LIPPING THINGS!
I think if this continues much longer I'm going to have to see what the earlier appointment I can get with the Nurse Practitioner is though - not ideal as her appointment slots start late and finish early I believe but I'll just have to see what I can do.
On the blood test thing - if I DO manage to get myself over the phobia to get one done, can anyone give me an idea of what aside from iron levels I should be leaning on them to test for?
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Just to add re iron - I know Floradix do pills but I have only ever used the liquid tonic which is very gentle on the system - it's very natural and I can't imagine it has additives that would upset the stomach. If you are bleeding that much and feeling breathless ( I remember this from pregnancy) I really would try to boost your iron levels asap and thereafter of course maintain an iron rich diet.
Here are the ingredients from Floradix liquid:
Hurdity x
There are things on that ingredient list that I just need to read to feel ill and would put me out of action for a week :( Only option is to eat an iron rich diet.
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There are things on that ingredient list that I just need to read to feel ill and would put me out of action for a week :( Only option is to eat an iron rich diet.
I'll be honest - that really helps from my point of view as I'd far rather know it *can* be done by diet - that's very much my preferred route! So thank you!
So far I've discovered that the Wellwoman capsules are giving me not that far short of what the Floridix would anyway - so I think I'm going to start there. I'm already taking so many different bits with my standard Evening Primrose that I've taken for years, plus the bits I take for arthritis, and now the Magnesium (arrived yesterday - first one taken this morning!) as well, I really want to avoid anything else for as long as I can. I hate taking tablets!
Any foods you can really recommend that might not be that obvious getting_old?
I'm definitely feeling better this morning - first morning for weeks I've got into work and not immediately needed to dash to the loo to do a change. More energy too which is handy as I've got a busy weekend coming up so hoping that lasts! Feel nervous about getting too positive which is ridiculous I know but I've been here before! ;D
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TWW, Blackstrap molasses are high in iron, and if you take it with something with Vitamin C, it should aid absorption. My doctor told me that I was losing so much blood that it would be impossible to make up for it by diet alone, so worth involving your GP. In my case putting up with the side effects from iron tablets was much better than the side effects from low ferritin - always a balance between cost and benefit, isn't it?
Great you're feeling better today, long may it continue.
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Definitely about finding the balance that works for you I think, yes. If I was still bleeding at the rate I was last week and very early this then I think I'd have been less keen to try diet first - I'll be honest, that really scared me. Things have definitely improved a LOT though in the last couple of days so I'm hoping that a combination of several things have begun to have an effect - namely the EVRA, remembering to take the Wellwoman, and the dietary stuff. (That's a great tip about the Blackstrap Molasses by the way - thank you! Also the vitamin C thing - I *have* known that but had forgotten, so very useful to have a reminder!)
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I was told red meat and green veggies, and people have suggested beets too. I'm not complaining as I love steak and now have a reason to eat it, despite the bad press it gets! Interestingly peas were specifically mentioned, along with spinach.
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Liver to replace iron levels ;) :-X
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My OH keeps telling me he's going to make me eat raw liver! ;D Funny that peas got a mention - I've seen that as well. Watercress & eggs are also good for boosting iron levels apparently - and I love both of those two so this is proving no hardship so far! I've stepped up amounts on both meat and fish too - again definitely no hardship!
Update: I finally stopped bleeding on Thursday - bit of a reappearance briefly on Friday but nothing since. Naturally I have NO idea when I can next expect to come on, but frankly it's a relief just to have a bit of time free of it after 28 days! I'm feeling far far more lively and full of energy - in spite of a truly shocking nights sleep on Monday night. I've been taking the magnesium tablets for a week now - on balance I decided to cut the 500mg tablets I had in half as the Wellwoman capsules were already giving me some and that first day when I took a whole opne I did get some griping stomach cramps. So far so good on what equates to about 350mg a day -and they do seem to be making a difference to my restless legs too - it's not cured but it's certainly better.
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Tnx for the update. I found that eating 3/4 small bananas daily cured my restless legs syndrome.
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Hmmm..well why am I not surprised of the date the last time I made an appearance here. Rather felt that an update was required, especially as since then thing have got rather - *ahem* - interesting... Hopefully my experiences might help others though.
Immediately after that last post I spent a weekend with someone who I would at the time have referred to as a friend, but now probably an acquaintance. I was aware that she'd been having some very similar problems to those that I'd been having, so felt that a chat with her might prove to be really helpful for me bearing in mind she'd been dealing with things longer. Let's just say "not exactly" as essentially she told me that from what I was telling her she was FAR worse than I was and thoroughly left me feeling (rather as that first GP had) that I was making a terrible fuss about nothing... now I realise now that this was rather silly, but basically I convinced myself that she must be right and that I should shut up moaning...
Next few months things got steadily worse - any sort of normal life became incredibly difficult, and I gradually albeit without realising it got lower and lower on energy as well - and that in turn left me feeling even more fed up with the whole thing as it felt that all the efforts I was making to get fitter were utterly pointless - somehow I kept going though - and as it turns out it was a rather good job that I did...
At the beginning of October I started really struggling - energy levels dropped even further, more bleeding (and a lot of it) and by 2 weeks into the month things reached a bit of a head, and I reached the stage where I actually missed my first days work as a result of it - I simply didn't have the energy to get there. Struggled in the next day, and the next but half way through that morning had to call my OH to come and get me as I felt so dreadful, was struggling to breath and my heart felt like it was beating very oddly. Rang 111 when we got home who said I needed to get an urgent Dr visit or at least a phone consult - rang surgery, not a chance, rang 111 again and spoke to someone different who pretty much said "oh well just get an appointment when you can" but OH was extremely unhappy with that bearing in mind how much urgency the first one had placed on things and eventually he persuaded me to go to the hospital...
Blood test and a release to home with a GP's appointment for the following morning, only to be followed an hour later by a phone call asking whether I could get back to the hospital... Turned out that waiting for the following day to the GP might have turned out a bit badly, especially for MrEH who would almost certainly have made the discovery when he woke up that I'd died in the night - and being told that really was terrifying. Severe Anaemia - HG level down at 45 which is a long way below the "dangerous" level, ferritin level through the floor. 5 blood transfusions later and I was "reset" back to normal, and finally had a diagnosis for the cause of at least some of my problems - Fibroids! Also got told some home truths - that level of the situation I was in was one, and another was that my efforts to improve fitness were almost certainly what had saved me from significant heart damage - again quite scary. (within 5 minutes of being taken to the "Majors area" cubicle on return to the hospital I was hooked up to the EGC machine and they were amazed that it showed normal...)
Released from hospital after 4 days - iron tablets, and I've had a first course of a drug which should shrink the fibroids too - so far the signs from the latest scan are positive so I'm hoping for the nod to get another course...
I was lucky - in fact I was very lucky indeed, I know that now. There's still work to do - the iron tablets continue for the foreseeable - but I really did have a lucky escape, and partly because I was SO terrified by the idea of having a blood test. If you don't have the needle phobia then you won't understand how that was even possible - anyone who does will get it though. Oddly although the idea of injections is still a no for me, I'm absolutely fine with having blood taken although it does need to come from my hand not my arm as my arm didn't react well!
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CRIKEY!!!! :foryou:
Maybe ask for treatment about needle phobia? Perhaps talking with others who suffer might help. Any phobia has no logic to it!! [been there, done that ...... emitotphobia].
I'm worse having blood taken than getting an injection ::)
Wjat\s tje pver=a;; ::)
What's the overall prognosis? How do you feel?
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Awww flowers - thank you! :) :-*
Ahh I've asked about tackling the needlephobia before - the problem is the current therapy assumes you're terrified of the needle itself - which I'm not - I can happily handle syringes, inject into oranges (the way they teach nurses to inject) etc, it's just that when the needle goes in my body tenses to such an extent the likelihood is either the needles breaks or I end up with an arm swollen up like a football and useless for days. I *feel* relaxed - my muscles say otherwise. ::) Utterly infuriating! Blood tests are fine - I've got fairly good veins in my hand so as long as the Phlebotomist thinks to take it manually not with a vacuum phial it's all good! Ironically of course now I've realised I could give blood they don't want it any more. Grrr!
I've got to see the consultant again - in fact I need to chase up the appointment - and hopefully he will agree to me getting a second course of the Esmya tablets to carry on with the shrinkage of the fibroids. Esmya is cleared on the NHS for up to 4 x courses with 2 x clear months between each so... I'm also now giving serious consideration to a Mirena Coil - although not willing to go there until the spring as with the possibility of mood swings coming with it I want to be sure I'm out of my "dodgy" time of year MH-wise before I go down that route. Mood swings + dark nights might send me to somewhere I'm not willing to go. I find out in the next few days whether the small shrinkage the fibroids have already seen will help with the heavy bleeding though.
In terms of how I feel - Blood transfusions are amazing - by the time the first bag went in I felt "back to normal" - the second and third left me feeling better than I had in several years. By the time I reached the end of the 5th one it felt like I'd been supercharged - I was annoying myself I had so much energy! ;D A week after I left hospital I started on the Couch to 5k running programme, blasted through it in 8 weeks and have now run parkrun and am planning another 5k for later this month! ;D I wear they gave me the blood of a sporty person! ;)
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Bugga ........ then!
How do the blood infusions go in, back of the hand?
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No - had to have the transfusions via a canula in my arm - which they had to use the right one of (dominant hand) as they took one look at my left elbow post blood test and said "we're not even TRYING to find a vein in there!" ;D Thankfully they got the canula in first time and it JUST stayed put for long enough. Bled like a devil when the nurse removed it though - she began to think it was never going to stop!
Best blood test I had in hospital was the rather ace nurse who went straight for a vein at the side of my wrist - absolutely doddle - in, out, done. I couldn't even see a vein there but he certainly found one!